FREEZE!

[mmerriam]

Here is a very short video of careswen and me doing the Improv Everywhere Freeze at the Bloomington, MN IKEA. That's us kissing right at the start. We held the pose for five minutes as shoppers passed us by.

The "About this Video" section at the YouTube site talks about how security at the Mall of America, (which was the original destination) cornered us and told us to leave before we could start. Go read it!

ETA: Here is a second, longer video. We are the "Kissing Couple."

Comments

[careswen.livejournal.com]

My favorite story about the bewildered shoppers: Michael and I were frozen in the kiss, and one of our team's observers said that we were the first thing some people noticed as they approached our group, and people seemed to feel funny about walking past us. There was a couple that walked through our frozen group toward the registers, and as they reached the other side, the woman said, "That felt really strange, walking through that, didn't it?" Her clueless male companion responded, "Huh? What?"

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

You hate to say, "typical male," but...

[nomaddervish.livejournal.com]

That was certainly my reaction to the first clip... I watched it half a dozen times and couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. But, then, a 10-second pan over a wide area is hardly long enough to distinguish your freeze from people who just happen to be randomly stopped to look at an item or whatever.

The second one is much better.

[one-undone.livejournal.com]

That was cool. I wish I'd gone. :/ I saw the comment on my journal saying that RSVPs were necessary and was kinda bummed out, and shrugged it off as a no-go. I went out all day, and Jason told me when I got back in that it did take place, and that you guys went.

I'm glad someone made it there! :) And I'm glad that Ikea was a suitable alternative after MOA flipped out on you. :P Those goobers.

Hope you had fun! :D

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

There is talk of another event soon.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Simply one of the coolest flash mob ideas evar!

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I loved listening to the confused shoppers as they walked by.

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Bravo!

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

I LOVE that the megamall security sent you out before you could do it. LOVE IT!

So glad they're staying on top of this Random Art thing. If they'd allowed you to do it, the TERRORISTS WOULD HAVE ALREADY WON.

You two are the most adorable "kissing couple" I have ever seen.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

MOA Security: Protecting the good God-fearing AMERICAN shopping public from the depredation and horrors of rogue Improve Actors!

[boy-pastiche.livejournal.com]

how cool!

how did you guys keep from laughing?

also can we come to dinner next week?

[careswen.livejournal.com]

It was surprisingly easy to keep straight. I think what really helped was that I could really see anything other than mmerriam, so fewer distractions. The funny thing from seeing the videos was realizing how closely people had passed by us -- I had had no idea! There was so much ambient noise, it was hard to tell what was going on around me.

Dinner would be awesome! Next week, Wednesday or Thursday would be okay for us. How about you guys?

[boy-pastiche.livejournal.com]

wow! So cool.

Let me find out what is good for Leareth :) I'll email you.

[shay-writes.livejournal.com]

How cool is that! :)

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

We had a lot of fun doing it!