Universal name for "IE style event"

[Agent Todd]

Hey everybody. I think it might be helpful to come up with a term that means "an improv everywhere style event." We use "mission" on our site of course, but this would be a more universal term that would stand for what we do. "Prank" is not right. "Flash Mob" is definitely not right.

A guy from Kansas City put up a Wikipedia entry last year defining what we do as Guerrilla Improv: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_improv

It's an ok term, but I don't think it's right either. Honestly I would want a term that doesn't have the word "improv" in it, because I am so sick of reading internet comments on blogs that cover our missions crying, "this is not improv! it's planned!"

So what term can we coin that means, "a prank that somehow alters reality in a public space that is not mean-spirited."

Thoughts?

[Holly]

Personally, I'm partial to the word "diversions" - the missions are definitely a diversion from mundane reality.
1. The act or an instance of diverting or turning aside; deviation. 2. Something that distracts the mind and relaxes or entertains, especially a performance or show, designed to entertain.

Urban diversions?
Reality diversions? As in...diversions from reality...

I'll keep thinking about it... :)

[Daniel Iyageh]

I will agree with the word ANTIC, but a direct name for it is not catchy. More like Anticists, or Anticians.

[Michelle Chang]

Hm, I'm rather fond of the word 'antic.'

Purposeful Antics? They have a purpose, they're definitely antics, and it says nothing about improv - it could go any way.

-- I love IE by the way, chaps. Awesome work, everyone.

[James Cobalt]

Our Boston group calls its 250+ members "Improveratti" and events are "Spectacles" for creating "Zany Spontaneity and Harmonious Pandemonium"- our about us section says we refer to what we do as "guerrilla theater". The wikipedia page on guerrilla theater backs up this definition and even refers to them as spectacles (coincidence?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_theater

and i quote: "One form of guerrilla communication is the creation of ritual via participative public spectacle... ...to shift the perspectives of passers-by. Such spectacles often take the form of street and guerrilla theater."

[Tasha]

One of my favorite words, "Shenanigans!" lol but only thing about it, is that it's kind of difficult to spell. Urban Shenanigans...

[Agent Todd]

It's definitely a tough one. We've been called "urban pranksters." I like that. I like our goal of "chaos and joy." I like the slogan we have "we cause scenes" very much...

What makes us different from a flash mob to me is that it is planned, thoughtful, and intentionally good natured and funny. What makes us different from most pranks shows on TV is that our work takes place in public places and usually doesn't target somewhere who has been "set up." That and the fact that we don't try to embarrass/humiliate/irritate.

I love the term "reality hacking" but it's already taken for something a bit different than what we do: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_hacking

I also like the word "improve" (as many folks mistakenly refer to us as.

Urban Improvements?
Reality Improvements?

[Agent Wang]

Yes, I definently agree. We are 'improve-ing' the world, especially the United States. :)!

[Babelglyph]

Reality Improvements!! Wouldn't it be awesome, for example, if people really DID sing about needing a napkin? Or if there were city tours in fountains?

[Agent J.A. Riley]

This is a tough one. What you've done, Agent Todd, is create something new that's a spin on several ideas that have come before. It may be a case of finding the best threads from every thesaurus one can get their hands on or their browser to access. It could be a case of creating a new word or digging into the humor of the past. Perhaps there is some connection to goofy humor from days gone by. Have you ever heard of this: http://www.compedit.com/whiz_bang.htm?

Captain Billy's Whiz Bang. Whizbang itself is a great word, but it's origins are all connected to artillary shells and then the "short sharp shock" humor of vaudville, and this sort of event isn't so disruptive. The article itself is an interesting overview of the evolution of humor in this country from the twist that post WWI gave it.

These are not it, but starting points. I feel that the end result will be a compound word - perhaps even an oxymoron or maybe even nonsense.

spontaneous, impromptu, impetuous, impulsive, adventurous, temerarious, audacious, brazen, cheeky, impudent, spontaneity, buffoonery, jocularity, mirth, merriment, beguilement, jocular, hoopla, hullabaloo, commotion...

Yet it's planned, organized, social, anti-mundane, silly, creative, and fun.

So perhaps it's an "impromtu jocular hullabaloo" - but who is ever going to say that? In the world of the Internet and Instant Messaging breaking down the language, it's tough to define a complex new phenomenon that wouldn't be as effective without them. Perhaps it's an "impulsive frivolity" but that doesn't take into consideration so many things. It is a Lagniappe of comedic street humor... but how to we define it?

Some will no doubt read this and question, WTF? But it's a serious dilemma and I say to them, "go get a dictionery and look them up". Although this is not the answer, perhaps it's in inspirational lead in many directions. So I give you all starting points and will continue to contemplate it meself.

Atlanta has defined our purpose as to "Amuse & Bewilder." It is all a bewildering social amusement, but that's not catchy at all.

[Brandy]

i just kind of looked through a thesaurus for words that made me think of IE and a combination i thought was cool would be shtick productions...

even though it is a long word i really like Mindy's suggestion of extemporaneous- i think it fits what we do perfectly

[Agent J.A. Riley]

extemporaneous is a really great adjective, but it needs another short piece to become a noun. Extemporaneous mirth?

[Babelglyph]

Sounds good. I definitely agree that extemporaneous describes IE and like groups but isn't a term we can use for "missions" as it is not a noun. (by the way, loved your post, J.A.)

I was leaning towards using "joy" for some reason but mirth sounds better. I'm not sure it suits what we need the word for though... "We're organizing extemporaneous mirth this weekend, you should come!" sounds a bit awkward. As a replacement for "guerrilla improv," though, I'm all for it.