Video: Improv Everywhere stages “No Pants Day” on NYC subways

A flood of New Yorkers rode the subways sans pants yesterday for New York City’s ninth-annual No-Pants Day on MTA trains.

Improv Everywhere (slogan: “we cause scenes”), known for their culture jamming stunts such as descending en masse dressed in blue shirts and khakis upon Best Buy or staging impromptu musicals in grocery stores, were responsible for the city-wide prank occurring annually on an icy Sunday in January. Crowds convened at stations across the boroughs, with some brave souls coming in on the LIRR to join the fun. The shenanigans commenced at Union Square station, and participants were greeted by a “protester”:

The pant-less pranksters ended up in Union Square, where self-proclaimed pants fanatic Melina Davis, 21, of Harlem welcomed them with posters that read “God Wears Pants!”

“I love pants and I love God,” she shouted at the semi-naked crowds.

Davis, who was actually in on the joke and just mocking fanatics, continued: “This is not a good look. People look at your cellulite. Put some pants on!”

But the No-Pants ride isn’t always no-hassle according to Improv Everywhere’s website- participants have had to contend with less than amused NYPD officers despite not breaking laws and the stunt disrupted MTA service in 2005:

The fifth annual No Pants ride was abruptly halted by a cop. All passengers, including those not participating, were forced to exit the train as it was taken out of service. 8 people were handcuffed in their underwear and taken into custody. A month later a judge dismissed all of the charges. It is not illegal to wear your underwear in public in New York City.

This year’s ride seems to have gone off without a hitch and while video hasn’t been posted yet, you can get an idea of how it went down in the footage below of last year’s No-Pants Day on the subway: