Get Your Wacky Ideas In NOW!
Time is fast ticking down to a
date the entire ANN staff looks forward to every year.
See, each April 1st, we have a problem getting our stories
straight... we make things up, we get silly, we exaggerate and
lampoon. In other words, we act weirder than the loons who
run Sun 'n Fun... and in this group, that's really saying
something. (At least we get group rates on appropriate
professional care... which comes in handy more often than we care
to admit -- Ed.)
Once a year it's fun to let it all hang out, and this year is no
exception. Rest assured we already have some "doozys" in the can
for April 1... but we wanted to give our readers ONE LAST CHANCE to
submit their ideas for April 1st, in hopes of seeing their twisted
ideas (or better yet, full stories) in pixliated print.
Keep in mind two things: One, we only lampoon the ones we
love*. We ask our readers AND sponsors to keep
that in mind...
And secondly... since our format doesn't always allow for easy
distinction between April 1st stories and stories that are
published on April 1st (if ya know what we mean...), we're
gonna warn ya. Please note that all stories posted Friday,
April 1, 2011 that are NOT labeled specifically as REAL
NEWS should be read with your funny bone in gear, and all
others with a straight face... we hope.
We hate to provide that caveat, but it's been an issue in the
past. For example, a few years back when a New York Times reporter
once actually thought our story on Sandra Bullock racing bizjets at
Reno had a glimmer of truth.
There were also a few questions about a previous year's
April 1st story which saw Boeing giving up on its 787 program...
opting instead to introduce the updated
767-500 "Miserliner." While most (but not
all!) of you who saw the story figured out Boeing would never
really do such a thing (and for the rest of
you... really? "Bubbles" Yamagura wasn't a hint?
Seriously? -- Ed) events have since shown
that, perhaps, Boeing should have taken our advice,
we're just
saying.
Of course, that also gives us further incentive
to raise the bar in 2011.
That's the LAST warning you're gonna get... almost. After this,
we take no prisoners. We're having a ball putting this one together
and after some of the past year's low points, we all could use
a good laugh (and a good cry...)
We hope you enjoy our efforts this
year and appreciate the work done by ANN Editor-In-Chief Jim
Campbell, ANN News Editor Tom Patton, E-Media Producer Paul
Plack, Senior Video Producer Nathan Cremisino... AND many
others!
We also have some REALLY great ANN readers who have already sent
us some TRULY good ideas, photos and suggestions. Y'all are some
very warped people... and we appreciate it.
Your suggestions for worthwhile April 1st topics and story ideas
are ALWAYS welcome. Just click the link below and take your best
shot... the weirder the better!
*Well, for the most part...