This book investigates the role of the performance artist as a political agent within the restrictive cultural climate of the post-9/11 era. Guillermo Gómez-Peña, a veteran performance artist and theorist, utilizes his extensive background in experimental theater and postcolonial critique to analyze the intersection of art and activism. He presents a framework for navigating what he terms the 'mainstream bizarre,' arguing that artists must adopt radical pedagogical and production methods to challenge contemporary societal norms.

Critics and scholars recognize this work as a significant primary source for understanding the evolution of performance art in the early 21st century. Readers frequently note the dense, provocative nature of the prose, which serves as both a manual for practitioners and a theoretical critique for academics.