For our latest mission, over 50 redheads rode the subway together and protested a Manhattan Wendy’s for their “racist logo.” Enjoy the videos first and then go behind the scenes with our mission report, photos, and more videos below.
Digital Video: Agents Shafer, Gross, Todd, PKroll
Digital Photography: Agents Fountain, AScott
Mission Inspired By: Agent McCarthy
Agent Fountain organizes the group photo
Agent McCarthy stopped me on the street a couple of months ago with an awesome suggestion. He proposed, “What would it be like if you got onto a subway car and slowly realized that everyone on the car but you had red hair?” Redheads only make up 1% of the world’s population, and with the racial diversity of the New York subway system, it’s probably an even smaller percentage. We had no idea how many redheads we could actually find. I sent an email to our New York agents list and was amazed at the response. We had tons of redheads in our ranks, and everyone else seemed to have a friend to forward it on to.
Agent Kula briefs the crowd
One of the most fun parts of the mission for me was walking to the meeting point in Central Park and trying to figure out who was a part of the group. Everyone was curiously checking out everyone else’s hair as they approached, trying to make sure they were in the right spot. About 50 redheads showed up, and Agent Kula (Improv Everywhere’s most senior redhead) briefed the crowd on the day’s activities.
The subway ride was first on our agenda. Of course, we’d be taking the 1 train, as it’s on the red line.
The redheads acted as if they didn’t know each other and went about their normal subway routine.
The youngest redheaded agent
The 1 train goes above ground for a few stops in upper Manhattan, which could have been dangerous for our redheads had a very enterprising salesmen not have arrived to hawk $1 squirts of sunscreen.
Agent Rodgers makes a sale
The vendor was played by Agent Rodgers, reprising his “subway entrepreneur” role from No Pants 2k6 when he sold dozens of pants to half-naked riders. That kid always seems to have what’s in demand.
Agent Rodgers ’07
Agent Rodgers ’06
The 30, 45, and 50 SPF squirts of sunscreen sold very well.
Folks on the train giggled and whispered to each other as riders began applying sunscreen.
At 168th street, the redheads got out and rode the train back downtown. It was fun to see the mass of red hair on the platform.
We even manged to have one Asian redhead
After the ride we met back up in the park and regrouped for our Wendy’s protest. We would be protesting Wendy’s racist mascot that was an unfair, stereotypical representation of redheaded people. It was time for the National Association for the Advancement of Redhaired People to take a stand against this offensive logo.
Several agents brought some awesome signs, and a few more brought supplies to create some on the spot.
“You want lies with that?”
We walked a few blocks to the Wendy’s on 8th and 55th and set up our peaceful protest along the sidewalk, careful not to block foot traffic.
Agent Kula led the first few chants, pumping the crowd of angry (perhaps fiery, even) redheads. Throughout the day there were some really hilarious chants. Some of my favorites:
-”Biggie Size Bigotry!”
-”Value Menu Us!”
-”Fiery Burgers Not Fiery Redheads!”
-”Give Wendy Some Pigment!”
-”Where’s Our Beef? In Your Logo!”
-”We Want Frosties, But At What Costies?!?”
We were right in front of a bus stop, which worked out well. Every few minutes a new bus would arrive and the driver would gawk at us.
We got great reactions from folks walking by. Crowds gathered on either side of us and across the street. Most folks laughed and snapped a camera phone photo; a few even called friends to tell them what was going on. Some tried to get to the bottom of it, but our agents played it straight and insisted they were legitimately upset with Wendy’s.
Some younger onlookers…
…and some older ones
Our favorite crowder member was a bald man who after exiting the Wendy’s looked confused for a few minutes trying to figure out what was going on. When he put it together, he immediately started dancing, jumping, and screaming, “Wendy’s logo has got to go” with us and shouting, “I ain’t go no hair!” He was awesome.
Our second favorite person was an older woman with red hair who emerged from the Wendy’s. She smiled and gave the crowd a fist pump, which elicited enormous cheers of solidarity.
One of our own agents got a much nastier greeting when he emerged a bit later with a Wendy’s cup in his hand. We had planned ahead that he’d be booed and called a “scab” for eating Wendy’s food.
“Scab!!!!”
The Wendy’s staff never came outside to address us. I went inside to capture some footage early in the mission (which you can see in the main video at the top of this page.) Most of the employees I encountered were laughing and trying to figure it all out.
An employee and two customers look out from the 2nd floor window
We got plenty of funny looks from customers as they ate as well.
The manager came to the window at one point and stared for awhile, but he opted not to come out and give Wendy’s official stance on their racist mascot.
After about a half hour we packed it up and headed out. As we got back to the meeting point we realized a guy had followed us the whole way. He had two giant bags of cheeseburgers for us. He claimed he didn’t work at Wendy’s and that he just thought we looked hungry. I guess it was just a nice guy? Anyway, once the mission was over the redheads very much enjoyed the free food.
Mission Accomplished
OTHER RESOURCES:
Agent Fountain’s Flickr photoset (229 photos)
Agent Scott’s Flickr photoset (191 photos)
Also be sure to check out the comments below, many of which are from folks who hilariously think the protest was real.
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What an amazing day!!!
also, I might be mistaken, but:
“One of our own agents got a much nastier greeting when he emerged a bit later with a Wendy’s cup in his hand. We had planned ahead that he’d be booed and called a “scab†for eating Wendy’s food.”
Originally, I was going to be the scab but didn’t get the chance- I’m pretty sure that guy was an actual customer!!
RIGHT ON, RED!
i love redheads (married to one). you guys are so hilarious!!!
Well played Redheads!
I love it! I’m not a redhead myself, but I support the NAARP. More power to them I say.
And I was so inspired by their efforts, I decided to shed a little light on the topic on my blog as well…
http://diamondkt.blogspot.com/2007/07/raciest-wendys-girl-logo-has-gotta-go.html
Would’ve been funnier if you didn’t invoke racism.
I loved this. Wish it had been done when I was coincidentally in NYC right around that time.
I’m surprised at the people who are obviously completely in the dark about what Improv Everywhere is. The suggestions to protest something “more worthy” are quite amusing.
You can see my own red hair on my site, if you want. I was there with you in spirit! :-)
I missed it and was so bummed. I had the best signs ever like….”don’t tREaD on me” and “Wendy’s will AUBURN in Hell”…well they are funny to me.
Welcome back! Loved the hamburger philanthropist at the end.
Some interesting facts about redheads.
1. Bozo the clown was NOT a natural redhead.
2. The little red haired girl in the Peanuts comic strip was actually a woman who jilted Charles Schulz back before he became successful.
3. Pippi Longstockings, one of the world’s most famous redheads, lived in a wacky old house called….drum roll…..Villa VilleKula.
They don’t actually think the logo is racist ‘Kay?
Great chants, guys! And kudos to the mysterious hamburger giver and the guy who sympathized. Hehe.
Mission accomplished!
Looked like a lot of fun!
Woohoo, redhead power! I got a good laugh reading about this :-)
I would have loved to be in that large a group of fellow redheads – I would have sold squirts of sunscreen for only 75¢ each, lol.
This is the first mission that I can remember that was negative in nature. It struck me as very out of character.
Ya see what’s happening with these gingers. it starts with the secret meetings then the rallies begin. Pretty soon they’ll be wanting to go to our schools, play on our golf courses, who knows, one of them might be dating your sister one day. Wake Up People!!!
Did you know that all the energy you waste on these pathetic “stunts” could be used to help people in genuine need of help, you know like citizens of war torn countries in Africa? You arty idiots are so conceited in your pathetic actions it’s actually sickening. Instead of trying to create an issue, even in jest, why don’t you actually try and improve the world rather than improv?
Where do I sign up!? As a natural born red head with a general dislike of most others who tan. Hell I’m surprised I didn’t start this club! Then again I feel the pain more than they do for sure, as I used to work at wendy’s and every one called me wendy! Did I wear pig tails, do I even have freckles on my face, NO! Shit happens though, I’m pretty full of hate for the tan community but I do agree it’s a little silly to protest wendy. It’s easy to not understand why they’re being so upset and calling them silly, because if you’re not a “ginger” you’ve never had to deal with all of the comments.
“why don’t you go to the tanning bed?” answer: because I BURN!
“why don’t you use fake tanning stuff?” answer: it turns me freaking orange
I am so sick of being called pale by people as I’ve heard it my entire life!
So you can laugh at them, but I actually understand how they feel. There is bigotry toward red heads more than we vocally let known.
Johnson-
Grow a brain. The fallacy you use would require world peace, an end to poverty and triumph over death before anyone would be allowed to ‘waste’ a second smiling.
I had planned to attend, and I had told a number of red headed friends to attend as well, but at the last minute I got stuck in a rehearsal for a play for the entire day.
There are so many redheads in NYC that I’m sure the number of reds in this mission could easily be eclipsed.
I hope that in the future us reds band together more often.
Think Million Man March or Critical Mass…
cREDical Mass?
C’mon people now, smile on your brother!
I really don’t understand the racisim in the logo.
I shall adress all racisim stated in the video about logo.
“How many of us today actually wear our hair in pigtails? None.”
I think the Wendy’s Girl is a little girl. Little girls sometimes do wear their hair in pigtails. Also, the problem is “TODAY” because who says the Wendy’s Girl is a modern day girl? Tell me.
“Our faces are not straight white chalky.”
1. Scroll up until you go to the Wendy’s logo shown on the page. Her face is not white in the picture you have shown.
2. The reason as to why her face is white, I have no idea. But I doubt it was meant to show how redhead’s faces are.
“We don’t all have freckles, and those of us who do don’t have them the size of quarters.”
Cartoony girl.
All points, SHOT DOWN.
I see no racism.
However, if you believe it is racist, I’m not stopping you from believing that. I’m just stating why I see no racism.
And about the “All points, SHOT DOWN” I just really wanted to say “SHOT DOWN”
Oh yeah, I forgot.
Who’s next?
Ronald Mcdonald, or the Burger King?
I think it’s safe to say that Wendy’s Inc. learned a very valuable lesson that day: NO TURN ON RED IN NYC.