The Round the World Joke - 1972
1972 was the 100-year anniversary of Thomas Cook’s first
round the world travel tour. To commemorate the occasion,
the London Times ran an article about Cook’s 1872 tour,
in which it noted that the holiday had cost the participants
only 210 guineas each. A few pages later, the Times
included a small article noting that in honour of the 100year anniversary, the travel agent was offering 1,000 lucky
people the chance to buy a similar package deal at 1872
prices. The offer would be given to the first 1,000 people to
apply.
The article noted that applications should be addressed
to “Miss Avril Foley“. The public response to this bargainbasement offer was swift and enthusiastic. Huge lines of
people formed outside the Thomas Cook offices, and the
travel agent was swamped with calls. Belatedly the Times
identified the offer as an April Fool’s joke and apologised
for the inconvenience it had caused particularly to the
people who had waited in line for hours. The reporter who
wrote the article, John Carter, was fired (though he was
later reinstated).
The Wife Beating Joke - 2000
The Romanian edition of Playboy published
an article titled “How to beat your wife
without leaving a trace.” Written from
the point of view of a policeman,
it offered a step-by-step guide to
concealable abuse, suggesting
that abuse could lead to a better
sex life.
Deputy Editor Mihai Galatanu
later insisted the article had been
an April Fool’s joke, and that
the abuse methods described
“cannot work.” Nevertheless,
the article generated widespread
condemnation. Women marched
through central Bucharest in protest.
Playboy Enterprises Chairman,
Christie Hefner, soon issued an apology
and reprimanded the Romanian Chief
Editor.
84