Typos can happen to everyone. However, things can have much more severe—and hilarious—consequences when the typo is made in public media. That’s right! We have compiled some of the funniest mistakes writers have made on newspapers and brought them to you for a good laugh.
While this might have been very embarrassing for the newspaper, the writer, and the editor, we find the majority of them incredibly funny. However, we do hope none of them took a loss on their salary or got fired after making these catastrophic mistakes. Let’s get started!
That Newspaper Might Get Sued As Well
It seems as if writers don’t really think about what they’re doing sometimes. In this situation, David Sapsted chose an unfortunate title to this article. Of course, we don’t know what year this took place, so political correctness might have not been as enforced as it is today.
What we know for sure is that, by today’s standards, the terms used and the attempt at making the title fun would’ve been heavily frowned upon. If the person in question read this title today, they could very well earn themselves a lawsuit settlement after suing the newspaper.
Redundance Is Not A Good Headline
The Athens Banner-Herald is a small newspaper headquartered in Athens in the US state of Georgia. While we see what Crystal did here with her roundabout title, we do think it could’ve been phrased better. We’re not sure if this was a typo or intentional, though.
Maybe Crystal wanted to bring attention to the fact that a threat against a high school stopped the planning of a meeting about these same threats. Either way, it’s just weirdly phrased. The editor must have thought it was a funny way to put it.
This Is Definitely Face-palm Worthy
We wonder if Jay Cronley from the Tulsa World meant to be ironic with this title, or if he simply didn’t think it through. This daily newspaper serves the city of Tulsa in Oklahoma. This article caught the attention of its citizens due to the absurd title.
In a story describing the kindness of worrying about the well-being of the protagonist with an injured hand, the title choice was unfortunate. However, it seems like Jay was talking about his personal experience, so we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. He was probably just trying to be funny.
Sometimes Camouflage Is Simply Too Good!
This story is definitely one for the books. We don’t know what kind of camouflage they’ve developed in Australia, but it must be pretty strong. Of course, the phrasing of this sentence should’ve been different. But it makes for a good laugh, that’s for sure.
The implication that the vehicle disappeared right after a camouflage paint job is surprising. They might be trying to say that there was a direct correlation and that the army simply lost the vehicle because they’re unable to see it now. However, we don’t think that’s what really happened.
The L.A. Times Shot Itself On The Foot! Or Did It?
This headline might be very misleading. It seems as if Hugo Martin, one of the writers at the L.A. Times, is guilty of the accusations portrayed as well. But is he? As it turns out, the last name of the councilwoman making the aforementioned accusations is Chick!
Therefore, it wasn’t that Hugo is also derogative towards women, he was simply using her last name! Considering the trajectory of the Los Angeles Times newspaper, this is a good thing. After all, it’s the fourth-largest paper in the United States, and they could’ve been brought to court if things had been different.
Some People Will Do Anything To Avoid A Fine
The Advocate is one of the largest newspapers in the state of Louisiana, United States. Based in Baton Rouge, this publication is circulated throughout a wide area. One of the most hilarious stories they’ve published is this one written by D’arcy Rickard.
We all know that a DUI is not a thing to joke about. However, it’s impossible not to laugh at this absurd story. Trying not to get caught drinking and driving, this man tried to eat his underwear as a desperate attempt to get the liquor off his breath.
What Do They Expect to Find? Rabbits?
This 1997 article for the Tulsa World is simply unforgettable. Writer Brian Barber made an obvious statement right from the headline. Federal agents entering a gun shop were bound to find weapons, right? Well, maybe some of the citizens of Tulsa, Oklahoma, didn't know what was sold there!
We’re pretty sure everyone got a good laugh at this one. It wasn’t a terrible mistake that offended anyone. It simply showed that the writer might have been overworked that day. It happens to everyone, after all. Every now and then, taking days off to take care of your mental health does wonders to get back in the game.
Thank You, Captain Obvious
We never saw this one coming! We thought it was the noise that caused earthquake damage! We’re obviously kidding, but this writer was not joking when they put this obvious title for their article. The editor must have been half-asleep when they checked this article before publication.
Earthquakes induce a lot of anxiety in the general public, and most are curious about their causes. However, stating obvious things like this one is simply bad journalism. We hope they received some constructive criticism and moved on to write better and more intriguing headlines than this one.
The Thing About Choosing The Right Words…
Marijuana legalization has been one of the hot topics for debate all over the world during the last years. Therefore, there have been many headlines discussing the issue. We don’t know if this person was trying to make a weed pun or if they simply didn’t realize what they were doing.
However, their use of the word "joint" in this sentence is very unfortunate as it muddles the news. Although it might get a smile out of many people, it’s also too obvious in case it’s a joke. Either way, we hope no other newspapers will follow this lead in the years to come.
Thankfully, She Wasn’t A Zombie!
And here we were thinking zombies were real. Sometimes, the news’ cycle is moving so fast that writers get desperate in their attempts to produce new information and attention-grabbing articles. This writer clearly wasn’t thinking too much about what he was writing when he published this article.
Saying that Diana had been seen somewhere before her death would’ve made a lot of sense. Everyone wanted to trace back her steps before the terrible accident. But stating that she was alive right before she died…well, it makes total sense, doesn’t it?
We Are Still Laughing About This One
The Associated Press is one of the biggest news organizations in the United States. This non-profit organization has built a serious reputation and is formed by a variety of newspapers and media outlets. However, this unfortunate title written by a sports writer made us release a very honest laugh.
The accidental innuendo implied in this headline is too good to be true. We’re sure this is not what Chris Duncan meant. However, we wonder what J.Lo would have to say about this. After all, she and A-Rod just announced their engagement in early 2019. Is Wang invited to the ceremony?
We Never Saw This One Coming…
This writer is probably confused about how age groups are formed and classified. It’s very simple. If a person is 25, they’re no longer a teenager. Therefore, it can’t be called teenage pregnancy, right? So why would the statistics for this study include people from that age group?
We hope someone in the medical community didn’t read this as they might have been shocked by the absurd headline. Meanwhile, we encourage all adults out there to remember that they’re not teenagers anymore; just in case this article confused them and made them rethink everything they thought they knew.
Who Are The City Advisors?
The Herald-Palladium is a local newspaper that is distributed in the area of southwest Michigan in the United States. We have to wonder about the basic knowledge they hold at the city of South Haven, though. According to this journalist, they had no idea why a sewer could possibly smell!
Maybe it’s because of the garbage and waste that go through the sewers every day? We thought that would be obvious and could even be found in textbooks. No? Seems like we were mistaken because, as it turns out, the article referred to a specific weird smell, which had a particular cause. Sorry, Kristin!
A Whole Paragraph For An Absurd Title
This headline could be its own article if you ask us. While this news sounds like an interesting read, headlines are usually much shorter than this. We wonder what this journalist was thinking while they wrote it. We think they simply didn’t want to leave anything out.
We also wonder if this took place in Halloween; considering the weird clothes the protagonists of this story were wearing. Either way, conciseness might very well be the key to writing headlines that are more successful. Next time, they might want to leave some of the mystery. Just saying.
Politicians And The Things They Care About…
This one must have been on purpose. It’s just too obvious and in our face! Wait…that also sounds somewhat weird. Either way, this writer apparently didn’t think things through when they titled this article the way they did. We’re sure Obama had no intentions of having an affair with the Republicans. We’re sure they meant a package proposal made by Obama.
However, the innuendo and choice of words are simply too good to pass up. So excuse us while we dry our tears from how much we laughed about this one. We wonder if Barack and Michelle found it funny, too.
Trust Us—That’s Not What They Meant
This one is somewhat funny. But at the same time, it’s kind of gross. The words daughter, dad, and that last one, simply shouldn’t be part of the same sentence—and definitely not in this order! The picture doesn’t help things at all either! However, we are pretty sure they meant to say something entirely different.
Due to a poor choice of words, the natural excitement and pride a daughter felt for her parents—specifically for her dad—got very weird. However, we certainly applaud the good man for his advancement at his job. And now, we’ll just try to forget about this one.
Mister Writer, You Forgot A Tiny Detail
Poor Warren Jones must have been in a hurry when he sent his article to print. We don’t know where his editor was or if he has any at all, but this one was a big blunder. Jones’ reminder to himself and the formatting of his task was out there for the world to see.
This mistake must have cost him dearly, too. We don’t know if he got his monthly paycheck intact or if he was able to keep his job. However, we’re sure that he will never forget to put the headline—or any part of the text for that matter—ever again.
They Got The Wrong Graham…
Graham Norton is one of the most beloved TV personalities in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Among the many recognitions he has received is a prestigious BAFTA award for his hosting performance in a comedy show. He made celebrity news for this, but a newspaper published something very different.
A local newspaper, The Southern Star, which is published in the County Cork in Ireland, got his name wrong! Worse than that, they put him as Graham Dwyer, who is a convicted murderer! This mistake is definitely a terrible one, and the newspaper quickly corrected it on their online version.
This Doesn’t Look As Sinister As This Headline
We think this might have been a case of bad placement between this picture and this headline. Because if the headline is supposed to go with the picture, then we’re very confused. Either way, we’re sure animal rights advocates were all over this one after Edna Kenny apparently terrorized this poor goose.
However, Edna seems friendly enough, and no bloodbath could take place here, right? It seems more likely that the headline refers to another article. Maybe next time, the person in charge of the newspaper editing could be a bit more careful to avoid any confusion.
What Kind Of Diet Is This One?
This typo is a very funny one. But if they’re really trying to sell this menu item, they might get questioned by the authorities. How do they make this delicacy anyway? Do they take the diaper fresh from a baby and put it on your plate? Yeah, we know. The mental image is gross.
This shows how a single incorrect letter might change the meaning of an entire sentence. So far, we're getting kind of hungry just by reading what's on the picture above. However, after that allusion to diapers, we think we’ll pass. We're probably not the only one.
Riding The Waves Sounds Great…Wait, What?
The Oasis Of The Seas was one of the most modern and ambitious cruise ships that the Royal Caribbean has ever launched. However, we think there might be a mistake here because the description of the FlowRider sounds a bit weird. This surfing simulator sounds like a lot of fun…until you read that clause again.
We’re pretty sure they meant to say "waves". Because if they meant "wives", then there might be more than one divorce at the end of this cruise. Either that or it has some different activities that we definitely didn’t expect! Cruises offer a variety of entertainment options, but we’re sure wife-riding is not one of them.
Too Much Creativity Might Play Against You
So the fruit slice was supposed to be the “g” in grapefruit, right? What’s going on here? This connection to violation is disturbing, especially when they state that it’s good for every meal!
We have learned that grapefruits have many beneficial effects on our health. However, the phrasing of this entire headline is simply wrong. Next time they want to get creative with images and titles, they should really think about what they’re trying to achieve. We’re sure a lot of people were not pleased by the way this headline turned out.
Brian Might Be The Key To Our Future
We wonder who this Brian guy is and why he’s so interesting. Furthermore, is there a dog Brian? Or a penguin Brian? No? Just checking! This typo is definitely a very funny one. Especially because it shows that we still have a long way to go as the human brain is still continually developing.
The irony of the mistake doesn’t escape us at all. And while we do find the information very interesting, we wonder what the lead doctor of this research would have to say to this. Maybe the writer’s brain wanted to contradict the article, and that is the reason for this slip.
Excuse Us For Doubting Her Abilities
Psychics have been around for centuries, trying to predict people’s futures…or at least to take some of the content in their account. Sometimes, clear evidence of their lack of supernatural powers comes to light. Such is the case for this woman, and this paper put it in the best way.
One would think that if she’s able to predict the future, she would know she was about to be arrested, right? And apparently, it has happened more than once! So, thank you, ma’am, but we think we'll take a rain check on that Tarot reading.
Making Your Food Stronger Than Ever!
If a recipe said that you should put cement in your food, would you do it? We hope the answer was no, but who knows? Maybe someone out there read that and thought that this would be a great addition to their family’s nutrition. We’re glad they issued this correction so that no one can be confused.
Cilantro sounds a lot tastier and is something edible compared to the cement. We think some version of autocorrect was at fault here because "cement" doesn't really belong to a meal recipe. Just remember not to mix your construction materials with your food and you should be fine!
As If The Picture Wasn’t Bad Enough…
The problem with cropping pictures depicting close-contact sports is that things like this might happen. And as if the picture wasn’t bad enough, the title and choice of words don’t help things along. As a whole, the combination between the picture and the title definitely makes things very confusing.
We hope Mike Cooper, the writer, realized his mistake and decided to be more careful next time. We think the editor should also take a better look at things before sending them to print. Furthermore, Spearman might have gotten some jokes in poor taste due to this photo.
We Don’t Want The Behind The Scenes Part
This is an absolute nightmare for anyone working on graphic design or publications. This unfortunate incident made it all the way to print before anyone caught it. We get it. We’re all humans and we all make mistakes. However, this one might have been a costly one for whoever was in charge.
Readers should be given a polished and proofread version, not a work-in-progress of a publication. This mistake is definitely something that could have been avoided if everyone just did their jobs right. However, we don’t think sales got too affected. The shareholders’ investment should be safe as it wasn’t a huge chunk of text.
What Would Ned Stark Thing About This?
Maybe the editor or the writer of these listings watched too much Game of Thrones and decided to make it part of their publication. Either that or they were waiting for information that never arrived or they forgot to add. Either way, it makes us nostalgic just thinking about Game Of Thrones.
Whether this was inspired by Ned Stark’s iconic words or not, we can tell you that it is kind of creepy. However, it’s also kind of true, isn’t it? As our biology books taught us, every living being dies eventually. But let’s not get too morbid here.
We Don’t Even Know What to Say…
We are really hoping that this is actually directed towards people wanting to give a present to both of their parents. A very awkward present, probably, but not more awkward than the words on this very bizarre ad. And the picture with the woman thinking this is a great idea is not helping.
We’re definitely at a loss for words with this one. Hopefully, we’ll be able to simply delete all of the mental images from our minds and hope you will be able to do the same. And whatever they meant…well, we don’t even want to know.
We Wonder What Julia Might Think About This One
The Post-Journal is a local newspaper that's distributed around Jamestown in the state of New York. However, the journal itself made international news after this unfortunate headline. The article, which was about Julia Roberts’ career, garnered more attention than anyone expected for all the wrong reasons.
Instead of reading “roles” the article said “holes”, which made the meaning of the sentence very different. If it were true, we bet everyone would want Roberts’ anti-aging secrets. The Post later issued a clarification, but it was too late. Funnily enough, the newspaper is a conservative one.