Curious denizens have long inhabited the New York City Subway—some bizarre and others beautiful, decked in outrageous displays. Rick McGuire broadcasts those routinely unconventional moments via his Subway Creatures Instagram and TikTok accounts, which have 4.1 million followers, combined.
A Cockroach Coat, Hammocks And Plenty Of Rats
A recent video post under the title, “wtf,” featured a man standing on a subway platform dressed in a transparent coat with compartments containing what appear to be cockroaches. In an interview, McGuire confirmed they were fake.
“I’ve always been a people-watcher since I was a kid,” said McGuire, 41, who lives in Brooklyn. “I would always look at people, wondering what makes them tick, why do they do the things they do, wear the clothes they wear?”
Other recent posts since McGuire began his collection in 2011:
A video of a man in a subway car dressed as a baby telling dad jokes.
A video of a woman brushing blue paint over her body.
A video of a rat climbing up a sleeping man’s leg, up his arm and around his shoulder to the back of his neck—which finally wakes the man.
A photo of a man dressed in a black zentai suit with dozens of bananas duct-taped to it.
A man reading in a hammock slung between a subway car aisle (more common than people realize).
A video of a man walking a subway platform with a TV covering his head.
McGuire doesn’t only traffic in comical or freakish findings. Poignant and heartwarming posts are also part of the mix. A December, 2025 video post captured a tense moment after a man fell onto the tracks at the Chambers Street station in the city’s TriBeCa district. “Bystanders helped the man back onto the platform two minutes before an oncoming train showed up,” read the post.
A Celebration of New Yorkers
Overall, Subway Creatures “celebrates the uniqueness of the people of New York,” said McGuire, who worked as a TV producer before turning his social media accounts into a full-time job in 2018. “We usually highlight people who are intentional about doing something or wearing something. It’s less about pointing and laughing at people; that’s not the goal. I would never exploit the homeless or the mentally ill.”
One of McGuire’s most popular formats is the collection that follows a theme. One relays photos of oddly titled books people are reading on the subway: I’m Glad My Mom Died, Size Matters, Send Nudes, and Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal.
Another series chronicles those standing or sitting next to each other who happen to be wearing nearly identical clothing. “It’s this phenomenon that no one can explain,” McGuire said. “It just keeps happening.”
Beyond the human spectacle, actual creatures found in video posts include snakes, lizards, parrots, turtles, goldfish and at least one fox.
A music series spotlights musicians busking in subway tunnels or on platforms. Some are well-known, including Ed Sheeran, Hozier and James Blunt. “You’ll actually see people give them money, having no idea that they’re the actual big-name performers,” McGuire said. “But we also take unsigned artists down to showcase some of the city’s raw talent.”
Creator Rick McGuire (left) with musician James Blunt.
Courtesy of Subway CreaturesFans Send McGuire Plenty Of Content
Fans send in the majority of McGuire’s daily content; he receives about 50 photos and videos a day. “I don’t pay for the content,” he said. “The exposure is almost currency in itself. They care about getting tagged in the video because they’re proud that they captured the moment.”
Why are there so many odd characters on the New York City Subway? Rick McGuire partly chalks it up to the city’s density.
@pettyspaghettiiii | Courtesy of Subway Creatures
McGuire works with a small team to produce his Subway Creatures accounts, as well as his What Is New York Instagram account with its two million followers, “which is basically the same theme, just above ground,” he said. There, digital creator Ferris Wheel Jay is the occasional face of the account, hosting witty commentary. A recent post spoofed congestion pricing and noted that it now applies to pedestrians.
McGuire also licenses videos, does brand partnerships, sells merchandise and creates collaborations with other influencers.
Why Do Curious Characters Gravitate To The New York Subway?
McGuire said the New York City Subway seems to have cornered the market on outré inhabitants because of the city’s population density. “You have people literally living on top of each other,” he said. “Also, New York is cracking down on traffic, and having a car is very expensive. It forces more people to use public transport.”
While his followers enjoy being voyeurs, McGuire said that in the end, “we’re all subway creatures—everyone’s done something that qualifies them. Some are just more creature-y than others.” Apparently, in New York, that’s everyone.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com