Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Gallery: Subway Riders Strip Down to Their Skivvies on No Pants Day
By Bethania Palma Markus / Special to LAist
If you happened to ride the Metro rail system in Los Angeles on Sunday, you might have noticed many of your fellow passengers were missing something important—the bottom portion of their wardrobe.
Roughly 300 underwear-clad Angelenos crowded trains Sunday for the fourth annual “No Pants Metro Ride 2012.” The idea was concocted by New York City prankster collective Improv Everywhere 11 years ago and caught on globally.
Thousands from cities around the world including Istanbul, Mexico City and London, took part in the daring but lighthearted underwear flash mob that briefly took over public transportation. An estimated 4,000 New Yorkers stripped down to their skivvies, despite “mild” East Coast winter temperatures of 44°F.
Support for LAist comes from
In L.A., swarms of bare-legged riders boarded Metro lines from North Hollywood, Pasadena, East Los Angeles and Koreatown and converged at Union Station just before 2 p.m., then departed for Hollywood and Highland. The riders were loosely instructed to act like they had mistakenly overlooked putting half their clothes on.
“It was an accident,” a deadpan, boy shorts-wearing Tiffanee Lee said. “I was in a hurry and I just forgot my pants.”
The 22-year-old Los Angeles resident also managed to forget pants for her 21-month-old, Travis, the youngest, and by far cutest, pantless rider.
“Always once a year it happens to me, around this same time too,” Lee said.
David McCoy, 29, of Hollywood, was a bit more candid: “I like doing things that push the boundaries."
Some didn’t even try to keep the theatrics low key. One man, known as “the Monopoly Guy,” wore a monocle, black top hat and tails, replete with red boxers.
The exuberant but peaceful riders were left alone by Metro officials and police, who basically acted like it was just another day at work. While it seemed nye impossible for anyone to miss the giant mob of half-naked people, ride captain Laureli Srery, a.k.a. Peppermint Patty, helped keep everyone together and headed in the right direction. Once en route to Hollywood, the riders broke out into Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” though they didn’t get past the part about the “midnight train going anywhere.”
Support for LAist comes from
At Hollywood and Highland, they took tourists and L.A. natives alike by surprise. Even some of the costumed characters that frequent Hollywood Boulevard did double takes.
“Something new every day,” said Dwayne Robinson, 34, a lifelong L.A. resident. “I’ve seen crazy stuff but nothing like this.”
Tourists got a trial by fire of Los Angeles eccentricity when the group descended on the plaza in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre at about 3:15 p.m. If there was ever a look that plainly said “oh my God,” it was on the face of Karen Shipp, who was visiting L.A. from Winchester, Virginia.
“Just when I thought L.A. and Hollywood were halfway normal,” she said after gamely posing for pictures with boxer brief-wearing young men. “Obviously these folks are just having a good time. I’m just trying to think outside the box.”
Desi Garnett, 50, Aaron Munoz, 13 and Evan Castro, 8, were down from Palmdale celebrating Evan’s birthday. They were floored, but clearly pleased.
Especially Evan.
“Best birthday ever,” he said.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist