7 bizarre stories from April Fools’ Day 2021 that are actually real

April 1 is a day when everyone has to second-guess everything they read online just in case it ends up being an elaborate prank.

After a brief hiatus in 2020 – as many, understandably, were not in the mood – the April Fools’ tradition of trying to catch others out with bonkers stories appears to be back in full force with stories ranging from the Suez Canal to Ant and Dec causing all sorts of mayhem.

However, believe it or not, legitimate news still does happen on April 1, and some stories are so bizarre they might seem like April Fools’ jokes but are, in fact, real.

Here’s a brief rundown of strange things that are happening in the world right now that aren’t some weird PR stunt.

Virus themed Spongebob Squarepants episode pulled from the air

In a move that seems a little bit late considering we are now well over a year into the Covid pandemic, an episode of Spongebob Squarepants named ‘Kwarantined Crab’ that was made in 2017 will no longer be aired.

David Bittler, Nickelodeon’s executive vice president of communications is quoted as saying the episode will not be shown “due to sensitives surrounding the global, real-world pandemic.” This will inevitably lead to more US conservatives crying ‘cancel culture’ over the move.

Read more:

• Chinese takeaway goes viral for savage responses to customers
• Trump uses new website to rewrite presidential history – here are all the things he forgot to include 
• Man’s marriage proposal brutally rejected in front of a busy shopping mall
• 12-year-old boy is left brain dead after attempting TikTok challenge

Meghan Markle’s biographer claims she might run for president

This one actually might be an April Fools’ prank... Author Tom Bower a Royal Biographer, appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday, claimed that Meghan Markle might use the new status she has attained following the Oprah Winfrey interview to make a run for the White House.

Bower said the notorious interview had “trashed the royal family” but given the former actress a global profile.

“She’s now known across the world at the expense of the royal family and that is the first step to a political career,” he said.

The jury is out on that one...

Dick Van Dyke handed out cash to job seekers in Malibu

A legend both on and off the screen, 95-year-old Dick Van Dyke was spotted handing out wads of cash to job seekers who have been hit hard by the pandemic in Malibu, California.

The Mary Poppins actor visited the Malibu Community Labour Exchange, an organisation that helps the unemployed find work. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious indeed!

Donald Trump got kicked off Facebook...again

The former president was booted off nearly every social media platform in the known universe in January after he was accused of inciting the violent riot at the US Capitol Building.

However, he appeared to be making some sort of vague attempt to return to Facebook when his daughter-in-law Lara Trump shared a video on her account featuring the ex-POTUS taking part in an interview.

Lara shared an email on Instagram that she received from Facebook informing her that the video violated the current block still in force againt Trump.

Will.i.am refuses to chew food on Monday

Someone has gotta be having us on here. The musician and judge on The Voice, Will.i.am has revealed to the Table Manners podcast that he is a ‘liquitarian’ (whatever that means) and doesn’t chew food on a Monday.

The singer adopted this lifestyle choice over Christmas and is quoted as saying: “On Fridays I start with salads in the day and avocado. On Saturdays and Sundays I have solids like a vegan burger. On Sundays, I have vegan solids. Sundays are like my hard carb day.

“On Monday I juice, Tuesday I juice and Wednesday I juice with a salad and Thursday I juice with a salad and Friday I juice with an avocado and then I repeat.”

Hmm...not sure if he’s being serious but who are we to question the man that gave the world ‘My Humps.’

A preacher who claimed that Jesus is the ‘true vaccine’ gets the actual vaccine

Pastor John Hagee, of San Antonio’s Cornerstone Church, sparked controversy last year when he and his church continued to hold mass gatherings despite Covid cases spiking around the US.

After a bout of pneumonia in October, he told his congregation in November: “We have a vaccine. The name is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.”

However, a spokesperson from Hagee Ministries has since confirmed to ABC Newsthat the pastor has actually since received a coronavirus jab.

Ari Morgenstern said: “Pastor Hagee himself is taking the vaccine. Pastor Hagee believes in both the power of prayer and modern medicine. These are not mutually exclusive.”

‘Living robots’ are now a thing...

If we didn’t have enough to worry already, scientists have now created living robots that are made out of frog cells.

Experts at Tufts University and the University of Vermont created the ‘xenobots’ which have displayed the ability to carry out a number of actions, such as moving around and retaining memories.

But before you get too worried, these robots are basically just tiny cells... for now. But who knows how they could evolve from here...

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