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This site pays tribute to a pair of original radio pranksters who practiced their humorous art in the early '60s, well before pranking became commercialized. Despite what the MTV set may think, the art of the prank wasn't invented by Crank Yankers or the guys from Jackass, although these shows have sharpened an ever-finer point on the art of shock. While Coyle and Sharpe's humor is much tamer and less crass, if you listen closely to the MP3s on the site, you'll be able to hear some of the same techniques employed by the goofballs of today. They were ramblin' men-about-town who loved to stick a microphone in front of unsuspecting folks. You can watch videos of them at work, read clippings about them, and view the gag-filled gallery. If you like to laugh, you'll enjoy this well-crafted tribute to broadcast absurdity in its infancy.

In 1938, Orson Welles broadcast "The War of the Worlds," an event that sent the U.S. into a state of panic. Although it's arguably the most famous hoax in history, other lesser-known ruses have been perpetrated against the public. This site catalogs many of those frauds and pranks, such as the witch trial and unwed mother hoaxes pulled by Benjamin Franklin. You can learn about millennia-old hoaxes, like Pope Joan, more recent ones, like the 2001 Sony Pictures' fake movie reviewer, or view the Hoax Picture Gallery that offers images of the WTC "tourist guy" and the Jackalope. Take the Gullibility Test to see if you're likely to be fooled by the next Internet hoax.