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Causing a Scene: Extraordinary Pranks in Ordinary Places with Improv Everywhere
A fake U2 concert. A deranged hypnotist. A book signing by a dead author. Welcome to the wild world of Improv Everywhere. From the infamous No Pants! Subway Ride to the legendary Grand Central Freeze, Improv Everywhere has been responsible for some of the most original and subversive pranks of the Internet age. In Causing a Scene , the group's agents provide a hilarious firsthand account of their mischievous antics. Learn how they created a time loop in a Starbucks and gave Best Buy eighty extra employees. Join in on the fun with this irreverent, behind-the-scenes look at Improv Everywhere's world-famous missions, and get inspired to create your own memorable mayhem.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
15 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
About the author
Charlie Todd
5 books2 followersCharlie Todd is the founder of Improv Everywhere, producing, directing, performing, and documenting the group's work for over seven years. He is also a teacher and performer of improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City.
Author page at Harper Collins
Author page at Harper Collins
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 4, 2009
Absolutely brilliant! This little gem chronicles the antics of New York's "Improv Everywhere," which stages victimless stunts designed to give their impromptu audiences incredible, usually joyful stories to share for the rest of their lives. I was intrigued by the concept, and started reading as soon as the book arrived. Almost immediately, I was laughing out loud and had to share a scene with my family. After the second shared vignette, my family all agreed they wanted to read Causing a Scene themselves, and didn't want me to offer any more spoilers. That's a bigger challenge than you might think--these creative vignettes just beg to be shared! They were created, after all, to give people stories to retell.
Early in the book, I thought its small physical size and each chapter's ability to stand alone would make it the perfect book to carry around for a few days, filling those random moments of waiting that pepper all our lives. It would be perfect for that, too, if it weren't for one unforeseen fact: it was impossible to put down. I did indeed carry it around with me ... from the kitchen, to the bedroom, to the living room, back to the kitchen. I'd finished it within a few short hours, so its light, purse-friendly weight had no particular impact on my experience of it.
The straightforward, descriptive writing style, short chapter length, and regular photographs would make Causing a Scene particularly accessible to people who might be called "reluctant readers" if they were children--those who have Adult ADD, or just don't often read for pleasure. Even the font is nicely readable, and its high comedy and nonfiction nature add to its likely appeal even to those who rarely read for pleasure.
At the same time, none of those things detracts from the laughter and sheer joy awaiting voracious readers who stumble across this book, as I did. In fact, I like comfortable fonts and good photographs, too!
I'll leave out any spoilers, confident that the publisher's cover blurb offers sufficient teasers to encourage a potential reader to explore the rest of the book--and that anyone who picks it up even for a few minutes is unlikely to put it down. I would give this one six stars if I could, though--it's that good!
Early in the book, I thought its small physical size and each chapter's ability to stand alone would make it the perfect book to carry around for a few days, filling those random moments of waiting that pepper all our lives. It would be perfect for that, too, if it weren't for one unforeseen fact: it was impossible to put down. I did indeed carry it around with me ... from the kitchen, to the bedroom, to the living room, back to the kitchen. I'd finished it within a few short hours, so its light, purse-friendly weight had no particular impact on my experience of it.
The straightforward, descriptive writing style, short chapter length, and regular photographs would make Causing a Scene particularly accessible to people who might be called "reluctant readers" if they were children--those who have Adult ADD, or just don't often read for pleasure. Even the font is nicely readable, and its high comedy and nonfiction nature add to its likely appeal even to those who rarely read for pleasure.
At the same time, none of those things detracts from the laughter and sheer joy awaiting voracious readers who stumble across this book, as I did. In fact, I like comfortable fonts and good photographs, too!
I'll leave out any spoilers, confident that the publisher's cover blurb offers sufficient teasers to encourage a potential reader to explore the rest of the book--and that anyone who picks it up even for a few minutes is unlikely to put it down. I would give this one six stars if I could, though--it's that good!
March 23, 2012
Charlie Todd is my idol. Or at least, he's of them them. He's my idol because he spreads joy and happiness in the funniest and most amusing way possible. In short, he spreads joy and happiness through extraordinarily large-scale pranks.
At a glance, this doesn't make much sense. Pranking usually leaves the victim embarrassed. But Charlie Todd's pranks aren't like that. His pranks are meant to be "shared experiences of absurdity," a idea that he expresses in his talk at TEDxBloomington.
Todd's definition of "absurdity" can get quite extreme. He holds book signings by dead authors. He hosts annual No Pants! Subway Rides (with thousands of participants). He storms through public libraries dressed as Ghostbusters. He does a lot of funny things like that.
But to me, the most amazing thing about his pranks is the noble purpose behind. He never falters in his quest to create this sort of public art that creates memorable experiences and stories for everyday people to share. He never loses his drive. He never stops amusing people. Charlie Todd is my idol. And if he's your idol, too, then I really think that you should read his book.
At a glance, this doesn't make much sense. Pranking usually leaves the victim embarrassed. But Charlie Todd's pranks aren't like that. His pranks are meant to be "shared experiences of absurdity," a idea that he expresses in his talk at TEDxBloomington.
Todd's definition of "absurdity" can get quite extreme. He holds book signings by dead authors. He hosts annual No Pants! Subway Rides (with thousands of participants). He storms through public libraries dressed as Ghostbusters. He does a lot of funny things like that.
But to me, the most amazing thing about his pranks is the noble purpose behind. He never falters in his quest to create this sort of public art that creates memorable experiences and stories for everyday people to share. He never loses his drive. He never stops amusing people. Charlie Todd is my idol. And if he's your idol, too, then I really think that you should read his book.
January 29, 2018
I needed something light-hearted and I love that these guys go around New York playing "victimless" pranks to inspire happiness and joy. Reading this helped me recall all the fun tricks, pranks and maybe some misdemeanors (statute of limitations?) I've pulled off. Here's a few honorable mentions (just for fun) and let's keep this between me and the three of you who read these reviews, yeah?
- My mom, sisters and I spent an afternoon shopping in the mall talking entirely in British accents. We quite enjoyed all the compliments we received on our lovely accents. Ta!
- Some friends and I convinced an obnoxious waiter at a restaurant who kept trying to push alcohol on us that I was allergic to hops. The impromptu story of my first "allergic reaction" was both hilarious and tragic. The waiter was so sympathetic. I don't know how anyone, including the waiter, kept a straight face.
- Umm, ex-lax in my 6th grade science teacher's coffee. Sorry Ms. Marz.
- Friends and I breaking into empty houses on base and spending the night. It was not my idea I swear.
- The first Scream movie came out during my HS school years so naturally we bought a mask and jumped up in people's windows at night. I can still hear the screams.
- Playing cops and robbers through the halls of our apartment building and I jumped through a 6 ft tall plate glass window and shattered it. I landed on my feet and kept on running. Never break character.
This book was a fun little jaunt down memory lane. I liked their "missions". The book, meh. Humor is very hard to write, as I've demonstrated. Worth the laughs and smiles.
- My mom, sisters and I spent an afternoon shopping in the mall talking entirely in British accents. We quite enjoyed all the compliments we received on our lovely accents. Ta!
- Some friends and I convinced an obnoxious waiter at a restaurant who kept trying to push alcohol on us that I was allergic to hops. The impromptu story of my first "allergic reaction" was both hilarious and tragic. The waiter was so sympathetic. I don't know how anyone, including the waiter, kept a straight face.
- Umm, ex-lax in my 6th grade science teacher's coffee. Sorry Ms. Marz.
- Friends and I breaking into empty houses on base and spending the night. It was not my idea I swear.
- The first Scream movie came out during my HS school years so naturally we bought a mask and jumped up in people's windows at night. I can still hear the screams.
- Playing cops and robbers through the halls of our apartment building and I jumped through a 6 ft tall plate glass window and shattered it. I landed on my feet and kept on running. Never break character.
This book was a fun little jaunt down memory lane. I liked their "missions". The book, meh. Humor is very hard to write, as I've demonstrated. Worth the laughs and smiles.
November 2, 2011
This book reflects upon some of the most successful missions completed by Improv Everywhere, a New York based comedy group that stages harmless--though chaotic--pranks throughout the city. Examples include (my personal favorite) an Anton Chekhov book signing at Barnes and Noble, an Olympic Trial synchronized swimming bid in the Washington Square Park fountain, and how they froze time in Grand Central Terminal.
The book is very well-organized with firsthand accounts from the actual agents who both planned and participated in the missions. There are photographs from the events, as well as reflections. They even went so far as to include quotes from famous figures that relate to the pranks in question.
I particularly enjoyed the writers' style and tone. They were very engaging and their sense of humor shined through the print. It's hard to convey humor through the written word, but Todd and Scordelis manage to pull it off nicely. They even infused a few pranks within the book itself (which took me longer to spot than I care to admit)!
If you're a fan of brilliant and victimless pranks, then I highly recommend you give Causing a Scene a try. Believe it or not, I'd never heard of Improv Anywhere before reading this book. Now I can't wait to visit their website and watch the video evidence of their exploits!
The book is very well-organized with firsthand accounts from the actual agents who both planned and participated in the missions. There are photographs from the events, as well as reflections. They even went so far as to include quotes from famous figures that relate to the pranks in question.
I particularly enjoyed the writers' style and tone. They were very engaging and their sense of humor shined through the print. It's hard to convey humor through the written word, but Todd and Scordelis manage to pull it off nicely. They even infused a few pranks within the book itself (which took me longer to spot than I care to admit)!
If you're a fan of brilliant and victimless pranks, then I highly recommend you give Causing a Scene a try. Believe it or not, I'd never heard of Improv Anywhere before reading this book. Now I can't wait to visit their website and watch the video evidence of their exploits!
August 20, 2009
Everyone has probably heard of or seen the "freeze" in Grand Central Station from early 2008. (If not, check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMj3P...). That prank and many others were organized by the group Improv Everywhere, which was founded by Charlie Todd in the summer of 2001 in New York. While not the first such group, Improv Everywhere is arguably the most successful, inspiring copycat pranks and a worldwide network of "Urban Pranksters."
This book documents, in 14 case studies, some of their greatest hits: A rooftop concert by U2! Flooding a Best Buy with 80 uniformed "employees"! The annual No Pants day! A quick read, it's also laugh-out-loud funny, and gives some welcome behind-the-scenes information about the planning and aftermath of the capers.
*
WHY I READ THIS BOOK: Sarah Loritz gave me the news that the book was out a couple months ago. Hello, Amazon. And I love that I can justifiably say that I read this "for work," and even get a tax write-off for the purchase. Yea! And call me a luddite, but I do enjoy reading an actual book, rather than just grabbing all the info off the web.
This book documents, in 14 case studies, some of their greatest hits: A rooftop concert by U2! Flooding a Best Buy with 80 uniformed "employees"! The annual No Pants day! A quick read, it's also laugh-out-loud funny, and gives some welcome behind-the-scenes information about the planning and aftermath of the capers.
*
WHY I READ THIS BOOK: Sarah Loritz gave me the news that the book was out a couple months ago. Hello, Amazon. And I love that I can justifiably say that I read this "for work," and even get a tax write-off for the purchase. Yea! And call me a luddite, but I do enjoy reading an actual book, rather than just grabbing all the info off the web.
July 13, 2009
How did I not know about www.improveeverywhere.com? I think this is the most heartwarming experiment ever. Pranks have always seemed somewhat malicious to me, but these are fun and harmless ways to bring a community of strangers together for a shared experience.
My favorite improvs include:
The Time Loop, where you get a group of people together to perform the same scene over and over again for 1 hour, making the onlookers think that they are in a time loop. The example in the book is to enter a Starbucks and have people in your group perform the following, seemingly unconnected actions: have an argument, spill coffee, remark about how long the line to the bathroom is, let your cell phone ring loudly, etc.
Frozen Grand Central, where as many people as possible freeze at the exact same moment in a busy public place, such as a subway station, for five minutes.
The Human Mirror, where 15 sets of identical twins sit on opposite sides of a subway car, mimicking the others' movements.
My favorite improvs include:
The Time Loop, where you get a group of people together to perform the same scene over and over again for 1 hour, making the onlookers think that they are in a time loop. The example in the book is to enter a Starbucks and have people in your group perform the following, seemingly unconnected actions: have an argument, spill coffee, remark about how long the line to the bathroom is, let your cell phone ring loudly, etc.
Frozen Grand Central, where as many people as possible freeze at the exact same moment in a busy public place, such as a subway station, for five minutes.
The Human Mirror, where 15 sets of identical twins sit on opposite sides of a subway car, mimicking the others' movements.
January 27, 2011
While Charlie Todd's accounts of his Improv Everywhere pranks are pretty entertaining (if badly copyedited--why does the publishing world think editing is no longer a necessity? It's embarrassing), my main conclusion is that Todd is kind of an insensitive jerk. Sorry, Charlie. I suspect he even thinks this himself, given how many times he insists his pranks are "victimless." I guess it depends on how you define "victim." It seems to me the cab driver who was absolutely elated and elevated because he believed he'd been instrumental in the highly unlikely but incredibly romantic reunion of two star-crossed lovers was made a laughingstock, and the crowd of disturbed bystanders who believed they witnessed the abuse and abandonment of "hypnotized" observers were left abandoned to their own grave concern for their fellow citizens. And pretending you are a rock star and signing autographs is just lying.
But the book did make me laugh out loud in the el a couple times, in the episodes that truly were victimless, and rather inspired.
But the book did make me laugh out loud in the el a couple times, in the episodes that truly were victimless, and rather inspired.
February 8, 2020
Brilliant. Lays out the execution and even explains what exactly inspired of some of Improv Everywhere's famous (and some lesser known) scenes of chaos. I picked this up because I liked the title, but my attitude towards pranks has always been more "Why bother?" on the subject of pranking, but this makes a passionate case for pranks' capacity for joy. They make a point of explaining of presenting you with a "how-to" on each prank so that you too can play a leading role in a stranger's awesome story, but it was the anecdotes that truly made the book arresting rather than it's attempts at being a guide to further mayhem. The book is charmingly full of praise for the agents who participated in each prank, any/all people who served as inspiration, and even hype other groups that act under a similar spirit.. Each prank is intended to be victim-less (the point is joy not humiliation) and they acknowledge how sometimes their pranks did upset people without lambasting employees who had to shut them down or non-believers as mere killjoys. One or two of the weird experiences peddled seem like they might have not been just a laugh for the bystanders, but I did find them all humorous. You can check out Improv Everywhere's website for footage and chaos enacted after the book's publishing in 2009.
Oh and not to be a killjoy myself but there is just one glaring misprint on page 56, but other than that a quick, entertaining read.
Oh and not to be a killjoy myself but there is just one glaring misprint on page 56, but other than that a quick, entertaining read.
April 9, 2020
I love those things on the Internet where the entire Baden-Württemberg Symphony Orchestra dresses up as greengrocers and infiltrates the Stuttgart Markthalle with their instruments and begin playing something from Prokoviev's "For the Love of Three Oranges." I think when this happens it is a take on a social phenomenon called "flash mob." I was upset when my friend Elizabeth Grabinski got to sing in one of those things. In December of 2010, Gerard Schwarz conducted members of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony Chorale in Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” at Nordstrom’s flagship store in downtown Seattle. "And why," I inquired sternly, "was I not invited to sing?" My kids, who are much more cyber-hip than I will ever be, turned me on to a New York based group called Improv Everywhere. The creation of Charlie Todd, a member of the Upright Citizens Brigade, this organization of pranksters has "caused scenes" in New York City, around the country and around the world. Charlie and fellow prankster Alex Scordelis wrote a book in 2009 to describe the first decade of their endeavours to create chaos and hilarity. There have been a large number of "missions" since those related in the book; videos of most of them are available at IE's website. Maybe there will be another book. I hope so. Only it would be better if I could be IN it rather than just read about it.
May 4, 2020
This review is going to have an unusual ending. Bare with me.
Improv Everywhere is a group that plans elaborate, good humored jokes. You might have seen their work; their No Pants Subway Ride has become a global event and usually gets news coverage, and a funeral flashmob was derided by the press as being a prank 'taken too far' without the new stations reporting on it noticing that the flashmob was held on April Fools Day. The NPSR was what introduced me to them, and I was delighted to discover that they are masters of the best kind of prank; the kind that makes you laugh because a little spot of 'unusual' happened in your day, not the kind that singles you out and has to make you look foolish or silly before the laugh can happen. Too often, that second kind backfires with either a prankster whose goal is to make themselves laugh (these joke are always purposefully at their victim’s expense), or a victim the joke just doesn’t work on (the joke is offensive to their religion/ethics/etc, they don’t get the references, or other valid reasons). Improv Everywhere uses audience participation. The victims tend to figure out they’re caught up in something very quickly, and can ignore what’s going on or involve themselves at their discretion. And the more people involved, the better the event.
You’ve probably noticed that I have a hard time pinning down exactly what they’re doing. It’s part prank, part joke, part flash mob, and part grand event. You can mix and match those labels to each projects. They practice synchronized swimming in park fountains (joke), flood New York with red heads (joke), dress up like store employees and help customers (flash mob), throw surprise wedding receptions for courthouse newlyweds (grand event), and hold meet & greets at bookstores with authors long-since dead (prank). How would you define all that under just one banner?
Causing a Scene goes into detail about the planning, production, and aftermath of the performances, including suggestions for how to do a similar prank on your own and introductions to other improve pranking groups. I will say that one chapter in particular goes on rather long, and it seemed like they’d interviewed every last ‘agent’ who’d participated, but the rest of the articles were concise and interesting. There’s a mention in the No Pants Subway Ride chapter about how the event has become a rite of passage for rookie cops, who get assigned to the cars/stations to ensure everyone’s safety but who aren’t told the details of the event before riders start showing up.
THE VERDICT? Apart from the LOOK UP MORE chapter everything is kept interesting, informative, and funny. The book is short and doesn’t get into all their projects, just the more memorable ones. (LOOK UP MORE involved putting an agent in each window of a building to do choreographed dances, and the chapter goes on forever interviewing the people stationed at each window.)
Which brings me to the unusual part of this review. It was only after finishing it off that I went looking for the YouTube videos of the pranks to post as a bonus, and I got a big surprise. They not only have a website (it's been a long while since I last thought to look them up), but they have write-ups of all their pranks. Curiously I checked out the page for my favorite mission, Where's Rob? (Rob is hopelessly lost at a Knicks game), and they've posted the entire write-up from the book. I checked The Moebius (Starbucks patrons find themselves stuck in a time loop) and Best Game Ever (a little league game gets covered by NBC Sports): same thing. I looked up the newer ones, and they all had full write-ups with video, pictures and commentary by the participants. For some reason Improv Everywhere has decided to make their book redundant. So if you want something to make you smile whether you have internet access or not, the book will do exactly that. But I'm also recommending you check out their website and read up on their full collection of missions.
Improv Everywhere is a group that plans elaborate, good humored jokes. You might have seen their work; their No Pants Subway Ride has become a global event and usually gets news coverage, and a funeral flashmob was derided by the press as being a prank 'taken too far' without the new stations reporting on it noticing that the flashmob was held on April Fools Day. The NPSR was what introduced me to them, and I was delighted to discover that they are masters of the best kind of prank; the kind that makes you laugh because a little spot of 'unusual' happened in your day, not the kind that singles you out and has to make you look foolish or silly before the laugh can happen. Too often, that second kind backfires with either a prankster whose goal is to make themselves laugh (these joke are always purposefully at their victim’s expense), or a victim the joke just doesn’t work on (the joke is offensive to their religion/ethics/etc, they don’t get the references, or other valid reasons). Improv Everywhere uses audience participation. The victims tend to figure out they’re caught up in something very quickly, and can ignore what’s going on or involve themselves at their discretion. And the more people involved, the better the event.
You’ve probably noticed that I have a hard time pinning down exactly what they’re doing. It’s part prank, part joke, part flash mob, and part grand event. You can mix and match those labels to each projects. They practice synchronized swimming in park fountains (joke), flood New York with red heads (joke), dress up like store employees and help customers (flash mob), throw surprise wedding receptions for courthouse newlyweds (grand event), and hold meet & greets at bookstores with authors long-since dead (prank). How would you define all that under just one banner?
Causing a Scene goes into detail about the planning, production, and aftermath of the performances, including suggestions for how to do a similar prank on your own and introductions to other improve pranking groups. I will say that one chapter in particular goes on rather long, and it seemed like they’d interviewed every last ‘agent’ who’d participated, but the rest of the articles were concise and interesting. There’s a mention in the No Pants Subway Ride chapter about how the event has become a rite of passage for rookie cops, who get assigned to the cars/stations to ensure everyone’s safety but who aren’t told the details of the event before riders start showing up.
THE VERDICT? Apart from the LOOK UP MORE chapter everything is kept interesting, informative, and funny. The book is short and doesn’t get into all their projects, just the more memorable ones. (LOOK UP MORE involved putting an agent in each window of a building to do choreographed dances, and the chapter goes on forever interviewing the people stationed at each window.)
Which brings me to the unusual part of this review. It was only after finishing it off that I went looking for the YouTube videos of the pranks to post as a bonus, and I got a big surprise. They not only have a website (it's been a long while since I last thought to look them up), but they have write-ups of all their pranks. Curiously I checked out the page for my favorite mission, Where's Rob? (Rob is hopelessly lost at a Knicks game), and they've posted the entire write-up from the book. I checked The Moebius (Starbucks patrons find themselves stuck in a time loop) and Best Game Ever (a little league game gets covered by NBC Sports): same thing. I looked up the newer ones, and they all had full write-ups with video, pictures and commentary by the participants. For some reason Improv Everywhere has decided to make their book redundant. So if you want something to make you smile whether you have internet access or not, the book will do exactly that. But I'm also recommending you check out their website and read up on their full collection of missions.
March 22, 2021
Causing a Scene' is an enjoyable inside account of some of the many innovative public performances and pranks of New York City based Improv Everywhere, known for such You-Tube sensations as Frozen Grand Central Station, Best Buy, and the ongoing No Pants Subway Ride. My favorite, though, has to be the prank involving an Anton Chekov reading at a Barnes and Noble. For over ten years now, (before even the emergence of YouTube) the group has aimed to create a little good-natured public chaos and wonder, turning the prank into an art-form. For textual descriptions of these funny internet videos, founders Todd and Scordelis' descriptions here are extremely interesting and informative. Of course, only so much information can be imparted in a 200-page book and a lot more can be found on their website, including the videos themselves, both those included here and subsequent "missions."
Causing a Scene' is divided into chapters that explore some of the group's most entertaining, elaborate missions, going over facts such as dates, number of "agents" involved, "objectives," the "plan," and the "aftermath." The most amusing and useful feature was the experiences of participating agents and advice on staging missions of your own in your own cities. In any case, this was a fast and fun read, but it really can only whet your appetite for the many shenanigans shared at the Improv Everywhere website and I do recommend checking it out!
Causing a Scene' is divided into chapters that explore some of the group's most entertaining, elaborate missions, going over facts such as dates, number of "agents" involved, "objectives," the "plan," and the "aftermath." The most amusing and useful feature was the experiences of participating agents and advice on staging missions of your own in your own cities. In any case, this was a fast and fun read, but it really can only whet your appetite for the many shenanigans shared at the Improv Everywhere website and I do recommend checking it out!
May 12, 2014
This is one of the funniest and most inspiring books I’ve ever read. More than just mere pranksters, Improv Everywhere seeks to delight, baffle and entertain and, sometimes, give people the time of their lives and a really interesting story to tell the folks back home. Whether they’re convincing people that U2 is giving a surprise concert on a local rooftop (their most famous bit) to orchestrating a “freeze” in busy Grand Central Station, no prank is too elaborate or off the wall for them to tackle.
Showing ingenuity, cunning and dedication, this book tells about some of their most famous “missions” and reveals the sheer chutzpah and panache that enable them to carry off their stunts. There’s no mean-spiritedness here, no strident political messages or rallies for causes. Improv Everywhere seeks to bring joy, fun and a sense of play into the lives of innocent bystanders and encourage them to do the same. This book reveals their sense of childlike fun and that’s something that often goes missing as we get older. Whether you want to try concocting a stunt of your own, replicating one of theirs or simply want to read about some of their exploits, Causing a Scene is a book I highly recommend.
Showing ingenuity, cunning and dedication, this book tells about some of their most famous “missions” and reveals the sheer chutzpah and panache that enable them to carry off their stunts. There’s no mean-spiritedness here, no strident political messages or rallies for causes. Improv Everywhere seeks to bring joy, fun and a sense of play into the lives of innocent bystanders and encourage them to do the same. This book reveals their sense of childlike fun and that’s something that often goes missing as we get older. Whether you want to try concocting a stunt of your own, replicating one of theirs or simply want to read about some of their exploits, Causing a Scene is a book I highly recommend.
Read
July 27, 2011This could have been so much better a book. I bought it after seeing the author present on his experience leading Improv Everywhere, a group that has blown my mind over and over. He showed us video of their missions, ranging from a group of fifty or so dressing like Best Buy staff and loitering at Best Buy, to several hundred people freezing in the middle of Grand Central Terminal, to the annual "No Pants Day" onthe New York Subway, to the very moving bell choir taking over a Salvation Army bucket just before Christmas. Improv Everywhere tries to make things more awesome, and generally they succeed. But this book cheapened Improv Everywhere. I wanted to learn what makes things more awesome, why temporarily pulling the wool over some people's eyes can be illuminating and liberating, rather than manipulative and deceptive. Instead I got shockingly unreflective reflections on missions, with cheap jokes that weren't funny. (In a book about improv anything, let alone Improv Everywhere, this should have been considered breach of contract.)
August 10, 2009
This book would have been much better if it was not a book. What do I mean? When your subject matter is intricately planned pranks executed on a large scale, why settle for print when most of these "missions" were filmed. This group peaked my interest when I saw their story of "The Best Gig Ever" on This American Life. Wouldn't it have made more sense to release all the footage as a documentary style DVD similar to the This American Life segment?
All that aside, I was impressed with the creativity and passion of Improv Everywhere. All my shyness and fear aside, I think I might even get swept up if I was around this group.
All that aside, I was impressed with the creativity and passion of Improv Everywhere. All my shyness and fear aside, I think I might even get swept up if I was around this group.
September 29, 2009
After recently reading books about murder, making mistakes, identity theft, genocide, corruption and torturing animals, this was a nice break. It is a VERY light, breezy book. No heavy lifting (or thinking) required. Your head (or heart) will not hurt at the end of it.
It's funny, some reviews say the book is not as good as the videos it talks about. I watched a couple of the videos when I was half-way through the book and thought they didn't live up to what I had read. So, I stuck with the book only and the images it conjured in my mind.
It's funny, some reviews say the book is not as good as the videos it talks about. I watched a couple of the videos when I was half-way through the book and thought they didn't live up to what I had read. So, I stuck with the book only and the images it conjured in my mind.
November 28, 2023
I've followed the antics of Improv Everywhere online since I got introduced to them via the wonders of the Best Buy trick. (That said, they're probably better known as the guys behind No Pants Day.)
I have done similar things with flashmobs in San Francisco -- whatever happened to those? -- but there's a part of me who would, if I were ten years younger, pull the freeze trick on Sproul Plaza at lunchtime. %)
Anyway, the book is charming, hilarious, and absolutely wonderful. Recommended.
I have done similar things with flashmobs in San Francisco -- whatever happened to those? -- but there's a part of me who would, if I were ten years younger, pull the freeze trick on Sproul Plaza at lunchtime. %)
Anyway, the book is charming, hilarious, and absolutely wonderful. Recommended.
April 27, 2015
Written by the guys who founded the Improv Everywhere group, this tells about some of the hilarious pranks they have pulled off, all in public places. Some are more elaborate than others but all result in (mostly) making people smile and giving them a good story to tell for the rest of their lives. My favorites are the 80 people who showed up in a Best Buy wearing blue shirts and khakis and the "Look Up More" prank, which involved improv participants dancing in store windows in a New York building adjacent to the park.
Fun way to think about shaking things up in ways that are (mostly) legal.
Fun way to think about shaking things up in ways that are (mostly) legal.
August 25, 2009
This was fun to read, although I think the author could have made it a little easier. I have senn the videos online of different improvs events, such as the people who froze in a train station, or sang and danced to Doe-re-me. There's even one where an impromptu wedding reception is held for a newly married couple. Lots of fun! THis book gives you info on how to create your own scene, but it's a bit confusing. Still good info if you want to do an improv like this!!!
January 30, 2010
Todd and Sordelis' account of the genesis and continued hijinks of a loosely organized group of people willing to make all kinds of scens in public is fun and inspiring! Some of the "missions" they describe are simple, like "get a bunch of people to show up at Best Buy dressed in blue polos and khakis". Some are incredibly complex, like "recreate the same 5 minutes over and over for an hour". All of them are entertaining!
August 28, 2009
Loved the idea of the book and reading about all the things done. I've long wanted to be involved with something like this so it was fun to read about it.
The writing was not so great. A lot of repetition. Some of it didn't flow very well. A little too gimmicky. I would have preferred the authors just tell the stories - that would have made a much better book.
The writing was not so great. A lot of repetition. Some of it didn't flow very well. A little too gimmicky. I would have preferred the authors just tell the stories - that would have made a much better book.
June 2, 2012
if you're unfamiliar with Charlie Todd/ Improv everywhere, then I suggest that you get on youtube and educate yourself. Their videos are hilarious, and I really enjoyed the stories and backgrounds for the videos that I had seen far more than ones I hadn't.
As a side note: I have used ideas from this book for our church's youth group activities with great success.
As a side note: I have used ideas from this book for our church's youth group activities with great success.
July 29, 2011
This is an excellent showcase of Improve Everywhere's most prominent and successful experiments. The stories themselves are hilarious. The book includes 'tips' to pull off similar pranks of your own, and testimonials from key persons within each notorious prank. This is fabulous and entertaining - almost as much as seeing Improv Everywhere at work.
June 24, 2010
Great fun!!! Truly original!!! There's not much I can say about the book - you simply have to read it. I'd love to witness a "mission!"
P.S. Just today, we're walking around the mall and my son turns to me and remarks, "Hey, that guy looks just like Anton Chekov!" Too funny!
P.S. Just today, we're walking around the mall and my son turns to me and remarks, "Hey, that guy looks just like Anton Chekov!" Too funny!
July 4, 2009
I've been watching the Improv Everywhere videos on You Tube since the Frozen Grand Central event. It's great, harmless fun. Check them out for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ImprovEve...
http://www.youtube.com/user/ImprovEve...
August 28, 2009
Great read! If you love pranks, viral stunts, guerrilla tactics, or just admire those who can pull them off successfully, this book is for you. Written by the geniuses at Improv Everywhere, best known for getting hundreds of people to simultaneously freeze in place in Grand Central Station.
October 4, 2009
I guess I expected more chuckles or inspiration from this book. The videos and such are great, and perhaps discussing them just doesn't have the same impact. Great group - if there was one in my town I'd be a regular participant. But I found this book only mildly interesting.
December 28, 2009
I ended up skimming a lot of this book, because I remembered reading so much of it verbatim on the improveverywhere website. This would be a very nice intro book for someone who had never visited the IE website.
May 3, 2010
Very funny, rather touching. Of course you really need the website and videos for the full experience. But I still enjoyed reading extra tidbits and "agent" accounts/advice. Great for existing fans of the group, good for reeling in new fans.
May 29, 2010
A fun read, and a great reminder to enjoy interactions and playing around - even if you're grown up and responsible. I'll admit I skimmed over parts; it's mostly great just to get the concepts so you can YouTube the videos and actually see people's reactions.
July 2, 2012
Am really enjoying this one so far! I picked it up because, even since I took an Improv class at Clark College 5 years ago, I read everything I can about on the subject. Check out the authors' website Improv Everywhere to read about their flash mob scenes.
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