Microsoft Store employees perform dance of the cringe (video)
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Nov 17th 2009 8:26AM
posted Nov 17th 2009 8:26AM
[Thanks, Ryan]
posted Nov 17th 2009 8:26AM
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That dude jumped out of nowhere and was like 'weeeeeeeeeeee'
*BEEEP!*
Your comment just made my day.
How they got all of those white people to move in synchronicity is beyond me!
Is this how they are distinguishing themselves from the obvious copy they made of the Apple stores? You know, there's a reason why the Apple Store employees don't do this...
Just a few observations:
1) There seem to be more Microsoft employees than customers in the store.
2) Shouldn't they be providing a little thing called "service" to their customers instead of doing whatever it is that they are doing in this video? (or is business so slow that they have to do something to keep from dozing off?)
3) If their goal is to "entertain" the few customers in the store, wouldn't it be much more entertaining if they danced the Monkey-Boy dance? (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1274983729713522403#)
Because they're drones?
I feel really uncomfortable all of a sudden
That little act they did there was so artificial that it made me feel embarrassed :-S
I don't know if I could work there... I'd feel so dirty :-(
The ironic part is, almost everyone here dogging these people probably looks and acts just like the people in this video. Pot/kettle.
@daniel..Why yes, perky ones!
White man's overbite and jazz-hands. Stop this ugliness now!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2296243235_c87f9c2337.jpg
So are they copying Apple or Texas Roadhouse?
i love Green mmmmmm
@Harvey: I'm thinking that their goal is to have people walking by the store go "hey, those people look like they're having fun in there, I think I'll go in and check it out" but they failed miserably
OneLove: yes, from 2:25-2:29 == WTF!!!!!!!!!
My cat's breath smells of catfood.
One of those 'seemed like a good idea at the time' moments.
I feel a little sorry for the poor geeks having to do awkward dance moves to keep the boss (green T-shirt) happy. You gotta do it to keep your job in these tough economic times....
But a good idea to keep the M$ store in the news plus it reinforces the PC as cheap and awkward.
On a more serious note, I wonder how long M$ is prepared to lose money on their retail clones?
The guys have big tities, too :-)
@harvey look at 1:45 and at the end of video.
There is more customers than you think. But the video is focus to Microsoft's dance.
there is also awfully alot of clapping.
I don't get it. They looked awesome to me.
And while the staff were f*****g about like this, who exactly were serving the customers!!!! (And what exactly were they buying?)
I was considering buying an HD2 until I watched this video.
I like it!
Good for them having some fun :D!
Good for them having some [mandatory] fun.
It's called a "funtivity"
FLAIR!
http://www.thecobrasnose.com/images3/OSflaircralt.jpg
I had to do that same dance at a steakhouse I worked at in high school. Trust me, they are not having fun.
Microsoft wouldn't know cool if it smacked them right in the face. I don't think I've ever seen a more sorry display of utter lameness then this video. It's like band camp for adults.
Ever see pirates of silicon valley where at one of the first computer conventions Bill Gates sets up this booth expecting to get all these people to come over and see how cool he is only to be totally up staged by Steve Jobs who everyone flocks to instead? This video is that scene put to music. The worst part is how it was obviously rehearsed, Microsoft planned this because they seriously thought it was cool!
There's a reason that coolness gradient between Apple and MS has persisted for almost 30 years market share be damned.
I dunno, this looks and feels like the 'fun' that Chilli's and Friday's employees have when someone has a birthday in the restaurant.
It's sorta like an office party.
"It's kind of like work, but with h'orderves*".
*Quote: J. Elvis" Weinstein.
It's the African ant eater ritual
The quote from the YouTube description:
"The Blackeyed Peas compel the employees at the Microsoft Store in Mission Viejo, California to break out in dance, let their hair down and have some fun. This is an amazing store, the employees seem really excited and engaged, almost happy to be at work. My favorite parts are when people walking in the mall come inside the store, join in the dancing and have some fun. The amazing thing is that people are in the store for hours, they love interacting with the software and learning about new technology."
WTF.
Quick! Someone call the RIAA to make sure that MS properly licensed this song to be used in a public performance setting! Quick! It's SOOOOOO important!
one word: aaaaaaaawkwaaard!
At least they have fun.. not sitting in some underground tunnel and typing like you and me :-)
For all the fun they're having, I didn't see a whole lot of smiling.
Smiling is just facial expression.. i am typing about fun, and i think you are missing your glasses. You can see lot of smile there .. you just have to come out of your's own expression.
what's even funnier is that at one point there was an opening day video from one of the Apple stores where a bunch of guys started dancing the Electric Slide. but they actually managed to look cool. well okay not cool but less nerdy than this
seems sometimes like someone is hitting youtube with 'apple store' for ideas.
I'm beyond words... I just feel embarrassed for them. I hear they make okay money at least.
Remember when Windows users were slating Apple hard for their stores along with Mac users for using them, Then MS and it's diciples do exactly the same thing. Now this. Maybe sales are slow and there bored.
Windorks, They just can't themselves.
Creepy....plus I would've been kinder had they been performing 'Thriller'
You could triple-dog dare me, but I ain't pressing the triangle.
yeah at least i had watched it .. !!
They do it no better or worse than the people at your average wedding reception.
And you gotta appreciate that they are good enough sports to do this in public with people they likely just met a week ago.
i'd agree , but it looks like they were made to do it .. ?
No Simon, I'm sure that everyone in that store instantly hit it off when they first met one another, and celebrated their newfound group friendship with a week of intensive coordinated dance training.
That's what I would have done. >.>
My eyes! The goggles do nothing!
i bet those at cupertino just shitted themselves silly after seeing this
... and they know where all their missing furniture is ...
Is is just me or does this look like an Apple store with a video wrap around the wall. (and twice as large, lol)
This video should be a default non removable Win 7 screen saver.