By Kelly Kasulis, News Staff
“Boxers or briefs” and “bikinis or boyshorts” were the pressing questions for many on Sunday afternoon at the 13th annual “No Pants Subway Ride.”
Prompted by the New York-based comedy organization Improv Everywhere, hundreds of Bostonians gathered at Pemberton Square near the Government Center stop on the green line to be assigned a travel buddy and specific set of instructions. From there, participants followed their assigned route, scheduled to show their bare legs around 1:15 p.m.
According to the Improv Everywhere website, 26 countries have participated in the “international celebration of silliness” since it was founded in 2002. The website says that the event started as a minor prank among seven friends and took off from there.
“I’ve been a fan of Improv Everywhere for years and I finally got the opportunity to join them,” said Anton Monteleone, a freshman engineering major who practices improv in his spare time. “This is my first Boston improv thing.”
Monteleone proudly sported boxers that were evergreen in color, patterned with red, yellow and blue Christmas trees.
“I’ve had [these boxers] lying around for a while and I haven’t properly gotten the chance to show them off,” he said. “I did wear them to the underwear run, which is cool, but now they’ve got a bigger audience.”
Heather Banks, a 35-year-old dental hygienist who wore cat ear muffs to the event, said she juiced up on cocktails and decided to liberate herself when she heard about the impending event that morning.
“It’s just something to do – I was bored and wanted something to do,” she said. “We’re lucky that we live in the beautiful United States, where we can actually do this and not get in trouble for it.”
For others, unzipping their flies was symbolic of deeper beliefs.
Drew C., a marketing assistant from Watertown dressed in a ruffled, blue velvet suit jacket warm enough “to minimize shrinkage,” said that the event was all about self-acceptance. He declined to give his last name.
“It’s definitely an ego boost,” he said. “To show everyone that yes, we’re still pale and ugly down there and to really own it.”
According to Irina Keefe, a 22-year-old college graduate looking for a job, pantlessness on the T is a feat for all women.
“Not only are we excited about man thigh and the exposure of man thigh, but we’re excited for the safety of females to come on and feel like they can actually take public transportation without pants and still feel safe,” she said. “Although Boston is a small city, we still appreciate that we can come on and feel guarded and that everyone is here for the common experience – for something that’s fun, but very safe at the same time.”
In terms of reception, several people chuckled or offered a puzzled smile as people donned in full winter coats and underwear rode the subway.
“It brightened my day,” said Steve Kohrs, a 38-year-old from Omaha, Neb. who said he was too modest to go pantless. “I caught on and remembered it was happening today, and I guess I was happy to see what it was all about.”
