# Rainbow Keynote Pranks 'Spinning Beach Ball of Death' by Improv Everywhere Surprises Audience By Harris Jay Rosenberg Alterman | Published 2012-03-13 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spinning-beach-ball-of-death References: [holykaw.alltop](http://holykaw.alltop.com/a-ted-speakers-worst-nightmare-video) & [improveverywhere](http://improveverywhere.com/2012/03/09/spinning-beach-ball-of-death/) The 'Spinning Beach Ball of Death' was a prank created by Improv Everywhere that turned a TED talk into a parade of rainbow colors. What began as another speech about something broad such as 'Unexpected Discoveries' suddenly came to a halt when the overhead screen froze. Speaker Colin Roberston (aka Eugene Cordero) stood looking at the screen while [Apple's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wilson-and-apple) spinning beach ball began to pop up all over the screen. Then planted members of the audience held up [rainbow-colored umbrellas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ink-the-rainbow) and began spinning them in the air. As the weirdness grew, men in business suits and multi-colored afro wigs came on to the stage and shot streamers into the audience. The whole performance was topped off with more people entering the stage who were dressed in morph-suits. The TED audience certainly didn't see anything coming so what seemed like a Spinning Beach Ball of Death that was doomed to ruin a presentation turned out to be a hilarious prank. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 29% | Activity: 59% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Pranks](https://www.trendhunter.com/pranks) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Immersive Prank Experiences:** There is a growing trend of immersive prank experiences that surprise and entertain audiences, creating memorable moments. - **Unexpected Disruption in Presentations:** The prank showcases the potential for unexpected disruptions in presentations as a form of entertainment and engagement. - **Innovative Audience Interaction:** The prank highlights the value of innovative audience interaction techniques to enhance the overall experience. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Entertainment:** The entertainment industry can explore immersive prank experiences as a unique form of live entertainment. - **Event Planning:** Event planners can incorporate unexpected disruptions and interactive elements into presentations to surprise and engage attendees. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Marketing and advertising professionals can leverage immersive prank experiences to create memorable brand activations and campaigns. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Digital Icon-Inspired Tennis Balls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wilson-and-apple.md) - [Interactive Desktop Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mac-with-ball.md) - [Retro-Inspired Animated Stickers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/animated-stickers.md) - [Short Film-Inspired Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-underdogs.md) - [Prideful Modernist Tech Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apple-2025-pride-collection.md) - [Screen Utility Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/white-screen-digital.md) - [Immersive Keyboard-Focused Events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pop-icon-keys.md) - [Engaging Virtual Call Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-meetings.md) - [Gag-Turned-Reality Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/touch-grass.md)