File:Cartoon Network (Toonami) April Fools Day 1997 - commercial break & bumpers

Description
From my VHS recordings: I was trying to record my usual Toonami broadcast on April 1st, 1997, only for me to discover that "Screwy Squirrel" had taken over Cartoon Network, in an April Fools Day prank on us viewers. This is long before the days of Adult Swim's April Fools Day pranks.

How it worked: Cartoon Network featured it's normal bumpers and commercial breaks, but just when you think your normal cartoon show (like Thundercats or Voltron) was coming on, instead Screwy Squirrel would appear, airing the same theatrical shorts over and over (I think there were only 5 Screwy Squirrel theatrical shorts ever made, but for the portion of the day that I tuned in, it was "Happy Go Nutty" over and over again).

Included here: 1. Freakazoid "coming to Cartoon Network" promo. Consider this a bonus commercial: I found this extra commercial on my VHS tape, and I decided to share it here. It aired right before an episode of Voltron on March 31st, 1997.

2. A segment of the "Screwy Squirrel" broadcast on April 1st, 1997. The bottom of the TV would feature a side-scrolling message warning us about the latest in the "takeover of Cartoon Network" by Screwy Squirrel. I included it here as an example of what the broadcast was like on that day. 3. Toonami ("Real Adventures of Jonny Quest") "will return" bumper (narrated by Moltar). 4. NBA on TNT promo (Lakers vs. Sonics) 5. BK (British Knight) shoes commercial 6. Lucky Charms commercial (now with "Lucky Hat Marshmellows") 7. "Vidal Sassoon" hair conditioner commercial 8. Pringles commercial (I remember these airing all the time during the late 90's). 9. Toonami ("Real Adventures of Jonny Quest") "now continues" bumper. And just when you think it's going to be your regular Toonami show, the very next thing that airs is - 10. ANOTHER SCREWY SQUIRREL THEATRICAL SHORT.

I recall being annoyed with Cartoon Network not airing Toonami that day (the block was only 2 weeks old by this point, I felt they needed to keep airing daily, to build momentum). In retrospect, it was a harmless stunt, and kind of funny. And definitely a precursor of what Cartoon Network/Adult Swim would do on April Fools Day in later years.