Maybe I don’t like musicals enough, or maybe I just prefer satire and irony to self-congratulation.

But then I’m just a miserable Brit.

The Improv guys were funny the first couple of times. They now have scripted pre-approved “improve” events. This is not improv and not everywhere, only where the management approves.

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How can you call it “improv”? Your missions are clearly pre-planned!

We are not claiming that what we are doing is improv. The majority of Improv Everywhere Agents met each other through the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, the nation’s most awesome improv theatre and school. While staging organized stunts in public places is obviously completely different form improv comedy in a theatre, the two activities do share similar techniques. We stay in character at all costs and interact with members of the public with no script beyond the mission’s idea. We have no clue how people are going to react to us, and that is where the improvisation comes in. Sometimes people misread our URL as “Improve Everywhere.” We think that’s probably a better name for what we try to do.

sounds like the marketing department is working overtime

I’m ok with people trying to make a buck. It just kind of sucks when it has to come at the expense of honest artistic output. This is probably killing the hearts of flash mob directors all over the country.

Not that I think there is anything wrong with that, mind you. I just think sometimes “free culture loving” BoingBoing posts things as if they were done in the spirit of fun and art alone, when sometimes it’s not always the case.

Companies spend a lot of money on creating stuff like this just so we will share it as if it were “homemade with spit and vinegar” when in reality it’s not always the case.

Again, I find NOTHING wrong with a company doing that, for Improv Everywhere for offering that paid service, nor do I think BoingBoing was wrong for posting it. But, let’s face it, we just watched a paid advertisement for the GEL conference.

Never heard of it before. Now I have. Mission accomplished.

It was very entertaining, and I am a bit embarrassed for not having caught on earlier – as I am also a big fan of their work.

Kudos, Improv Everywhere.

Masturbating gives me pleasure but so far I have managed to resist doing it in public – it is shame these guys feel the need to “share” their self-congratulating behaviour presumably in the belief that they are making the world “a better place” or some other guff.

But in a way it is a commercial.

It very clearly says at the bottom of their spontaneous musicals page, right under the embedded GEL conf. video, in fact (http://improveverywhere.com/missions/spotaneous-musicals/):

“If you are interested in hiring us to produce a spontaneous musical for your conference, meeting, or event, let us know via our contact form.”

In part this seems to me to be a good promo piece for getting conferences to hire their services. AGAIN, I see nothing wrong with this. I just think it fair to point out.

They even say on their own site’s FAQ page:

“We do not stage official Improv Everywhere missions that advertise a brand. However, we have in the past worked with companies as creative consultants helping to develop campaigns and as video producers creating content for a brand. We have also staged pranks at internal meetings and conventions for corporate clients. We do this work independent of Improv Everywhere, and will not use this site or its resources to promote it.”

Well, seems to me they do, just in more subtle ways.