Are hoaxes funny?

No

1 of 2

by Pam Prowse

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I really had to think long and hard about the question "Are Hoaxes Funny?" As I was trying to decide what to write, I saw on the news a story about a boy and a weather balloon. I am sure you have heard of it as well, but if you didn't, here is a little description of the event.

A family in Colorado, knows as storm chasers, had a weather balloon in their possession. Somehow, the balloon was released, and the family called the authorities, saying their son was inside the balloon. When the balloon was brought down, and no child was inside, it was then decided that the son was hiding in the attic, and did not respond to his parents calling his name, for fear he would be in trouble. This was considered a hoax, as the boy stated on national television that the reason he let the balloon go was "For The Show."

This, being considered a hoax, is not funny. If anything, it is sad. A very sad attempt to make the public feel something for you and your family, under false pretenses. Things like this are not funny. However, as hoaxes go, some can be. This is why I had a very difficult time deciding which side to write for.

Let's look at other so called hoaxes. UFO's, Big Foot, the Yeti. Is it funny for someone to claim they saw Big Foot or the Yeti, or that they were abducted by aliens? The answer is simply, No. But, we are so intrigued by these stories, mostly because they have been around for so many years, that we continue with the possibilty that maybe, just maybe, they did see or encounter one of these things.

Other hoaxes are iffy, as we really don't know whether to laugh or just brush it off as an idiotic ploy for attention. Take for example, the Derbyshire Fairy hoax of 2007. Images of a little 8in mummified creature, believed to be a fairy of some sort, surfaced on a website belonging to Lebanon Circle Magic Company. Apparantly, this creature was found on an old rural road in Derbyshire, by an elderly gentleman and his dog. This was posted in March of 2007, and by April 1, 2007, tens of thousands visits to their homepage later, it was told that it had been a hoax, and the creature was nothing more than a prop that the owner of the site had created, to draw attention to his site. Yes, it was very smart, as he was now very popular, as was his site, however, what an unethical way to draw attention, don't you think.

I guess, when we really look at it, a hoax is nothing more than a lie. And nobody likes a liar. But, at the same time, it is all in how we perceive things to be funny. I did not find the balloon hoax funny, but the fairy hoax was kind of amusing, as is the UFO sightings and Big Foot. A matter of personal preference, when it comes to what is funny and what is not.

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