The Dimmick Diaries, the annual April Fool’s Day spoof published by the Rivard Report, will not appear this year as staff and readers remain focused on the coronavirus pandemic and its unprecedented impact on public health, life, and work for people in San Antonio.
The collection of satirical articles, which takes its name from Senior Reporter Iris Dimmick, the Rivard Report‘s longest-serving employee, is a report of almost believable news developments and concocted disclosures.
“We haven’t lost our sense of humor, but we are sensitive to the extraordinary sacrifices people are having to make in their daily lives, as well as the many people losing employment or facing other emergencies,” said Robert Rivard, editor and publisher. “This isn’t the time to be publishing humor that could easily be taken the wrong way. This is the time to stay serious.”
A number of articles were submitted by staff members before the COVID-19 outbreak, but since then reporters, photographers, and editors have been working seven days a week to keep up with the news. Editing, shooting visuals, and producing the report along with the day’s real April 1 news report would have unduly strained everyone.
“Our real hope is that the people of San Antonio will be enjoying a robust recovery later this new year and into 2021, and if that’s the case, we’ll dust off the Dimmick Diaries and bring them back next April,” Rivard said.
