Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators
Funny Money
Posted By: Paul - Tue Dec 31, 2024 -
Comments (2)
Category: Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Money, Husbands, Wives, 1950s
Korla Pandit
His Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 29, 2024 -
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Category: Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Music, Space-age Bachelor Pad & Exotic, Television, 1950s
Fresh Out of Borstal
Posted By: Paul - Thu Oct 10, 2024 -
Comments (1)
Category: Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Music, Prisons, 1970s, United Kingdom
Letters From a Living Dead Man
Check out the result of Elsa Barker's "automatic writing" and learn all about the afterlife.Elsa Barker's Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 08, 2024 -
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Category: Death, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Supernatural, Occult, Paranormal, 1910s
Thrillington
There have been numerous occasions of artists hiding their involvement with their own work. Not just using a pseudonym, but actively encouraging a hoax. Here's one such. From the album's Wikipedia page:Thrillington is an album produced by English musician Paul McCartney, under the pseudonym Percy "Thrills" Thrillington.... [In] late 1976, McCartney decided to release the long-in-storage project, and devised a plan to publicize the album while obscuring his own involvement with it. In preparation for the release of Thrillington, McCartney invented the fictitious socialite Percy Thrillington, and even took out ads in various UK music papers announcing Thrillington's so-called comings and goings to generate curiosity and interest.
Released in April 1977, McCartney's name was mentioned only in the main liner notes where he is described as a friend of Percy. Thrillington went mostly unnoticed upon its release although it was reviewed by Rolling Stone magazine and mentioned in the "Random Notes" section.[5] Variety also reviewed the album, noting that "Whether Percy Thrillington is Paul McCartney or not is really irrelevant. What matters is that he (they) is (are) having fun."[6]
Listen to the other tracks at the link.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jun 05, 2024 -
Comments (0)
Category: Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Music, 1970s, United Kingdom
April Fool’s Day Prank Millionaire
Posted By: Paul - Sun Mar 03, 2024 -
Comments (0)
Category: Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Holidays, Money, Friends, Partners, Co-Workers and Other Associates, 1930s
Li’l Abner Lookalike Contest
Posted By: Paul - Wed May 10, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Hillbillies, Country Bumpkins, Ruralism and Flyover Country, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Movies, Regionalism, 1950s
The Cures of Albert Abrams
As his Wikipedia page tells us:Albert Abrams (December 8, 1863 – January 13, 1924) was a controversial American physician, well known during his life for inventing machines, such as the "Oscilloclast" and the "Radioclast", which he falsely claimed could diagnose and cure almost any disease.[1] These claims were challenged from the outset. Towards the end of his life, and again shortly after his death, many of his machines and conclusions were demonstrated to be intentionally deceptive or false.[2]
He actually published a whole periodical devoted to his theories. Read an issue here.
Hugo Gernsback, the father of modern science fiction, was having none of this, running the expose below in a 1923 issue of his magazine SCIENCE AND INVENTION.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 14, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Medicine, Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil, 1920s
Inflatable Woman’s Bathing Suit Top
We've all seen those famous vintage ads that show inflatable bras.
But I had not realized that the gimmick had been applied also to bikinis. I cannot find any such currently for sale, however, which seems to show the idea was...a bust!
Source of article: The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 30 Jul 1992, Thu Page 11
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 20, 2022 -
Comments (9)
Category: Fashion, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1990s
Fur-bearing Trout
In 1935, a newspaper article revealed the supposed existence of "fur-bearing trout."
Article source: Napa Journal (Napa, California) 17 Feb 1935, Sun Page 4
Then humorist Robert Benchley wrote a piece on it.
Article source: Cumberland Evening Times (Cumberland, Maryland) 23 Feb 1935, Sat Page 3
Since then, the legend continues to resurface, down to the present day.
Article source: Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) 03 May 1964, Sun Page 70
Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 18, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Cryptozoology, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, Streams, Swamps and Other Bodies of Fresh Water, Fish, 1930s, North America
| Who We Are |
|---|
| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |