Abstract
Western history is filled with pranks and trickery intent
on enlightening audiences by blending fiction with reality. The Yes
Men, an Internet-based activist group, did just that, forging new
ground and establishing themselves as political pranksters in a
media-dominant global society. With an arsenal of parody, satire,
interventions, and tactical obfuscation, the Yes Men attack those who
they feel abuse their positions of power. They have impersonated public
persons and infamous entities, including President George W. Bush, the
World Trade Organization, and Dow Chemical. Their mimicry is so
convincing that the audience cannot decipher between satire and the
real thing. This thesis considers why the confusion happens, and to
what extent the nature of simulation has hindered the Yes Men’s
message.
Igor Vamos and Jacques Servin, the creators of the Yes Men, are a pair
of activist artists who have attempted to bridge the gap between art,
activism and commerce. Vamos and Servin’s works as the Yes Men are
analyzed within the context of the corporate realm, where they enact
their performances. This analysis puts forth the argument that, as
Vamos and Servin evolved into the Yes Men, they have been successful in
terms of publicity and self-promotion. The Yes Men, however, have been
assimilated by the very corporate and societal structure they fight
against, thus nullifying their intent.
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