Man sues radio station over April Fool’s prank gone wrong
A man took things to the next level when he fell for an April Fool's joke. But the joke cost the radio station a lawsuit.
Imagine being pranked so badly… you end up with a tattoo on your forehead.
Pranks are meant to be harmless fun, but for one man, an April Fool’s joke went way too far.
In April 2023, Joe Bell, a devoted listener of the radio station KRUD, heard about a wild promotion: the first person to tattoo “KRUD” on their forehead would win a massive $250,000 (around R4.7 million).
Before doing anything drastic, Bell called the station to double-check the offer. A staff member confirmed it was real. Encouraged by that, he followed through and got the tattoo.
But when he showed up at the station to claim his prize, he was met with laughter and stares. That’s when the awful truth hit him: it was all part of an April Fool’s prank.
Bell got the tattoo with good intentions. He hoped the $250,000 prize would help save his parents’ home from foreclosure.
But things quickly spiralled. The tattoo cost him his job, his relationship, and took a heavy emotional toll.
Determined to get justice, Bell took the matter to
Personal Injury Court, where Judge Gino Brogdon heard both sides of the story and ruled in his favour.
Bell was awarded $510,000 (R9.6 million), with Judge Brogdon stating that the radio station failed to clearly communicate that the offer was a prank, causing real and lasting harm.
Watch the full case below from YouTube.
READ MORE: The smelly lunch that led to a lawsuit
Do you agree with the judge's decision to award Bell?
Or do you think the radio station did enough to communicate that this was a prank?
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