The video: Improv Everywhere, the Manhattan-based theater group famous for its No Pants subway ride, pranked New Yorkers once again this week, with a midtown ice rink as the stage. In a snowy Bryant Park, a lone amateur skater was left stranded on the ice as the Zamboni ice-cleaning machine was brought out. Clumsily, the skater slipped and stumbled to the center of the rink — where a magical transformation took place, to the wild applause of onlookers. The tottering "worst skater ever" was actually Kenny Moir, a professional with the Ice Theater of New York.
The reaction: The only thing better than watching "some uncoordinated dude eat ice at the skating rink," says Brenna Ehrlich at Mashable, is watching him "rise, phoenix-like, from the ashes of his shame to soar across the ice like a glorious swan." Even better than watching the skater's "triumphant" transformation from novice to expert, says Katla McGlynn at the Huffington Post, are the cutaway shots of the awestruck crowd members. The prank clearly brought Improv Everywhere's "signature mix of confusion, chaos and delight to all involved." Watch a video of the stunt:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
'There will be a market incentive to build wind and solar anyway'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Geoff Dyer's 6 favorite books about the realities of warFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Ernie Pyle, Michael Herr, and more
-
Book review: 'A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck'Feature A couple works to keep their marriage together while lost at sea
