Before irony went on life support, it used to be easy to pull an April Fool’s prank. You crafted some outrageous story just believable enough to catch someone off guard. In grade school, that was easy: “Omigosh, Buck, there’s something gross on your shoe!” Pranks got a little harder as the victim became less gullible, but if you caught someone half-asleep in the morning, hey, maybe.

Yeah, and in the 20th Century you could actually buy a cup of coffee for a dime. In our hip, modern world, truth has taken so much of a beating it’s hard to tell the difference between a tall tale and, well, the morning paper.

It doesn’t help that television like “The Daily Show” or humor magazines like “The Onion” use straight-up news reporting as part of their shtick. Irony, schmirony. With a wink and a nod, straight-faced reporters cover news like Ed Murrow dodging bombs in London.

So what’s an April Fool’s prankster to do? Grasshopper, you must bend with the winds of change. A good prank doesn’t involve an over-the-top lie, because, well, how do you tell, especially if it’s a politician speaking? Ya can’t. So don’t lie: tell the truth. Utter something so bizarre, so strange and so, well, real, no one will believe you and fall for the prank.

While you’re recovering from getting punk’d, hey, why not have a little fun, perhaps with these Best Bets?

BEST CANNED ENTERTAINMENT BET: Le Can Can Dancers swing their heels at the Alaskana Dinner Show, a benefit for the sixth grade Alaska studies trip. Hey, for $6, you get great entertainment and a lasagna dinner. The show starts at 5:30 p.m. today at West Homer Elementary School.

BEST BACK FROM THE VATICAN BET: Whew, that was one strange trip: an unfortunate drama at the airport, lost luggage and an “If this is Tuesday, it must be Venice” schedule. The Homer High School Concert Choir and Kenai Peninsula Community Chorus pulled it off, though — hey, they’re Alaskans. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday you can hear the music that wowed the Pope, so head over to the Mariner Theatre and support your local musicians.

BEST FISH ON! BET: If you see fishermen squinting, most likely they’ve been tying flies all weekend. Here’s another sign the fish are coming — the 17th Annual Youth Fishing Fair. It runs 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Homer Middle School.

BEST NO, YOU TAKE THE UPHILL LEG: If the Homer Spit had good snow, of course the Kachemak Nordic Ski Club would start the Sea to Ski Triathlon at the top of Baycrest Hill. Alas, it goes the other way, so bikers, grind out those granny gears. Registration starts at 10 a.m. Sunday at Mariner Park. Bikers hand off the baton to skiers at Rogers Loop. Ironwomen and ironmen, carbo load.

BEST FIGHT ON BET: Want to help your friends get through dealing with The Big C? To kick-start a cancer support group, the Homestead Restaurant holds a fund-raiser from 1-3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $25 for appetizers and music.

BEST AND ANOTHER THING BET: It hasn’t been well advertised, but the feds are holding yet another public hearing on oil development in Cook Inlet. This time, the Environmental Protection Agency takes public testimony Tuesday on reissuing a general permit to allow some discharges in the ocean. An open house runs 4-5:30 p.m., with a project overview from 6:30-7 p.m. and public testimony from 7-9:30 p.m., all at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center.