Why we’re so cautious about April Fools’ Day

If you stopped by NarniaWeb yesterday hoping for an April Fools’ chuckle, sorry to disappoint. There are a few reasons we do not post a joke article every single year… but one is a memory that still looms large for long-time NarniaWebbers every April 1.

Perhaps most importantly, one of NarniaWeb’s stated goals is to “distinguish between fact and rumor.” We take accuracy very seriously and want NarniaWeb to be a source you can trust in a world where misinformation spreads so easily. That does not mean we are above April Fools’ jokes, but we are inclined to tread carefully.

Another reason goes all the way back to 2006 when The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian was still in pre-production. On April 1, NarniaWebbers got a good laugh out of a farcical post. But two years later, the prophecy was fulfilled. (See above video)

Since then, we have generally taken April Fools’ Day in directions that are either less news-oriented or even more absurd. In 2013, we posted a podcast episode in which we pretended to loathe The Voyage of the Dawn Treader book. A few years later, we created a fake trailer for Narnia & Zombies.

So, while we want NarniaWeb to a community where laughter is encouraged, we must remember the words of President Abraham Lincoln: “You can’t believe everything you read on the internet.” Words to live by indeed.

Glumpuddle

8 Responses

  1. fantasia says:

    The lesson here is that you start making April Fools Day jokes about things you want to happen.

  2. Mrs. Beaver says:

    Ha ha. “Lincoln” quote, indeed. Very funny. (Golly, I hope everyone gets that!)

  3. Cleander says:

    Of course, everyone knows it was really Ulysses S. Grant who said that….

    XD

  4. Andy Harrelson says:

    Moral of the story: If there’s anything you don’t like about the Walden movies, blame Narniaweb!

  5. Andy Harrelson says:

    Just to clarify, YES I’m joking. But yea, these guys do come off a bit harsh on the Walden Movies at times.

  6. Col Klink says:

    I kind of miss Narniaweb’s April Fools jokes. There was really only one proved disturbingly prophetic. (The romance thing.) The joke about the White Witch being in the Voyage the Dawn Treader movie was significantly different from her actual appearance therein.

  7. EJH says:

    For your sakes I hope that Adamson didn’t get the romance idea from Narniaweb; that is too much of a burden for you guys to bear. Please don’t blame yourselves. I’m sure the movies could have strayed way further without the influence of Narniaweb, TLC, and fans who like the books for what they are.

  8. Col Klink says:

    If you mean Glumpuddle, I think he’s just not particularly attracted to family movies or fantasy movies. Or even necessarily action movies. Or Hollywood movies. 😉 But there is one way he is always going to be a member of the movies’ target audience. He loves the Narnia books. So I think it’s legitimate for him to voice his opinions. People like him may not be the main group at whom Narnia is aimed but I bet there are plenty of them who are fans of the books. You shouldn’t take their opinions as law but they deserve to have an outlet to express them.