Showing posts with label jokes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jokes. Show all posts

Saturday, April 1, 2017

THE BBC'S SWISS SPAGHETTI TREE HARVEST STORY IS THE GREATEST APRIL FOOL'S DAY JOKE EVER


This is the 60th anniversary of the greatest April Fool's Day joke ever by, of all people, the BBC News division. We studied this incident in my media and journalism courses at Missouri State University, back when it was Southwest Missouri State University. None of our professors had a copy of it. They assumed it was lost (kind of like early Doctor Who episodes). We can see it, thanks to YouTube.

On April 1st, 1957, the BBC news program, Panorama, ran a 3 minute story about the abundant harvest this spring on spaghetti trees in Switzerland.  It was narrated by the shows, usually serious host Richard Dimbleby. At the time, spaghetti and pasta were not foods that the British ate. The only way to get spaghetti, in the 1950s, in Great Britain was pre-cooked in a can with tomato sauce. People began calling the BBC to find out if they could grow it in their back yard.



Here is the full report. The only thing missing from this is Richard Dimbleby's tag at the end, saying into the camera, "And that is our program for today, April 1st, 1957."

Runners up on great April Fool's Day jokes would be when a reporter for an NBC affiliate in Missouri (John Pertzborn, I think), in the early 90s, profiled a couple that was receiving "left over" TV transmissions from the 1950s. I became suspect when it seemed everything they were watching was off at Goodtimes or Video Steve compilation tape. Another April Fool's joke in the Missouri media world was in the late 80s, when the then top rated Top 40 radio station in Springfield, Missouri, KWTO-FM Rock 99, announced it was going country and the DJs quit on-air. Also a few years ago, Northern Bath Tissue announced their "Rustic Weave Artisan Toilet Paper" in an online commercial (I love the look on that woman's face when she sits down). Also, comic fans used to laugh about the time Comic Shop News announced that D.C Comics had bought out Marvel Comics. This was before Warner Brothers bought out D.C and Marvel was bought out by Disney.

Happy April Fool's Day!    


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

MONSTER PHOTO FUN Part 2


MONSTER PHOTO FUN Part 1

A mainstay of monster kid life, in the 60s, 70s and early 80s, was the monster magazines and trading cards that featured stills from classic horror films with funny captions and speech balloons added. I decided to try my hand at creating some new versions this summer when I was bored. I posted these on the Facebook site and got some positive results. I plan to create more for the Countdown to Halloween.
 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

PLASTIC SIGN MOLDS 3 - FUN WITH SEX & RELIGION

Time for more Art/Craft vacuum form molds for plastic signs. This time it is humorous wall plaques. This was 1973 when Jesus freaks, hippies and the sexual revolution was the order of the day. You will notice that unlike the stuff you see on Facebook, these are very genteel, innocuous and childlike (especially the religious stuff). No strident agendas. Just laughs and smiles. Click on the image to enlarge.

What is supposed to be funny about "spicy" and "clout"? A little feminist religious humor at the top.


A black Klansman saying "Just passing thru?" Just the word "Disco?"

The gender sign gags are pretty funny.

Sadly, the Pollack joke was still alive at this time. 



No look at 70's posters or plaques would be complete without "Keep on Truckin."

Before Facebook, it was okay to say you hate work.

Smiley faces, peace signs and the "one way" finger.
 I believe "Go To Hell"  and "sit On It" are the meanest statements on any of these. The one with the drunk cat is clever.
Nice and gentle religious messages.

Followed by dirty sex.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

The Electric Company - The Plumber and the Parrot Cartoon



I recently purchased a DVD of The Electric Company to show my three year old great-nephew. He didn't pay much attention to it, but it was a trip back to my childhood for me. One of the things that I had sort of forgotten about was the catchphrase "It's the plumber. He's come to fix the sink." This cartoon appeared in the pilot and this is what started it all with that line.
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