A duo in Oregon recently staged a new version of Improv Everywhere’s 2006 mission Meet a Black Person. They set up their “Meet a Black Guy” booth at the farmer’s market in their hometown Corvallis, which is overwhelmingly white.
In other news the original Black Person just got hired back for his third season as a writer on MAD TV, and the editor of the original video (below) just got hired back for his second season! Congrats to Colton Dunn and Chris Kula!
GuerilLA had some New Year’s Eve style fun this past weekend. Agent Wilner writes:
In Santa Monica there are many crosswalks that have countdown clocks signifying how long you have until you can’t cross the intersection anymore. We gathered a group of 50 agents and counted down a number of those clocks – very loudly. At the end of each countdown we went nuts – hugging, hi-fiving, cheering, screaming, using our noisemakers, toasting with our fake champagne, etc. Just like on New Year’s Eve. It was amazing! We did this at about seven intersections along the Santa Monica Promenade and then dispersed.
Also worth noting is that two participants got engaged during the mission (you’ll notice they are congratulated at the end of the video.) What better time to get engaged than New Year’s Eve! On June 8!
Birch from Memphis recently added some great photos to his flickr photostream of hacked subway advertising in NYC.
He writes:
Advertising posters in the 23rd Street CE subway station have recently been getting mixed and matched by someone who is good with an X-Acto (some F.I.T. student?).
Oh! Those IKEA room displays! Entire rooms full of furniture, lighting, rugs and notions. Any one of those rooms would be a great place to sit and entertain friends. They look so comfortable and inviting!
It was an invitation that Jason Adair couldn’t pass up. He decided to have a Fancy Dress Party at IKEA.
A group based in Prague turned a subway car into a living room this past weekend. Here’s their report and video:
- Mission: Travel first class … on the subway!
- When: April 4th, 2008, from 5pm onwards
- Where: Prague subway system (eastbound yellow line)
- Agents: 12
On Friday, April 4th, the commuters on one of the trains were rather surprised when a girl has boarded a train, carrying a rug, and spread it out on the floor. Imagine their shock at the next station, where two guys brought in a large armchair, on the following stations accompanied by a coatrack, table, antique telephone, slippers, and a flower in a vase.
This was just the set-up. At Jinonice, some six stations from the start, a dressed-up man came in, put his coat and umbrella at the rack, sat down in the armchair and made himself comfortable: he loosened his tie, removed his shoes and put on the slippers, picked up a magazine and started reading.
After we set up a giant crowd had gathered waiting for us to start. With a 1 – 2 – 1, 2, 3, 4 the click-fest began and the crowd let out a nearly unanimous laugh – then cheer at us as we thumped and clicked away.
Agent Gallakanokuss dropped the box, and plugged it in to our planted audio cable. Agent Poohead was hiding on the other side of the bushes, controlling the audio with an iPod. As soon as a few unsuspecting people walked by and couldn’t resist the “button” they pressed it only to find out they were the “life of the party” or a “freakin’ rockstar” as the button called them. Our Agents promptly jumped up and danced all around them. As soon as the song was over, they sat back down like nothing had happened.
- No Assembly Required!
- We Want Quiet, not a Riot!
- No Cause is Good Cause!
- No One Cares What You Think!
- We’re NOT Gonna PROTEST!
- No Change to Spare!
- Silence not Stridence!
- Decide to be Satisfied!
- Expression is Depression!
- Public Scenes are a Waste of Time!
The Mexico City group Desordinarios staged a mission called “Train Rain.” Around twenty agents rode Mexico City’s metro wearing rain gear and holding umbrellas.
Urban Prankster covers pranks, hacks, participatory art, and other creative endeavors that take place in public places in cities across the world. It is edited by Charlie Todd.
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