Ben Folds Pays Tribute to Chatroulette Improv at Gig

Ben Folds serenaded unsuspecting users of Chatroulette while playing to 2000 people live in concert after rumours the singer was the pianist known as "Merton" who has shot to the top of the viral charts.

The original video finds Merton -- disguised in a hoodie -- singing improvised songs to random Chatroulette subscribers until he or the user breaks down with laughter.

Chatroulette is the latest time-wasting craze to have hit the internet and it allows random video chats with anyone in the world. Users are randomly connected with strangers for chats and once one party has had enough, they simply move on.

Folds adopted the Merton methodology live in a concert at Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday night (March 20) -- as well as Merton's sartorial hoodie styling -- after suspicion he and Merton are one and the same.

The site is something of a magnet for exhibitionists and it's not uncommon to be exposed to naked genitalia and other parts of the anatomy. You've been warned.

Though the Folds performance was conspicuous by the absence of Chatroulette's trouserless demographic, one unfortunate chap was shown to be sat on a toilet with just a roll of loo paper for company. Which could say a lot about the quality of random chat on the site.