This afternoon we had around 900 participants in the 7th Annual No Pants Subway Ride. The crowd was so large that we spread out over three subway lines, using the 6 (per tradition), R, and 2 trains. The NYPD was there to escort us just like last year, and they were extremely nice. Everyone ended up together in Union Square for a giant above-ground pantless gathering in the nice 50 degree warmth. If you were there, please take a few moments to leave an agent report in the comments. With 900 riders, I’m sure there are 900 different stories. We will be using this page to compile links to photos and video as it becomes available, and sometime in the next few days we’ll create an official mission report. (See the post below this for coverage of the 9 No Pants rides that took place in other cities across the world.)
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.
Here are two teaser photos from Chad Nicholson:
My girlfriend, friend Jess and I all rode the 6 train and had an awesome time…the only downside was that those subway ’strippers’ that got kinda sorta famous on the internet a month ago must have caught wind of the event, and they came onto our car, took their clothes off and started pole dancing…then they tried to sell their pants to us. It kinda took the event from being a fun thing and made it something sexual, which a lot of the pants-wearing riders on the car took offense to (understandably so) and took away from the event.
Overall though, it was very fun, and I had a ton of people asking me why I wasn’t wearing pants, including a group of French tourists who asked me if today was No Pants Day in America.
I said ‘why do you ask?’ and she said ‘you’re not wearing pants!’
I replied ‘Yeah, I know, it’s pretty warm out today so I didn’t wear em.’
She asked ‘Oh yeah? And EVERYBODY else decided not to wear pants too?’
I looked around and said ‘I don’t know why any of those weirdos aren’t wearing pants…sorry.’
After the ride back downtown was over, a bunch of us went pantsless to Hearland Brewery, where we had some food and beers and persuaded a bunch more people to take off their pants. See you next year!
Greeting my brothers and sisters who liberated their minds and bodies. I’m the guy in the knee high socks from the 6 train aka Sparta (6th car where you at !!!!) Anyway after warming up with a light work out on the platform(some lunges,squats and a toe touch or two) this one kid in a jets jersey wouldn’t leave me alone and kept asking about what we were there for. so we ride and lovely pants less people get on. So he’s really excited at this point and is having a good time. So he decides to sit down. Big mistake while having a conversation with those around me I start doing lunges and squats in front of him. Then I put my leg up on the seat and lean over him talking more. he got up and left quickly. The train ride back was epic i have never seen such a crowded train in my life.
Anyway union square was awesome we took a jog around the park i even convinced a guy to take off his pants. i was trying to get more converts but they were shy. I did however help liberate one of those non-believers passing out propaganda. Take that to your clothed god.
It felt so good and free that i just took the train home without my pants and i wasn’t harassed i even ran into one of the photographers(kate i believe) on the L.
Good times.
If you wanna hit me up , get something coordinated, hang out or just want to know where to get amazing knee high socks like mine feel free to add me to face book or myspace(http://www.myspace.com/thescorpionchamber)
Chris Scott(Brooklyn college)
6 train 6 car WE ARE SPARTANS!!!!
My favorite comment was uttered when an Agent offered his seat to an elderly lady passenger, whose only response was, “You want me to sit there now? That’s fucked up!”
It was absolutely fantastic. I couldn’t convince any of my friends to come along since they were all doing work, so I used my procrastination time wisely. I was a little bit worried about being alone but it was completely fine and everyone was so happy to be doing this. I did the 2/3 to the nqrw line and was train #4. Walking through times square was so excellent, because there are considerably much more people in times square to gawk than there are in one subway car. At Union Square one woman asked me why people were taking off their pants (mine were on by that point), and I told her, “I have no idea why they all took their pants off. I coulnd’t find mine earlier, but I just found them in my bag so I put them back on”.
Apparently The Today Show talked about us this morning. If anyone has it on tape or can find it online, let me know.
My friend Jessi and I rode on the 2 and 3 line, car 9.
The best part of the evening was emerging on Union Square only to find there was a Farmer’s Market in session. The only logical course of action was to buy apple cider and donuts, and browse the wares of the vendors…in our underwear.
This was my second improveverywhere event but my first No Pants Day, which was pretty succesful. Alone and without any companions I soon met a number of extremely friendly, soon to be pantsless trainriders. I was on the 6 line, (Car 1) and it was hilarious once traffic picked up. Most of the people that participated were pretty silent and didn’t laugh, although we all smiled maliciously during the first few depants-ings at the first few stops. One man didnt realize that pants were missing until a few stops after he got on. I watched him look up for a moment and after being startled, immediately began to investigate other people’s legs for pants. A look of incredulity swept his face. But when he looked into my eyes I could only shrug back.
Here’s the link to the today show clip.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22624427#22624427
-Quote of the day, “This is a joke. There are hidden cameras here somewhere.”
That was a great time. I was group zero on the R train. It was fun being the last set off on our zero group having people on the train catch up to what was going on and the N train passengers afterwards snapping pictures from inside the train at us.
The weirdest thing I experienced though was some old guy with a really, really weird pumpkin sculpture made out of foam core that had a creepy horror flick face carved into it. Halloween was over…and they called us pantless folks weird. The old pumpkin dude kept looking around for hidden cameras too.
Everything was all very matter a facty and then on the way back a group of us started a talk on Palaniuk stories, then bicycles, then I don’t know what.
No Pants Twister, wooo!!!
Thanks for the Today Show link! I embedded it in the post below this one for regional reports.
That. Was. Awesome! :) First year doing it, dragged my boyfriend along with me. We got the red line yay!! CAR #5 YEA! So yea. I was in the group that took off their pants at the 2nd stop (between Chambers and Franklin). There were these two girls sitting next to me, eyeballing me and muttering because I had started unlacing and unbuttoning. When I pulled off my pants, they started laughing really loudly, and kept pointing out the window even after we got off.
We got on the next 2 train, and one guy was trying to find out what was going on. “Oh just forgot my pants.” Another poor guy, sitting directly in front of where I was standing, refused to open his eyes. And when we were getting off at Times Square, he was too, and he shoved me away!
Walking through the Times Square station was very funny….so many people wondering what the hell was going on! Some of us were randomly dancing to the band playing there. And you can’t forget the guys calling out “hey beautiful!” and “theres a lotta pussy coming this way!”
The best part had to be when we were all at Union Square. We got more people to take off their pants! The people I was with decided to extend the No Pants 2K8 so we all ended up at Virgin. We went into Staples next, hoping to find some pants. One of the workers offered to give us his pants for money though.
Barnes & Noble was fun too…the poor people at the Starbucks register! They kept messing up the orders and stuttering. And then eventually one of the guys were like “so nobody’s wearing any sexy underwear…?” to which my boyfriend responded with “excuse me sir, I am offended, my underwear is sexy!”
LOL.
Anyways. We sat around where everyone was trying to study, eating our food and talking for a bit, getting to know each other. It was a good day!
And insanely fun.
P.S. Does anyone happen to know who that guy in the trench coat was….He followed us the whole time all the way to Union Square and never took off his pants…. o_O
After hearing about Improv Everywhere from a web comic I read religiously (http://www.reallifecomics.com by Greg Dean) I checked out the site. Amazed by how many other New Yorkers were as fun-loving (and nuts) as I think I am… I had to come out and join the fun.
After breaking into our major group (2/3 line… Yay transfer!) I was accidentally volunteered to become group leader “2″ by accepting the paper number. I tried to give it away, but no one would take it.
After we were briefed, we headed out after the “1″s in search of the the uptown 2/3 line. We did, in fact, find it eventually.
There was a little confusion on the platform as to whether we were suppose to board the first train or the next one, as well as a minor slip up as to where the train cars would line up. Twas my fault we were not exactly were we should have been but I believe we were close enough.
There was a bit of giggling and a little staring as people started to remove their pants and leave the train. The guy behind me was trying to be straight faced about it, while his girlfriend ranged from giggling (at first) to full out hysterical laughter by the time I unexpectedly joined my compatriots out the door.
We waited patiently on the platform for the next train to come. As the train entered the station the motorman had a HUGE grin on her face and I heard her asking out the window when the train stopped “I just have to know, what are you guys doing? Where are all of you coming from?”
The transfer at 42nd was fun. Most of the people walking through times square station were without pants, and a lot of us took a short-cut through a band’s crowd. There were a few cat-calls but mostly there was a mixture of disbelief and quite a few outright laughs.
A little more confusion came on th downtown N/R platform where no on was quite sure whether we were suppose to take the first train or wait for the second. I followed the vast majority of pant-less people onto the first train. As the train was laving the station, I did see other pant-less people still on the platform so when we de-boarded (is that a word?) the train at 14th, I stuck around on the platform with a few others, so the stragglers wouldn’t be alone when they left the train.
We exited the subway system and grabbed some hot cider from one of the stands at a conveniently placed farmers market. Then followed the flow of bare legs to the south side of the park where a mass of half naked people were trying to convert strangers. A group of us broke off and paraded down to the Stand for burgers and beer. We quickly outnumbered the pant wearing customers and had no problems with the staff. We shared our individual experiences but alas! I had to leave early and head home to prepare for work. I’m looking forward to seeing the pictures/video posted, as well as for the next event.
-Spidey
I was group 1 on the 2/3. We had this elderly black lady get really uptight, when the first couple of girls started taking off their pants. She started yelling at them, shouting “What are you, crazy?!” Then after they got off the stop, she followed them, and started yelling stuff like “There’s children who can see this!”, etc, etc.
So, the next stop was my turn, so I got up, she graciously took my seat… and then I started depantsing in front of her. :)
My first Improv Everywhere mission (something always came up for the past two or three years).I wa staken back by the huge pre-game meeting and found myself in the Red line, First Car group.
I was afraid of the number of people doing it would take away any reactions, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The first stop for the first person to “strip down” brought commotion right away, as a woman nearby became flustered and take to the side by what one of the agents did. This brought about her complaining that “It’s illegal. You can’t strip here! What do you think you’re doing?!” She ended up pacing back and forth stirring up the event. When the doors opened for the next stop she was quickly out and jumping onto the conductor about the “stripping on the train.” The conductor couldn’t say much, and she ended up getting back on or else she would have waited with the first agent who had already dropped.
by the time the train reached my pant-less stop (23rd street), She had struck up a conversation with another commuter. This man however(not related to I.E. as far as I could tell) try to open the kvetching woman’s mind by defending us no-pants-riders. “It must be for something,” he told the woman, “Everything is for a reason. There must be a message behind it, look at the civil rights movement. People are always trying to say something. They’re probably fighting for a right.” The woman responded, “Well, two wrongs don’t make a right! This is not justifiable!”
I give must respect for that woman (and the man) for speaking her mind, even if she was over the top.
When the second two train came rubbling down the tracks, I could see the conductor enjoying what his sights. As he passed by me he was laughing and smiling, and eventually pulled down his window to begin to speak, but the screeching wheels and breaks were to loud for me to hear. All I could do was just smile back and nodded. I was glad someone was really enjoying himself. It would have been nice if he got on the P.A. and gave us a little joke(always wanted to work for the MTA just to do that). Either way things felt better and better.
On the ride downtown, another woman began to talk a few younger ones who were smiling and giggling at us. The older woman said “Oh wait! I know what this is, it’s, it’s something people do every saturday, every now and again.” I guess she had us there, we do this every Saturday once in a while… annually.
Cute reactions, wish I could have caught more of people’s facial reactions, or started a conversation. Not many people wanted to ask us why, just shrugged it off, or flipped their lids… a little. The group of ladies didn’t bother to comment after I asked them where the Union Square stop is. Oh well, next year maybe.
Thanks to all those who helped with forming this amazingly tremendous sized stunt. (900+ Wow. Wasn’t last year a few hundred?)
Hope to take part in future stunts.
I can proudly say, at 15 years old, I was the youngest participant. The fun started when I saw the only veteran in our group depantsed. I didn’t even see him undoing them! That’s how good he was. A bunch of people took off their pants and said “What is going on?” I just shrugged and waited for the doors to close. Then me and my friend Agent DeeDs took our pants off. “Oh my God!” “Only in New York…” I couldn’t believe they said it! The famous quote!
We left the train and I had a nice chat with a man with a pink DS. I showed my DS so he knew we were brethren in gaming. We got on a another subway and chatted the whole time about the R.O.B., Zelda, and Smash Bros. Brawl. Then we got off for another train. We waited a while until a train for coney island came. One of the agents went in and nobody else. He luckily got out before it left. That would’ve been awkward. We got on the next train to Union Square and there was a slow dispersing of people. Me and Agent DeeDs got our picture taken with tourists, we reviewed the day. It was pretty fun. Then we asked directions to go to Grand Central from the veteran of our group. We got on the 4 train with no pants. The man next to us asked what was going on. We said we didn’t know what he was talking about. Then he pointed out our lack of pants. We said we forgot our pants. He said “Wow. And I thought I was crazy.” He also commented that he had seen a couple of girls with no pants on too.
We got to Grand Central and bought a mamba and sugar babies because we were starving. Then the veteran came in the shop (already changed back into pants) and congratulated us for staying in character. Also, the shopkeeper didn’t seem to notice that we had no pants on! We left and looked for a bathroom to change in. We asked directions and got a couple of stares, but no trouble. We checked for the bathroom at every turn because we got very vague directions. Then we saw a couple of soldiers through a hallway. We did a 180 and I said “Nope nope nope nope nope…” We found the bathroom in the food court downstairs and changed back. As one said a year or two ago, it felt weird to have pants on again…
There was once a little boy,
with legs so skinny they made him shy.
He never undressed in front of mirrors,
the mere site of his hairy legs gave him the tremors.
He grew up eventually.
Met a great woman he intended to marry.
She loved him dearly, for all that made him the way he was.
Yet she could never understand his phobia of mirrors and legs in just them socks.
Sher decided to change his ways.
Make him a man unafraid to walk around naked and not care.
Yanked he was to the subway fest.
Dropped were his pants in public in jest.
He closed his eyes for half the ride.
Sweating and fretting, he thought he’d died.
He opened his eyes for a brief moment.
only to see laughing faces and approving glances.
He no longer hates his hairy legs.
nudity is now his favorite pet.
Manoo.
PS: I rode the R train in the laast bogey. I loved every moment of it. especially when this lady called us all ‘Sick Fcuks’. Will do this every year. Maybe even staart a chaapter back home in India. Thanks !!
Spidey, I found Improv Everywhere through Reallifecomics!
Am I the first to post from the red line?
Awesome time. My jaw still hurts from clenching it. I was #9 on the red line, my friends and I grouped up with two women and a man, and from there hilarity ensued. The 3 train-car I was in was without a doubt the most black-populated car anywhere today. They took out their cameras and started snapping without hesitation, the shutters sounded like a garden sprinkler.
i wish i was nyc for this
This was my third Improv Everywhere Experiment but my first No Pants Mission. I had a Blast! I convinced my friend to join me and we had a Blast! We were on the 3 train (Group 0) and the transfer through 42nd street. The staggerd depanting was great because as more an more people took of their pants. The looks on the faces of other passengers went from confusion, to annoyance to disbelief.
Walking past all the people at 42nd street was crazy. It was hard not to laugh as guys yelled at us and tourists gawked.
Once we got to union square a few people asked us, “What’s going on?”,
“What cause is this for?”, and one person even asked, “Is this for a movie?”
My Friend and I just answered,
“I forgot my pants.”
When we were in the center of the square, we both convinced two guys to take off their pants.
It was great!
I’ll just copy what I sent out on Facebook:
Okay, so today (Jan. 12) was the 7th annual No Pants NYC Subway Ride. Maybe 700-1000 people showed up in Foley Square, and those of you who didn’t go without good excuse, are in fact, corporate puffins.
It began with everyone I know chickening out. I went alone, armed with my iPod and bag (and pants) to Foley alone. After being lost and getting some directions on the phone from Mama (who did not know what I was doing), I noticed a lot of people with bags going one way, so I followed. I hoped to find Billy, who said he was going. I wore the orange sweatshirt of doom for that reason. Interestingly, Hanna, a senior I don’t think I’ve ever really talked to much before, called my name, recognizing the obnoxious sweatshirt. Her friend Debra came along too. Eventually Billy found us and we waited around in the crowd. All the people were nice, no perverts, no freaks. After a brief megaphone speech, the crowd was divided by which train we’d ride. Hanna, Billy, Debra and I were to ride the 2/3 train up to Times Square, then transfer to the N back to Union Square. Once we were convened, a guy said we now had to split up by designated train car. After deciding for no reason we were group five, others convened around us. We were the loudest, most spirited group in the 2/3 crowd, chanting “five” a lot. We met some nice people of various ages, one of which brought cookies. We were assigned a guy to lead us, who was then called Captain Dodd.
No here was the plan: We’d get on the train car with pants, then take of our pants at certain stops, get off, then get on the next train that came. Us fab four were sect 3, so we got depantsed third.
Then the fun: we massed jay walked through traffic, and got on the train, all acting non-chalant. One of the best things I’ve seen in a long time was the people all getting off all along the platform without pants. As a note, Debra was wearing skimpy pink, I had alligator boxers, Hanna had plain black and Billy had a pair that matched his shirt.
We got on the next train, were sects 1 and 2 were already established. I got on, acted normal. A father had to explain to his kids to ignore us all. Hanna later told me that a woman asked what happened, and when Hanna said she left them at home, the woman turned to another pantsless person and asked how they knew Hanna.
We got off at Times Square in order to switch, when the catcalls started. Guys hanging in the subway halls between the two platforms yelled things ranging from, “I like that girl,” to, “There be a lot of pussy coming down the stairs”. At one point there was a large band playing with a large crowd in a semicircle in front of them. Our little parade marched right in front of them.
Then I got separated, and got stuck with a guy named Matt and some others. We noticed no other pantsless people were on our train, so we got off and waited for the next one, which was stuffed.
We got off at Union Square, and as I stepped out of the stairwell, Hanna leapt at me, since we all got separated. We hung out briefly, met our fellow “Fivies”, then wwent to that wide space on the south end, were everyone was. Without Pants.
People chanted for others to take their pants off. Various people were forcibly depantsed. Many sang (including us). Many pictures were taken, and many people questioned us, and got no satisfactory answers. One large group when jogging. One creepy guy question Hanna and Debra a lot, and got annoyed, and just kinda followed us, but really couldn’t with all the people around. One man handed out pamphlets suggesting that pants were the answer to our problems (very religious style, too). He was depantsed. Then Debra and Billy had to go.
We kinda gathered our group five, and hit Virgin Records. On the way, one of our new friends said that pants made people corporate puffins. I said Hitler, Stalin and Bush all wore pants. After permeating that store, and taking pictures, we moved on to Staples. One of our group just got transfered from it, so he knew all the employees. We searched the place for pants, during which an intercom message came on saying, “Customers, please put on your pants. Thank you.”
During this, more people left, but we found more. Our entourage moved to Barnes and Nobles for coffee, where we hung out and creeped out studying people. In the end, we all parted.
I went home pantsless, much to my parents surprise.
YEAA JONO! FIVIES! :)
p.s. find my facebook! or i’ll go find yours through nola… :)
i couldn’t find you… but yeah! car five!
other car fives: look for the facebook group called “no pants 08 group five” to get in touch with us!
To Greg from Switzerland, avec the nationalistic undershorts- I’m the pink-lipsticked, pink and grey brief wearing girl from your car. Shoot me an email if you’re up for more city adventuring- pileofrocks@gmail.com. Pants are optional.
Oh, snap! It’s the first “missed connection” of No Pants 2k8!
THIS EVENT ROCKED! Soo much fun meeting up with new people for a common purpose to have some fun! :)
CAR 9! ^_^
-Ray C~
Car number 1 on the 3 train!
First off, I got to Foley Square around 2pm (having given myself ample time for both the commute from outside of the city, as well as ample time for getting lost since I knew it was highly likely I would pull a Rob only with nobody telling me the right way to go). I sat down and started reading my book, and watched as the crowd grew from 10, to 30, to suddenly what looked like 4 or 500 people, maybe more. A couple of people approached me asking me if I knew what the crowd was all about, and I just told them I was trying to find out the same thing.
Once we were broken into groups, and then groups within groups, the anticipation really started to get to me - I had almost done No Pants 2k7 but had been out of town the weekend it happened, so I KNEW I had to be here this year. And I was in a fantastic group - car #1 led the way to the station where we would catch the 3.
Once we were all there and a train came and we boarded, I was in full “I don’t know these people” mode - which was easy enough since I actually didn’t know ANYONE. The first person to depants in our car was sitting right next to me, but I had my book so close to my face that had I not known it was happening, I probably would have missed it anyway, so it was easy to pretend this was a normal occurrence. HOWEVER, a non-participant in our car started freaking out as more and more people started depantsing and leaving the train. She went so far as to approach the conductor and go on about how “these people should be arrested, it’s indecent exposure”. This was maybe the only time I thought about bailing on the mission, as I was still with my pants. However, I overheard the conductor explaining to her that it was actually perfectly legal to be without pants. That brought a smile to my face AND it couldn’t have been better timed, as it was my turn to remove my pants. Game on!
I got off the train at 18th street with some of my fellow agents, but as far as I was concerned I was the only person there. When the next train came and we boarded, seeing people on the train with no pants on (even though I knew they were going to be there!) was a bit of a shock, but I think the people on the car were starting to get used to us getting on the train at that point. I sat down and continued to read my book.
A woman sat down next to me but sort of scooted away so as not to get too close. I saw she was with a friend who wouldn’t sit down, so I turned to them and said “Do you want to sit down? There’s plenty of room, I can scoot over, really it’s no problem!” But she refused, and seemed a little weirded out about the idea of sitting next to someone with no pants on.
I tried to keep interacting with random passengers whenever possible. At 34th street I asked a man sitting next to me on the other side of me if this train stopped at 42nd street, and he told me that he was pretty sure it was the next stop. I thanked him, packed up my book, and prepared to get off the train. Before getting off the train though, the woman who had refused to sit next to me turned to me and asked “I just have to know, why are you all not wearing pants?” I calmly responded “I don’t know about those people, I just have to do laundry”, smiled, and headed on to the platform.
One of the most awesome things about this mission for me was actually the transfer from the red line (2/3) to the yellow line (N/R). Walking through the station at Times Square was a blast, almost hard to keep a straight face about it though. I just handled it like my normal commute, completely forgetting for a moment that I wasn’t wearing any pants. But it’s hard to miss 20, 30, 50, 100 (actually probably more) people walking through the station with no pants on. And walking down the ENTIRE platform of the N/R to get to the first car was quite an adventure!
There were only 3 or four of us that made it all the way down to the first car when the train came, and we got right on. I sat down and resumed reading my book, but I saw a father with two children get on the train and I felt bad for taking up a seat so I offered him the seat and the empty one next to me, which he very happily accepted - and THEN when I stood up he realized I had no pants on. But he didn’t really seem to mind and neither did his kids. I held on to a center pole and tried to keep reading my book. I could hear people reacting to us pantsless folk, but I didn’t catch much of what they were saying. At one point I asked a few people if the train stopped at 14th street, because I wasn’t sure, but they weren’t sure either and wished me luck.
At 14th street, we disembarked and headed up to Union Square. I tried to avoid the mass of pantsless people at Union Square and instead stuck to the edges of the group, randomly asking people who came by if they knew why all these people were gathering with no pants on. Some at first didn’t notice I wasn’t wearing pants either. Whenever I was asked why I wasn’t wearing pants, I stuck to the story I had planned on telling from the beginning - that I didn’t have any clean pants, and I didn’t have any quarters for the laundry machines so I was on my way to my parents house. When people asked me why I wasn’t wearing the dirty pants, I just emphasized that they were REALLY dirty, and that’s kind of gross. I went so far as to say at one point that I had just run into these other pantsless people on the subway and I wanted to see why they weren’t wearing pants, but nobody would tell me, and now I was late getting to my parents house, and I was going to be late for work, the story kind of snowballed and the greatest part was, everybody that I told it to actually seemed to believe me. And if they didn’t believe me they did a great job of making me feel like they did, which was just as good for me.
After a while some of us headed (still pantsless) down to Beauty Bar, which was closed (and had a note that started “dear pantsless” taped to the window), then down to Crocodile Lounge, where cheers erupted every time more pantsless folk wandered in. I talked with some other agents for a little while, then sadly donned my pants and headed home.
This was one of the bravest, craziest, and most amazing things I have ever been a part of. I didn’t realize I had so much self confidence until I started to take my pants off. All in all an AWESOME day that I will be talking about for a VERY long time!
At one point when leaving the train station was finally asked why i wasnt wearing any pants. To which I replied “wait what do you mean?*checks* Holy crap! i cant believe i forgot them. Shirt ok.., boxers fine… but no pants!” The person who i said this to ended up laughing pretty hard at this point. It might have been the wrong answer but at least she liked it :).
So I was on the R train group 2 (woooo!!!) and it was pretty much awesome.
We were one of the smaller groups with something around 15 or 20ish. I was in a group with my friends of 6 people, but we had stragglers who were alone.
So we get onto the train, and the first brave guy takes off his pants, and leaves. Then the next brave girl. Then a group of 5, and then us. I was (shockingly) fine with taking my pants off, it was just that I started smiling a lot and sort of broke cover by almost laughing. Oh well!
I was asked by one guy why I wasn’t wearing pants to which I responding “Oh shit! I knew I forgot something!” and he continued to ask me if that happened often :P
So we had to a transfer at 59th, but our group got a bit separated (although we apparently managed to get on and off at the same place, just without knowing). Me and 2 friends followed a guy from group 2 who was separated with his group of friends. We got on, looked funny, and got some funny looks.
We ended up getting off at Union Square (like everyone else) and we got the best looks from people. Well, there WERE hundred of people leaving one subway station in a constant flow without pants on. I’d give them a funny look too…
Afterwards, the twos from R went and got some food, or tried to. We went into a bar and we were kicked out because we didn’t have pants (resevoir, we don’t like them, at least it was temperary warmth). Oh well. We kept getting great looks as we got further from Union square.
One guy was drinking something in a shop and was facing us through a window, he took up his drink, saw us, and stopped, cup midair, staring. He had absolutely no idea what to do. It was pretty great.
Overall, awesome time, doing it next year. GO R TWOS!
I was amazed by the huge crowd @ Foley Square, what an incredible sight! It was so cool to be part of such a big event, & got me even more pumped up than I was. I was terrified but excited as hell. I was on the R train, group 1. R train, group 1, great job guys!!!! We had a really small group, & the trains weren’t very crowded, so there wasn’t a whole lot of reaction. I was pretending to read the paper while scanning the car & trying to listen. There were 3 foreign guys who were laughing & talking about it, but of course I couldn’t understand their language. There were a few other stares & laughs.
I actually missed taking my pants off because I thought there were a few more people in our group! Since everyone else was getting off @ the next stop, I got off the train w/ my pants on. I hung out awhile, casually waiting for the train, then dropped my pants right there on the platform, giving everyone on that platform & the one across the tracks the unexpected show! I was proud of my improv skills right there.
My favorite moments:
-When we were waiting for the next uptown train after first depantsing, a car for a different line stopped in the station. Being near the car door, I could hear a loud ‘WHAT????’ as people saw us standing out on the platform! Makes me laugh again thinking about it. People were gawking out the windows till the train left.
-Inside Union Station, coming up from the train, seeing dozens & dozens of pantsless people streaming in from every which way, since we were coming from 3 different lines, & finally getting full on reactions of people. ‘There’s another one w/out her pants’, ‘There’s another’. It was incredibly awesome to see panstless people everywhere, more & more as the seconds passed.
-Union Square. Awesome. Hundreds & hundreds of pantsless people, dozens of bystanders who didn’t know what the heck they had stumbled into! They were all laughing, calling friends on their phones, taking pics on the phones. lololol We were all milling around, finding members of our original group, taking pics. I even got pics of this great guy who had taken off his pants & said ‘I took off my pants, now will you please tell me what’s going on?’ He was great, & some of us had to get our picture taken w/ him.
It felt so natural to not have pants on, I really didn’t want to put them back on. I didn’t relish the thought of being a single woman braving the Port Authority & the bus to Clinton in my underwear! It really did feel uncomfortable wearing them again.
I’m so glad I went for it, & will be back for every future year. I had a blast, & think Charlie & the rest of the crew did a great job of splitting us up on 3 lines. Stroke of genius boys. Thanks for all your work, I was impressed by your plan to adjust for the humongous growth in attendance.
It was really cool to know that No Pants Days were taking place in so many other cities around the world today. That’s mind blowing to me.
What can I say? My first No Pants Subway Ride was an absolute thrill. Prior to disembarking, I was able to share my rationale for participating in the event (”I want to make people lives that much more interesting”) with a reporter from the Daily News (who alas, did not join us in our pants-shedding fun). I then boarded the 6th car on the 6 train — Our fearless leader Chris (he of knee-length sock fame) got us started off on the right foot, stepping up to the plate after our original ‘firster’ disappeared somewhere on the platform (I saw him in Union Square afterwards, sans pants, so it was nice to know he made it through okay). I was second to go, and still not a word from the normal, pants-wearing people in our original car that they even noticed. Oh well. Stepped onto the platform at Spring St. and waited for the next train. On the platform I informed a gentleman with a videocamera that I had in fact forgot my pants that morning. This was actually a lie, as I would later admit to not forgetting them, but actually getting to the dry cleaners too late last night to pick them up. Chris has made a great impression in our car boarding at the previous stop with a small cadre of teenagers, and they were already making loud comments ranging from snark to disbelief as myself and people at subsequent stops boarded their car without pants. By Union Square we had a good 20-25 people in our car sans pants, and the teenagers were just going on and on with their reactions and asking each other what was happening and whether or not to get off and wait for another train. I took a seat and read my newspaper undisturbed until 96th Street, overhearing many curious comments passed back and forth between various bewildered transit riders. Exiting en masse from every car of the train, we were confronted with numerous shouts asking what was going on from various onlookers, I went to the newsstand and bought a Coke — I can only imagine with the two Chinese-speaking gentlemen working there must have thought of the vision of hundreds of pants-less people walking in front of their shop. Boarding a downtown train, to the continuing disbelieving looks and comments from assorted passers-by, pants-deficient riders by now outnumber normal riders in the car. The ride passed rather uneventfully until we all exited at Union Square where one lady loudly expressed her high-and-mighty opinion that “…it would be alright if you guys were doing this for a reason, but no one seems to be able to tell me why this is going on!” Once I exited the station, I milled about looking for a former co-worker I had run into on the platform before separating into our individual cars, but alas, could not find her. (I didn’t know anyone who was coming to the event, but I was sure I would run into someone I knew. This always happens to me.) In the meantime though I felt privileged to witness several conversions to the anti-pants side, including many of the usual Union Square punk crowd, and a Dennis Kucinich supporter. Also the pants-free twister was a treat to watch. After a while though, it did begin to get a little too cold, even in my boots, so I resumed my normal pants-wearing and headed to the F train to go home.
Awesomeee experience
6 TRAIN GROUP 4 Yeahh!!
When asked why i didnt have my pants on, i proceeded a very serious speech. It was about the Breaking Newss, shown on Time Magazine, that extra O2 to the you-know-where, will enhance growth size. Much like plants, without sufficient oxygen, they will shrivel, and possibly die. So to maintain a healthy you-know-what, we must take our pants off, for it to gain a good amount of oxygen.
Just imagine what his respones was..
Red Line (2/3), Car 8!
I’m the guy with the really long goatee from Charlotte.
This was the most fun thing I’ve done all year! I had a blast meeting all of you, and I loved the instant connection we had, simply by being adventurous and non-conformist.
I was the second person in my car to remove my pants, so people were just starting to talk about the first person who got off the train without pants. As soon as the car started moving again, I started undoing my belt, and this thug dude right behind me, was like “whoa! oh no… what are you doin’ man?” I simply looked at him, and said “it’s getting a little stuffy in here”. GREAT FUN!
Through the adventure, at least 5 people stopped me and asked “what is all this about”?
I replied: “what is WHAT about”
They would say something like: “why are all these people wearing underwear”?
I’d reply: “Oh, so you mean YOU don’t wear underwear?”
They’d say: “Well, of course I do”!
Then I’d say: “Awesome! Me too!”
I’d try to give them a high-five…then walk away.
So much fun! =)
Walking around The Virgin Megastore was fun after prancing around Union Square, but the best part was finishing out the evening with all the other pantless at Crocodile Lounge. (There was only one bartender… that poor guy!)
It was hilarious chanting “NO PANTS” to everyone who walked in the door, and watching some of them get embarrassed and walk out (we’d call them back inside), or cheering whenever someone new walked in without any pants on.
A group of ladies celebrating a bachelorette party came in and decided to hang out with us. It’s fitting that all of us guys didn’t have any pants on, though they didn’t know before coming inside. =)
Anyway, I had a fantastic time. It was certainly worth the flight up from Charlotte, NC, and I plan to to it again in 2009!
Again, I loved meeting so many of you! Feel free to contact me on my Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/metachimp
Red Line, Car 8 represent! =)
This was a blast! I was one of the photographers. I wore pants.
I loved seeing some of the particiPANTS (sorry) be approached and questioned by various passersby: some were clearly upset that they did not get the “right” answer to their question and walked away in a huff. Others laughed and seemed to actually have a sense of humor.
I will tell the rest of my story in pictures.
Flickr is currently down (ARGH!) but I should have pics up by Sunday morning, I hope. Click on my name above for flickr page.
This was my first mission and I had a blast! R line car 6! Had a blast with all of you guys, feel free to send me an email! Aside from the usual fun associated with taking your pants off in public I really enjoyed getting off at Union Square to find lobbyists handing out pro-pants propaganda (not to mention the guy canvassing for Kucinich who dropped his pants several times for the cameras!)
Will definitely be back for more, keep it up Charlie!
Sorry… I posted the wrong Facebook URL 2 or 3 post above.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=22220264
thanks!
–Aaron
I rode the R train in the last car (group 0). Once my pants came off another participant complimented my socks. The comments and confusion of the train passengers were hilarious. A pantsless rider said to me on the way back that we seemed to outnumber the “normal†people. At Union square I heard a little girl screaming out “that’s disgusting†to everyone around her. The most awkward part of my day was putting my pants back on at Union Square.
I have to say, that was by far the most amazing experience I’ve ever had on the train. I went with a friend of mine, we were car 5 on the 6 train, woo!! My favorite reaction of all was a woman who during the “de-pantsing” bit starting going “Oh my God. OH MY GOD. No he isn’t. No they aren’t. Oh My God.” and covering her eyes. And my second favorite moment would have to be when we all got off at Union Sq and people around us we’re going “What is this, the twilight zone? national no pants day? Is there something I should know?”
I also had a couple of women come up to me and tell me that they wanted a specific picture with me because I’m “curvy” and they wanted to post a picture of a “real woman” on their myspace page to advocate their group, “Curvy Divas.” My friend (who didn’t depants, sadly) was appalled, but even she had to admit it was tons of fun. I can’t wait till next year!
By the way, I was on the R train, group 6.
we also lost our lead off old guy on the 6th car i think heather went off to find him but we don’t know where he wnt.
R train 0 group…
Has so many looks and so many people crack up, at on point a lady was like ” DONT BE GETT’IN NAKED IN MY CAR… MM MMMMMM…”
I was asked what happen to my pants
i replayed
“they got stolen in a club last night - on my way home now…”
Has fun great time
my photos are going to my flickr
randycphoto
-randy
Wow… so my first mission. And I LOVED it. I was the girl with pink hair, lots of raver kandi, and the frilly lace panties. Our car was SO packed… that when people depantsed - not many people noticed. Not really much of a reaction from anybody that I heard. Everything went smoothly though except for a few people who were just plainly and not so quietly asking us what to do next. And it seemed everyones cameras came out when we got out at our platform. Which took away from the stunt. But other than that - great time! Afterwards some of us went to Virgin, then Staples (where my friend is an employee), and Barnes & Noble. After that, I kept my pants off and just went with my friend (who put his back on) to Verizon and Starbucks. Verizon had no idea what to do about me - they were giggling and employees taking pictures. But they were okay. Then we head to Canal st. Most people were like OMG LOLOLOLOL but some were just rude assholes. Then to Times Sq. Hahahah I got kicked out of Toys R Us. Common - your children see more skin at the beach. The Naked Cowboy is far more offensive than I was. Oh well. After that incident, I was disheartened and repantsed. Just got home at midnight (I live in central NJ), and Im ready to pass out. Cant wait till next year!
6 train car 6
Today was really awesome, my first noPants ride and i cant believe it was this fun. It was really funny when we got on the train at Union Sq a bunch of people were laughing. it was funny when, Chris Scott, i believe was doing lunges on the train, and the trip back was even better, while on the train i was listening to my ipod and i actually forgot that i didnt have any pants then when we got back to Union Sq, i was like “where are my pants…oh” then when we got out we took a jog around the park, and convinced other people to take off there pants. i was planning to go back home pantsless but i started to get cold.
I really liked it and i hope i can do it again next year
“TAKE THEM OFF, TAKE THEM OFF!!!”
agent pixi was teh awesomeness… :)
ZOMG lolololol myspace me or facebook me…
myspace.com/shelichan
http://raritanval.facebook.com/profile.php?id=215301636
N R car 4. I was the chick handing out numbers on pieces of paper at Foley Square to all of NR people. My second No Pants (I went to 2007, too) and it was great! I had fewer people ask me questions this year than last, kind of a quiet ride, but some highlights:
Got on the train and and was sitting next to a guy with a bike who depantsed at the stop before me. Between us was sitting a boy, maybe five years old. For some reason, I felt really weird about depantsing in front of him, but then I realized his mom was standing next to me and was taking off her pants. Sooo…
Got accosted by some guy on the platform at 42nd street who wanted to know why I had no pants. Gave him the usual, “It was so hot on the train, I was totally uncomfortable.” He was having none of it. Following me toward the stairs, he said “I know that’s not true! People don’t take off their pants because they’re hot! It’s winter! Is this some kind of easy-access thing?” I said, “Nope, not today” and left. Bizarre. He was so annoyed! But with an attitude like that, I can see why he’s not accustomed to seeing pantsless women.
Chick on the train heading back to 14th street, demanding to know what was going on: “Is this some kind of flash mob? Are you in a flash mob? Why didn’t I hear about this? How did you find out about this?” Naturally, everyone just looked at her like she was nuts, and denied any affiliation with flash mobs or the other pantsless people in the train.
LOVED the Union Square scene after the ride. I was dying for a street musician to pop up to lead us in a dance party a la 2007, but peer pressuring people into taking off their pants was even better. The highlight for me was seeing a man pushing a baby carriage next to his pregnant wife get stuck in the fray. The people started chanting “Take off your pants!” and then his wife joined in and started pointing his fly! Awesome! He had this “I guess I gotta listen to her” look on his face and did a nice depantsing as a hundred cameras caught him in the act. You’re so going to be on Flickr dude. Your unborn child will be proud!
Kucinich guy. Classic.
Crocodile Lounge. Perfect. Hope everyone tipped that bartender well!
Saddest moment: putting my pants back on. I don’t remember it being so bittersweet last time. But I know that every time I wear these underwear I’ll get a warm feeling inside.
Looking forward to more missions! Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who organized this! You made a ton of people very happy and happily confused, and a few miserable pants-wearing subway-riding curmudgeons annoyed, which they deserve anyway! : )
r train cart 0
that was one crazy…iono wat u wana call it but ill never look the same way while riding that R train again, mind u i ride it everyday…in the same cart. i was the long hair guy with weed boxers btw i bought those specifically for the event
its was great at some point it was akward for the people who where wearing pants because we out numbered them
ya it was my first improve and i cant wait 4 the next one
ALICIA IS AWSOME !!!!!
Was my first time ‘participating’! Last year, I went along for the ride to check things out, looked like fun. Doing so was quite liberating! Was hoping to be on the 6 train where I used to work, but opted for the R(car 4) to experience another line’s response to this type of thing. A little disappointing, as I didn’t notice many stares, but I didn’t want to look around too much and possibly spoil the event. Spoke to several conductors at 59/Lex, one asked why everyone was naked or in their shorts, I just replied, what do you mean? The train was leaving so the conversation ended.
Had a wonderful time, looking forward to next year’s ride and other events with improv everywhere! Next ride I may even lose the union suit and opt for a pair of shorts, like everyone else did.
Lost track of other participants in the fourth car, several grabbed an N train, hope they knew where they were headed. Some departed at 5 Ave, thinking it was 59 St. Perhaps others backed out at the last moment.
Was quite a revealing experience!
mahnamahna@earthlink.net
Transfer Group - Car 6!
Rock on with our 900 bad, pantsless selves.
From slightly worrying to the good bits: My one awkward moment - exiting the train at my assigned stop of 28th Street and glancing left and right to see the other pantsless riders who would of course be on the platform with me in their respective cars.
But they weren’t there.
I inhaled, closed my coat flaps a bit, and wondered if there was any chance that I had somehow screwed up the VERY straightforward directions we had received. “They all jumped the gun and got off at 14th street” I chanted to myself. The next train arrived. Because the trains have waist-high windows and I couldn’t tell whether all the slightly blurry people I was watching pass had pants on or not. The doors opened.
I have never been more relieved to see a bunch of partially-dressed people in my life.
The fun began. The only pants-wearing woman attached to the central pole by the doors scooted over and her face unquestionably read “Oh boy. Here’s another one.” But she was very nice and I will commend everyone in my car for remaining completely in character.
Meanwhile, the AP cameraman filming us apparently saw a friend waiting for a different train at 34th Street. The man ran up to shake his hand, and must have worked for the same company because he said: “Oh, you’re filming THIS today? Why don’t you have your pants off?” His reply was that their boss told him not to. I think we should’ve had the other guy. He would’ve been more in the spirit. Like the IE Agent who joined us part way through the return trip and was asked by the couple loudly discussing all of us if he was there to film. “Film who?” he asked in completely believeable deadpan. “All these people with no pants!” they replied. “What?! Oh - Look at that!” So he did.
The return walking through the band’s pan-pipe laden performance circle was the closest I came to busting outright. The hoola-hoopers and unknowing pants-droppers at Union Square were classic. There were cameras everywhere, so I hope IE got fantaasic press for this.
The Mission was a blast. My first, and it’s this one. My brother did MP3 Experiment Four (shout out to Agent Flooey) and I’ve been itching to jump in ever since.
Thanks to agents Alicia, Tina, Brady, and all the funny folks who made a first time agent feel at home.
2/3 train, car 9… This was my second No Pants! mission, and I had an absolute BLAST. The best quote I heard while we were in the system was probably, “OK, let the people with pants on please go down the steps!” when we were transferring at Times Square. I also got several comments in Union Square about my stocking and garter belt (many from you fellow no-pants riders, as well). Some people asked me what they’d missed, including one elderly woman who thought it was a performance, “I just forgot my pants.” “There wasn’t a performance?” “No… There really wasn’t. I’m sorry.” I also heard a few comments from people on the street walking down University after my group left Union Square, like, “Oh, they were doing Rocky Horror tonight.”
I have to say, my absolute favorite part of the mission was after reconvening at Union Square, when we chanted “Take off your pants!” to a man with his child and pregnant wife (who was also cheering), and he actually dropped his pants for a few seconds.
(Note to the rest of my car 9’s: sorry I didn’t join you for dinner at Stand! The friends I’d come with decided to go elsewhere… then we got kicked out of the bar we went to afterward because of our dress. Lame!)
I was pretty impressed with the pre-game. I’m not sure what next year will look like. maybe there will be t-shirt stands, lemonade stands, and other stands, maybe some tail-gating (or tail-bating).
I got on car 0 on the red line with my bike. as the first person took their pants off, she did so in front of a small child. the child didn’t seem bothered, but his father was definitely encouraging his child to go back to sleep.
I actually got off the train early, as i had a 5pm meeting. as i got off, I didn’t know what to do. i couldn’t quite put my pants back on - yet - but I also could not show up to my meeting pantsless (or could i???) - after standing on the 34th street platform for a few minutes, i had a tourist approach me and ask, “Where do i catch the express train?” I actually had a normal conversation with her. I guess she either did not notice, or she just wanted to catch her express train. I began thinking, “Is there a joke being played on ME ???”
Flickr set from Agent RandyC:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16948519@N07/sets/72157603699362350/
Another glorious day of leg-hair revealing mayhem, but sans the 125th street anger from last year. The transfer at Times Square was like a catwalk parade of poker-faced brilliance.
Flickr set here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgoralnick/sets/72157603702637589/
(will put more in there tomorrow)
I was on the red line, car #9, led by the lovely and tall Peter. This was my first mission with IE and will certainly not be my last! I had an amazing time!!
Dancing through the Times Square station to transfer was awesome! The facial expressions on the people walking by were absolutely priceless and the same goes for Union Square! It was so great to see such a huge amount of people participating in such a fun event!
keep it real ya’ll!
My first IE event! My friend A & I had fun. Subtle fun becuase the joke’s on the public! I loved seeing the faces of people who were confused as to whether it was the second Halloween or what. Rock on subway car 3 on the R!!!!! I had the most fun when we joined the union sq. crowd. Great event- see y’all next time for sure!
Hey, I was the agent on skates with the red/white Vicious t-shirt and scooby doo undies on the 2/3 line in car 0 (last car). First time participating in an IE event, doing it as much as I can from now on.
Here are my highlights and memories:
- The chaos of organization, and our IE train car organizer stating “..and then comes houston street…” with the wrong pronunciation to which we all replied “where are you from?” almost in unison :-)
- Trying to avoid the cops seeing me so that I didn’t get the standard $150 ticket for skating on the subway, maneuvering from my new found no-pants friends helped me achieve this!
- Seeing the diversity of the crowd, age/race/sex/walking/biking/blading/etc. This is why I love NYC!
- Forgetting who was in the group or not before we took our pants off, once we got on the train I thought “oh wait there are normal people here now…”
- Forgetting to bring a bag and attempting to keep track of the location of kind stranger who offered to hold my pants so that I could retrieve them later (thanks steve!)
- I didn’t bring anything to read or look down with, so I just tried to keep my deer-in-the-headlights look constant throughout the ride
- A guy boarded the train then notice me strap hanging with no pants and blading. He turned to the guy next to him and commented something like “It must be no pants on skates day!” then he looked around the rest of the subway and noticed the other 20 or so agents…that is when the truly confused look set in :-)
- Some kid who got on with his dad and was laughing so hard that he just pulled his beanie down to cover his eyes and put his hands over his face.
-The woman who was trying to explain to her 7 y/o that “Men wearing larger underpants and women wear smaller underpants”. Yah, we’ve scarred a couple kids for life by doing this, they’re going to grow up to be nudists for sure.
- The agent in the light brown business suit who even pranked me as we were boarding the subway, he acted like he didn’t know what we were doing but he later boarded my train car and depants in sync.
- The weather, it was just warm enough that we could all continue hanging out above ground .
- Seeing a former female coworker, we worked at a stuffy old finance company, I immediately gave her a hug and made me hope that I’d see more people I knew.
- The peer pressure circle at the front of union sq was awesome! I even got some skate boards to depants and then we all did some tricks off the stairs. It was like any other day an Union sq!
Suggestions for next time:
*Pick a couple bars where we can all meetup after and communicate that to everyone (maybe split according to what line an agent was riding?)
*Peer pressure the hell out of the media to participate, there were photogs shooting us full clothed…not cool!
*I like the extended adventure idea after the the peer pressure circle, but the circle was awesome and must stay!
*Tell people on the 2/3 to N/R/W transfer scatter and mill about for a couple minutes instead of immediately walk to the train in single file, the additional confusion of times sq subway suddenly filled with the pantsless would be grand.
Overall FUCKING AWESOME, I’ll be there next year.
Later,
Agent Scooby on Rollerblades
R line, car 0
I spent my time on the subway composing music, or at least trying to. I had a good phrase in my head that I was about to write down when suddenly some guy comes in and starts playing a guitar and singing some classic rock songs. I sat there unhappily as the phrase slipped away from me and was replaced by this guy’s horrible singing. When the guy got off I had to express my frustration by sparking conversation with the nearest person, both of us not wearing pants. I said, “Geeze what a weirdo! So random! Who would just start singing with a guitar in the middle of a subway ride? Only in New York, right?” She replied, “Yeah I know, right? Some people are so strange.”
This was my first mission with IE and I was very happy that I decided to be a part of it! I came all the way from NJ just for that. I absolutely loved the whole “I <3 Pants” movement going on afterward, by the way. See you all next year!
I’m telling ya…scarred for life, poor girl :-)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/gallery/011208_nopants?pg=5
Well the Daily News covered it already. I saw them interviewing some people.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/01/13/2008-01-13_riders_take_a_no_pants_subway_ride.html
red line, car 7.
First I’d like to take my hat off to the dude who went