Produced by: Agent Powell
Video Edited by: Josh Glaser
DV Cams: Agent Powell and Agent Mark
Digital Photgraphy: Agent Kula
Mission Inspired by: Andy Kaufman and Bob Zmuda
Featuring: King, Todd, Keech, Roche, Camper, Berman, Gemberling, Kinney, Spencer, Powell, Kula
On October 18th, 2003 Improv Everywhere returned to Washington Square Park to stage a revival of The Amazing Hypnotist. Since the logistics of the mission are fully detailed on the report of our first conquest in July of 2002, this report will tell the story primarily though photos. Enjoy!
IE Agents meet at Astor Place
The Amazing Hypnotist (Agent King) arrives in
Washington Square Park and his assistant (Agent Todd)
draws a crowd and takes Agent Keech as the first volunteer.
Agent Keech is hypnotized into thinking he is an ostrich
Agents Roche and Camper (posing as strangers who do not know
each other) are taken from the crowd and interviewed by Agent Todd
The Amazing Hypnotist hypnotizes them into “falling in love” while the crowd grows
After their code word, “Pink”, is given by the Amazing Hypnotist,
the two begin showing signs of love
The two strangers get closer as their significant others
(Agents Kinney and Spencer) watch from the crowd
Agent Powell (far left) covertly films the crowd’s response
Agent Todd takes the next volunteer, Agent Berman
Agent Berman is hypnotized into thinking he is in a desert
The Amazing Hypnotist says Agent Berman’s code word
He takes off his sweater (it was around 50 degrees)
After drinking an entire bottle of water, he begins to chug Gatorade
Drenched in red Gatorade
The Amazing Hypnotist hands Agent Berman a towel
and brings him back to reality.
Agent Gemberling is the next volunteer. Agent Todd informs him
that he will be hypnotized into thinking he’s a stripper.
Gemberling undergoes the hypnosis
After the code word is said, he immediately sheds his jacket.
The Amazing Hypnotist begins to call the code words of
the previous volunteers.
The Amazing Hypnotist and his assistant flee the park, running as
fast as they can, leaving all of the volunteers behind, still hypnotized.
Agents Kinney and Spencer try to get their significant
others back while Agents Roche and Camper continue to kiss
Agents Todd and King sprinted away from the park, leaving behind a chaotic scene. The hypnotized agents stayed in character as shocked audience members tried to figure out how to help them. They began shouting out the code words for each individual. People were coming up to Agents Roche and Camper and yelling “Pink! Pink! Pink!” at them while they continued locking lips. One man chased down Agent Keech, shouting “Ostrich!,” hoping he could snap him out of his animal state.
Agent Gemberling continued to strut his shirtless body through the crowd as Agent Berman desperately asked crowd members for water. He nearly tackled one man who held his ice cream cone above his head out his Berman’s reach. Other members of the crowd shouted, “Give him the ice cream! He thinks he’s in a desert!” The man refused. Desperate, Agent Berman ultimately resorted to licking up water from a puddle on the ground.
Agents Kinney and Spencer eventually became fed up with their significant others and left the park exasperated and alone.
Berman, Gemberling, and Keech slowly trickled their way out of the park while Agents Roche and Camper continued to kiss. The two wound up sitting on a bench together staring at each other, lovingly. A man who had witnessed the event approached them:
Man: Do you two know each other?
Roche: We just met.
Man: Do you know you have a girlfriend?
Roche: What are you talking about?
Man: Do you two know that you are hypnotized!?!?
Pause (Roche and Camper stare at him blankly).
Man: You are going to think I’m crazy, but you have been hypnotized.
Camper: (patronizingly) Ohhh…ok. Thank you very much, sir.
Man: I know you think I’m crazy. You are hypnotized right now!
Camper: (with a smirk) Thank you very much for telling us.
Man: I’m not crazy!
(Man walks away.)
Mission Accomplished.