The New York City Subway seems to have a preponderance of unusual characters; Rick McGuire’s social media accounts chronicle the parade.<\/p>\n
@isaacmakeup | Courtesy of Subway Creatures <\/p>\n
Curious denizens have long inhabited the New York City Subway\u2014some bizarre and others beautiful, decked in outrageous displays. Rick McGuire broadcasts those routinely unconventional moments via his Subway Creatures Instagram <\/a>and TikTok accounts,<\/a> which have 4.1 million followers, combined. <\/p>\n A Cockroach Coat, Hammocks And Plenty Of Rats<\/p>\n A recent video post under the title, \u201cwtf,\u201d 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. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always been a people-watcher since I was a kid,\u201d said McGuire, 41, who lives in Brooklyn. \u201cI would always look at people, wondering what makes them tick, why do they do the things they do, wear the clothes they wear?\u201d<\/p>\n Other recent posts since McGuire began his collection in 2011: <\/p>\n 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\u2019s leg, up his arm and around his shoulder to the back of his neck\u2014which 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. <\/p>\n McGuire doesn\u2019t only traffic in comical or freakish findings. Poignant and heartwarming posts are also part of the mix. A December, 2025 video post <\/a>captured a tense moment after a man fell onto the tracks at the Chambers Street station in the city\u2019s TriBeCa district. \u201cBystanders helped the man back onto the platform two minutes before an oncoming train showed up,\u201d read the post. <\/p>\n A Celebration of New Yorkers <\/p>\n Overall, Subway Creatures \u201ccelebrates the uniqueness of the people of New York,\u201d said McGuire, who worked as a TV producer before turning his social media accounts into a full-time job in 2018. \u201cWe usually highlight people who are intentional about doing something or wearing something. It\u2019s less about pointing and laughing at people; that\u2019s not the goal. I would never exploit the homeless or the mentally ill.\u201d <\/p>\n One of McGuire\u2019s most popular formats is the collection that follows a theme. One relays photos of oddly titled books people are reading on the subway: I\u2019m Glad My Mom Died, Size Matters, Send Nudes, and Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal.<\/p>\n Another series chronicles those standing or sitting next to each other who happen to be wearing nearly identical clothing. \u201cIt\u2019s this phenomenon that no one can explain,\u201d McGuire said. \u201cIt just keeps happening.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the human spectacle, actual creatures found in video posts include snakes, lizards, parrots, turtles, goldfish and at least one fox. <\/p>\n A music series spotlights musicians busking in subway tunnels or on platforms. Some are well-known, including Ed Sheeran, Hozier and James Blunt. \u201cYou\u2019ll actually see people give them money, having no idea that they\u2019re the actual big-name performers,\u201d McGuire said. \u201cBut we also take unsigned artists down to showcase some of the city\u2019s raw talent.\u201d<\/p>\n Creator Rick McGuire (left) with musician James Blunt.<\/p>\n Courtesy of Subway CreaturesFans Send McGuire Plenty Of Content <\/p>\n Fans send in the majority of McGuire\u2019s daily content; he receives about 50 photos and videos a day. \u201cI don\u2019t pay for the content,\u201d he said. \u201cThe exposure is almost currency in itself. They care about getting tagged in the video because they\u2019re proud that they captured the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Why are there so many odd characters on the New York City Subway? Rick McGuire partly chalks it up to the city’s density.<\/p>\n @pettyspaghettiiii | Courtesy of Subway Creatures <\/p>\n McGuire works with a small team to produce his Subway Creatures accounts, as well as his What Is New York<\/a> Instagram account with its two million followers, \u201cwhich is basically the same theme, just above ground,\u201d he said. There, digital creator Ferris Wheel Jay<\/a> is the occasional face of the account, hosting witty commentary. A recent post spoofed congestion pricing and noted that it now applies to pedestrians.<\/p>\n McGuire also licenses videos, does brand partnerships, sells merchandise and creates collaborations with other influencers.<\/p>\n Why Do Curious Characters Gravitate To The New York Subway? <\/p>\n McGuire said the New York City Subway seems to have cornered the market on outr\u00e9 inhabitants because of the city\u2019s population density. \u201cYou have people literally living on top of each other,\u201d he said. \u201cAlso, New York is cracking down on traffic, and having a car is very expensive. It forces more people to use public transport.\u201d <\/p>\n While his followers enjoy being voyeurs, McGuire said that in the end, \u201cwe\u2019re all subway creatures\u2014everyone\u2019s done something that qualifies them. Some are just more creature-y than others.\u201d Apparently, in New York, that\u2019s everyone. <\/p>\n