Sometimes a really big thing comes around, and I feel the urge to jump right in and play with it. Currently the “big thing” obviously is AI and chatGPT. So I signed up for a free account – and starting playing.

In recent actual news I found a gem, that sparked my creativity. Munich’s public transportation organisation, MVV, had turned off their online option for the purchase of our new, very popular “49 Euro Deutschland Ticket”. People had to come to one of the few ticket counters in person if they wanted to buy that 49€-ticket after the deadline.

See news coverage here:
tz article (in German) about chaos at the ticket counter

Why did they do that?? Anyways, I thought this was hilarious – and a case for Mr. Obvious.

So I prompted chatGPT with this:
“write a funny article about the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft contacting the Mr. Obvious Show after turning off their online ticket system and facing long lines at ticket counters“

She briefly thought about it and then came up with this reply:
“Munich, Germany – The Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVV) recently made a bold move by turning off their online ticket system, resulting in long lines at ticket counters throughout the city. But now, they’re turning to an unlikely source for help: the Mr. Obvious Show.

For those who aren’t familiar, the Mr. Obvious Show is a popular comedy program where the host, Mr. Obvious, states the painfully obvious in a humorous way. Apparently, the MVV thinks that Mr. Obvious might have some insight into how to deal with their long lines.

“We’re really struggling here,” said MVV spokesperson Hans Mueller. “We thought that turning off our online ticket system would encourage people to come to our ticket counters in person, but we didn’t anticipate the sheer volume of people. It’s chaos down there!”

Mr. Obvious, when reached for comment, seemed baffled by the MVV’s request. “I mean, it’s pretty obvious what they should do, isn’t it?” he said. “They should turn their online ticket system back on! That’s like, the whole point of having an online ticket system. Why would you turn it off?”

But apparently, the MVV is looking for something a little more creative than just turning their online ticket system back on. “We’re hoping that Mr. Obvious can come up with some funny quips or one-liners that will help ease the tension in our lines,” said Mueller.

When asked if he had any ideas, Mr. Obvious said, “Well, I mean, they could always try selling tickets on the moon. There’s probably not a lot of people waiting in line up there.” He paused for a moment before adding, “But seriously, just turn your online ticket system back on. It’s not rocket science.”

It remains to be seen whether the MVV will take Mr. Obvious’ advice or continue to search for a more humorous solution to their ticketing woes. In the meantime, Munich residents are advised to bring a good book and a lot of patience if they plan on taking public transportation.“