TechCrunch Fails The April Fools' Test

We're still on the fence about the April Fools' fake blog post tradition. But we do know a couple things:

1. It works better when you publish the fake blog post on April 1.
2. It works better if you haven't previously announced your fake blog post plans at a press conference.

Alas, Mike Arrington violates both these precepts with his "Why We're Suing Facebook", which he put up yesterday, after describing in detail weeks ago. Via Reuters, you can watch the gears turn in Mike's head as he walks through the prank at a Facebook press conference in March.

Arrington: “This is awesome. Actually, it’s something that is going to cost too much. My attorney wanted to sue you guys. And we are not going to sue you because I think you would (fight) it.”

Facebook VP of Product Management Matt Cohler: “Well, thank you.”

Arrington: “What we (Michael and his lawyer) talked about was … creating sort of a fake lawsuit (and posting it on TechCrunch). But it was going to cost too much. It was going to cost about $15 grand. But he’s like, ‘It’s an open shut case…’

Meanwhile in the blogosphere: Valleywag reporter Jordan Golson's rambling harangue about his pay, which he posted on Valleywag this morning? Not a joke. Yet much more entertaining than Mike's.