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Posing for the MTA's Subway Yearbook

Those pranksters at Improv Everywhere took their shenanigans underground and set up a photo studio in a subway car yesterday. They told everyone they had to take their portraits for the annual subway yearbook. Oh New York, so gullible sometimes.

Well fellow straphangers, don't expect to see your mug in the MTA-produced 2009/2010 yearbook, since it doesn't exist (as they say, "Making a complete yearbook is a pretty absurd idea if you really think about it—over 4.3 million people ride the subway each day in New York."). It's nice to hear that even on a crowded 6 train locals were willing to have some fun though; they report back they had "no trouble finding lots of fun people willing to get on board with two lame looking dudes in cheap blue dress shirts."

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Comments [rss]

  • GOP

    First chick is hot.

  • This is terrific! No one was harmed and it was done on off peak hours. Well done!

  • laisla

    I agree. It probably made people smile. All in good fun.

  • ProcedureTurn

    I rather not be disturbed with nonsense like this during my commute. Its bad enough I have to worka drive-thru window. I dont need grown nerds pokingfun at me!!!! Please mr. bloomberg, have this organization investigated, ASAP!!!! They are disrupting our commute.

  • AJ

    Fun. Fun. Fun. I love it!

    How many times have you gotten on the "sad train"? You look around, and everyone appears ugly and depressed. It's like you're on the train to despair.

    I think the Subway Yearbook fantastic. Everyone is having a good time. It costs nothing. It's a surprise and wonderful.

  • just saying

    And they take better photos than the Dept. of Motor Vehicles.

  • AJ

    BTW - who cares if there's no real yearbook. The fun is in participating - not having a bad photo of yourself in a book no one would ever look at.

  • HOTCUP

    claiming that they have authority from the MTA, isn't that sort of a "color of law" type of crime?

    in any case, i find it kind of sad... deceiving new yorkers into believing that they're taking a part in something cool when they're really just being duped and slapped on youtube for everybody to laugh at?

    don't let the cute music mask it - that's pretty malicious.

  • jaycjay

    I suppose it's possible that a few people were "deceived" but I can't believe that many actually believed they were posing for an MTA subway yearbook. It seems pretty obvious from the video that it was a gag or spook of some kind.

    And if any did really fall for it, no harm came to them. They all seemed to be having fun.

    People shouldn't be so concerned about protecting gullible, foolish people anyway. They have to learn some time and at least this lesson cost them nothing. There are many worse ways for the gullible to be taken in on the subway.

  • chubbyemu

    While I don't appreciate the negativity and typical dick-headedness of some of the responses to this, I don't really find this video to be particularly funny and also a bit unfair to the people in it. ImprovEverywhere is great and is indeed one of those unique things that makes New York fun and special, or at least try to be. There should be a subway yearbook, or a stab at getting as many pictures as possible. Maybe not by the MTA, as they have other shit they need to do, but someone should try. I'm sure that idea would get shit on by you all as well though. It seems that the days of bold thinking and fun New York are gone.

  • Polite New Yorker

    This is the kind of creativity that makes New York special. And it's a nice change of pace from the panhandlers, preachers and masturbating homeless. Please consider the A train next, Improve Everywhere; you will find human abominations for your collection not normally seen on the 6 line.

  • jaycjay

    "People have fun doing stuff I don't think is fun. Therefore, I hate them and wish violence upon them."

    Personally I would have much rather run into them on the subway than the usual crowd of grifters and untalented though too loud buskers.

  • Mr. Shankly

    +1

    /obligatory 'I'd hit that'

  • ProcedureTurn

    why... because they are white and have money?

  • jaycjay

    Maybe. If that's what's behind them presenting something I don't see over and over every time I ride the subway, and also being quieter and so easier to ignore if I chose too.

  • ewooding

    While this video isn't really funny, you guys are Debbie Downers.

  • longacre

    So funny I forgot to laugh. Would have been a lot more amusing if the cops had broken it up with Tasers...Taser videos are always funny. Subway photography with tripods and lighting equipment is very much illegal.

  • matty

    Now THAT would have been funny.

  • ProcedureTurn

    How deceitful. I hope the plice lock these scam artists up. Its bad enough our subways are so crowded in the early morning rush. We DONT NEED MORONS likethis making it worse. Thery must be from out of town. silly hipsters. go get as real J-O-B!!! Like me!!!

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