Improv Everywhere

[Ghoulish Delight]

www.improveverywhere.com (http://www.improveverywhere.com)

These guys rule!


Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd (http://www.improveverywhere.com/charlie_todd/index.html), Improv Everywhere has executed over 50 missions involving hundreds of undercover agents. The group is based in New York City.

I found these two particularly entertaining...
McDonald's Bathroom Attendant (http://www.improveverywhere.com/mission_view.php?mission_id=46)

About a month ago, I was brainstorming a mission idea with a few friends called “Five Star Fast Food”. The idea was to deck out a fast food joint with all the trappings of a five star restaurant. There would be a Maitre D’ standing behind a podium asking for your reservation, a hostess to seat you, a waiter to take your order, and an attendant in the bathroom. The obvious problem with this idea is that it would very likely be shut down as soon as it begins. I decided to focus on the bathroom attendant aspect, figuring that we could last much longer in a secluded men’s room.


and

Romantic Comedy Cab (http://www.improveverywhere.com/mission_view.php?mission_id=49).

Lately I've been very interested in the idea of pulling off a mission that involves multiple agents taking the same cab consecutively. If we came up with a detailed plan for the drop off points, we should be able to ensure that a cab driver picks up a series of agents, without realizing that they are connected. There are endless possibilities with this device, but in keeping with Improv Everywhere's philosophy, I decided to stage a very simple mission with the goal of giving the cab driver a wonderfully happy experience, straight out of a romantic comedy.

[€uroMeinke]

Hmmmmm - think of the possibilities...I love guerilla performance art...

[DisneyFan25863]

That is awesome...

Imagine one of these at Disneyland...

[CoasterMatt]

Well, we've done "Lines to Nowhere" at Disneyland - we just stand in line next to like, a utility closet in New Orleans Square; and a bunch of people line up behind us. Then, a signal is given, and the people in on the joke all scatter.

[wendybeth]

Hilarious.:D

What a great idea, and a great site as well!:snap:
Thanks, GD!

[CoasterMatt]

BTW, the line to nowhere has been done successfully at DL and WDW's Magic Kingdom, along with Six Flags Magic Mountain (all it takes is a very busy day with lines everywhere) :)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Super ancient thread bump - I'm reading this particular Improv Everywhere installment and you guys need to see it. Awesomeness!
http://www.improveverywhere.com/mission_view.php?mission_id=52

They're doing another MP3 one soon...wish I lived in NY :(

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Why do we have to live in NY? Can't we do something like that here? That would be so fun. So fun.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Why do we have to live in NY? Can't we do something like that here? That would be so fun. So fun.As usual with anything cool, it takes a lot of work to pull off. I've tried to spearhead a few interesting projects of my own but never quite have enough time to commit to such things...

If you want to take the lead, be my guest, I'll help where I can :) but I have a feeling that it'll take more people to run than the amount of participants we can gather.

[Stan4dSteph]

Here's another good one from Kansas City. A sad child is a safe child...

http://kcimprov.com/missions/01.php

[Not Afraid]

I don't think it would be too difficult to pull off a similar stunt locally. I've done similar things with groups in the past. (Ever stood in a crowd and looked and pointed at "nothing" to get evveryone to do the same thing?) It just take a bit of organization and communication. The trick is to find something just obvious enough to be fun and noticable but not terrible enough to be illegal.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I would totally do this. If I were not planning two big events right now.

Maybe in 2008?

[Not Afraid]

Yeah, I'm almost over-committed with my own event management duties for the moment, but we should let some ideas percuolate through the haze.....no?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Heh, check it out. How Stuff Wroks (http://www.howstuffworks.com/improv-everywhere.htm) did a piece about IE.

[Moonliner]

I downloaded and listened to the recent MP3 experiment (summer in my case). I'll have to wait and see the report on how it worked out, but based on the mp3 it sure sounded dorky compared to the other things they have done.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I downloaded and listened to the recent MP3 experiment (summer in my case). I'll have to wait and see the report on how it worked out, but based on the mp3 it sure sounded dorky compared to the other things they have done.
Yeah, went and checked out their report and it really wasn't that great. They got 600 people to show up though!

[Moonliner]

Those wacky scene makers are are it again...

Slo-Mo Home Depot. (http://www.improveverywhere.com/mission_view.php?mission_id=59)

[CoasterMatt]

Another good one - especially in touristy spots- is to designate one person as the "celebrity" and have several people come up one at a time asking for autographs, posing for pictures - eventually the people in on the joke SWARM and tend to bring quite a few clueless people in on it :)

[Moonliner]

Another good one - especially in touristy spots- is to designate one person as the "celebrity" and have several people come up one at a time asking for autographs, posing for pictures - eventually the people in on the joke SWARM and tend to bring quite a few clueless people in on it :)

I'm always up for a good game of celebrity (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showpost.php?p=60760&postcount=20)!

Just don't ask KevyBaby (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showpost.php?p=60825&postcount=24) to be the "celebrity" cuz he's a fraidy cat. :p

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Those wacky scene makers are are it again...

Slo-Mo Home Depot. (http://www.improveverywhere.com/mission_view.php?mission_id=59)Awesomeness. The videos are amazing!

Another good one - especially in touristy spots- is to designate one person as the "celebrity" and have several people come up one at a time asking for autographs, posing for pictures - eventually the people in on the joke SWARM and tend to bring quite a few clueless people in on it Cockeyed.com just did this one. (http://cockeyed.com/pranks/paparazzi/paparazzi01.shtml) Too much fun.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I read about these guys. My favorite was the "suicide" attempt from the very, very low to the ground ledge.

[Kevy Baby]

Amazingly, about thirty seconds before the freezing in place began, the Home Depot PA system started playing Jewel's 2001 hit, "Standing Still." Cool!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Meh. I'm over these en-mass stunts. I'd like to see them go back to the smaller scenes, a la the suicide jumper or the taxi-cab romance. Those always seem to involve a lot more creativity to me.

[Alex]

And the mass stunts seem to lose something when it turns out that nobody around them particularly cares. "Hey look! If we act odd we can get people to look at us with puzzlement."

[Moonliner]

It's spreading. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=409998&in_page_id=1770)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

It's spreading. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=409998&in_page_id=1770)Actually, this is more like the original flash mobbing than Improv Everywhere. No structure to it.

[Moonliner]

I spent Thanksgiving in NYC this year. On the Friday after turkey day I was in a living hell outside Good Morning America with Headliner when all of a sudden there appeared a most wondrous sight. An entire gaggle of elves popped up in the middle of times square. With picket signs protesting the unfair practices of the big box stores and chants like "What do we want, NOTHING! When do we want it, NOW!" They quickly marched down to Toys-r-us. Quite the amazing sight.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PB220187.jpg

It was uber-cool to be caught up in what I can only assume was "a mission". I'm actually a bit embarrassed by how long it was before I finally went, Doh! I know who that is!

My apologies for the poor photo quality. I was some distance away and the densely packed mob of screaming teen girls around me prevented moving to a better vantage point. (more on that story later.....)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PB220202.jpg

[Alex]

Are you sure it wasn't Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping? I know he was doing something in that area last Friday (unfortunately I still get his PR spam as a result of talking to him a couple years ago when he was arrested at Disneyland).

[Moonliner]

I did not get close enough to look for any clear evidence so, yes it certainly could have been another group pulling a similar stunt.

However This report (http://www.abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=3911373&page=1)from ABC shows Billy's group in choir robes and not elf costumes.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Hmm, neither IE (www.improveverywhere.com) nor Rev. Billy (http://www.revbilly.com/)'s sites have any coverage of this (yet). It's awesomeness though!

[Moonliner]

Baah Humbug. It looks like this was not an IE event.


ELVES UNITE!
BuyNothingDay: Elves protest unjust labor conditions in Santa's workshops.

Time and PlaceDate:
Friday, November 23, 2007
Time:
10:30am - 4:30pm
Location:
We are meeting at the Macy's near Penn Station, near the corner 7th ave. and 34 st. ,
Street:
we will stay there for a few hours then probably rove to times square.
City/Town:
New York, NY

Contact InfoPhone:
646.831.1991 (friday only)
Email:
admin@therevolutionfactory.com
Description
Join US! As part of Buy Nothing Day, we will be forming a picket line to protest unjust labor conditions in Santa's workshop. This is going to be the silliest darn protest you were ever a part of, but should be alot of fun.
People should come dressed as elfish as possible, wear a red top and green pants if you can. and santa hats and bells if you can. this is gonna be fun.
Also, bring signs to hold up as we picket "Elves demand fair wages!" etc. be clever. I'll have extras if you can't muster a sign.
i also have some paper mache elf hats. Bring musical instruments and facepaint and friends and whatever else you can think of.

(If you can't make it, but want to be a part. email me, similiary Elfy events will be occuring throughout the whole holiday season).

[Morrigoon]

Another good one - especially in touristy spots- is to designate one person as the "celebrity" and have several people come up one at a time asking for autographs, posing for pictures - eventually the people in on the joke SWARM and tend to bring quite a few clueless people in on it :)
Variation: Stake out a spot covered by the paparazzi. Consider the performance a success if you can get TMZ to show/mock it ;)

We'd need a couple people with professional (or professional-looking) cameras and video cameras... but this is LoT, we've got those ;)

[Mousey Girl]

I love the IE mission at Best Buy.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Hahaha, if you've been to the park with a large group of LoTters this should look somewhat familiar (http://improveverywhere.com/2009/02/09/high-five-escalator/).

[Kevy Baby]

Hahaha, if you've been to the park with a large group of LoTters this should look somewhat familiar (http://improveverywhere.com/2009/02/09/high-five-escalator/).Lots of people wanted to know if Rob had washed his hands. “You bet I have!”Yeah, but he has been touching a LOT of people before he touched you!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Hahaha, if you've been to the park with a large group of LoTters this should look somewhat familiar (http://improveverywhere.com/2009/02/09/high-five-escalator/).I like the older, bearded man with the "A High Five!" sign nodding his head sagely.

I can see this reimagined with a LoT logo on the signs instead of Rob.

[lashbear]

I'm also called Rob. :evil: I shall start rubbing beeswax into my hands to toughen them.

[NirvanaMan]

They totally ripped us off. Who knew we were doing art.

[lashbear]

They totally ripped us off. Who knew we were doing art.
Who's Art, and when did you do him?

[Kevy Baby]

Who's Art, and when did you do him?There are so many, he loses track.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

They totally ripped us off. Who knew we were doing art.I did!

[NirvanaMan]

I did!


You should have told me!

Now I am an artist.

[blueerica]

Anyone see that T-Mobile ad "Life is for Sharing" - which was on YouTube, but now I can no longer find?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Is this it? http://www.youtube.com/user/lifesforsharing

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Wow, that dance hall of fame one is amazing!

[Disneyphile]

They've got plans for Downtown Disney this Sunday. (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134847048031)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Oh snap....

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Nice! I might consider going.

Is it officially IE? I thought they only did their events in NYC. I was following a fledgling group in LA once, but they could never get their acts together. I'd be glad if they've finally started a branch out here!

[Gemini Cricket]

A DTD 5 minute freeze! Nice!

[Alex]

AKA Downtown Disney at 9:30 pm on a July Saturday night.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Zzzzzzing!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Nice! I might consider going.

Is it officially IE? I thought they only did their events in NYC. I was following a fledgling group in LA once, but they could never get their acts together. I'd be glad if they've finally started a branch out here!If the link is any indication it's not IE. And..."This is a closed event. Guests must be invited or approved by an admin."

Yeah, definitely not IE.

[Alex]

If you show up and start not moving will they have designated enforcers push you?

[Stan4dSteph]

Sounds like it was a failure anyway.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Don't Rain on My Parade (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul1Yb8nm_X8) courtesy of Break Out In Song (http://www.breakoutinsong.com/)

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I happened to stumble upon the old 2005 No-Pants Subway IE prank recently, and discovered that back in the day, one of the Mad Men actors (the bespectacled Rich Sommer) and Aziz Ansari (from Funny People and Parks and Recreation) were both IE agents!

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Don't Rain on My Parade (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul1Yb8nm_X8) courtesy of Break Out In Song (http://www.breakoutinsong.com/)Here's a behind the scenes video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8ZqOoa9wqY).

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Flash Mob On Bondi Beach (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao4DkbGbxl0)

Coverage:
GayNZ.com (http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/3/article_8181.php)
OhLaLaMag (http://www.ohlalamag.com/en/2009/11/bondi-beach-sydney-the-big-gay-flashmob.html)

[SzczerbiakManiac]

What a cool variation on a flash mob (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgOyTNtsWyY)!

Be sure to watch the whole thing or it won't make sense.According to a post in the comments, "They are celebrating his birthday and singing the traditional Danish birthday song."

[Alex]

I know it brands me as cold-hearted but in thinking through what would happen if one of my train operators stopped for an impromptu birthday celebration I think my primary response would be "yes, yes, very nice, but now please finish taking me home."

But since I wasn't on the bus I can just say "how nice."

[Ghoulish Delight]

Star Wars Subway Car!

The Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5gCeWEGiQI&feature=player_embedded)

The Writeup (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5gCeWEGiQI&feature=player_embedded)

[Gemini Cricket]

Star Wars Subway Car!

The Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5gCeWEGiQI&feature=player_embedded)

The Writeup (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5gCeWEGiQI&feature=player_embedded)
Both links lead to the video for me.

I loved that. I had to watch it without sound (no speakers at work) but it was still great watching the people reacting to what was going on and having a good time.
:)

I think I found the writeup (http://improveverywhere.com/2010/07/14/star-wars-subway-car/).

[Ghoulish Delight]

Dang, copy-paste fail. Thanks for the fix.

[Morrigoon]

That was really cute

[Gemini Cricket]

This was my favorite bit. I like it. Yes, I certainly do.