The Yes Men: The True Story of the End of the World Trade Organization

Here is the respite that we who realize these are confusing and dark times sorely need. The story of the Yes Men—intrepid activist pranksters Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum—who, after creating a World Trade Organization parody Web site proceed to impersonate WTO spokesmen at conferences and on TV, is hilarious from beginning to end. This companion book to a just-released DVD (see adjacent review) delivers great graphics, including original e-mails sent to the authors with invitations to be keynote speakers, a hand-drawn escape route in the event they were about to be hauled off by the authorities, their outlandish Power Point presentations and more. Each escapade is outrageously hilarious and puzzling as well for them: “We couldn’t get them to disbelieve us.” The mission of the Yes Men to expose the inhumane economic policies of the WTO was achieved beyond their wildest dreams. Their anti-corporate heroics continue, as Bichlbaum, in his latest antic as a Dow Chemical spokesman, broadcast on the BBC an apology for the Bhopal toxic leak disaster. Activism with a sense of humor!