Jedi mindgames in Britain & Australia

[Zkribbler]

From Hoaxipedia:

As the 2001 census geared up in Britain, an e-mail began to spread declaring that if 10,000 people listed their religious affiliation on the census form as Jedi Knight, then the government would be forced to acknowledge ‘Jediism’ as an officially recognized faith.

The British government dismissed the suggestion as nonsense, but thousands of people decided to try it out anyway.

As the census got underway the Office of National Statistics found itself flooded with forms from people who solemnly declared themselves to be Jedi Knights. So many Jedi entries arrived that the ONS eventually gave the aberrant listing its own classification number: “896.” The ONS claimed that it did this merely to assist with the filing of the forms, denying that it had officially recognized Jediism as a religion. But for the thousands of self-proclaimed Jedis, the receipt of an official classification number represented victory, of a kind.

When all was said and done, there ended up being more Jedis in England than Jews (according to a source within the ONS who prefers to remain anonymous).

Since it’s doubtful that all those thousands of people actually were practicing Jedis, the massive write-in campaign may qualify as one of the largest mass pranks in history.

The prank then spread to Australia which also was conducting its census in 2001. The official grand tally of Australian Jedis: 70,000.

[Patroklos]

Weak minds....

[Winston]

the massive write-in campaign may qualify as one of the largest mass pranks in history.

It may be rivalled by the case of Jacob Haugaard, musician and comedian, who ran as a stand-alone candidate for the Danish parliament in 1994 (or was that 1990?) on a mock platform and shockingly got elected. The one who was the most shocked was Haugaard himself, he was in a state of total confusion and arguably near a nervous breakdown after a few days, when the news had time to sink in. Not least because he turned out to be the deciding vote in the sharply divided parliament. He could make or break the government of the country, but quickly decided to stay neutral in matters concerning the cabinet and the assembly's confidence or non-confidence therein.

His candidacy was meant as a practical joke, nothing more. His campaign promises included increased tail wind in biking lanes, Nutella to be included in military rations, more men for single moms, bigger Christmas presents, more public urinals in "interesting" spots and so on. He maintained that since work was so good for you, we should give it to the sick and infirm.

But in the end, ~25,000 people in the Aarhus area voted for him, and he suddenly found himself on the ride of a lifetime. He did not seek re-election 4 years later, but has since picked up his entertainment career instead, which everyone seems to agree was a wise move indeed.

[Thoth]

Winston: That's priceless.

[Patroklos]

Colbert would have been better

[Krill]

Originally posted by Winston

the massive write-in campaign may qualify as one of the largest mass pranks in history.

It may be rivalled by the case of Jacob Haugaard, musician and comedian, who ran as a stand-alone candidate for the Danish parliament in 1994 (or was that 1990?) on a mock platform and shockingly got elected. The one who was the most shocked was Haugaard himself, he was in a state of total confusion and arguably near a nervous breakdown after a few days, when the news had time to sink in. Not least because he turned out to be the deciding vote in the sharply divided parliament. He could make or break the government of the country, but quickly decided to stay neutral in matters concerning the cabinet and the assembly's confidence or non-confidence therein.

His candidacy was meant as a practical joke, nothing more. His campaign promises included increased tail wind in biking lanes, Nutella to be included in military rations, more men for single moms, bigger Christmas presents, more public urinals in "interesting" spots and so on. He maintained that since work was so good for you, we should give it to the sick and infirm.

But in the end, ~25,000 people in the Aarhus area voted for him, and he suddenly found himself on the ride of a lifetime. He did not seek re-election 4 years later, but has since picked up his entertainment career instead, which everyone seems to agree was a wise move indeed.

Class Act They should make a film about it.

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Colbert would have been better

Barack Obama bullied the Dems in some state or other so they didn’t throw their support behind Stephen.


BTW How many Sith are there in the UK?

[Starchild]

I live in the Jedi capital of the UK. A full 2.6% of Brighton and Hove residents were Jedi on the last census.

[Sandman]

Two brothers are trying to start a Jedi church. Dunno if it's a hoax or not.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7200531.stm

[Blake]

New Zealand rocked in the Jedi department.

A total of 50,000 Jedi's, 1.5% of the population. With Jedi being the second largest religion! (after Christainity, ahead of Buddhism).

I was one of the Jedi's that year .

[Zkribbler]

[Theben]

[SlowwHand]

What's next, Wookie Worshippers?

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
What's next, Nookie Worshippers?

Fixed.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Winston

the massive write-in campaign may qualify as one of the largest mass pranks in history.

It may be rivalled by the case of Jacob Haugaard, musician and comedian, who ran as a stand-alone candidate for the Danish parliament in 1994 (or was that 1990?) on a mock platform and shockingly got elected. The one who was the most shocked was Haugaard himself, he was in a state of total confusion and arguably near a nervous breakdown after a few days, when the news had time to sink in. Not least because he turned out to be the deciding vote in the sharply divided parliament. He could make or break the government of the country, but quickly decided to stay neutral in matters concerning the cabinet and the assembly's confidence or non-confidence therein.

His candidacy was meant as a practical joke, nothing more. His campaign promises included increased tail wind in biking lanes, Nutella to be included in military rations, more men for single moms, bigger Christmas presents, more public urinals in "interesting" spots and so on. He maintained that since work was so good for you, we should give it to the sick and infirm.

But in the end, ~25,000 people in the Aarhus area voted for him, and he suddenly found himself on the ride of a lifetime. He did not seek re-election 4 years later, but has since picked up his entertainment career instead, which everyone seems to agree was a wise move indeed.