Mind the gap on ‘No Pants Day’

Four years of a phenomenon since it first came to London’s Tube and by now surely most commuters are clued up as to what the trouser-less were up to on the Piccadilly line yesterday. The annual “No Trousers Tube Ride” (originally the No Pants Subway Ride, commonly confused with ‘No Pants day’ which happens in late May) took place worldwide as the brainchild of a New York prank collective, Improv Everywhere whose website boasts that in 60 cities from over 25 countries participants attempt to cause “scenes of chaos and joy in public places.” London has a long way to go yet reaching the numbers seen in New York where it originated but so do other notable cities such as Paris, Beijing and Amsterdam.

Strictly nothing political or charitable is associated with the event which seems a change from the cause-centric collective activities of student protests, riots and ‘slut-walking’. It simply provides an opportunity for light-hearted mischief that possibly confuses if not bewilders some of its spectators.  “A celebration of silliness” is how Improv Everywhere’s founder describes the act of boarding on underground carriages with the only unusual feature of being one’s lack of trousers. The London leg of the event only required two things from its participants:

1.       Willing to take trousers off on the Tube.

2.       Able to keep a straight face about it.

What would cause any sane individual to do this in the middle of winter just as the first snowfall of the year begins? Actually, not a lot time is spent exposed to the elements; this is specifically required to happen on the subway. It is nonetheless prone to disconcerting looks and reactions from the onlookers. Yes, let us mind the gap between spectator and participant. In Brisbane, even police officers joined in the fun, telling unaware passengers that they are in a ‘no-pants’ carriage. There is something fascinating about why this solely happens on the tube where everyone participates in the daily flash mob of silent reflection.

A quirky prank that can be easily imagined as a genuine mistakes on the part the clumsy Miranda Hart somewhat reflects society’s fanaticism for flash mob culture. In her series, Miranda finds it difficult to leave her inner child behind and is often caught without her trousers on. But surely organised fun is not necessary to rediscover our inner child?  It is, however, crucial to inspiring the bystanders who were simply not interested in the first place. Whereas the trouser-less might call it liberating, some observers might view it as mild exhibitionism.

For one, it has created discussion by making its way onto mainstream media, when individuals are now increasingly becoming isolated from conversational interaction with the increase of tasks now easily carried out online; shopping, learning, socialising etc. This might reveal why there seems to be such an appetite for collaborative activities made easier by social media and networking. So far it has caused no chaos but to ensure it continues to cause joy, abide by the adage that if you “can’t beat them, join them.”

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• Karen

  Pants is shortened from the word pantaloons which is the same thing as trousers – but I assume that the title of the article was to try and get more people to click on it as some would want to know why people are walking around with undergarments.

• http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=527166453 Paul Swan

  Get laid.

• Sable_Basilisk

  And there as I just thinking that he was a thoughtless, inconsiderate prick.

• Guest

  The need to belong has always worried me.

• disqus_slIsTYCxjB

  dont post automatic play imbedded videos… its annoying… thank you

• icarus_69

  Thank you. I do.

• icarus_69

  Gorillas and chimpanzees do it too.

• mradclyffe

  And they do it when they’re wearing trousers too, and it’s still no excuse.

• mradclyffe

  Which just goes to show how closely linked they are to the male of the species… Female gorillas and chimps do NOT do it.

• wordgirl52

  I wasn’t excusing, merely defining. It’s true, some people adopt this position habitually, or when they feel threatened in some way, whether they are fully dressed or not.
  It’s interesting to note that in the photograph in question, the people surrounding him are all women and none of them are sitting in that position. They are even leaning away from him in order to allow him more space.
  I’d be interested to know what *he *thinks about this discussion of his ‘display’ and whether he is pleased to see his profound lack of confidence shown so publicly.

  2013/1/15 Disqus