April Fools' Day Infamous Hoaxes

These pranks go way beyond salt in the sugar bowl. Here are 5 infamous hoaxes pulled off on the holiday throughout the years with plenty more at Museum of Hoaxes website.

Viagra for Hamsters

As if hamsters weren't hopped up enough, in 2000 "The Independent" reported that researchers in Florida had come up with a Viagra-inspired pill to for pets who needed a reproductive push, such as the classically infertile and sexually-stifled hamster. Vets were quoted as saying, "It's not unknown for a guinea pig to sit in its cage thinking, 'I haven't had sex for months. Am I so unattractive?'" The pill's brand name was to be "Feralmone."

Eiffel Tower Moves

Paris has always been a city on the move. In 1986, The "Parisien" had the French up in arms when it reported that there were plans, nay an actual agreement to deconstruct the Eiffel Tower for reassembly at the cultural Mecca, Euro Disney. The tower would be replaced by a 35,000 seat stadium for 1992 Olympic Games.

Man Flies By Own Lung Power

This hoax gives new meaning to the term "blowhard." In 1934 the "New York Times," among other notable rags, ran a photo of a man flying through the air using a lung-powered, propeller-pack. Basically, the way the box on his back worked was a "blow-out, go-up" method. His stylish flying machine was completed by skis on his feet for a smooth landing and a tail fin for steering himself in flight. But wait, it gets better. American papers took the "lung-power motor" story and photo from its initial publisher, "Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung," to unforeseen heights bringing it to Hearst's International News Photo agency who distributed it to all its U.S. subscribers. In the original article, the pilot's name who invented the device was spelled "Erich Koycher," a pun on the German word "keuchen," meaning to puff or wheeze.

The Taco Liberty Bell

Give me liberty or give me Gorditas! In 1996, the Taco Bell Corporation announced it had bought the Liberty Bell and from here on out it was to be called the "Taco Liberty Bell." Citizens stormed the National Historic Park in Philadelphia (via phone from the comfort of their homes) where the bell is still housed today with a spicy fury about the buy. A few hours later, Taco Bell came clean about the hoax, but the best quote about the incident was from White House press secretary Mike McCurry whose response was that Lincoln Memorial had also been sold and would now be known as the "Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial."

The Left-Handed Whopper

In 1998, Burger King took out a full-page ad in "USA Today" introducing a new menu item: the "Left-Handed Whopper." (Being a "lefty" myself, I appreciate the extra help for those of us who are forever negotiating that end seat when dining with a group so we're not in an elbow war with the neighboring right-handed guest). This new-fangled Whopper was advertised as having the same ingredients as the original, but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees, making those tasty toppings more advantageous for their left-handed customers. Burger King fessed-up about the hoax the next day, however, thousands of customers had attempted to order the left-handed Whopper, and many others insisted on their own right-handed burger.