Joey Skaggs the Original "Cyberprankster"

62-year-old New York City prankster Joey Skaggs has been manipulating the mass media for almost forty years. His prime targets have been corporate giants, Madison Avenue, big government, and mainstream media. Throughout the years, he's been able to trick them all.

Prank #1

Joey pulled off his first media-splash prank in 1968, when New York's bohemian East Village was in full swing. It was the sightseeing tour buses filled with suburbanite tourists ogling "the hippies" that set Joey off. As a response, he organized his own special kind of "bus tour." Joey's tour bus was filled with "hippies" who were then taken on excursions to observe the suburbanites in Queens.

Prank #2

In 1969, Skaggs tied a 50-foot brassiere to the front of the U.S. Treasury Building on Wall Street.

Joey Punks Mainstream Media

In 1986, Joey Skaggs made his first appearance on national television, posing as "Joe Bones" on ABC's "Good Morning, America." Skaggs portrayed himself as the founder and president of "The Fat Squad", a commercial "service" for overweight people. The so-called service would move a group of "commandos" into the overweight person's home where they'd physically restrain the person from eating.

In 1988, he punk'd another national television show, "Entertainment Tonight." They supposedly had heard of Joey's pranks and scheduled him to be interviewed on-air about his hoaxes. Skaggs agreed and, of course, sent an impostor in his place.

Joey Punks the Democrats

In 1992, Skaggs posed as "the Reverend Anthony Joseph" outside the Democratic National Convention, riding a bicycle attached to a "mobile confession booth." This was supposedly for the benefit of delegates who didn't have time to make confession.

The Village's April Fools Day Parade

The first Greenwich Village April Fools Day Parade took place in 1986. Joey Skaggs created and put the event together; complete with trombone marching band, floats, and a procession of weirdos all dressed up to be "Fools of the Year."

The 22nd annual Greenwich Village April Fools Day Parade took place in 2007.

Thanks to Joey, it has become a New York City tradition.

SOURCES:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Skaggs

http://www.snopes.com/critters/edibles/dogsoup.asp

"Pranks and Beans", Doug Harvey, URL: (http://www.laweekly.com/art+books/art/pranks-and-beans/5711/)