On April Fool’s Day, 2003, I received these obviously faked photographs attached to an eMail from Poisson d’Avril, a woman claiming to have sabotaged Blaine’s $100,000 Challenge. She writes to say “David dumped me for another woman so I’m keeping the gold orb so nobody will find it.”

Her intent, clearly, was to mimic the controversy of Kit Williams and his treasure hunt book Masquerade where his ex-girlfriend, unwittingly, betrayed the location of the golden rabbit to con artists.

Based on the rumors at various message boards, this “April Fish” fabricated a fake hollow stone of wood and plastic and a gold orb from a gold foil chocolate wrapper.

The truth, as clearly printed in the book, is that the reader is searching for a treasure map which will lead them to an amulet. There is no mention of a hollow stone or gold orb.

An “A” for effort, but you’ll have to work harder to fool this Fool.

Yes, this was my 2003 April Fool’s prank. In the Official Rules, DB’s book clearly details you need to find a treasure map that will then lead you to an amulet. When DB arrived with a hollow stone and a gold orb instead, I decided to poke fun at it in this manner.

To my surprise, an Internet mob stormed the firewall gates, proclaiming that the contest was invalid and threatening DB with implausible lawsuits and press exposés. Neither The New York Daily News nor The Washington Post nor The Los Angeles Times carried the story, however.

Though I followed up with the following:

Your treasure map is the correct interpretation of the forty-one clues which will guide you to the exact location of the amulet*, a solid gold orb engraved with the words: Magic, Enchantment, Conjure, Charm, Astonish, Spirit, Prestige, Endure, Legerdemain.

*An amulet is an object worn as a charm against evil or injury or, in this case, poverty.

As to Ms. Poisson d’Avril, in the French cantons of Switzerland on the eve of April 1st, plump-fingered milk-chocolate-fed children would cut out dozens of colored paper fish and hide them everywhere around the house, in drawers and cupboards, under seat cushions and rugs, what have you. Then they’d yell “Poisson d’Avril,” or “April Fish,” whenever someone found one.

I have it on good authority, this celebration prompted the adoption of corporal punishment in the home.