No Pants Bart Ride 2011

No Pants Bart Ride, via Improv Everywhere

This Saturday, January 9, 2011 marks the 10th annual No Pants Subway Ride in New York. If you remember, our very own Spendthrift Scribe posted the event last year. Well, now San Franciscans can join in the fun, and based on how many inexpicably pantsless people I’ve seen in SF, I think it’s about time. Finally, a legitimate reason to take your pants off in public. All thanks to Improv Everywhere, an improv group that “causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places.” They began the tradition back in 2002 in New York, where the current bedbug mania should make it all the more enjoyable. In addition to the ones my pal Jory linked over on Flavorpill, check out this video from last year (and here are even more videos from years past including shout-outs on Letterman!):

[youtube UxI46nl9pkc]

According to Improve Everywhere, these are the requirements:

1) Willing to take pants off on subway
2) Able to keep a straight face about it
3) At least $5 for the BART/MUNI rides and some extra for bar/etc. (or a fast pass)
4) Please no nudity (or keep it to a minimal, don’t want to tempt the police)

I know it’s hard to keep a straight face in San Francisco (wah wah), but if the Buckingham Palace guards can manage not to laugh for like a million years, you can hold it together for an hour. Now, I don’t know whose idea it was to upholster the seats on Bart. All public transportation seating should be made out of power-washable surfaces. Not absorbent fabric! I know I’m a hypochondriac and a germaphobe and OCD, so my standards are neurotically high, but the idea of having even less barriers than normal between me and this sponge of humanity is, in a word, disgusting. But don’t let me discourage you!

As of this moment, according to the Facebook invitation, 508 people will be dropping trou in the name of anonymouscommunal nakedness. Taking part in the event sounds brave. I mean fun. Well, really I mean gross. But “fun” will do. And even though I’m tagging this as a “Do It Yourself” activity, it might be even more fun to let someone else de-pants you. For more info about meeting times and places, check Facebook. If things as highly premeditated and planned as this one qualify as improv, then I just improvised the shit out of this post. Aaaaand scene.