Gate crashing

For the album by Living in a Box, see Gatecrashing (album). For the wedding tradition in Singapore, see Chinese wedding door games.

Gate crashing, gatecrashing, or party crashing is the act of entering, attending, or participating in an event without an invitation or ticket.[1]

The term has also come to be used to refer to intrusions on videographed sessions, such as interviews and news reports, either by parties the video producers did not intend to feature or by unforeseen, often whimsical, acts.[2][3][4] This can easily occur when a subject is interviewed at home, as has become common in the 21st century and was especially so during lockdowns ordered by governments during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Various techniques that involve blending in with the crowd[specify] can be used to gain access to some events.[6] Examples of blending in can include wearing the proper attire or participating in the event activities. Various measures can be taken to prevent gate crashers from gaining access such as increasing security, requiring credentials or checking invitations at the door. Regardless of prevention, such measures can still be thwarted by a skilled gate crasher.[7]

The first "how to" gate-crashing book, Meet the Stars,[8] was written by Charlotte Laws in 1988.[9] She went by the name Missy Laws at the time and details how she crashed dozens of celebrity-filled events, major award shows[10] and even got past Secret Service to interview the president.[11] Her story about Elvis was reprinted in Uncle John's Bathroom Reader.[12] Her memoirs, Undercover Debutante (2019)[13] and Rebel in High Heels (2015), include some of her gate crashing escapades.

  1. ^ "Definition of GATE-CRASHER". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2021-09-02.
  2. ^ Beresford, Jack (12 September 2022). "Man Gatecrashes Live Broadcast Outside Queen's Castle to Advertise Business". Newsweek. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference". BBC News. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Video: Baby elephant gatecrashes TV news interview and keeps kissing reporter". Metro. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  5. ^ Johnston, Chris (14 March 2017). "Robert Kelly: my minor mistake turned family into YouTube stars". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Top tips for gatecrashing". BBC News. 2001-12-17. Retrieved 2013-11-09.
  7. ^ Angel, Amanda (2007-11-15). "Time Out New York – Holiday-party crashing". Timeout.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved 2013-11-09.
  8. ^ Laws, Missy (1 February 1988). Meet the Stars. Ross Books. ISBN 0894960024.
  9. ^ "Five Famous Gatecrashers". East Bay Times. 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  10. ^ "How To Fake Your Way into a Celebrity Party". Washington Post. 2015-09-18. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  11. ^ "Emergency Delivery for G Clooney". Gawker. 2015-05-13. Archived from the original on 2021-09-06. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  12. ^ Institute, Bathroom Readers' (15 November 1988). Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. Macmillan. ISBN 9780312026639 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ "In Search of a Birth Family". Atlanta Jewish Times. 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2021-09-06.