April Fool "Prank" That Wasn't: More Fine Dining With The Homeless

A couple weeks ago,  I featured an Internet prankster who "pranked" homeless people by pretending to be a waiter in a decent restaurant and served them nice meals.    

Homeless people are served filet mignon
by professional waiters in Glendale, Calif.  

Today, I found an even better one along those lines. Greg Benson, a comedian known on line as pulling off cell phone prank videos, decided to do something a little different.

He went to the Ascencia Shelter, a place for the homeless in Glendale, California. He and his team converted the institutional style lunch room into something close to a 5-star restaurant.

Benson got chef Jesse Brune and his staff to come in and make a very tasty, high end meal.  Some musicians set up in a corner and played some nice classical music.

Benson dressed up in a tuxedo, and as homeless people arrived expecting the usual donated meal, he welcomed them as if he were a maitre d greeting valued customers who had reserved a table for the evening.

Brune whipped up a top shelf filet mignon and a dessert that was to die for.

What I like about this "prank" is that it was about respect. When we go out to a decent restaurant, the staff (hopefully!) treats us with respect. Why not be deferential to the homeless who come in for a meal?

I honestly don't think most homeless people choose to be in their situation, and maybe if you offer a little respect, it'll give them hope they can get out of circumstances they're in. And if they do, we're all better off, right?

Yeah, that's a little pollyanish, but what the hell, it's still plausible.

I was actually quite moved by the video of this "prank" and you this might warrant a Kleenex alert for you. Watch: