I know these happened, but I haven't been able to determine the exact date. If you have any info, let me know!
Australia's
This Day Tonight ran a segment about the "Dial-O-Fish," a new electronic fishing rod that could be set to catch any desired species. A "fishing expert" demonstrated how to use the device. First he dialed up garfish, and soon had caught half a dozen. Next he dialed up tommy ruff. Hundreds of viewers reportedly called in wanting to know where to buy one, and a Japanese manufacturer declared it was ready to go into production immediately.
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Australia's
This Day Tonight reported that the Sydney Opera House was sinking into the harbor. The report showed scuba divers examining the foundations and included interviews with concerned "experts".
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BMW revealed that it had developed a new "Toot and Calm Horn" (T.C.H.) system, which made a noise that actually calmed other drivers on the road rather than aggravating them, thereby lessening the risk of road rage. The name "Toot and Calm Horn" was styled after Tutankhamen.
This April Fool ad has been fairly widely reported, but I don't know where or when it ran. The earliest report of it I've found dates to 2006. I'm guessing the ad may have run in the 1990s.
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BMW announced the limited availability of a porcelain statuette of the BMW Z8, created by the "legendary Prussian ceramicist" Loof Lirpa. The actual size of the statuette, a note at the bottom of the ad revealed, was 15ft x 5ft.
[Note: I don't know when or where this ad ran. The BMW Z8 was produced between 1999 and 2003, so presumably this ad ran at some point in that time period.]
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