In pursuit of a good laugh

It’s a long tradition here at the Observer, but not everyone’s in on the joke of our annual April Fools’ issue. 

For over 25 years, around April 1, we have been printing parody stories (now better known as fake news) on pages 1-4A. Our longtime readers know this and are trained to be on the lookout this time of year (and sometimes even call us with ideas), while our newer readers and visitors — they’re a little bit of an easier target for our tomfoolery.

We try to make them all in good fun, usually poking at public subjects and silly make-believe businesses as to do no harm.

While sometimes the jokes touch on some nerves (one story on the misalignment of the Ringling Bridge while it was being constructed drew particular ire), most of our readers enjoy a good chuckle and maybe even a sigh of relief when they learn the story is in jest.

To try to mitigate some of the disturbance to our public servants involved in the jokes, we include our phone number in hopes that upset readers call us instead of the city or county. This doesn’t always work. And, so we don’t contribute to the fake news plague online, the beginning of each article’s headline published on our website starts with “APRIL FOOLS.”

Putting together the issue is certainly fun, from the pitch meeting to the design of fake photographs, but our favorite is once it’s published. We get a kick out of gathering responses from readers who fell for the joke and enjoy getting to tell them they can stand down — a monorail will not be making its way to Longboat Key, Bobby Jones will not be fracked for natural gas and Manatee County’s garbage bins are staying as they are.

A few of our favorite reader comments from this year:

We do not understand how the monorail could provide benefits.  The problem is limited stops and limited access. People at the St. Regis will ride the monorail to Publix?  I don’t think so. We are located south of the St. Regis. Would we drive and park to use the monorail? Seems very inconvenient. We sometimes go north on LBK and to Anna Maria Island, but the monorail stops are too limited to be useful. I would be very interested in seeing an explanation of the thinking before this big project goes forward. 

Let Sarasota stick to proper municipal services like sewer, water and clerk salaries. Get out of the golf business. Capture your mineral bonanza now and leave the dog track of Bobby Jones to people who know golf!

Seems the wrong date (April 1, 2026) occurred on the first four pages of the weekly paper. I am sure you received a few notifications of that fact. 

I want you to know that I read all of those articles and believed each one, especially the trash barrels. I couldn’t wait to mention the stories to my wife when she got home today. She believed it until she picked up the paper and said to me “didn’t you see the Gotcha?” I totally missed it because I went directly to the articles. Great Job!

It wasn’t all fan mail, though. Especially in the East County Observer, where we touched a sensitive subject when we wrote that residents’ much-maligned “big bins” were now going to be replaced with four mini “Barbie bins” in response to so many complaints. This joke was apparently too soon for Manatee County residents. 

What in the world were you all thinking publishing an article about the Manatee County garbage cans changing from one to four as a joke — and not even on April Fools’ Day, when we might think twice??? This has been such a hot topic and people have enough to be upset about in their lives without this. It’s very disappointing that a supposedly reliable and factual source of news would do this. 

I for one didn’t think your fake stories were funny at all. Not what a newspaper should do. I for one will not read this rag anymore. Whoever thought of this should be fired or resign.

I will be sure to tell our CEO, Matt Walsh, that he’s fired. Actually, the idea came from a onetime Arts and Entertainment editor, who had come from a paper that had a similar tradition. Always ones to enjoy bucking convention and having fun at the same time, our owners Matt and Lisa Walsh were game.

Throughout the years, we’ve gotten our share of heat, and not just from fooled readers. Government officials who are inconvenienced get peeved (and we send our apologies), and I’ve even gotten shamed from those in the journalism world who say we are tearing down the credibility not just of our publication, but of newspapers in general. 

To that, all I can say is: lighten up. One of our values at The Observer is to take our content but not ourselves too seriously. We feel like this reflects that spirit. 

As for journalism at-large and its trust issues, I think there are bigger fish to fry than the Observer’s four pages of parody once a year. 

Many appreciate and enjoy the break from the every day, especially, as that reader most correctly pointed out: We have enough stress in our lives. 

It’s the positive reviews, of which we get many, that reinforce we are providing a valuable service, as silly as it is.

I just had to write to commend you on the April Fools’ issue. I laughed and laughed on every page! It was well thought out, creative, entertaining and just plain delightful! Thank you for brightening my day!

As the wise Mark Twain once said:

“The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.”