The Brief: April Fools Day 2020 takes place during a pandemic, causing some people to shy away from the holiday while others continue to share pranks, jokes, and memes.
DEEP DIVE
Should April Fools Day Be Canceled?
As April 1st, 2020 falls during a global pandemic, not everyone feels like celebrating. Google even canceled their annual prank, which is usually a staple in the April Fools prank-o-sphere. Many people called for April Fools Day to be canceled as this pandemic presents such a serious and tragic situation. Others suggested that the day should be canceled because the entirety of 2020 has been a “joke.”
All that considered, everyone has different ways of coping and as long as no one is being harmed or put at risk, it can be ok to have a bit of April Fools Day fun, share memes, and even play a light prank.
No April Fools this year. We've been through enough
— Dubloadz (@Dubloadz) April 1, 2020
No April fools this year cus this whole year already been a big joke
— MONXX (@monxxbeats) April 1, 2020
Best April Fools Day Memes & Jokes Of 2020
For those who aren’t ready to celebrate this April Fools Day:
ANYONE: April fools!
ME: pic.twitter.com/NWkPgELts4
— Funny Or Die (@funnyordie) April 1, 2020
April Fools 2020 really be like: pic.twitter.com/Jw2gRCM6pD
— grayth (@contrlbeat) April 1, 2020
Shoutout to all the clowns out there!
I don't have any April Fools jokes but instead I will bless your tl with this cute clown teddy bear. 🧸💗🌈 pic.twitter.com/H2MbAACarb
— ✨🌈 Sprinkle Puptart 🌈✨ (@Dolcisprinkles) April 1, 2020
It’s April First, you know what that means.
*I silently put a second clown nose on top of my existing clown nose*
— Grantom of the Himbopera (@grantthethief) April 1, 2020
Trying to act celebratory during a lockdown or quarantine isn’t easy.
I don’t miss human connection!!! Jk April fools got ya
— Alyssa Limperis (@alyssalimp) April 1, 2020
I remember a time when April 1st meant looking forward to dope April Fools Day jokes. Today it just means we somehow survived the longest March in history.
— Joey Sasso (@joey_sasso) April 1, 2020
For anyone who’s looking for an excuse to text their ex today:
It’s April Fools today. Kinda makes me think how I was such a fool to let things end the way they did. Hope you and the fam are doing well, you don’t have to reply pic.twitter.com/oDo285TwEH
— Ryan Duarte (@mhite_wamba) April 1, 2020
me scrolling through social media on april fools day: pic.twitter.com/7lNkLqvJer
— eric cowan (@cowanado) April 1, 2020
A relatable April Fools letdown for Animal Crossing players:
April Fools Pranks
As pranks can sometimes be thinly veiled harassment, they’ve always been a bit iffy. This April Fools Day, some people still managed to find ways to prank each other to pass the time during quarantine, or to just be a jerk and then yell “Apil fools!”
On Reddit, prank shenanigans have included subreddits switching places with each other as pictured below with r/HistoryMemes and r/PrequelMemes. For more like this, check out this crowdsourced list of Reddit and internet pranks occurring today.
My mom panicked this morning that she was getting a text scam and they were charging her account. So I look at the texts. No links, doesn’t look like a normal phishing scam. Then I read the messages…
My 12 yr old niece wrote these texts to prank her grandma 😂#AprilFools pic.twitter.com/64EWjlBC0P
— Erin Gallagher (@3r1nG) April 1, 2020
An honorable mention to one of the greatest pranksters of all time: Jim from The Office.
In honor of April fools day, here’s the greatest prank the office ever did. pic.twitter.com/3PuU89XxHI
— FATHER D ➐ (@ayosworIdd) April 1, 2020
Note: your kids won’t be happy if you trick them into thinking they’ll have to go to summer school.
I despise #AprilFools gags. They’re so yesterday.
But I had to deliver this one just to prove my family hates me. pic.twitter.com/GBDtnlAFyc
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) April 1, 2020
My manager: LOUIE!!! Did you see that Nicki Minaj retweeted you?!?
Me: WHAT?! SHUT UP! *runs to Twitter*
Me: realizes it’s April fools..
My manager: April fools!!!
Me: …….
💔
— ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴅᴅᴇsᴛ (@louiecasttro) April 1, 2020
The Orlando Airport managed to combine a quick trick and a message about staying at home in this tweet:
That window seat view when you’re flying to your favorite resort… #StayAtHome #AprilFools pic.twitter.com/YpJCWJbyT7
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) April 1, 2020
This was my actual children’s actual #AprilFools. They posted it through the door and everything pic.twitter.com/nBSAYOIUeD
— Will Foulger (@willfoulger) April 1, 2020
A pun-filled toilet paper shortage prank:
One of my work moms sent this to her favs #AprilFools #workingfromhome pic.twitter.com/L97NNdqhl6
— 🇰 🇦 🇹 🇴 🇳 🇪 (@KatoneRoberts) April 1, 2020