WONDERING IF YOU can pull off a classic April Fools' Day prank? Yes, you can, with the help of the Yes Men.

Professional pranksters/filmmakers Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, whose movie The Yes Men Fix the World comes out on DVD April 1, gave us expert advice on how to do it:

Target pals only. “Pulling a prank on a friend is totally harmless,” Bichlbaum says. Pulling a fast one on someone weaker than you, such as a subordinate, “ends up being abusive and unfunny,” Bonanno cautions.

Focus on a pet peeve. Miffed by a significant other constantly leaving dirty socks lying around? “Maybe collect a whole lot of them,” Bonanno says. “There are many options” for what you could do with your haul, he says. One idea? Stash them in creative locations.

Dress the part. Some pranks may require you to don a costume or disguise. The Yes Men's rule: Go cheap. “Thrift-store suits are the typical thing we wear,” Bonanno says. “But to be fair, we have had some really crazy costumes that did cost a little bit more.”

Make yourself laugh. If you are able to accomplish that, “it will be funny to everyone else,” Bichlbaum says.

— Mike Snider