Why Tori Spelling's April Fools' Day Post Has The Internet Seeing Red

April 1 is traditionally the time for lighthearted pranks and jokes. Some antics are as simple as switching out sugar for salt (and waiting for the victim to taste their morning coffee), while others are a great deal more elaborate. Among some of the most ingenious April Fools' jokes of all time are Burger King's "Left-Handed Whopper" ad, Taco Bell's claiming to have bought the Liberty Bell, and the comic-strip switch of 1997, when the artists of such comics as Dilbert, Garfield, and Family Circus drew one another's strips (via The Museum of Hoaxes).

But there are some times when joking just isn't appropriate. For example, Google canceled its annual prank this year, as it did in 2020, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the many lives lost over the past year (via New York Post). And there also are some topics that are simply no laughing matter. Tori Spelling is finding this out the hard way. On the morning of April 1, 2021, the Beverly Hills 90210 star posted a photo of herself on Instagram wearing a floral robe and cradling what appeared to be a prominent baby bump. Her caption: "No. 6."

The apparent pregnancy announcement sent followers into a tizzy. Was it really possible that Spelling was expecting again? With five children between the ages of 14 and 4, her family seemed complete. Then, of course, people remembered the date.

Evidence suggests that Spelling may have been having a little April Fools' fun. Not only do other recent posts show no signs of a bump, her good friend, stylist Laura Rugetti, also posted the same photo to her stories, captioning, "Did you not tell me something this morning?" (via Daily Mail). Other photos from late January show her promoting a wine company and also an app for a flat-abs workout — not the most expected sponsorships for a pregnant woman.

If it was indeed a prank, it's one that many don't find amusing. As the American Adoptions site explains, joking about being pregnant can be extremely hurtful to couples who are trying to conceive — infertility affects more than one in 10 women — or who have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth. The angry reactions to Spelling's post included comments like, "I have struggled for years to conceive, after several miscarriages. If this is in fact a joke ... shame on you TORI! Becoming pregnant and conceiving is an amazing blessing." Another woman wrote, "As someone who lost my baby at 40 weeks from a cord accident, this kinda 'joke' isn't funny and is in bad taste PERIOD."

Other respondents were less harsh on the actress. One woman explained that even though she has struggled with infertility, she didn't feel triggered by the post. "Tori is allowed to make a classic April Fool's joke if she wants to," she wrote. "You're not the boss. Just stop."

On the flip side, some friends and fans think that Spelling might be serious after all. One respondent said, "Looks like a real tummy to me!" Another commented, "I don't think she's that heartless to joke about something that millions of women have a problem doing." Yet another pointed out that considering her pregnancy history, joking would likely be the last thing on Spelling's mind. When she was expecting her fourth child, Finn, the actress developed placenta previa, a dangerous condition in which the placenta blocks the cervix (via People). She spent three months in the hospital on bed rest to ensure her health and Finn's.

At 47, if Spelling is actually expecting "No. 6," she would join the rising number of women becoming pregnant in their 40s and even 50s. She would also have to be monitored closely for not only placenta previa, but also conditions such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and heart disease, which are more common in older women (via Health). Adding another child to the family would be a blessing, but perhaps also a challenge for Spelling and her husband, Dean McDermott, who have faced relationship difficulties in the past. Indeed, a recent sighting of her without a wedding ring raised questions about the status of their marriage. Could this be a sign of better times?

At this writing, Tori Spelling hasn't updated her social media or responded to interview requests, so fans will have to keep the "is she or isn't she?" debate going a while longer.