Actor/writer/director B.J. Novak returned to his old stomping grounds in Boston last Friday, where he was ‘pardoned’ for a prank he pulled 27 years earlier.
The 44-year-old Newton, Massachusetts native was just 17 when he pulled an elaborate prank at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
He switched the audio cassettes which featured narration for an MFA exhibit entitled, ‘Tales From the Land of Dragons.’
The tape instead featured narration from a character dubbed ‘Lev Davidovich Bronstein,’ which begins just like the original narration but devolves… quickly.
The Office star was featured as part of the MFA’s Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Celebrity Lecture Series, where he displayed the full ‘pardon’ for his prank.
Actor/writer/director B.J. Novak returned to his old stomping grounds in Boston last Friday, where he was ‘pardoned’ for a prank he pulled 27 years earlier
Novak was featured as part of the MFA’s Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Celebrity Lecture Series, where he displayed the full ‘pardon’ for his prank
He switched the audio cassettes which featured narration for an MFA exhibit entitled, ‘Tales From the Land of Dragons’
Novak took to Instagram on Tuesday, sharing photos from his visit to MFA, and a photo of a news story explaining his prank more thoroughly.
‘It’s official: 27 years after a prank at the @mfaboston in which the audio cassette guides were switched with an “original” tour, I have been granted an official pardon,’ Novak began.
‘It was unbelievable to speak at the MFA about “Art & Pranks” with my great lifelong friend @another.amir moderating,’ he said.
Novak added that he, ‘even got to talk to Edwin the security guard who was there on the day of the prank.’
He also joked, ‘I thought it might be a sting operation at first. But it seems all is well. Thank you MFA for your sense of humor and mercy and to everyone in Boston who came to see it.’
The first photo of the post was of a news story featuring a photo of Novak holding up his official pardon with Matthew Teitelbaum, director of the MFA.
The pardon read, ‘Matthew Teitelbaum… officially pardons B.J. Novak for the debauching and rerecording of an audio tour in the year 1997 related to the exhibition Tales from the Land of Dragons.’
The pardon added that the prank was, ‘a stunt that both confused countless visitors and reminded us that even the pettiest and sophomoric pranksters among us can leave an impact on a historic, national institution.’
The first photo of the post was of a news story featuring a photo of Novak holding up his official pardon with Matthew Teitelbaum, director of the MFA
Novak added that he, ‘even got to talk to Edwin (left) the security guard who was there on the day of the prank.’
The pardon read, ‘Matthew Teitelbaum… officially pardons B.J. Novak for the debauching and rerecording of an audio tour in the year 1997 related to the exhibition Tales from the Land of Dragons.’
He also shared an image from a newspaper clipping that sheds more light on the prank, which called Novak’s rerecording, ‘a less-than-scholarly guide to the display of ancient Chinese art.’
Novak also shared another photo of him with Teitelbaum, the security guard Edwin, his friend and moderator Amir, plus a photo of the pardon and the actual tape.
B.J. Novak’s friend Amir who served as moderator for his appearance at MFA Boston
Novak also shared another photo of him with Teitelbaum, the security guard Edwin, his friend and moderator Amir, plus a photo of the pardon and the actual tape.
He also shared an image from a newspaper clipping that sheds more light on the prank, which called Novak’s rerecording, ‘a less-than-scholarly guide to the display of ancient Chinese art.’
‘A prankster switched some of the standard tapes with versions narrated by a man who identified himself as Lev Davidovich Bronstein, a Russian-accented antipedant.’
The article adds that the prank tour begins, ‘exactly like the MFA’s, then devolves into a rambling rant.’
Bronstein, ‘makes juvenile jokes and ultimately encourages listeners moving, left, right and around the galleries to do the hokeypokey.’
The article adds that an MFA investigated and found 10 more, ‘alternative’ tapes and were investigating with the Antenna Theater, the company that produced the original narration tapes.
