The Art of the Prank offers insights, information, news and discussions about pranks, hoaxes, culture jamming and reality hacking around the world. Includes topics such as The History of Pranks, The Prank As Art, and the Sociology and Psychology of Pranks. Get pranking. [more inside]
posted by netbros on Aug 24, 2009 - 16 comments

We've had quite a few lovely posts over the years about people on bikes and skateboards and all these fine new sports that those crazy kids are in to these days, whether it's charging it, huckin' or riding in all its myriad of forms. New, yeah? Here's your great-great-granddad showing you what for with some barspins and suchlike novelties on a heavy old fixie. Stick around for the full-pipe attempt at the end. Directed and filmed by Thomas Edison.
posted by loquacious on Apr 20, 2009 - 64 comments

The videogames industry's not known for its subtlety when promoting its wares. Controversy has often been a successful part of their marketing campaigns. But is this a step too far? They'll have to go some way to cause more chaos than these guys
posted by muggsy1079 on Mar 11, 2009 - 86 comments

Hochbetrieb [Nuts & Bolts] is a 2003 short from Germany that utilizes live actors and computer-generated effects in tribute to influences ranging from silent comedies to Charles Ebbetts' images of construction crews atop the GE Building, along with a cat & mouse cartoon from MGM guest-starring a baby and a Warner Brothers piece about an amphibian.
posted by Smart Dalek on Jan 12, 2009 - 2 comments

Ines Brunn and her bike. {mlyt}
posted by dobbs on Jul 7, 2008 - 47 comments

"In a test of the American Dream, Adam Shepard started life from scratch with the clothes on his back and twenty-five dollars. Ten months later, he had an apartment, a car, and a small savings." Introduction to the book which arose from his "journey", which was inspired by Barbara Ehrenreich. [more inside]
posted by Rumple on Feb 15, 2008 - 243 comments

On December 8th, pretend to be a time traveller.
posted by divabat on Sep 27, 2007 - 49 comments

Cyril Raffaelli is a French stuntman, parkour stud and all-around physical badass.
posted by jonson on Aug 23, 2007 - 21 comments

Dude catches sunglasses with his face youtube 1:37
posted by Flashman on May 9, 2007 - 109 comments

I stumbled across this incredible photograph and discovered Dar Robinson. One of his first professional stunts was jumping 100 feet into the ocean for Papillon. He jumped from one plane and into another in free fall over the Mojave desert. He jumped 1200 feet attached to only an 1/8-inch cable from Toronto's CN Tower. He set the world record (one of the 20+ he ultimately held) for free fall from a helicopter (music warning) in 1979. His unique falling stunts (1:56 & 2:36 in, Charles Durning in a wig & Hawaiian shirt warning) used a decelerator instead of air bags which allowed for camera angles that showed the ground, unique for pre-cgi days. He never broke a bone in his body during his 19-year career, making his untimely death from a non-stunt motorcyle accident on location all the more ironic, although lack of adequate medical services contributed (scroll down to filming hazards). Commemorated with a tv documentary and given an honorary Oscar in 1995, there is surprisingly little on the internet about him or his work.
posted by ambulance blues on Apr 26, 2007 - 16 comments

The Wall of Death. Celebrated in song and art, the act of riding a motorcycle on the vertical wall of the inside of a cylinder, was a popular carnival attraction, mid-century. Although on the wane since the 70's, there are still a few practitioners, some of whom have better websites than others.
posted by Devils Rancher on Dec 31, 2006 - 9 comments

Kiteboarding is an argument for the existence of God. And even if, like me, you don’t buy that particular argument, it’s still insanely cool. Armed with a kite, a harness and a board, you can show up your local skate rats (soundtrack includes language that is Not, strictly speaking, Safe For Work), fly over snow, ride waves and even indulge yourself over plain-vanilla dry land. Be careful, though. If angered, the wind could easily take you into orbit.
posted by jason's_planet on Jul 13, 2006 - 27 comments

Ads (*.wmv) for the Isuzu Gemini. Shot without special effects.
posted by driveler on Dec 30, 2005 - 59 comments

Irish man fails to set world bee record. I, too, have failed at this.
posted by jdroth on Jul 1, 2005 - 17 comments

Excellent deodorant commercial - "Stunt City" (QT)
by Czech director Ivan Zacharias.
A little background here.
Shot in Australia (I think), post-prod UK - UK/Europe release April. via
posted by peacay on May 23, 2005 - 30 comments

Borat the Kazahk goes to a redneck bar. Something light to laugh at for Friday afternoon. (.wmv file) The main page is here, but it's funnier if you don't read the lyrics and wimpy disclaimer first.
posted by Mayor Curley on Aug 13, 2004 - 36 comments

Local news gets interesting. Meet my new hero! (.wmv file-- only a few seconds long but NSFW.) I'd elaborate, but I don't want to wreck it.
posted by Mayor Curley on May 10, 2004 - 34 comments

Did anyone else make the mistake of ordering the worst pay-per-view ever? No, not The House of 1000 Corpses, but ten admittedly beautiful women wearing huge headgear and attempting (with little success) to pound the crap out of each other. It sounds better than it actually was -- trust me!
posted by johnnydark on Oct 11, 2003 - 16 comments

Stunt Jesus Don't try this at home. Can someone explain how this is anything but stupid?
posted by GernBlandston on Apr 18, 2003 - 14 comments

My new hero John Ninomiya is going to fly tethered to a cluster of balloons this weekend. I've dreamt of doing this since a kid and I guess I'm not alone.
posted by roboto on Jun 5, 2001 - 9 comments

Engineering students hang VW Beetle from Golden Gate Bridge -- I vaguely remember hearing about some various CalTech annual pranks over the years - but this one took some effort. So much for non-chalantly transporting a rusty Beetle across the border anymore...
posted by mecawilson on Feb 5, 2001 - 9 comments

Some are just lucky (via Donkeymon), others, not so.
posted by tamim on Aug 30, 2000 - 0 comments