--- title: April Fools Day 2015 Pranks That Backfired description: April Fools Day 2015 pranks that went horribly wrong canonical: https://time.com/3768172/april-fools-day-2015-pranks-failed-went-awry-backfired/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-04-01T22:25:44.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:47:48.125Z og:title: 5 April Fools' Pranks That Went Horribly Wrong in 2015 og:description: April Fools Day 2015 pranks that went horribly wrong og:url: https://time.com/3768172/april-fools-day-2015-pranks-failed-went-awry-backfired/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 5 April Fools' Pranks That Went Horribly Wrong in 2015 twitter:description: April Fools Day 2015 pranks that went horribly wrong twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 5 April Fools' Pranks That Went Horribly Wrong This Year > Sponsored content. 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Waxman Staff Writer Apr 1, 2015 10:25 PM UTC _While April Fools is supposed to be a day of laughter and good cheer—_[_we rounded up the best jokes here_](http://time.com/3764210/best-april-fools-pranks-2015/)_—some people just went way too far._ _Below, a glimpse at a few pranks that backfired:_ • The student newspaper at the University of Virginia [apologized](http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2015/04/an-apology-to-our-readers) for publishing a joke issue with articles like “ABC officers tackle Native American student outside Bodo’s Bagels” and “Zeta Psi hosts ‘Rosa Parks’ party.” These pieces were published two weeks after the bloody arrest of a black student by white officers from the state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control sparked campus-wide [protests](http://time.com/3758641/university-of-virginia-martese-johnson-terry-mcauliffe-abc/). • A gag involving fireworks resulted in a [laundry hamper on fire](http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/04/april%5Ffools%5Ffireworks%5Fprank%5Fst.html) in an apartment complex near Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Residents were evacuated, and no injuries were reported. • The following tweet from the Greater Manchester Police Radcliffe [reportedly](http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/manchester-police-april-fools-day-5438860) offended parents with children who have been incarcerated. • Seattle Seahawks Linebacker Bruce Irvin [apologized](http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25131349/bruce-irvin-tweets-horribly-unfunny-dui-apology-for-april-fools-day) for joke tweets in which he said he was caught drinking and driving after his prank sparked outrage on Twitter. Before this hits the media I just wanna apologize to my fans and the [@Seahawks](https://twitter.com/Seahawks?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) organization once again. I made a terrible decision b driving — Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin\_WVU11) [April 1, 2015](https://twitter.com/BIrvin%5FWVU11/status/583245704908316672?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) After I had a few drinks. I will do everything to get ur trust back and will become a better person after this. — Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin\_WVU11) [April 1, 2015](https://twitter.com/BIrvin%5FWVU11/status/583245887226286080?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) • _Happy Endings,_ the cult ABC comedy that was cancelled in 2013, will be lucky if it has any fans left after [teasing fans](http://www.buzzfeed.com/jarettwieselman/happy-endings-reboot-rumors-were-an-elaborate-april-fo#.jgQpKP23Q) with a website of a countdown to April 1 that revealed nothing. [@happywrites](https://twitter.com/happywrites?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) Sure, everyone saw it coming, but why would you just troll all of your fans, other than to just be completely mean-spirited? — FuzzBeedEli (@FuzzBeedEli) [April 1, 2015](https://twitter.com/FuzzBeedEli/status/583314148919906304?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) .[@happywrites](https://twitter.com/happywrites?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) you have officially ruined my day and everything you've done with 3 seasons of the funniest show of all time has become lesser — Rob (@RDefina) [April 1, 2015](https://twitter.com/RDefina/status/583311511910768640?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) _Read next:_ [_These Radio Hosts Pulled the Best April Fools’ Prank on Their Coworkers_](http://time.com/3767512/best-april-fools-2015-pranks-new-zealand-radio-zmbreakfast/) ### Pucker Up: 15 Awkward Political Kisses  Texas Sen. Ted Cruz kisses his wife before walking onstage to speak at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., to announce his presidential candidacy on March 23. Mark Wilson—Getty Images  President Barack Obama gives German Chancellor Angela Merkel a kiss on the cheek on arrival for the G8 Summit on May 18, 2012 at Camp David, Md. Charles Dharapak—AP  Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry kisses his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry at a victory rally after the U.S. senator from Massachusetts was projected the winner in the Wisconsin primary Feb. 17, 2004 in Madison, Wisc. Chris Hondros—Getty Images  Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry kisses his wife Anita at the end of a news conference at Hyatt Place, Jan. 19, 2012 in North Charleston, S.C. Allison Joyce—Getty Images  Former Vice President Al Gore is kissed by his wife Tipper, after addressing the delegates at the Democratic National Convention on July 26, 2004, in Boston. Ron Edmonds—AP  (L-R) Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, kisses his wife, Ann Romney, in front of Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and wife, Janna Ryan, on stage after conceding the presidency during Mitt Romney's campaign election night event at the Boston Convention—Exhibition Center on Nov. 7, 2012 in Boston. Matthew Cavanaugh—Getty Images  Republican presidential candidate Texas Gov. George W. Bush kisses talk show host Oprah Winfrey on Sept. 19, 2000 after appearing on her program in Chicago. Wilfredo Lee—AP  US President Barack Obama kisses US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after his speech about health care reform before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 9, 2009. Jason Reed—AFP/Getty Images  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich kisses his wife Callista after a Republican presidential candidate debate at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, N.H. on Jan. 8, 2012. Charles Krupa—AP  French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, kisses goodbye to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on the steps of the Elysee palace after their meeting on Jan. 29, 2010 in Paris. Christophe Ena—AP  Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gets a kiss from his wife Ann during his election night rally on Nov. 7, 2012, in Boston. David Goldman—AP  New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg kisses Muppet Miss Piggy as Kermit the Frog looks on during a news conference on April 13, 2012 in New York City. Justin Sullivan—Getty Images  Former President George W. Bush, right, kisses former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during the ground breaking ceremony for the President George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas on Nov. 16, 2010. LM Otero—AP  Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum kisses his wife Karen before speaking to supporters at an election-night party in the gymnasium of Steubenville High School in Steubenville, Ohio on March 6, 2012. Gene J. Puskar—AP  US President George W. Bush is greeted by one of his dogs after arriving from giving the commencement speech at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, aboard Marine One on the south lawn of the White House in Washington on May, 21, 2005. 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