"Best Gig Ever"

Imagine you've been alone for a year.

Two years.

Three years.

A long dry spell.

Then one day, out of the blue, you meet someone who completely connects with you. Someone who seems to understand you completely.

No more lonely nights. This is the one. This is what you've waited for. This is what you've fought for. This is what you've prayed for.

Next day, you try to call this person... and your soul mate has vanished into thin air.

Instead, you find the website of a prank/improv group that says they wanted to do something *nice* by giving a struggling single person ONE MAGICAL NIGHT, just so that sad lonely person could feel what it's like to be loved. If only for one night.

Would this be considered "cruel"...?

This is the story of IMPROV EVERYWHERE and their infamous "Best Gig Ever" prank:

"Pick a struggling rock band and turn their small gig into the best show of their lives."

I recommend following the link above and reading the whole story.

The band members, in the aftermath, seemed to take it all in stride and harbored no ill will toward the prank-group. Though this semi-facetious (?) comment from the lead singer seemed to speak to a lingering effect: "I have since been sent reeling into a paranoia questioning every person that I see..."

So, the next time they have a really great gig, are they left to question the honesty of the crowd? Is this all just some fucking pity fuck?

This happened a number of years ago now. And Improv Everywhere seem to be content with the fact that -- despite legitimate criticism they've weathered -- the actual band itself seem pretty cool about the whole thing.

That doesn't make it right.

That doesn't make it less of a cruel joke. And to what end? To give these people a taste of something they'll never have?