Snooze reporter Charles Tells has been fishing around for April 1 fodder for months — but as this photo from a recent interview he conducted shows, it's been difficult to find anything to laugh at recently. (Photo by Really Richardson)
Local paper wonders: ‘Where’s the joke?’
- Published: April 1, 2025
Businesses, corporations and web news outlets around the nation are celebrating April Fool’s Day today with the playful chicanery characteristic of the American holiday.
However, one local newspaper — which has, in years past, upheld a tradition of publishing faux news stories based on current events with the intent of tickling readers’ funny bones on April 1 — is decrying how difficult it is at the moment to find something to laugh at.
“Nothing’s funny,” said Charles Tells, a reporter for the YS Snooze. “With our collective basic rights threatened a little more every day, where’s the joke?”
A group of local residents is not amused. (Photo by Really Richardson)
Tells was quick to add that dark times often call for the balm of comedy to help leaven them, but admitted he’s no longer sure where to find the line between satire and actual news. He rifled through a stack of papers bearing fake headlines he wrote months ago in preparation for today. Each of them, he said, is now useless.
“Look at this one,” Tells said. ‘Dumbass ascends to highest office in the land’ — OK, that one’s not my best work, and it’s been true at least once before.”
Tells pulled out another sheet, which read: “Feel-good (hi)story — Gov’t removes record of its own atrocities from museums.”
“I had a great lede for this one: ‘The U.S. Government has never done anything wrong, according to the U.S. Government,’” he said. “Or how about this one: ‘Unelected buffoon wields chainsaw at party conference.’ And then there’s my magnum opus: ‘Officials accidentally add journalist to group chat, share classified war plans.’ Tell me honestly — did you see that one coming?”
Tells added: “Apparently, nothing I can write could possibly top the absurdity of what’s happening in real life, in real time.”
On the bright side, Tells said, at least he can forget about needing to meet an April 1 deadline for a while.
“Life can have the tendency to out-stupid art,” Tells said. “With these dinguses in charge, I expect that we’ll have no need to parody anything for the next three-plus years.”
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