4.1.14: Pranks, Hoaxes & Cons, Oh My!

Happy April Fools! All jokes aside, we have a no-fooling show with a look at all sides of pranks, hoaxes, cons, and the experts who study and make them happen. Whether you're the creative pranker or the reluctant prankee - we've got the April Fools show for you. Oh, and don't forget your headphones! You know, just in case you can't listen inside your plastic-wrapped car.

Listen to the whole show and click Read more for individual segments.

A Prank Gone Wrong

• Senior Producer Maureen's friend Brett Siddell joins us to talk about a prank gone too far.

Pranksters

• Kembrew McLeod chronicles the history of pranking in his book, Pranksters: Making Mischief in the Modern World. Kembrew is a professor of  communication studies at the University of Iowa. Virginia sat down with him to discuss why we’re so drawn to mischief-making.

Piltdown Man

• Last year Virginia sat down with Robert Goodby, archaeologist and associate professor at Franklin Pierce University to talk about the centennial anniversary of the discovery of Piltdown Man.

Jim Florentine

• Jim Florentine is a stand-up comic, Howard Stern regular, and host of VH1’s That Metal Show. If his name doesn’t ring a bell, his voice might. He was also one of the guys behind Comedy Central’s Crank Yankers. the show with the pranking puppets. Senior Producer Maureen McMurray spoke with the professional prankster and stand up comic.

Sports Hoaxes

• Bryan Curtis, staff writer for Grantland compiled a list of seven memorable practical jokes played in the world of sports.

The Mark Inside

• Amy Reading is author ofThe Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, A Cunning Revenge, and a Small History of the Big Con. She joins us from Cornell University in Ithaca.