Notes From Chris

April 16, 2011 4:59 PM

Todd Lamb has put together a gallery of notes he's posted around New York City which request people to meet "Chris" to do tedious things. (Previous Todd Lamb)

At the top of the main link are a few extra links which include this interview with the creator who explains why he's been putting these signs up and how "Chris" has developed over the years.

posted by gman (25 comments total)

There's apparently a fine line between "art" and "pointless prank taken too far", and I suspect the dividing line is whether or not you have a patron.
posted by kcds at 5:17 PM on April 16, 2011

Some of those come across as trying way too hard.
posted by jgee at 5:28 PM on April 16, 2011

The holiday ones are funny for their audacity; the others are just banally bizarre.
posted by orthogonality at 5:34 PM on April 16, 2011

Any old Ottawa residents out there miss Harold Funk? This reminds me of him, but his work was better.
posted by mhoye at 5:40 PM on April 16, 2011

I seem to remember some guy in Australia doing this as well, like really similar wording. Maybe I'm confused.
posted by queensissy at 5:43 PM on April 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

I wish I'd viewed only the gallery and not watched the interview afterwards. Prior to hearing him discuss this little side-project, I enjoyed the notes as their own entity. Now I think it's kind of an unnecessary passive prank to which a person putting aside their time to help someone would be a victim of.
posted by Evernix at 5:58 PM on April 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

I don't have a patron. I want a patron. How do I get a patron?
posted by cjorgensen at 5:59 PM on April 16, 2011

@cjorgensen
Meet me here at 4PM and I'll help you find a patron.
posted by toekneebullard at 6:01 PM on April 16, 2011 [8 favorites]

i prefer my patron añejo
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 6:02 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

this is what it looks like whenever I try to reach out to anybody

foreveralone.jpg
posted by LogicalDash at 6:20 PM on April 16, 2011

Is this supposed to get him work, writing comedy? Because they're not really funny. Maybe he's the Joe Gould of a new generation.
posted by Ideefixe at 6:25 PM on April 16, 2011

I liked them. They would amuse me if I saw them in the wild.
posted by NoraReed at 6:27 PM on April 16, 2011

These would be funny if they were funny.
posted by parrot_person at 6:38 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

> I seem to remember some guy in Australia doing this as well, like really similar wording. Maybe I'm confused.

Yeah, there was a guy in, I think, Melbourne doing these a couple of years ago. But his were hilarious. I wish I could find them now.
posted by hot soup girl at 6:40 PM on April 16, 2011

Ah, here we go (the key search phrase was "I'M PRETTY SURE I'VE INVENTED A TIME MACHINE"). A bunch of near-identical-only-way-funnier posters were put up around Brisbane a few years back, signed with the name "CRAIG". There was even one about collecting a queen-sized mattress from his mum's place. Who's ripping off who? (And no matter who did it first, Craig > Chris).
posted by hot soup girl at 7:01 PM on April 16, 2011 [5 favorites]

I liked them until I saw hot soup girl's link and now they just look like pale imitations. But both remind me of the Free Jack ads in UbuWeb's Outsiders section.
posted by cropshy at 7:20 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

These two by Craig are my favourites.
posted by hot soup girl at 7:26 PM on April 16, 2011

That's kind of weird. It's almost like the Chris guy is plagiarizing. They both have mattresses at mom's?
posted by cjorgensen at 7:37 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

I think the Chris ones are way more hilarious!
posted by Sweetmag at 7:39 PM on April 16, 2011

Reminds me of this.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:32 PM on April 16, 2011

jenfullmoon, that sign you posted, signed 'Barb', is exactly the same text as this sign by 'Craig'. How weird.
posted by hot soup girl at 9:20 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

See also: Toynbee tiles.
posted by dhartung at 10:33 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Craig! Yes. Thank you, hot soup girl.
posted by queensissy at 10:05 AM on April 17, 2011

A bunch of near-identical-only-way-funnier posters were put up around Brisbane a few years back, signed with the name "CRAIG". There was even one about collecting a queen-sized mattress from his mum's place. Who's ripping off who? (And no matter who did it first, Craig > Chris).

Hmmm, they appear to be the identical shade of trying-too-hard=not funny to me. If they are not done by the same person it would have been nice if the copycat showed a little more originality. The best ones sound like a truly plausible weirdo, while the least funny are clearly someone attempting to be hilarious.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:46 AM on April 17, 2011

Someone should do this, only with funny stuff written on the signs. That would be great.
posted by bongo_x at 11:13 AM on April 17, 2011 [1 favorite]