Buzz
Nowadays, if we stumble upon something that seems a bit off, a quick fact-check is just a tap away. However, in the days before Google was readily available in our pockets, people had to trust the integrity of journalists and broadcasters.
This reliance on trust was even more critical when radio stood as one of the primary sources of news. This collection highlights hoaxes dating back to the 1940s. While some of these occurred after the rise of the Internet, you’ll be amazed at how easily some individuals were deceived!
10. Nixon For President . . . Once More?
In 1992, National Public Radio aired a clip of Richard Nixon announcing his intention to run for the presidency once more. This came less than two decades after his resignation following the Watergate scandal.
In the broadcast, Nixon declared his new campaign slogan: “I never did anything wrong, and I won’t do it again.” Listeners flooded the station with calls, trying to make sense of the announcement. However, it wasn’t until the show’s conclusion that comedian Rich Little revealed it was all an elaborate April Fools’ Day prank.
9. Tokyo Under Attack by a Sea Monster
On a night in 1947, the Armed Forces Radio Station WVTR in Tokyo interrupted its regular programming with breaking news. Reporters claimed that a mysterious creature from the ocean had surfaced and was advancing toward the city. The broadcast included dramatic audio of gunfire, cannon blasts, and “live” reports from journalists on the scene.
Initial reports claimed that several fishing boats had vanished. Soon after, news broke that a coastal village had been ravaged, with eyewitnesses spotting a sea monster advancing along the shoreline. Military units were reportedly dispatched to engage the creature using cannons, as rifles proved useless. The broadcast was filled with terrifying screams, roars from the beast, and the panicked cries of bystanders.
While the hoax was exposed the following day, the names of the broadcasters remain unknown. Some believe they may have been reassigned to Korea as a form of disciplinary action.
8. The Tale of I, Libertine
In 1968, late-night radio host Jean Shepherd encouraged his New York City audience to visit bookstores and request a non-existent book titled I, Libertine. The prank targeted bookstore owners, and listeners reveled in the chaos that ensued from the hoax.
The inspiration for this elaborate scheme stemmed from an encounter where the DJ requested a book clerk to locate a specific title. The clerk, however, argued that the title wasn’t listed among published books and therefore couldn’t exist. Despite Shepherd’s strong objections, the clerk remained unconvinced.
Frustrated, Shepherd orchestrated the prank, urging his loyal “night people” listeners to request the fictional book, I, Libertine, at bookstores across New York City and beyond. One enthusiastic fan even extended the requests to the UK and Scandinavia.
A secret code emerged among Shepherd’s followers: saying “Excelsior” would prompt the response, “Seltzer bottle.” One student even submitted a book report on the imaginary title. His teacher, also a Shepherd fan, awarded him a B+ and scribbled “Excelsior!” at the bottom.
As the book’s mysterious popularity grew, a publisher traced the phenomenon back to Shepherd and proposed turning it into a real publication. Shepherd agreed, and a listener who was also an author penned the story. The back cover featured a photo of Shepherd under the pseudonym Frederick Ewing.
By the time the book hit shelves, the secret was out. Today, copies are highly sought after by collectors and can fetch hundreds of dollars.
7. The Infamous Filipino Monkey
In January 2008, the United States Navy nearly launched an attack on Iranian speedboats after a radio prankster known as “Filipino Monkey” disrupted ship-to-ship communications with offensive language. The incident took place in the Persian Gulf, and tensions escalated when the broadcast falsely claimed the boats were loaded with explosives.
The message, delivered in an unusual English accent, warned, “I am coming to you. You will explode in a few minutes.” Although the broadcast lasted only 20 minutes, US Navy gunners were reportedly moments away from opening fire.
The Filipino Monkey has been notorious for broadcasting vulgarities and threats for over 25 years, becoming a running joke among those familiar with the region’s radio communications.
6. The (Real) Apocalypse Announcement
In 1940, radio station KYW broadcast a chilling alert claiming that the Franklin Institute, a science museum in Philadelphia, had predicted the world would end the following day at 3:00 PM Eastern time. This came just two years after the infamous The War of the Worlds radio drama, performed by Orson Welles, had already caused widespread panic among listeners who mistook it for reality.
Rather than learning from the previous incident, authorities were inundated with frantic calls. The chaos only calmed when the Franklin Institute clarified that they had never issued any doomsday predictions.
The culprit was William Castellini, the institute’s press agent, who had devised the stunt to promote an upcoming lecture titled “How Will The World End?” His plan backfired, and he was promptly dismissed.
5. A Massive Swarm of Wasps, a Mile Wide
In 1949, New Zealand’s 1ZB Auckland breakfast radio host Phil Shone warned listeners of an approaching swarm of wasps, stretching 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) wide, heading straight for the city. He suggested practical precautions like wearing socks over trouser legs, lying motionless, sealing door keyholes, and setting up jam-smeared brown paper traps outside homes.
Unsurprisingly, the police and government officials were flooded with calls. Authorities contacted the station twice before the hoax was finally called off. Since then, an annual email circulates before April Fools’ Day, reminding broadcasters of their duty to uphold the truth.
4. The Celestial Encounter: Jupiter and Pluto
One of the most memorable hoaxes was orchestrated by astronomer Sir Patrick Moore on April 1, 1976. He announced on air that as Pluto passed Jupiter at 9:47 AM that day, the planetary alignment would momentarily alter Earth’s gravity.
BBC Radio 2 listeners were urged to jump at the specified time to feel a floating sensation. Despite the announcement being a prank, many called in to share their experiences of feeling lighter due to reduced gravity.
One caller claimed she and her friends floated around the room, while another reported rising so fast that he hit his head on the ceiling. This prank is often celebrated as one of the greatest April Fools’ Day jokes of all time.
3. The Peril of Exploding Maple Trees
In 2005, NPR’s All Things Considered aired a segment capitalizing on the low-carb diet trend. The hoax claimed that the diet fad had caused maple trees in New England to go untapped, leading to a dangerous buildup of sap that could cause the trees to explode.
The report described the situation as a “ticking time bomb,” with the Vermont Department of Health allegedly documenting 140 injuries and 87 deaths, including several decapitations, that year. The segment, still available online, featured sound effects of dripping sap and trees bursting.
Experts in “arboreal thermodynamics” were consulted, explaining that Native Americans once tapped the trees, but the practice was never adopted by the Puritans who later settled the area. The explosions were reportedly audible up to 32 kilometers (20 miles) away, with eerie recordings preserved by local folklorists. The segment aired, fittingly, on April Fools’ Day.
2. The Illusion of the Titanic Replica
The 1997 release of the movie Titanic was still fresh in public memory when this hoax unfolded in 2001. Enthusiastic locals, inspired by the film’s popularity, flocked to Beachy Head in East Sussex, England, hoping to catch a glimpse of a replica ship sailing by.
Hundreds of Southern FM radio listeners gathered on the 162-meter-high (531 ft) cliffs, but the unexpected crowd caused a 1.5-meter (5 ft) crack to form in the rock. Authorities were called, and while the situation was precarious, it ended safely—unlike the tragic fate of the real Titanic.
1. Budgies on the Breakfast Menu
In 1979, CBC radio’s The Food Show featured an interview with Fiona Curtis from Ontario. Inspired by her husband’s pigeons, she claimed to have launched a business selling cooked budgerigars to upscale delicatessens.
The segment, still accessible online, includes Curtis detailing her three stuffing choices: chestnuts, onion and bread, or squid with bread and paprika. When questioned about future culinary ventures, she suggested gerbils as a potential option, citing their meatiness and rapid growth.
Curtis encouraged listeners to try cooking budgies at home if they couldn’t find her products in stores. She advised using plenty of spices and even mentioned that the bones were edible: “They crunch.”
Her company’s slogan, “Bite-Size Budgerigars,” was accompanied by a recipe for adventurous home cooks. The segment, clearly a joke, aired on April Fools’ Day.
