Silly? Ridiculous? Outrageous? Certainly.
Improv Everywhere, a pranking group based in our very own New York City. Their goal, according to Charlie Todd, their creator, is:
“to create moments that are so astonishing, people will have a story to tell for the rest of their lives…It’s amazing what you have to do to get people to stop and pay attention.”
They have No Pants Subway rides, gatherings in public parks where all you’re told is to bring an iPod, an umbrella and a balloon, and even freeze moments in time that leave people more flustered than you’d ever believe.
But, is it legal? Yes (I think)
IE knows how to toe the line without actually crossing it. They’ve had the cops called on them several times, but still have a squeaky clean record. What they do is “technically” legal, even if it is sometimes a nuisance. In 2006 a woman was charged with “alarming the public” for only wearing underwear on the subway. The charge was dismissed. The judge said that it would take more than that to alarm a New Yorker on the subway.
In 2005, U2 was playing at Madison Square Garden. Improv Everywhere Agents took this opportunity to create an imitation U2 “tribute” band. IE’s “band” got other agents to spread the word that U2 would be playing on a rooftop that afternoon. Hundreds flooded the street to listen to U2 play. After playing the entirety of their 4-song repertoire (and after the crowd realized that this was not, in fact, U2), the cops were called. The po-po made them close up shop while crowds below were screaming for an encore.
I’ve done some shoddy legal research, and I think that this U2 cover band gig was legal. They weren’t playing at a venue where they were getting paid (wedding, bat mitzvah), nor were they playing at a venue where their presence would attract customers to spend money (bar, restaurant). So, it seems as though they fell under the Garage Band/Tribute Band section of things where it is legal to play U2s music without explicit rights or consent.
*NOT* U2
So, how and why are these things done?
They are done through cooperation, networking, creativity, and the power of the internet. There is one key group of agents that work to plan large scale “missions.” Ideas for missions are gladly welcomed through the IE website, and once the large scale missions are planned, everyone is welcome to join. This group that like to “create scenes” is built on enthusiasm for the craft as well as a far-reaching community via the internet. There are websites such as UrbanPrankster.com where people can learn the basics and courtesies of pranking as well as trade ideas and form coalitions. It is a community formed to help other pranksters, for the good of pranking. Moreso, this has to do with peer production and working with each other towards a common goal, with no monetary compensation, only the satisfaction of silliness, absurdity and confusing the public.
