Reverend Al from The Art of Bleeding and the late Los Angeles Cacophony Society created and presents this:

…bit of corporate chain-yanking and conceptual mashup, churning together the work of master plastinator Gunther von Hagens of Bodyworlds fame and Häagen-Dazs. Everything melts..

“Gunther von Häagen-Dazs”

From The Art of Bleeding website:

The Art of Bleeding is a Los Angeles-based multi-media performance troupe creating comically surreal and potentially educational programs in health and safety for video and live theatrical presentation.

Traveling in an actual ambulance to clubs, galleries, festivals, and other venues, we stage short sketches set in an off-kilter “paramedical funhouse” where costumed kiddy-show characters (an ape, robot, and puppet) mingle freely – if inappropriately – with a staff of “nurses” dressed to thrill the medical fetishist in us all. (more…)

From Erin:

Watch the Hackgate movie trailer:

Parody created by Paul and Lisa at Handface. Special thanks to Andrew Scott.

From Linda: An oldie but goodie from the Webby Awards 2010:

Update submitted by Chris V., July 15, 2011:

Submitted by Don B., July 13, 2011

Austrian Man Wins Right To Wear Pasta Strainer In License Photo
NPR
by Eyder Peralta
July 13, 2011

In Austria one of the strangest fights for religious freedom has come to an end: Niko Alm, a self-described “Pastafarian,” fought for three years for the right to wear a pasta strainer on his head in his driver’s license photo.

His argument? Alm claimed he belonged to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and wearing the strainer was part of his religion.

The BBC reports:

Mr Alm’s pastafarian-style application for a driving licence was a response to the Austrian recognition of confessional headgear in official photographs.

The licence took three years to come through and, according to Mr. Alm, he was asked to submit to a medical interview to check on his mental fitness to drive but – straining credulity – his efforts have finally paid off.

It is the police who issue driving licences in Austria, and they have duly issued a laminated card showing Mr. Alm in his unorthodox item of religious headgear.

The AFP reports that Alm now wants to apply for “Pastafarianism to become an officially recognised faith in Austria.”

If you want more, Alm detailed his fight on his blog. (We’ve linked to Google’s English translation of it.)



Related posts:

Submitted by Erin:

From Koch-Blocked.com:

Tired of the Koch Brothers buying our political system? Then join The Other 98% to push Koch money out and bring democracy back in… and maybe take part in some more awesome creative agitation.

Koch Bros – “It’s the evil thing…”

This video was conceived by John Sellers and Agit-Pop and produced and directed by Church of Great Rain — Adrienne Silvey-Mildon & David Godsey. Shot and edited by Eric Perlman.

Rapture or prank? Clothing with burn marks found at Olin-Turville Park
State Journal, Capital Times
May 26, 2011

Did the Rapture happen in Madison after all?

Do we finally have evidence of alien abduction?

Or was it the work of a clever band of artistic pranksters?

Clothing with apparent burn marks along with such personal effects as wallets, watches and keys was found Sunday on the largest hill of Olin-Turville Park, according to a Madison police report that quickly gained attention Thursday, circulating on Facebook, Twitter and media websites.

But a simple Google search revealed that people across the world undertook similar actions in response to the declaration by a fringe California preacher that last Saturday certain Christians would be transported to heaven.

Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain played along, writing an uncharacteristically long and descriptive report that he posted to the Internet on Thursday afternoon. (more…)

Submitted by Erin:

The Final Edition, a New York Times Parody from Spinal Tap Star Tony Hendra
Vanity Fair
by Juli Weiner
May 10, 2011

Internet, meet The Final Edition, a nihilistic and deeply silly parody of The New York Times and the city it serves. The Final Edition is edited by Tony Hendra, the Spinal Tap actor, Vanity Fair contributor, and Spy and National Lampoon alumnus.

With articles about the cycling culture wars (“New Second Avenue Subway Will Include Bike Lanes”), section names that refer to the Times’s Manhattan-centric perspective (“World /U.S./SoHo”), and conspicuously sympathetic business coverage (a recurring feature spotlights the “story of a great American businessman who, despite his lack of ethics, has bravely stayed out of jail”), The Final Edition is like a very parochial Onion.

There are sly winks to journalism nerds, too: an article about Spider-Man was authored by R. W. Appleipad. There’s even a parody of Timescast, the Times’s endearingly purposeless daily video starring the paper’s reporters. (Actually, it reminds us of the trailer for Page One.) The Final Edition’s version of Timescast is anchored by Mike the Intern. “No one wanted to do this Timescast thing today,” he explains. “I could have a shot at a Pulitzer! Or better yet—get on Gawker!” Hendra plays Times executive editor Bill Keller.

The Last Timescast from The Final Edition on Vimeo.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Is Dead, Vader Says
by Den Dhur and Hallis Saper
The Galactic Empire Times
May 9, 2011

CORUSCANT — Obi-Wan Kenobi, the mastermind of some of the most devastating attacks on the Galactic Empire and the most hunted man in the galaxy, was killed in a firefight with Imperial forces near Alderaan, Darth Vader announced on Sunday.

In a late-night appearance in the East Room of the Imperial Palace, Lord Vader declared that “justice has been done” as he disclosed that agents of the Imperial Army and stormtroopers of the 501st Legion had finally cornered Kenobi, one of the leaders of the Jedi rebellion, who had eluded the Empire for nearly two decades. Imperial officials said Kenobi resisted and was cut down by Lord Vader’s own lightsaber. He was later dumped out of an airlock.

[For maps, video, photos, TimesCast, related stories & opinions, visit the original Galactic Empire Times sidebar.]

(more…)

Submitted by Erin as seen on Aish.com:

What if Moses had Facebook?

Created by Shoot East
Written by Aish.com

Click on the link or the video to watch it on YouTube.

The President’s Speech

thanks Nancy and Erin

Yes… Another fake gift box:

PrankPack: Genuine Fake Gift Boxes

Delta Technology presents the iArm, the forearm mount that gives you, well, an extra arm. Just 4.5 lbs and fully adjustable, the iArm lets you take your favorite gadget with you. And with the optional “multi-mount”, you can secure up to three items at once. Attaches to tablet PCs, eReaders, remotes & more!

$8.00
Choose any 3 Prank Packs for $20!

thanks Erin

By Sid Ceasar:

After a decade of being together, I finally proposed to my long time love Sara. The following movie trailer was shown on December 12th 2010 at 4pm at the Red River Theater in Concord NH. Sara had no idea.

For the whole romantic story, check out my blog. Check out the video “thank you” to those that helped me make The Proposal a reality. Also included are outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage of us making the trailer.

Music credit: “Yours Alone” by Nicholas Kirk and William Wilkerson.

thanks Erin

Special offer to Art of the Prank readers from The Onion, America’s Finest News Source: Use the discount code “PRANK” (without the quotes) for 10% off any Decoy Boxes:

New this year:

Wrap your otherwise forgettable gift in an Onion decoy gift box, and watch their faces fall when they realize there is no such thing as Homeland Security Cologne or an Underwater Cell Phone Case – just a crappy gift inside you waited until the last moment to buy.

Box dimensions: 12″x9″x4″
Price: $7.99 (before your discount)

Related links:

From The Vegetable Museum: The art of Ju Duoqi:

Ju Duoqi:

In the summer of ’06, I bought several kilograms of peas, and sat there quietly for two days peeling them, before stringing them on a wire and turning them into a skirt, a top, a headdress and a magic wand. I used a remote control to take a photo of myself in them, and named it Pea Beauty Pageant. That was my first work of vegetable art.

In the two years that followed, I often dressed up as a housewife, leisurely strolling to the market in a serious search for fun. I would often pace in front of the vegetable stalls, picking things up, thinking and putting them back, trying to figure out which positions made them more interesting.

The different types, shapes and colors of the vegetables, with a bit of rearranging, can make for a rich source of imagery.

(more…)

From David Burge of Iowahawk:

Ring-a-Ding-Ding! Swing along and sing along with The TSA’s new theme song.

Comply With Me

Lyrics by David Burge
Music by Scott Hill
via BoingBoing