Mooninite response explained in an old Peanuts comic: "Mark Frauenfelder:
Jeff Trexler says:

I just came across a 1962 Peanuts cartoon that captures the problem with calling the Mooninite ads a hoax.

In this strip, Linus screams for help after seeing what he thinks is a queen snake. Lucy points out that it is actually a branch. Linus's response, addressed to the branch: 'I suppose you think you're smart pretending you're a queen snake.'

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(Via Boing Boing.)