UPDATE: Watch the video here.
Crowd shot at the meeting point. Photo by Katie Sokoler.
The 8th Annual No Pants! Subway Ride went off without a hitch today in New York. It’s tough to count, but we’re guessing we had between 1,200 and 1,500 participants. Riders were divided up and dispatched to 4 separate train lines. The high was 30 degrees and there was a nice steady stream of snow.
If you were there, leave us an agent report in the comments. We love hearing about everyone’s unique individual story. The photos and video can be see on the official mission report.
Thanks to everyone who came out to participate! If this was your first event, make sure you are on the NY Agents mailing list so you’ll find out about upcoming missions. Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay up to date on everything Improv Everywhere. You can also join our Facebook Page and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Pantless pyramid of people in the snow in Union Square, post mission. Photo by Katie Sokoler.
As I was leaving, I heard an old woman who wasn’t participating say “All this delicious nakedness!” and it really cracked me up!
Just moved here from LA, and doing it in NYC was my first time. I was a passenger on the BART in SF when this happened last year, and so I decided to join in this time…
E train, car 4, 6th group to go. My standard responses were “Something wrong with the subway car heating…” and “Global warming…”.
I know they asked people not to bring cameras, but I did, seeing that I have experience in covert photography in third world countries with oppressive military regimes. Got some great pics.
One older lady in our car kept turning her head away and saying “Oh, Lord!” She was totally caught off guard by the whole act. I only wish our car was more loaded when we started.
Got off at 34th Street to a moderately crowded platform and got many questions. I felt bad for some of the girls wearing the sexier undergarments because the wacko strangers would go up to them first and ask them “Why aren’t you wearing pants?” For a while it almost seemed like harassment, but other agents quickly intervened…
A well known TV actor, walked by a few agents and finally stopped to ask me what’s up. I told him we’re filming an episode of Law & Order…
A few cops present at 34th street, but mostly observing. They all came down the middle platform to watch us, then crossed over to our side. No harassment, they all walked by us with no incidents. But I did notice they stopped at the prettiest girl and ask them what’s going on…
Got off at 59st street and did the walkover to the downtown 6. Nice parade of everyone walking down the platform with bewildered observers. The 6 train was crowded and I wish more people waited for the next train.
Got to Union Square and finished, however I made a crucial mistake. I put my pants back on TOO EARLY, while I was still underground. No one told us there as a gathering there in the park at Union Square. I should have gone up the center exits instead and joind the crowd there, instead of going right to the exit to the SideBar…
Anyway, had a blast doing this. Will recruit more friends to do this next year!
#6 Train, Car #1, I am the Asian guy who was holding “World of Warcraft” PC game. I know it is the only way for me to keep my cool.
Back to my main report. I arrived at Foley Square around 2:30pm, and see only about 50 people. But the number increased to hundreds near 3:00pm. My birthday is in November, and the last digit of my cellphone is 1, so I was assigned to #6 train car #1. Our group entered subway around 3:45pm. Maybe because it is snow today, there aren’t that many passengers on the train, so we did not get so much attention on our ride up. I took of my pants off at Astor Place, and get off with some other pantless riders to wait for the next train. After the next train came, I entered and sat down. Then I took out my World of Warcraft game box and started to read the game manual. Soon the train reached 125th street. Our group got off to ride our way back.
Although I wanted to take some pictures on my way back, the train was so packed and I did not get the chance. After we arrived at Union Square, I exited the station without wearing pants and followed some people to the near by Starbucks to get some coffee. Although I originally wanted to go home pantless, I changed my mind later because I have two upcoming Half Marathon race coming up next month, and I do not want the cold to injure my leg before the race.
Overall, I think we would have much more fun if the weather was better. I believe the entire purpose of the mission should not just be pulling off your pants and taking pictures of other people’s underwear. Rather part of it should be socializing and making new friends, but the weather made it impossible for most of us to stay outdoor after the mission.
For people who also plays World of Warcraft, my game character is in Barthilas Realm. Her name is Jainatheice, a human mage. Those who interest to add me as friends should free feel to do so.
I forgot to say that there was a couple in Foley Square that asked me why there was a giant crowd. I told them that it was a long story and they’d find out at 3:00. And so they did…
Also, when we got to Grand Central, there was a giant line of people with no pants walking to the Q train and a little boy was watching us and tugging at his mom’s sleeve, but she wasn’t looking. I looked the other way and smiled to myself.
I has so much fun today! It was worth freezing my toes off! I went with my friend Ellen and a bunch of us on the E train group ended up getting on the C train (dummies) and we got separated from our car 5 people but it worked out fine! I was so self-conscious before the event but during the subway ride I forgot all about being nervous. I was concentrating on keeping a straight face! I loved it when we were all transferring to the 6 train at 53rd Street and everyone is gawking at us as the procession of pantless people walk down the platform. One man nearly fell as he was getting on the down escalator! One group of women asked a participant if we were all having a pajama party and when the man replied that he had simply forgotten his pants, they turned to me.
Woman: Are you guys having some sort of pajama party today?
Me: What do you mean? I’m here by myself.
Woman: Oh. (looks confused)
E Train, Group 3 and i can see me in the above group picture :) That ride was incredibly surreal. No one came up to me to ask about the lack of pants but I heard so many people talking in the background… “is there a protest”, “is this part of a holiday”, and my favorite was a young boy outside the train pointing and saying “Mom! They’re everywhere.”
Also, was wondering if the cute girl in my group wearing the union jack boxers is single. I believe her name was Becca or Becky.
I was on the 1 train, car 3. We were the 8th group to get off, so most of the people not participating in the train were already used to a few people taking their pants off each stop. Nothing too spectacular happened, though the reactions were still a lot of fun. For some reason no one from the other cars got off at 28th street, so only the 8 of us were standing in a group, pants less.
When we got off at 42nd street, a guy said “Woah, I guess I didn’t get the memo this morning.”
One other woman in the train watched us for quite a while before deciding to ask us all what we were doing. No one gave her an answer that she really liked, since we all said we had no idea others would be doing this.
One of the best moments though was to to walk out to Union Square and look up at the DSW to see all the customers on various floors staring out the window at all the people not wearing pants. Also the girl riding on top of a guys shoulders screaming for people to wear pants. That was cool too.
When I first told my Mum that I was planning to do this, she was disapproving, to say the least. “Do you have a friend in the legal profession?” she asked. But I knew I’d be alright – and I was!
I was on the E train, car 9. My two best friends and I were in the third group off of the train. At West 4th Street while waiting to get back on, a woman tapped me and said “So did you forget your pants, too?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?” I replied.
She gestured to the guy down the platform who was also pants-less.
“Wowza, he forgot? How can you forget something as basic as pants? I’m heading to the dry cleaner now to pick mine up!” I said. She blinked, then shook her head and walked away.
The yelling guy in the 9th car of the E train was already mentioned, but he was pretty great.
This was my second IE mission, and I am already looking forward to doing another! Great work, everyone!
E train, car 8, group 5
While waiting on the platform, this kid asked me what was up, and I just said I was wearing dress pants and got a stain on them, so didn’t want them to get any dirtier, and I didn’t realize everyone else was in their underwear too. How odd.
He wouldn’t let it go, and kept asking how this could just be a coincidence. Finally, he turned to this random old guy standing next to me (not part of the group), and said “Sir… half the people on this platform aren’t wearing pants. Don’t you think that’s crazy?”
The old guy looks directly at him, pauses for a second, and just goes “NOPE.”
The kid sheepishly apologized and walked away. I looked back at the random old guy, but he didn’t seem to notice me.
That was my favorite reaction of the day.
That was SO awesome! It was hard not to laugh when I heard this stuff:
“mommy, why are they all wearing just underwear?”
Man to his wife: What’s going on?
Wife: I don’t know and I don’t want to know
Random guy on the subway platform walking back and forth taking video with his cellphone: I don’t know what ya’ll are doing but I like it!
I was the second person to de-pants on the R/W line car 6. This was my 1st event and I was so glad to finally get in on one of these. When we were all at Union Square some people were like, “Hey, our friend just took off his pants. Now will you tell him what this is about?” I said, “I just felt today was too warm for pants.” They looked so disgusted it was great!
All in all, this was a fun prank, and I look forward to more. I am a bit disappointed in car 9 on the 1 line. They were the car ahead of us, and they were cheering “WHOOOOO!!!” when they got on the car, and then “WHOOOOO!!!” again when somebody took their pants off. That totally ruined the mood for the beginning of the prank. The pants-wearing people in our car noticed, and it was obvious from the get-go that this we were pulling a stunt.
E train, 9th car, 4th stop. First off, the E train ride was tricky, so props to everyone who did that. I didn’t get any marvelous reactions, but almost everybody who asked me what was going on was a middle aged woman.
“Oh I just forgot my pants.”
“And these other people?”
“Must just be one of those days.”
Now I’m from the north, so this weather wasn’t too bad for me, but I was very glad to see that the snow didn’t prevent such a great showing of backsides (and truly there were some great ones). Afterwards I went down to St Marks place and went movie shopping at Kim’s. Nobody seemed to notice. Rode the train back home the same way and only got a couple of curious glances. When I got back to Queens, though, I decided that it was time for my pants to return. Good times.
Train #1, Car 7
There was a lady who wanted to know “Where are the hidden cameras, where is Howie Mandel?”
Her friend said, “There can’t be hidden cameras, this is just some random train.”
She responded with, “No this is the 1 train, so they could have cameras all around.”
I didn’t really understand that. But it was hilarious.
The friend also wanted to know what it was all about, and promised she would take her pants off too if we told her. She announced that she was going to Google it later. Another person became very self conscious because he WAS wearing pants.
My friend’s excuse for his lack of pants were that they were just so out of style, so last year. I thought that was pretty good.
so, you signed me and my friend ashleys poster !
life better without pants :)
today was fabulous, i was on the 6 train, cart 8
it was great, some guy actually yelled at me and my
friend, i think he was just jealous, anyways
i love this! cant wait for the mp3 experiment. :D
I was in the 1st car on the E train. I got off at the 4th stop. (I wasn’t paying much attention to what stop it was – 8th Ave?) When I got back on, a couple of non-participants giggled and said it was so crazy because when the train pulled into the station, they could see us but couldn’t tell that we weren’t wearing pants until the doors opened. At subsequent stops, they giggled again and again as more people got on.
When I got to the Side Bar (near Union Square), it was packed to capacity, so I tried Shades of Green, but couldn’t find my 4 friends (who were on the 3 other train lines). I followed a group to Crocodile Lounge, where it seems some people had gone last year as well. I met some new friends, and my boyfriend ended up joining me there. The bar was like 80% pants-less. We convinced a few other people to join in on the fun. Good times.
Okay so, we did this with some of our friends
R/W train, 3rd car, 4th group
it was a wonderful experience
the subway ride was pretty casual
but when we got to union square thats when the party started
our group of friends were very social
we made a video dancing for a music video, and we went pants shopping in the local stores
and made snow angels
Heres some funny questions;
-Is this some socialogy class?
-Is this a rebelious club for young people?
Person:Since when dont people wear pants when its snowing in january?
Me:its snowing? jeez i guess pants would have come in handy at the moment, too bad
Person:why aren’t you wearing pants?
Me: its what jesus would have wanted
Person: So why isn’t anyone wearing pants?
Me: Todays help the homeless day. When we rode the subway we left our pants there for them to retrieve. They need them more then we do.
Cant wait for next year
Much funner then last year
hopefully next year will be even greater
props to the naked pyramid people!!!!
thanks charlie
I had a great time while pantsless. I was on the R/W line, car 5. Highlights include:
-Depantsing with bad-ass Reba P (older woman who became my ally during the journey). I took my time while depantsing, it felt so defiant and so natural at the same time.
-Confused train riders on the N approaching 34th St as more and more pantless commuters boarded.
One guy: “It better not be like this on the PATH train or I’ll be pissed!”
Same guy, moments later, upon disembarking: “PUT SOME PANTS ON!”
-Walking pantless with roommate post-mission all the way to Astor Place. We stopped in to Halloween Adventure for a little warmth, some of the store personnel leered at us but we were confident in our exposed thighs.
All in all, super sweet.
R/W Train, Car 3
Had an awesome time today, as I did last year. I was the solo guy on the 2nd stop and the trains were a good fifteen minutes apart so I had plenty of time to hang out by myself in my boxers on Prince St. and field a bunch of questions while I tried to read a book…I kept explaining to everyone that my pants simply wouldn’t fit over my boots and boots are obviously more important. Train ride was fun but relatively uneventful.
After the train about 50-60 of us invaded a bar across the street from Sidebar (Sidebar was too packed) and the place was EMPTY…we totally took over. They let my buddy Brian put on his iPod and gave us good drink specials, and we managed to convince other ‘civilians’ to take their pants off when they came in. At some point we played a strange game of spin the bottle involving smacking people’s asses instead of kissing which got old fast, and had a general good time. Awesome!
A bit of shameless self-promotion – Brian and I put our own band on the ol’ iPod for a while and people were diggin it, so if that was you… http://www.myspace.com/thegoldenageofradio …drop us a line! I can’t wait to see all the photos.
Here’s the first 4 of 100+ pics I took. Yeah I know they asked us not to bring cameras, but I hide mine in my shorts… ;-)
http://picasaweb.google.com/ernopena/2009NYCNoPantsSubwayRide#