Mark Lives in IKEA

Q&A with Comedian/Filmmaker Mark Malkoff

Your apartment is being fumigated, leaving you temporarily homeless. What to do? For comedian/filmaker Mark Malkoff, there was only one logical solution: Move into IKEA for a week.

1. Now that you're a few weeks removed from your stint as an IKEA resident, how has the experience of living in IKEA Paramus changed you?
It was one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I still can't believe it happened. The media coverage was crazy. I've gotten contacted from all around the world. My favorite is getting e-mails from people who really like the videos. We've had over a million people watch the videos. We've gotten over 9 million hits on our Web site marklivesinIKEA.com.

2. Were there any parts of this experience that surprised you?
I couldn't believe how much freedom IKEA gave me. The fact that I was able to get on the P.A. system every night at 10 p.m. and shut down the store blew my mind. The only thing I wasn't allowed to do was paint my bedroom green (I thought it would be a funny video). I also didn't know that the videos and concept of living in IKEA would play so well with kids. I've gotten tons of feedback from parents that their children love the videos and actually repeat lines.

3. What is the wackiest story or most memorable experience for you?
Rollerblading at 2 a.m. was pretty cool. Getting on the P.A. system every night and annoying people was fun. Also the lights coming up at 4:15 a.m. every morning was rough.

4. How has your stay at IKEA affected your understanding of and appreciation for Swedish culture?
I know how to say, "Är du Svensk?" If anything I was even more frustrated that after a week I still couldn't pronounce any of the product names.

5. Do you miss Jarvis the nighttime security guard? Be honest...
I miss Jarvis and everyone at IKEA Paramus. It was hard leaving. One of the employees cried when I left.

See video of Mark Malkoff's IKEA adventure.