How This Previously Unknown Actress Flawlessly Pranked The Entire Internet

On Monday morning, you might have noticed some age-gap outrage on your Facebook feed. Jon Lovitz, a 58-year-old comedian you totally know from somewhere (probably SNL, possibly New Girl) seemed to be engaged to (or at least dating) 27-year-old 90210 (2008) actress Jessica Lowndes. Headlines expressed everything from confusion to disgust over the pairing. Internet commenters expressed their disbelief. But by the time you checked Twitter again after work, everyone was thoroughly amused or thoroughly annoyed — the whole thing had been a hoax.

Lowndes started setting up the prank early. On March 24, she began posting Instagram photos alluding to an older man in her life, including a photo in a fancy car captioned "his" and a deeply creepy quote: "Old cows like to eat young grass."

On March 25, she posted what looked like an engagement ring on her finger, but she still wasn't naming her mystery man.

On March 27, Lovitz seemed to answer that question, posting a photo of the two of them on Twitter with the caption, "Easter with my bunny, @jessicalowndes !!!"

But on March 28, Lowndes posted an Instagram video asking if it was too early to say "April Fools," turning the camera to a laptop playing a music video featuring Lovitz and Lowndes.

So why the April Fool's Day prank in March (beyond following Chrissy Teigen's advice to get a jump on it)? It was all a way to promote Lowndes' music video, "Deja Vu (Remix)," co-staring Lovitz. The link to the video in her Instagram bio is even labeled EarlyAprilFools. She told Entertainment Weekly the relationship was her idea, explaining, “I thought maybe it would get some traction but I wasn’t expecting it to blow up like this.”

How the internet feels about the faux relationship varies. Some respect the hustle. Others feel betrayed. Others still feel residually grossed out. And some knew it was a lie all along.