The April Fool’s Funeral: Who Really Got Punk'd?

I don't know how a funeral joke could be funny. I must say this. I use to work for a cemetary, in the office actually. This man came in every week and visited his three deceased wives. He was very nice, and I'm sure he is buried now beside one or two of them. Also, it was surreal when the cemetary diggers went on strike and the bodies were piling up and covered over in tents. This was quite strange and quite spooky. The cemetary is a peaceful place. I use to sit under the trees and read my books. I finished GODFATHER 1 and I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN, when I worked there. I also got pregnant when I worked in the cemetary, actually, it was when I just started working there. So I guess death brings new life. This is all true and not a "cemetary joke". When I was a kid, we use to hang out in the cemetary, because it was so quiet and peaceful. And I even love horror movies.

Jim and Kaity, you look so happy in this picture, that I wonder who will be laughing at your funerals. Black humor I guess.

Nice try!

It's bizarre to me that you think pretending YOU were pranking THEM makes you look more credible than saying "Wow, they got us too."

Improv Everywhere is a website that, like many, played a joke on its readers. You, however, are the NEWS. It's IE's job to prank people -especially on April Fools day -of all days! It's YOUR job to report the news accurately and to check your facts, not to pull pranks.

I mean hey, I can't wait to see channel 11's "prank" next year. Maybe they'll tell the country the president has been assassinated -with no retraction. Or maybe OTHER people in positions that are SUPPOSED to be trustworthy and credible will follow channel 11's lead? Maybe doctors will tell all their patients that they have cancer on April first. Or police will arrest innocent people all over the USA on April first -as a prank.

If my doctor told me I had cancer, and the next day told me it was a prank, I'd never see him again. If he told me he'd been fooled by someone in the lab and apologized for giving me inaccurate info, I might go back.

I think this was in bad taste.

(How's my improving? ;) )

(How's my improving? ;) )

[Drat! Not going through! :D ]

i think everybody needs to just go back to their caves & cool off here a bit..

IE, nice work, but you picked on the big retarded kid, so don't hurt yourselves patting yourselves on the back to hard.

and jim, ny loves wpix because everyone grew up with that big retarded kid on his or her block, so we all got a soft spot for ya. just don't ever think we take you seriously as anything else but the station that gives us a burning log on christmas morning & pretty much the same burning wood on air for it's news the rest of the year.

--although the new sports guy's lisp has us all thinking a little more flaming that burning, if you know what we're talking about... but hey, don't ask, don't tell, i mean you do have a tranny doing sports on the weekends.

i think jim watkins u are lowzy and board and BOARNG....Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Wow... people get a grip. April Fool's Day is not even funny anymore these days, who cares?

And new yorks darkest voice, was all that even necessary? Really now.

Improv everywhere sucks big time. That gag wasnt a bit funny!

Um, WPIX, do you think your reporting should maybe extend beyond regurgitating a youtube video and portraying it as fact?

Melissa-
get a life you douche.
what do you work for IE... ugh.. you are ridiculous.

Keep up the good work Jim and Kaity!

Jim rocks!

well, now, Mel, you're right, why ameliorate useless truth with humor, that's just nuttiness gone cuckoo - but, you know, few things feel better than a a nice stinging rant or good dump for that matter... and, if the show fits..

Then new yorks darkest voice, why do you bother to watch channel 11 if you think its crap?

Ummm ... no, it's actually not "good improv" (your last paragraph).

You guys should've quit while you were behind, you're starting to look REALLY silly now. Before you had the excuse that you didn't know what was really going on, but now you don't ...

@just wondering: i watch because i love, and most especially it may be crap, but it's my hometown crap..

this is why no one watches your lame news channel - start finding some real stories instead of hiring dumb people to create news

@newyorks darkest voice: I got it, you make sense. But they must be doing something right in order to make you tune in, dont you think?

Jim, Jim, Jim....it's obvious that these people posting here just don't get it. Your blog gave me my first laugh of the day at work. Thanks!

honestly, what i read above proves to me that you at CW are just covering your butts (excuse my language) for terrible, terrible reporting. this goes to show how faulty our news is today. why didnt you try to do a little research and contact the cemetary or improv everywhere before running the story. thats what journalism SHOULD be about, the hardcore, researched, and legitimate FACTS. you are just making yourselves look worse by saying "oh yeah, we knew all along." please. lets try not to lie to your viewers TWICE. this whole thing is just ridiculous and lets try to apologize and be honest before lying. i wouldnt write this comment if you had said "we were fooled! sorry!" lets get some REAL news out there.

To Julia: I used to visit the cemetary (Woodlawn in the Bronx) too every once in a while because it is the most peaceful place I know. Quiet, peaceful, and very, very beautiful in spring and summer, with the flowers and trees in full bloom. Nothing but that, the chirping birds and of course the headstones and elaborate, grand mausoleums. Absolutely beautiful. :)

To Julia: I used to visit the cemetary (Woodlawn in the Bronx) too every once in a while because it is the most peaceful place I know. Quiet, peaceful, and very, very beautiful in spring and summer, with the flowers and trees in full bloom. Nothing but that, the chirping birds and of course the headstones and elaborate, grand mausoleums. Absolutely beautiful. :)

Whoops sorry for the double comment posting!

TO new yorks darkest voice: some of what you're saying is downright cruel but I'll be darned if your wording isn't funny as hell.

Jim;

It was a great April Fool's Joke but that's all I can say.Except I'm glad it wasn't my funeral

Thanks for the comment. I use to think people thought I was crazy for taking my lunch hour in the cemetary and reading under a tree. It is the most beautiful cemetary, at least I think so, in NY. My parents are buried there now, so it is sadder than it use to be, however, it is still a lovely place, with the trees and flowers, especially in the spring and so very peaceful.

That is a ludicrous defense of plain lazy reporting. Not only do you not admit to your total lack of fact-checking but you are deviously attempting to glom onto Improv Everywhere's original idea to generate hipster quotient for yourself. It is transparent and unprofessional. Own up to your failure to report the news accurately.

I would be upset if you weren't on the CW. It might have even been acceptable from a Fox affiliate, but still. Kudos to the person that gave this story a green light. The fact that you still have a job and 8 million people have lost their's says a lot.

People need to chill...this isnt even that serious! Yes, more research should have been put into the story, but its not the end of the world.its not like the CW messed up on a big story...this was just about a crappy improv group that crashed a funeral...so the whole thing was a joke...who cares!

Death jokes are in bad taste, even if it's an April Fool joke.

Death jokes are in bad taste, even if it's an April Fool joke.

Death jokes are in bad taste, even if it's an April Fool joke.

Death jokes are in bad taste, even if it's an April Fool joke.

So you're saying you intentionally aired a story you knew to be false? Quality Journalism there. But I don't believe it for a second. You did some lazy reporting, never fact-checked or contacted those involved and ended up looking stupid. Now you're trying to cover your butt.

I have to agree, looks like WPIX is just trying to C.Y.A becuase you reported on something without even BOTHERING to check things first. I understand "Action" reporting where you have to jump the gun and report on something, but even stories like THAT are followed with statements like... "We are still trying to get all the details"

Next time just say "Hey, it was a joke, and we fell for it.. no harm no foul"

Did it EVER cross your mind to check your sources?

"Burying an April Fool’s joke within an April Fool’s joke is controversial, and quite possibly illegal in New York State."

You got punk'd AND on top of that gave them free advertisement. I think if any law was broken, it was WPIX false reporting. Next time, admit you are wrong and stop pointing the finger. You disgrace news-broadcasting by running such pieces as this.

HOT NEWS TIP!!! Apparently there's this girl who has a crush on Obama called "Obama Girl!" and there's this guy who wants us to "Just leave Britney Alone!" and a baby panda who seeezed! All on youtube! Can't wait to see it on tonight's news!

Poor Jimmy, Just admit you guys were done in and get over it... Stop. You know you were. So were most people just get over it and admit it.

Wow. You remind me of my 5 year old nephew when he has a prank pulled on him.

"I knew it was a joke, I was just fooling you guys!"

Right. Oh, and this little piece of journalistic genius:

"Burying an April Fool’s joke within an April Fool’s joke is controversial, and quite possibly illegal in New York State."

Really? I wasn't aware of a law passed about April Frickin' Fools Day.

You are almost unbelievably stupid, sir, and I cannot see any valid reason for somebody to be paying you to come up with this insensible droll. Please, for all of us, go find a brick and beat yourself over the head with it.

To the people who don't understand:

The prank was a JOKE. There was no funeral.

Jim was JOKING when he said that the prank was actually on ImprovEverywhere.

PIX's MORNING NEWS SUCKS !
LITERALLY, is it necessary to have 2 women do something AS SIMPLE AS A TRAFFIC REPORT !
They just hired two young women in a pathetic way to draw viewers.
Also that sukanya is one of the two most ANNOYING PEOPLE ON THIS SO CALLED SHOW.
I miss when CHANNEL 11 HAD NO NEWS, and cartoons and shows in the morning.
Why is all regular television, ALL NEWS, AND REALITY CRAP.

That picture is STUPID !

owned

That's gotta be the lamest way to cover your arse. "Oh no... WE pranked YOU, Improv Everywhere."

Riiiiighhhhht. You're not fooling anyone.

Wow, Jim you are truly stupid... if u had bothered to pay attention to the way the actors acted in the April Fools video, compared to their real pranks, you would have known that something was wrong...

I have a journalism degree, but I've never worked in television. Still, I like to think my reaction to Improv Everywhere wouldn't be to knowingly mislead viewers.

If CW11 didn't know it was a prank, they've done nothing wrong and were simply pulled in by the gag.

But if CW11 knew it was a prank, and reported it as fact, they've done everything wrong and really need to study up on their ethics.

This would be interesting to discuss in a journalism class.

it's not even Jim who probably wrote the story or even chose for it to air. he's simply the face of the news. it's people behind the scenes that are probably at fault here.

I like how Jim tries to pretend like he didn't get pranked and didn't waste valuable air time on another stupid news report.

Try reporting real news instead of worthless crap for once.

You guys really need to do your research before putting stories on television. And to pretend that you were doing a ridiculous April Fools joke, just to cover up your poor practice of journalism is petty. I hope there was a written or public retraction of the "facts" in the story because without it, Improv Everywhere could probably sue you for public defamation. So you better get off that "we knew all along" note and just straight up admit to and apologize for your horrible journalism. Seriously, I'd understand a blog to run a random YouTube video without checking the facts, but a News Station that's broadcasted on TV...this is worse than relying on wikipedia for facts.

You guys really need to do your research before putting stories on television. And to pretend that you were doing a ridiculous April Fools joke, just to cover up your poor practice of journalism is petty. I hope there was a written or public retraction of the "facts" in the story because without it, Improv Everywhere could probably sue you for public defamation. So you better get off that "we knew all along" note and just straight up admit to and apologize for your horrible journalism. Seriously, I'd understand a blog to run a random YouTube video without checking the facts, but a News Station that's broadcasted on TV...this is worse than relying on wikipedia for facts.

They punked YOU! Believing it and screening their video on your show was lame. This is why I don't watch local news shows: the broadcasters have great hair but no journalistic ability.

Funny how you seem to be a good sport about it here, but you still sent them a takedown notice on Youtube for their fair use of your clip of their material.

Nice try, guys. But this is so obviously just you trying to cover your own butts.

Oh, by the way. You used a copyrighted video in your news report. Did you guys ever think about that?

Wait a minute, claim that you knew it was an April fools joke but reported it as real anyway. Doesn't that violate ALL journalistic integrity and isn't it also "controversial, and quite possibly illegal in New York State"?

Wait a minute, you claim that you knew it was an April fools joke but reported it as real anyway. Doesn't that violate ALL journalistic integrity and isn't it also "controversial, and quite possibly illegal in New York State"?

CW FAIL !

So you guys *HAVE* rescinded your copyright infringement claim, right?

You know.. the one mentioned on their site? ( http://improveverywhere.com/2009/04/14/cw-11-files-copyright-claim/ )

Clearly this is a "fair use doctrine" issue, not a copyright infringement issue. Lighten up, guys.

Seriously, you were fooled, you did no fact-checking, you failed as journalists. Don't try to turn it around like you are shamelessly trying to.

In OPG v Diebold the court asserted that section 512(f) of the DMCA can be interpreted as - "Thus, any person who sends a cease and desist letter with knowledge that claims of infringement are false may be liable for damages."

So, crappy reporting leads to a possible illegal action by the parent organization and your response is a lame joke(?) that

"Burying an April Fool’s joke within an April Fool’s joke is controversial, and quite possibly illegal in New York State."

How about some reporting on whether the Trib's actions were illegal?

LAME. Tribune and WPIX both epic fail at reporting the news and having a sense of humor. And you're not very funny, either. Can't wait for TV news to go out of business, like the newspapers.

yeah, sure.

What a sore attempt at a comeback.

Burying an April fool's joke with in a april fool's joke illegal ... hahaha, that was a good one!

Jim:

I suppose we should give you partial credit for this half-hearted attempt lightheartedness about the issue.

However, I feel someone should give you a serious answer to the title question, "The April Fool’s Funeral: Who Really Got Punk'd?"

Your station did. You know it. Sack up and admit it.

http://improveverywhere.com/2009/04/14/cw-11-files-copyright-claim/

You steal copyrighted content from YouTube and air it on your show. Then when the copyright owner places your airing on YouTube, you serve them a takedown notice?
You should be ashamed of yourselves.
It's no wonder the traditional media finds itself knee-deep in its own grave holding a shovel.

Jim Watkins you are a ridiculous clown. CW11 are a bunch of schleps who should be embarrassed for not fact checking a story they found on YOUTUBE and you're an even bigger schlep for trying to deflect the failure back at the source.

Hopefully you're not getting paid much (if at all) for you journalistic efforts here.

Dear Mr. Watkins,

You know, I think you are absolutely right.

It's actually quite big of you to admit it like that.

You should be proud of yourself for being so honest.

Freely admitting that any given news story you report is likely to be a contrived stunt wholly unrelated to the truth is a bold step.

Many news organizations fail to do proper research and falling into a trap like that would make them look terrible. Not you though! Not at all! You can't fall into that pit trap because you've already stated that you're at the bottom of the pit and loving it down there.

So keep regaling your audience with unresearched nonsense and stupidity! When they decide they've had enough they can always change the channel and watch some real news somewhere else.

Kudos to you, Mr. I-Don't-Claim-To-Do-My-Homework-So-You-Can't-Embarrass-Me-When-You-Catch-Me-With-It-Undone-News-Reporter-Man!

Haha, and that's why your parent company Tribune filed a DMCA against someone who caught your video and uploaded it to youtube.

The better improv is that this person, whose material you used without permission, is going to file a counter-claim, and then sue you into oblivion.

And nobody's falling for your "We didn't believe it" schtick. My little brother, when I read your words to him, said "He's a liar." You can't even fool a ten year old child.

Suuuure thing there, Jimbo. You are LOCAL NEWS -- that's synonymous with "gullible" and "irrelevant." Local news is losing viewership not because we feel we can't trust it, it's because we already know more about your top stories by air time than you do. At least your hair looked good.

As an aside: "it's" is a contraction; "its" is a posessive. Good old UT Journalism.

"On it’s website Improv Everywhere..."

You seem like a p***** to me.

You also happen to look like one :D

I get it, you got had, it's a little embarrassing, saying that you pranked IE was a joke but...

What's not funny is claiming copyright infringement on Improve Everywhere for using footage that you stole from them.

http://improveverywhere.com/2009/04/14/cw-11-files-copyright-claim/

Perhaps you lazy reporters might want to research The Streisand Effect of which you are now victims. Congrats

This is why he works for LOCAL news and not national. When you cover things like kitty fashion shows, you don't have to care about fact checking.

I hope you look at this and realize what a failure you are at journalism. The worst part is your sniveling back peddling. Everyone knows you didn't do a second of research and now you're trying to cover it up. It's shameful.

jim probably didn't write the story! it's not his fault. blame the person who decided to put it on tv....you're a dumb ass for even saying he's a failure at journalism.

Thats why everyone thinks this channel is dumb, they don't even understand half the stuff they're talking about. next time don't cover something as stupid as this, and if you do, at least check the facts for if it's even REAL or not. wow you guys...

what if I told you that you are a retard?

"But what I just wrote? Now THAT’S good improv!"

So apparently you are not just gullible, you are also out of touch with life...how the hell does TYPING nonsensical bull$hit on a blog constitute improv? And regardless of what it is, what it definitely was not is GOOD.

Do you have any idea what you are talking about? Since when does news reporter become this ignorant AND arrogant?

Ah, so I suppose your station's casual violation of the DMCA for takedown purposes on a fair use video was part of the prank too, eh? Give me a break.

Three points:

1. "Burying an April Fool’s joke within an April Fool’s joke is controversial, and quite possibly illegal in New York State"

What??? So you've been had and you're reaction is to act live a five year old sore loser? Does you really think New York State really have legislation against April Fool's jokes?

2. "But once it’s been done, what’s to keep the alleged punk-ee from going for triple or nothing?"

Well if, as you say, the double prank is "probably illegal in New York State", then how legal do you imagine a triple prank is. That line of reasoning should keep the alleged punk-ee from going for "triple or nothing".

3. "I've included a screenshot"

So it's okay for you to include a screenshot from Improv Everywhere's website but when they include a clip of your report, it's a copyright claim ( http://improveverywhere.com/2009/04/14/cw-11-files-copyright-claim/ ). Does the phrase "double standards" ring any bells?

Why report on the original 'prank' in the first place? It's equally stupid, whether you thought it was real or fake. What, you ran out of kittens-stuck-in-drywall stories?

Please, everyone, if you just stopped watching local TV 'news', maybe they'd get rid of it altogether.

~To his mouth blabber, even more so the part where he mentions "hey it was an April fools day for us too" ~~~~ Proof please~

"What if I told you that some of us at PIX News didn’t think this whole funeral thing passed the smell test? And that, suspecting we were being played, decided to report the story as if we believed it, to see if Improv Everywhere would fall for it, and think they’d actually fooled one of the local TV stations, and put us all over their website, with links sending people back to OUR website? Remember, it was April Fool’s Day for us, too"

What's to say you weren't punking others?

Err the fact that you've been running around the internet trying to remove it in embarassment?

Face it - you got punked, this additional level of "no, no it was us punking them, honest" is just childish

On the other hand it is entertaining - so carry on

(might I suggest that you next try to claim the DMCA takedown notices you issued to take down content of you reporting on content, which you didn't have copyright for in the first place, was just some sort of absurdist art thing?)

Please report on the Copyright claim: http://improveverywhere.com/2009/04/14/cw-11-files-copyright-claim/

I'm with stupid...

What are you, 12? You're being ridiculous. You are a news reporter, yet you rush with an unconfirmed story like you work for a gossip mag. Later, when you have egg on your face, you post this asinine drivel while your company issues a takedown notice to IA (even though you snagged their video without any care of copyright). This whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. Shame on you.

What are you, 12? You're being ridiculous. You are a news reporter, yet you rush with an unconfirmed story like you work for a gossip mag. Later, when you have egg on your face, you post this asinine drivel while your company issues a takedown notice to IA (even though you snagged their video without any care of copyright). This whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. Shame on you.

Deanna above has said everything I wanted to say. However, this I would personally like to repeat again - "Shame on you" and your news agency for not verifying the piece of news some reporter brought in.

I think it's safe to say that a good many of us in the internet community are inclined to believe that you, sir, are trying desperately to cover up a rather large blunder. Lets be honest here, you wouldn't be issuing copyright infringement complaints if you actually knew this to be a prank. Regardless, at this point everyone on the internet who sees your actions and reactions to said prank are going to view you as foolish, and based on your reactions you have already lost any hopes of respect and are a pure laughing stock at this point. All it takes is swallowing pride and admitting a mistake to rectify the situation.

American news is so lame.

Wow. This post just sounds.. angry. :/

Jim Watkins, you are a tool.

Aw you sound like a sore loser.

greetings from Asia, south east asia. You know where that is?

This is the most ridiculous comeback attempt i've ever seen, read or heard. I pitty you.

Honestly, I think you just need to be a man and accept that they got you. That whole last paragraph, about how you "pranked them" was total bull and you know it. Just man up and admit you got tricked, don't try to cover it like an insecure little child.

Damn!

I thought we had you but you called the "I'm rubber and you're glue" defense.

Kudos, WPIX, and now without interruption...

Retraction of my last post.

I've been a fan of WPIX since 1955.

The last line of my previous post should have been:

"... and now without further interruption..."

a reference to how WPIX has ended the Saturday afternoon movies for the last fifty years or so.

Hey, I've loved guys you since way before Buffy and Smallville ... Creature Feature!

This is disgusting:

"What if I told you that some of us at PIX News didn’t think this whole funeral thing passed the smell test? And that, suspecting we were being played, decided to report the story as if we believed it, to see if Improv Everywhere would fall for it"

First of all, if that was the case, then you knowingly reported false news which questions your credibility. Plus, if you were just playing, and trying to get that reaction, then you wouldn't have filed a copyright take down with YouTube to remove your "false" report once Improv Everywhere let it out that the gag was a prank.

I wouldn't be surprised to find my comment deleted, but I sincerely hope you have the decency to allow both positive and negative feedback.

See my report and the removed video at My blog

Your entire news station lost its credibility, right there, in one go. You're pathetic and your journalism skills are worse than those of a ten-year-old.

How could you fell for that? It was obviously a joke, hahahahahahaha. Great "news"...

Thankfully I dont live where I can receive "WPIX". Jim Watkins you're a moron.Get out of news. Time to work in fast food, again.

Epic fail once again. I can't say I lost all respect for CW 11 news because of this incident. I already thought this channel's reporting was as poor as Fox news.

Just own up to the fact that you got punked. You failed to do your research on something and it shows loud and clear. Your response to this whole thing just makes you look like a bigger fool.

Yeah, right. Your rebuttal is like that of an infant. What happened? Large media company slurped online content and then took legal action when their slurpage of online content was put back online. Journalism should not be about hiding behind lawyers and double standards. Take it like a big boy who got 'had' on April fools - you won't be the first. PS:' By visiting this site, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.' Um.. no I'm not.

Yeah, right. Your rebuttal is like that of an infant. What happened? Large media company slurped online content and then took legal action when their slurpage of online content was put back online. Journalism should not be about hiding behind lawyers and double standards. Take it like a big boy who got 'had' on April fools - you won't be the first. PS:' By visiting this site, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.' Um.. no I'm not.

Yeah, right. Your rebuttal is like that of an infant. What happened? Large media company slurped online content and then took legal action when their slurpage of online content was put back online. Journalism should not be about hiding behind lawyers and double standards. Take it like a big boy who got 'had' on April fools - you won't be the first. PS:' By visiting this site, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.' Um.. no I'm not.

Seriously, you got YouTube to take down their videos for copyright infringement? Try doing some real reporting, instead of ripping stuff off YouTube, then claiming that the originators of the prank were violating your copyright.

"...And that, suspecting we were being played, decided to report the story as if we believed it, to see if Improv Everywhere would fall for it, and think they’d actually fooled one of the local TV stations, and put us all over their website, with links sending people back to OUR website?..."
Sin #1: Poor reporting. (Regurgitating youtube fodder= gossip, not reporting.) Is it true you didn't even call IE before airing your "report?"
Sin #2: Not seeing the irony in bawling copyright infringement when you obviously did not ask permission to use IE's youtube video on your "news" story.
Sin #3: Not laughing at yourself.
Sin #4: Posting such utter idiocy.
Sin #5: The atrocious grammar in your quote up there. You're supposed to be a professional.

"So you guys were great, and your gag was very funny. But what I just wrote? Now THAT’S good improv!"
Improv is not political two-stepping. Improv is play. You obviously don't play nice. Get out of the sandbox.

Just one question, do you have video of the decision making behind running this as a segment? Does it show you discussing that you'll be playing along. Cause Improv Everywhere certainly has a video showing their plans all along as not really a funeral.

The more you damage control, the worse you guys look. There's respect in just admitting they got you. You just look stupid if you make a lame after the fact excuse like this.

Also, why does TV media think it's okay to steal from internet based media, but that the other way around is not okay? Do you think you are better than the internet? Because I have to say, it sure doesn't seem that way going by how you guys are playing this.

Bill Watkins, you have compounded your own idiocy with this post. Everyone knows you were fooled, and now we're laughing at you even more because you're too arrogant and pompous to admit it. My jaw literally dropped open when I read your fake explanation (i.e. LIES). Is your opinion of the public so low that you think we're dumb enough to buy this?

Do we need to make a call to Help Me Howard?

Christ people, it was a joke, honestly I really think the news station just screwed up, cmon...."So you guys were great, and your gag was very funny. But what I just wrote? Now THAT’S good improv!" That's really just pathetic Just take it like a man and admit you got the story wrong and there will be no hard feelings, the more you keep saying you weren't fooled just makes you look like morons....seriously

haha you and your news station are a bunch of idiots.. what a joke on journalism

Fantastic move on improving your credibility Jim!

Hm...
Or are you by any chance a secret agent/spy working for IE against large media corporations(specifically CW11)? If so, Congrats! I'm really proud of your job well done!!

Looks like I'm not missing anything by not having WPIX on satellite tv.

YOu didn't really believe it was a real funeral - YEAH RIGHT!

I've heard that so many times from people who've bought into stuff that I see your comment for what it is - A LIE!

& I love the way you also cover your crappy reporting that you got busted on with "quite possibly illegal in New York State".

Go back to doing drugs, cause you sure as hell aren't a REAL reporter. :))

The killer line of this sage... "But what I just wrote? Now THAT’S good improv!"
Thanks Jim for truly "getting it".

Life's a comedy people... read between the lines

What ever your full of bologna and you know it, your POOR reporting and lack of intellegence is the reason you fell for it, and then reporting about it on the news. Seriously you all should be fired and replaced because its obvious you don't do your research like a true reporter should. That video is proof of your failure, and its quite frankly horrifying that you guys didn't do your research. You didn't even contact IE. And then the copy right suit against IE because they posted your video after you posted theirs with out their permission? You guys are hypocrits and don't deserve to be reporting news. Shame on you, you fake reporter, and shame on you tribune seriously...you all are pathetic

Uhm, burying an April Fool's joke in an April Fool's joke? Improv Everywhere never said anything about April Fool's when the video came out. Maybe do some journalism, and not be so sore next time? :|

HAHAHAHA FUNNY....how you try to play it off like you were pranking them instead of admitting "hey, we suck at reporting and decided to be lazy because we're too crappy to actually do proper journalism, and for it we got bitten in the ass"
Real great. Classy. Just classy.

So let me get this straight, you didn't contact Improv Everywhere to confirm if this had really happened. But its their fault you looked like a fool. Sounds like someone needs to take a few refresher courses in journalism.

The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.

So, when are you going to contact YouTube and confess that Channel 11 was "just joking" when it had Improv Everywhere's footage of this event TAKEN DOWN from YouTube for violating YOUR copyright, when YOU are the ones that broadcast THEIR footage and put it on YOUR website?

I can't believe Channel 11 had the nerve to CYA itself with a fake copyright violation notice, when it's the one that violated copyright, if anyone did!

Ha ha. Great joke. VERY funny.

It's several months after April Fool's Day, though. Don't you think it's time to contact YouTube and 'fess up to the prank?

It's scary when the news is the agent of censorship to cover its own butt.