June 3 is National Egg Day.

What is the origin of National Egg Day? Well, WikiAnswers claims the holiday is 2,000 years old (see below), but I’ll bet it was really invented by the American Egg Board.

National Egg Day was first declared a day of celebration by Claudius Nero Germanicus (b. 10 BC, d. 54 A.D.; emperor, 41-54 A.D.) who was the third emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Due to a severe poultry plague that devastated Europe at the beginning of the first millennium, chickens and particularly eggs were feared as a staple food source.

Three years after the plague had begun, Claudius challenged nobles within his realm to eat eggs to prove to the peasant population that it was indeed now safe to do so. None accepted the challenge except Augustus Antonius who invited all far and wide to witness his meal of boiled eggs. Showing no ill effects, the Roman populace once again embraced eggs and poultry. As a result, Claudius issued a royal proclamation dedicating the third day of June as the Holy Roman Day of Eggs. more

Now, on to the video egg-stravaganza:

Remember this PSA that said that doing drugs was like eating fried eggs, or something?

PSA, “This is your brain on drugs” (1987)

[Holds egg]
This is your brain.

[Points to frying pan]
This is drugs.

[Cracks egg into frying pan]
This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?

Don’t get too egg-cited, but here’s a collection of 1965 egg commercials starring English comedian and actor Tony Hancock. They’re egg-ceptionally funny.

Tony Hancock egg commercials (1965)

HANCOCK:
Ladies and gentlemen: Owing to the present state of the theatrical profession, I have with great reluctance been forced to accept a job as a supporting actor to a lady doing a commercial for eggs. Here she is now…

I don’t mean to egg you on, but it’s time to get cracking:

“Get cracking” egg commercial (1978)

“Breakfast!”
Start your day sun-side up
Get cracking!
Light and fluffy or in a cup
Get cracking!
Breakfast is the proper way
To help you start up every day
No matter what you do
Eggs make good sense, so why don’t you
Get cracking, get cracking, get cracking!