ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Charlie Todd - Comedian
Charlie Todd is the creator of Improv Everywhere, a group that creates absurd and joyful public scenes.

Why you should listen

Bored by a temp job, and tired of waiting for someone to give him a stage, comedian Charlie Todd decided to make his own. So he walked into a bar and pretended to be musician Ben Folds. It went so well that it inspired him to create Improv Everywhere, "a New York City-based prank collective that causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places." 

Todd has produced, directed, performed, and documented the group’s work for over ten years. In that time they've run over 100 prank missions, some involving hundreds or thousands of agents, and each one creating a wonderful and irreproducible experience.

He's a performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, and is the author of Causing a Scene.

Watch our photographer's view of the TED2012 prank ... and see how Improv Everywhere pulled it off with the help of a few willing TEDsters ...

More profile about the speaker
Charlie Todd | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxBloomington

Charlie Todd: The shared experience of absurdity

Pervoja e perbashket e absurditetit

Filmed:
3,155,979 views

Charlie Todd shkakton skena te cuditshme, qesharake dhe te papritura ne publik. Shtatedhjete kercimtarë te sinkronizuar ne dritare te dyqaneve, " ghostbusters" duke vrapuar neper Librarine Publike te New York-ut dhene vjetorin e shetije pa pantollona ne metro . Ne TED Bloomington ai tregon se si grupi i tij, perpirsohet kudo, i perdor keto skena qe t'i beje njerezit se bashku.
- Comedian
Charlie Todd is the creator of Improv Everywhere, a group that creates absurd and joyful public scenes. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15
I started Improv Everywhere about 10 years ago
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Une fillova Permirsimin Kudo (Improv Everywhere) para 10 viteve
00:18
when I moved to New York City with an interest in acting and comedy.
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kur u zhvendosa ne New York me nje interes per aktrim dhe komedi.
00:21
Because I was new to the city, I didn't have access to a stage,
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Sepse une isha i ri ne qytet, nuk kisha qasje ne skene,
00:24
so I decided to create my own in public places.
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keshtuqe vendosa te krijoje timin ne vende publike.
00:27
So the first project we're going to take a look at
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Pra projekti i pare qe do ta shikojme
00:29
is the very first No Pants Subway Ride.
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eshet i pari Shetije pa pantollona ne metro.
00:31
Now this took place in January of 2002.
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Pra kjo zuri vend ne Janar te 2001.
00:33
And this woman is the star of the video.
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Dhe kjo grua eshte fillimi i kesaj video.
00:35
She doesn't know she's being filmed.
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Ajo nuk e di qe ajo eshte duke u filmuar.
00:37
She's being filmed with a hidden camera.
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Ajo eshte duke u filmuar me nje kamere te fshehur.
00:39
This is on the 6 train in New York City.
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Kjo eshte ne trenin e 6 ne New York.
00:41
And this is the first stop along the line.
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Dhe kjo eshte ndalesa e pare pergjate rruges.
00:43
These are two Danish guys
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Keta jane dy djem danez
00:45
who come out and sit down next to the hidden camera.
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te cilen dolen dhe u ulen prane kameres se fshehur.
00:48
And that's me right there in a brown coat.
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Dhe ja ku jam une me nje pallto ngjyre kafe.
00:50
It's about 30 degrees outside.
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Eshte rreth 30 grade jashte.
00:52
I'm wearing a hat. I'm wearing a scarf.
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Une jam duke e bartur nje kapele. Jam duke bartur nje shalle.
00:54
And the girl's going to notice me right here.
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Dhe vajza do te me verej menjehere.
00:59
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
01:05
And as you'll see now, I'm not wearing pants.
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Dhe sic po e shihni tani, une nuk jam duke veshur pantollona.
01:07
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
01:10
So at this point --
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Pra ne kete pike--
01:12
at this point she's noticed me,
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ne kete pike ajo me vrejti mua,
01:14
but in New York there's weirdos on any given train car.
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por ne New York ka njerez te cuditshem ne secilin tren.
01:16
One person's not that unusual.
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Nje person nuk eshte edhe aq i pazakonshem.
01:18
She goes back to reading her book, which is unfortunately titled "Rape."
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Ajo kthehet prap tek leximi i librit te saj, i cili fatkeqsisht eshte i titulluar Dhunimi "Rape".
01:21
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
01:25
So she's noticed the unusual thing,
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Pra ajo vrejti nje gje te pazakonte,
01:27
but she's gone back to her normal life.
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por ajo eshte kthyer ne jeten e saj normale.
01:29
Now in the meantime, I have six friends
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Tani nderkohe, une kam gjashte shoke
01:31
who are waiting at the next six consecutive stops in their underwear as well.
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te cilet jane duke pritur me te brendshme ne gjashte ndalesa te njepasnjeshme
01:35
They're going to be entering this car one by one.
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Ata do te hyn ne kete makine nje nga nje.
01:37
We'll act as though we don't know each other.
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Ne do te reagojme sikurse nuk e njohim njeri tjetrin.
01:40
And we'll act as if it's just an unfortunate mistake we've made,
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Dhe ne duhet te veprojme sikurse te ishte nje gabim te pasukseshem qe ne e kemi bere,
01:43
forgetting our pants on this cold January day.
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duke i harruar pantollonat tona ne kete dite te ftoft Janari.
01:46
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
02:11
So at this point,
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Pra ne kete pike,
02:13
she decides to put the rape book away.
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ajo vendos te largoj librin e perdhunimit.
02:15
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
02:17
And she decides to be a little bit more aware of her surroundings.
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Dhe ajo vendos te behet pak me shume e pergjegjshme per rrethant e saj.
02:21
Now in the meantime, the two Danish guys to the left of the camera,
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Tani nderkohe, dy djemt danez ne anen e majte te kameres,
02:23
they're cracking up.
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ata jane duke pelcitur.
02:25
They think this is the funniest thing they've ever seen before.
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Ata mendojne se kjo eshte gjeja me qesharake qe ata e kane pare më parë.
02:27
And watch her make eye contact with them right about now.
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Dhe te shikojne ate duke bere kontakt me sy me ata .
02:35
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
02:37
And I love that moment in this video,
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Dhe une e dua ate moment ne kete video,
02:39
because before it became a shared experience,
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sepse parase te behej nje pervoje e perbahshket,
02:42
it was something that was maybe a little bit scary,
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ishte dicka qe ishte ndoshta paksa e frikshme,
02:45
or something that was at least confusing to her.
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ose dicka qe ishte se paku konfuse per të,
02:47
And then once it became a shared experience,
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Dhe pastaj njehere po te behet nje pervoje e perbashkte,
02:49
it was funny and something that she could laugh at.
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ishte qesharake dhe dicka me te cilen ajo mund te qeshte.
02:51
So the train is now pulling into
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Pra treni eshte duke u ndalur ne
02:53
the third stop along the 6 line.
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ndalesen e e trete pergjate rreshtit te 6.
03:09
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
03:12
So the video won't show everything.
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Pra video nuk do te tregoj te gjitha.
03:14
This goes on for another four stops.
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Kjo vazhdon per kater hapa te tjere.
03:16
A total of seven guys enter anonymously in their underwear.
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Nje total prej shtate djemve anonim hyn me te brendshmet e tyre.
03:20
At the eighth stop, a girl came in with a giant duffel bag
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Ne ndalesen e tete, nje vajze erdhi me nje çante shpine gjigande
03:22
and announced she had pants for sale for a dollar --
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dhe deklaroj qe ajo kishte pantolla per shitje per nje dollar--
03:25
like you might sell batteries or candy on the train.
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sikur ju mund te shitni bateri apo karamele ne tren.
03:28
We all very matter of factly bought a pair of pants, put them on
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Ne te gjithe brengosemi per faktin qe bleu nje pale pantollona, veshi ata
03:31
and said, "Thank you. That's exactly what I needed today,"
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dhe tha , " Faleminderit. Kjo eshte saktisht ajo qe me duhet sot,"
03:34
and then exited without revealing what had happened
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dhe pastaj doli pa e zbuluar cka kishte ndodhur
03:37
and went in all different directions.
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dhe shkoj ne drejtime te ndryshme.
03:39
(Applause)
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(Duartrokitje)
03:41
Thank you.
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Faleminderit.
03:45
So that's a still from the video there.
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Pra eshte nje qetesi nga video atje.
03:47
And I love that girl's reaction so much.
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Dhe une e dua regimin e asaj vajze shume .
03:49
And watching that videotape later that day
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Dhe duke e shikuar ate xhirim te videos me vone
03:51
inspired me to keep doing what I do.
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me inspiroj te vahzdoj te beje ate cka une beje.
03:53
And really one of the points of Improv Everywhere
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Dhe me te vertete njera nder pikat e Improv Everywhere
03:56
is to cause a scene in a public place
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eshte te shkatoj nje skene ne nje vend publik
03:58
that is a positive experience for other people.
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dhe kjo eshte nje eksperinnce pozitive per njerezit tjere.
04:00
It's a prank, but it's a prank that gives somebody a great story to tell.
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Eshte nje shaka, por eshte nje shkaka qe i jep dikujt nje histori te kendshme per te treguar.
04:03
And her reaction inspired me
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Dhe reagimi i saj me inspiroj mua
04:05
to do a second annual No Pants Subway Ride.
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qe te beje vdy vjetorin e Pa pantollona te shetisim ne metro.
04:07
And we've continued to do it every year.
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Dhe ne kemi vazhduar t'a bejme ate cdo vit.
04:09
This January, we did the 10th annual No Pants Subway Ride
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Kete Janar, ne beme 10 vjetorin e Pa pantolla te shetisimin ne metro
04:11
where a diverse group of 3,500 people
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ku nje grup i ndryshem prej 3,500 njerezve
04:14
rode the train in their underwear in New York --
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shetiten ne tren me te brendshme ne New York--
04:16
almost every single train line in the city.
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gati ne te gjithe trenat te qytetit.
04:18
And also in 50 other cities around the world,
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Dhe gati ne 50 qytete tjera rreth botes,
04:20
people participated.
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njerezit morren pjese.
04:22
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
04:24
As I started taking improv class at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater
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Pasiqe fillova te marr ore permiresimi ne Teattrin Upright Citizens Brigade
04:27
and meeting other creative people and other performers and comedians,
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dhe duke takuar njerez tjere kretiv dhe performues tjere dhe komedian,
04:30
I started amassing a mailing list
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Une fillova te grumbulloj nje liste te postes
04:32
of people who wanted to do these types of projects.
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te njerezve te cilet deshironin te benim keto lloje te projekteve.
04:34
So I could do more large-scale projects.
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Pra une mund te beje me shume projekte te medha.
04:36
Well one day I was walking through Union Square,
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Mire nje dite isha duke ecur pergjate Sheshit Union,
04:38
and I saw this building,
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dhe e pash kete ndertese,
04:40
which had just been built in 2005.
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e cila posa ishte ndertuar ne 2005.
04:42
And there was a girl in one of the windows and she was dancing.
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Dhe aty ishte nje vajze ne njeren prej dritareve dhe ajo ishte duke vallezuar.
04:45
And it was very peculiar,
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Dhe ishte shume e vecante,
04:47
because it was dark out, but she was back-lit with florescent lighting,
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sepse ishte erret jashte, por ajo ishte e veshur me frite flouroshente,
04:49
and she was very much onstage,
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dhe ajo ishte shume ne skene,
04:51
and I couldn't figure out why she was doing it.
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dhe nuk munda t'a merrja vesh pse ajo ishte duke e bere ate gje.
04:53
After about 15 seconds, her friend appeared --
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Pas 15 sekondave, shoqja e saj u shfaq--
04:55
she had been hiding behind a display --
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ajo ishte fshehur prapa nje shfaqje--
04:57
and they laughed and hugged each other and ran away.
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dhe ato qeshen dhe perqafuan njera tjetren dhe u larguan.
04:59
So it seemed like maybe she had been dared to do this.
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Pra u duk sikur ajo ishte sfiduar t'a bente kete.
05:01
So I got inspired by that.
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Keshtu une u inspirova nga ajo.
05:03
Looking at the entire facade -- there were 70 total windows --
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Duke e e pare tersine e pamjes se jashtme-- aty ishin 70 dritare ne total--
05:05
and I knew what I had to do.
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dhe une e dija cka duhej te beja.
05:07
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
05:09
So this project is called Look Up More. We had 70 actors dress in black.
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Pra ky projekt quhet Te kerkkojme me shume. Ne kishim 70 aktore te veshur ne te zeza.
05:12
This was completely unauthorized.
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Kjo ishte terersisht e pa autorizuar.
05:14
We didn't let the stores know we were coming.
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Ne nuk i kishim njoftuar dyqanet qe ishim duke shkuar.
05:16
And I stood in the park giving signals.
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Dhe une qendrova ne park duke dhene sinjale.
05:18
The first signal was for everybody to hold up these four-foot tall letters
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Sinjali i pare ishte per te gjithe te mbajme lart letrat
05:21
that spelled out "Look Up More,"
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qe shkruej ne ato "Look Up More<"
05:23
the name of the project.
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emri i projektit.
05:26
The second signal was for everybody to do Jumping jacks together.
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Sinjali i dyte isthte per te gjithe te bejne Jumping Jacks se bashku.
05:29
You'll see that start right here.
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Ju do te shihni kete nisje ketu.
05:32
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
05:34
And then we had dancing. We had everyone dance.
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Dhe pastaj ne kishim vallezimin. Ne i beme te gjithe te vallezojne.
05:36
And then we had dance solos where only one person would dance
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Dhe pastaj ne vallezuam solo ku vetem nje person do te vallezonte
05:38
and everybody would point to them.
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dhe te gjithe te spikasin ata.
05:40
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
05:47
So then I gave a new hand signal,
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Pastaj e dhash nje sinjal tjeter,
05:49
which signaled the next soloist down below in Forever 21,
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cili sinjalizoj solistin tjeter ne Gjithmone 21,
05:52
and he danced.
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dhe ai vallezoj.
05:54
There were several other activities.
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Ishin disa aktivitete tjera.
05:56
We had people jumping up and down,
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Ne kishim njerez qe kercenin lart e poshte,
05:58
people dropping to the ground.
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njerez qe hidheshin ne toke.
06:00
And I was standing just anonymously in a sweatshirt,
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Dhe une po qendroja anonim me nje bluze te djersitur,
06:02
putting my hand on and off of a trashcan
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duke vendosur dhe hequr doren time nga koshi i plehrave
06:04
to signal the advancement.
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per te sinjaluzuar avancimin.
06:06
And because it was in Union Square Park, right by a subway station,
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Dhe per shkak qe ishte ne Parkun e Sheshit Union, afer stacionit te metros,
06:08
there were hundreds of people by the end
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ishin me qindra njerez nga fundi
06:10
who stopped and looked up
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te cilet ndaluan dhe shikuan
06:12
and watched what we were doing.
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dhe pane cka ne ishim duke bere.
06:16
There's a better photo of it.
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Eshte nje foto me e mire e kesaj.
06:18
So that particular event
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Pra kjo ngjarje e vecante
06:20
was inspired by a moment
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ishte inspiruar nga nje moment
06:22
that I happened to stumble upon.
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qe une u desh ta pengoja .
06:24
The next project I want to show
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Proejkti i rradhes qe une dua te ju tregoj
06:26
was given to me in an email from a stranger.
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me ishte dhene me email nga nje i huaj.
06:28
A high school kid in Texas wrote me in 2006
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Nje nxenes i shkolles se mesme ne Texas me shkurjati ne 2006
06:31
and said, "You should get as many people as possible
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dhe tha, " Ju duhet te mblidhni sa me shume njerez qe eshte e mundshme
06:33
to put on blue polo shirts and khaki pants
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te veshin bluze ngjyre te kalteret dhe pantollona me ngjyre kaki
06:36
and go into a Best Buy and stand around."
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dhe te shkoni ne Best Buy dhe te qendroni per rreth."
06:38
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
06:42
(Applause)
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(Duartroktije)
06:44
So I wrote this high school kid back immediately,
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Keshtu qe une i shkrujata atij nxenesi te shkolles se meseme menjhere,
06:46
and I said, "Yes, you are correct.
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dhe i thash, " Po, ju keni te drejte.
06:48
I think I'll try to do that this weekend. Thank you."
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Po mendoj do te provoj t'a beje ate kete wikend. Faleminderit."
06:50
So here's the video.
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Pra ja ku eshte video.
06:52
So again, this is 2005.
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Pra perseri, kjo eshte 2005.
06:54
This is the Best Buy in New York City.
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Ky eshte Best Buy ne New York.
06:57
We had about 80 people show up to participate,
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Ne kishim rreth 80 njerez qe u paraqiten te marrin pjese,
06:59
entering one-by-one.
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duke u futur nje nga nje.
07:01
There was an eight year-old girl, a 10 year-old girl.
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Ishte nje vajze tete vjecare, nje 10 vjecare.
07:03
There was also a 65 year-old man
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Ghithashtu ishte edhe nje burre 65 vejcar
07:05
who participated.
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i cili morri pjese.
07:07
So a very diverse group of people.
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Pra nje grup i shumellojshem i njerezve.
07:09
And I told people, "Don't work. Don't actually do work.
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Dhe u thash njerezve, "Mos punoni. Faktikisht mos punoni.
07:12
But also, don't shop.
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Por gjithashtu, mos beni pazar.
07:14
Just stand around and don't face products."
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Vetem qemndroni per rreth dhe mos u perballni me produktete."
07:16
Now you can see the regular employees
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Tani ju mund te shihni te punesuarit e rregullt
07:18
by the ones that have the yellow tags on their shirt.
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nga ata te cilet kane etiketimin e verdhe ne bluzat e tyre.
07:20
Everybody else is one of our actors.
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Te gjithe te tjeret jane nje nga aktoret tane.
07:22
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
07:24
The lower level employees thought it was very funny.
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Niveli me i ulte i te punesuareve menduan qe ishte shume qesharake.
07:26
And in fact, several of them went to go get their camera from the break room
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Dhe ne fakt, disa prej tyre shkuan t'i merrnin kamerat e tyre nga dhoma e pushimit
07:28
and took photos with us.
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dhe bene foto me neve.
07:30
A lot of them made jokes about trying to get us to go to the back
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Shume prej tyre bene shaka duke tentuar te na kthjene prapa neve
07:33
to get heavy television sets for customers.
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te marrin sete te renda televizive per konsumatoret.
07:36
The managers and the security guards, on the other hand,
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Menaxheret dhe rojet e sigurise, ne anen tjter,
07:39
did not find it particularly funny.
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nuk i eshte dukur qesharake.
07:41
You can see them in this footage.
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Ju mund t'i shihni ata ne filmim.
07:43
They're wearing either a yellow shirt or a black shirt.
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Ata kane te veshur ose nje bluze te verdhe ose te zeze.
07:46
And we were there probably 10 minutes
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Dhe ne ishim atje ndoshta 10 minuta
07:48
before the managers decided to dial 911.
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parase menaxheret te vendosin te thirrnin 911.
07:50
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
07:53
So they started running around
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Keshtu qe ata filluan te vraponin per rreth
07:55
telling everybody the cops were coming, watch out, the cops were coming.
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duke ju treguar te gjitheve se policet ishin duke ardhur, kujdes, policet ishin duke ardhur.
07:58
And you can see the cops in this footage right here.
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Dhe ju mund t'i shihni policet ne kete filmim.
08:01
That's a cop wearing black right there, being filmed with a hidden camera.
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Ky eshte nje polic i veshur me te zeza ja ketu, eshte duke u filmuar me nje kamere te fshehur.
08:04
Ultimately, the police had to inform Best Buy management
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Se fundi, polici duhej te informonte menagjmentin e Best Buy
08:06
that it was not, in fact, illegal
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se ne fakt nuk ishte ilegale
08:08
to wear a blue polo shirt and khaki pants.
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te veshnin nje bluze polo te kaltert dhe pantollona kaki
08:10
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
08:12
(Applause)
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(Duartroktije)
08:16
Thank you.
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Faleminderit.
08:18
(Applause)
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(Duartrokitje)
08:21
So we had been there for 20 minutes; we were happy to exit the store.
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Keshtu ne ishim aty per 20 minuta, ne ishim te lumtur qe dilnim nga dycani.
08:24
One thing the managers were trying to do
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Nje gje qe menaxheret po tentoni te beni
08:26
was to track down our cameras.
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ishte te gjurmonin kamerat tona.
08:28
And they caught a couple of my guys who had hidden cameras in duffel bags.
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Dhe ata kapen nje grup te djemve te mi te cilet kishin te fshehura kamerat ne çanta krahu.
08:31
But the one camera guy they never caught
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Por ate te duhurin ata kurre nuk e kapen
08:33
was the guy that went in just with a blank tape
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ishte djali i cili shkoj me nje regjistrimi te zbrazte
08:35
and went over to the Best Buy camera department
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dhe kaloj tek departamenti i kamerave te Best Buy
08:37
and just put his tape in one of their cameras
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dhe vetem vendosi kaseten ne njeren prek kamerave te tyre
08:39
and pretended to shop.
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dhe pretendonte qe po bente pazar
08:42
So I like that concept of using their own technology against them.
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Pra une pelqej konceptin e tyre te perdorimit te teknologjise se tyre kunder atyre.
08:45
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
08:47
I think our best projects are ones that are site specific
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Une mendoj projektet tona me te mira jane ato te cilat jane ne faqet tona zyrtare
08:49
and happen at a particular place for a reason.
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dhe ndodhen nje nje vend te vecante per nje arsye.
08:51
And one morning, I was riding the subway.
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Dhe nje mengjes, Une isha duke udhetuar ne metro.
08:53
I had to make a transfer at the 53rd St. stop
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Une duhej te beja nje transfer ne ndalesen e rruges 53
08:55
where there are these two giant escalators.
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ku aty jane ato dy shkallet gjigande.
08:57
And it's a very depressing place to be in the morning, it's very crowded.
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Dhe eshte nje vend shume i merzitshem ne mengjes, eshe shume tollovi.
09:00
So I decided to try and stage something
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Keshtu qe une vendose te provoj dicka
09:02
that could make it as happy as possible for one morning.
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qe mund t'a benet ate sa me shume te gezuar qe eshte e mundshme per nje mengjes.
09:06
So this was in the winter of 2009 --
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Pra kjo ishte ne dimer te 2009--
09:08
8:30 in the morning.
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8:30 ne mengjes.
09:10
It's morning rush hour.
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Eshte mengjes i ngutshem.
09:12
It's very cold outside.
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Eshte shume ftohte jashte.
09:14
People are coming in from Queens,
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Njerez jane duke ardhuar nga Queens,
09:16
transferring from the E train to the 6 train.
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duke u transferuar nga treni E ne trenin 6.
09:19
And they're going up these giant escalators
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Dhe jane duke shkuar ne keto shaklle gjikande
09:21
on their way to their jobs.
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ne rrugen e tyre per punen e tyre.
09:34
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
09:46
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
09:48
(Applause)
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(Duartrokitje)
09:54
Thank you.
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Faleminderit.
09:56
So there's a photograph that illustrates it a little bit better.
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Keshtu eshte nje fotograf qe ilustron ate pak me mire.
09:59
He gave 2,000 high fives that day,
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Ai ka prek 2,000 dore ate dite,
10:01
and he washed his hands before and afterward
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dhe ai i lau duart e tij para dhe pastaj
10:03
and did not get sick.
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dhe nuk u semure.
10:05
And that was done also without permission,
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Dhe ajo gjithashtu ishte bere pa leje,
10:07
although no one seemed to care.
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edhe pse u duk qe askujt si behej vone.
10:09
So I'd say over the years,
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Pra une do te thoja nder vite,
10:11
one of the most common criticisms I see of Improv Everywhere
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njera nder kritikat me te zakonshme qe une shoh te permiresimit kudo
10:14
left anonymously on YouTube comments
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e lene anoonim ne komentet e YouTube
10:16
is: "These people have too much time on their hands."
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eshte: " Keta njerez kane shume kohe "
10:19
And you know, not everybody's going to like everything you do,
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Dhe e dini, jo te gjithe do te pelqej cdo gje qe ben,
10:22
and I've certainly developed a thick skin thanks to Internet comments,
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dhe une sigurisht qe kam paraqitur nje pa ndjeshmeri duke ju falenderuar komenteve te internetit,
10:24
but that one's always bothered me,
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por ato cdo here me kane bezdisur mua,
10:26
because we don't have too much time on our hands.
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sepse ne nuk kemi edhe aq shume kohe ne dore.
10:28
The participants at Improv Everywhere events
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Pjesemarresit tek ngjarejt Permiresimi kudo
10:31
have just as much leisure time as any other New Yorkers,
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kane aq kohe te lire sa secili New Yorker,
10:33
they just occasionally choose
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kjo eshte vetem nje zgjedhje e rastesishme
10:35
to spend it in an unusual way.
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per te kaluar nje menyre te pa zakonshme.
10:37
You know, every Saturday and Sunday,
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E dini, cdo te shtune dhe te diele,
10:39
hundreds of thousands of people each fall
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qindra prej mijera njerezve cdo vjeshte
10:41
gather in football stadiums to watch games.
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mblidhen ne stadiume futbolli te shikojne lojerat.
10:43
And I've never seen anybody comment, looking at a football game,
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Dhe kurre nuk kam pare dike te kete komentuar, duke shikuar loje futbolli,
10:46
saying, "All those people in the stands, they have too much time on their hands."
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duke thene, " Te gjithe keta njerez ne pozicione, ata kane shume kohe ne dore."
10:49
And of course they don't.
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Dhe patjter ata nuk kane.
10:51
It's a perfectly wonderful way to spent a weekend afternoon,
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Eshte menyre perfefekt per te kaluar nje masdite vikendi,
10:53
watching a football game in a stadium.
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duke shikuar nje loje futbolli ne nje stadium.
10:56
But I think it's also a perfectly valid way
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Por une mendoj eshte gjithashtu nje menyre plotesisht e vlefshme
10:58
to spend an afternoon freezing in place with 200 people
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per te kaluar nje masdite ne nje vend te ftohte me 200 njerez
11:01
in the Grand Central terminal
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ne terminalin Grand Central
11:03
or dressing up like a ghostbuster
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ose te veshemi sikur ghostbuster
11:06
and running through the New York Public Library.
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dhe duke vrapuar neper Bibloteken Publike te New york
11:08
(Laughter)
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(Buzeqeshje)
11:10
Or listening to the same MP3 as 3,000 other people
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Ose duke degjuar te njetin MP3 sikur 3,000 njerez tjere
11:13
and dancing silently in a park,
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dhe duke vallezuar qetesisht ne park,
11:16
or bursting into song in a grocery store
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ose duke ngritur volumin nje kenge ne dyqan ushqimesh
11:18
as part of a spontaneous musical,
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si pjese e mjuzikllit spontan,
11:20
or diving into the ocean in Coney Island wearing formal attire.
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ose te zhytemi ne oqean ne Coney Island te veshur me veshje formale.
11:23
You know, as kids, we're taught to play.
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Ju e dini, si femije, ne jemi mesuar te luajme.
11:26
And we're never given a reason why we should play.
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Dhe kurre nuk na eshte dhene nje arsye pse duhet te luajme.
11:28
It's just acceptable that play is a good thing.
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Eshte vetem e pranushme qe loja eshte nje gje e mire.
11:31
And I think that's sort of the point of Improv Everywhere.
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Dhe une mendoj se ky eshte nje lloj i permiresimit kudo.
11:34
It's that there is no point and that there doesn't have to be a point.
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Eshte kjo se nuk ka qellim dhe se nuk duhet te kete qellim.
11:36
We don't need a reason.
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Neve nuk na duhet arsyeja.
11:38
As long as it's fun
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Perderisa eshte argetim
11:40
and it seems like it's going to be a funny idea
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dhe dukete se do te jete nje ide argetuese
11:42
and it seems like the people who witness it will also have a fun time,
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dhe duket se njerezit te cilet deshmojne kete gjithashtu do te argetohen,
11:45
then that's enough for us.
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pastaj kjo eshte e mjaftueshme per ne.
11:47
And I think, as adults, we need to learn
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Dhe mendoj, si te rritur, ne duhet te mesojme
11:49
that there's no right or wrong way to play.
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se nuk ka menyre te drejte apo te pa drejte per te lujatur.
11:51
Thank you very much.
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Faleminderit shume.
11:53
(Applause)
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(Duartrokitje)
Translated by Ereblir Kadriu
Reviewed by Liridon Shala

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Charlie Todd - Comedian
Charlie Todd is the creator of Improv Everywhere, a group that creates absurd and joyful public scenes.

Why you should listen

Bored by a temp job, and tired of waiting for someone to give him a stage, comedian Charlie Todd decided to make his own. So he walked into a bar and pretended to be musician Ben Folds. It went so well that it inspired him to create Improv Everywhere, "a New York City-based prank collective that causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places." 

Todd has produced, directed, performed, and documented the group’s work for over ten years. In that time they've run over 100 prank missions, some involving hundreds or thousands of agents, and each one creating a wonderful and irreproducible experience.

He's a performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, and is the author of Causing a Scene.

Watch our photographer's view of the TED2012 prank ... and see how Improv Everywhere pulled it off with the help of a few willing TEDsters ...

More profile about the speaker
Charlie Todd | Speaker | TED.com