Hoaxes
The Chaser was responsible for some fine political mischief.
Most notoriously, its prankster cast exposed the absurdity of overly conspicuous (yet underly effective) security when their fake motorcade breached the restricted zone in the heart of fortress Sydney during the 2007 APEC summit.
One of the show’s cast, Craig Reucassel, is now hosting an Australian remake of the UK stunt show Balls of Steel. Screening on the Comedy Channel, it features a series of characters who compete to out-prank unwitting members of the public.
Continue reading "The art of pranking: From The Chaser to Balls of Steel" »
Historians will identify the end of last week as the moment when a question asked through the ages – has the world gone mad? – was finally and categorically answered in the affirmative by the Heene family of Colorado.
Authorities now say Richard Heene and his wife plotted to hoax the world into thinking their six-year-old son Falcon was stuck inside a runaway balloon contraption in order to increase their chances of getting on a reality TV show.
But instead of getting on TV Heene could be going to jail, possibly depriving the children who were central to the alleged plot a father for a good deal of time. And all because, apparently, he wanted a little bit of money and fame.
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Aardvark's lunch says:
In terms of a hoax, it’s a bit hard to determine how it could have been uncovered before the balloon came down. This is the extreme end of the spectrum, since most people wouldn’t do this for publicity, (assuming it does turn out to be a hoax) - look at… Read more »
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Sandy says:
Imagine how pissed the Americans would be, after the entire nation prayed for the boys’s safety and had tears in their eyes when they thought little Falcone could have fallen out of the balloon….the boy pulling on their heart strings…only to be told hey wipe your tears it’s a hoax…..it’s… Read more »
Are we becoming so jaded by Photographic forgeries that we now question every image?
“Amazing picture is the real deal-no porkies” this was the headline on the page 5 picture story in last Tuesday’s Sydney Daily Telegraph.
The news content in this story about a giant feral pig shot some years back in Western Australia was that it was indeed a genuine picture and not forged. It had been written off as an internet hoax and even the WA ‘s own Department of Environment and Conservation had dismissed it as a forgery.
How have we reached this point where it is now news when a picture is in fact genuine and does it matter?
Continue reading "Stop the presses: this photograph is real" »
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GH says:
The shark piccie is about 5 years old and it is a digital enhanced image Read more »
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Robbie says:
Quick call MediaWatch! Read more »
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