A huge rat walks around New York: why everyone likes it
'17.11.2020'
Olga Derkach
Rat Buddy, also known as the artist Jonathan Lyons, surprises New York subway passengers. The rodent costume used by the artist includes a full-face mask and a long pink tail, and the behavior is very close to that of a real rat. The edition told in more detail New York Post.
“New York is dead? How do you explain this then? " - Written by screenwriter Alison Williams, posting a video about a "rodent" getting into a subway car.
Oh NYC is dead? Explain this pic.twitter.com/XlfuB3eO2G
- Alison Williams (@therealalisonw) November 14, 2020
Lyons also publishes his "rat" videos on social networks, now there are about 30 of them. In addition, townspeople who accidentally meet Buddy's rat on the street or in the New York subway are actively sharing videos.
Lyons works in theater, puppetry, and the Blue Man group. He said he created Buddy the Rat about 11 years ago and posted a video of his visit to Times Square on YouTube, which then garnered about 70 views.
Last month, Lyons brought Buddy back to life to direct a short film with director Todd Strauss-Schulsson, best known for Isn't This Romantic and Harold and Kumar's Cozy Christmas in 3D.
Their short, which Lyons has described as "A Lonely Rat Finds Love and Dances All Night Long," will debut on Vimeo and YouTube on Thanksgiving Day.
On the subject: New York Subway Passengers Can Get Compensated For Poor Service: How To
While they were filming in Washington Square Park, Buddy began to gain attention and some viewers filmed him.
This made Buddy famous on social media, and Lyons began taking the character out into town just for fun.
Lyons, a native of Arizona who moved to New York in 2005, enjoys the fact that many people are comfortable seeing a man in a rat suit.
“Most New Yorkers are completely indifferent,” he said, although he added that some people do get excited and sometimes scared when Buddy shows up.
He joked that the suit makes it easy to practice social distancing.
“I don't have to worry about people keeping six feet (1,8 m) away from me. They do it themselves, ”he said, adding that under Buddy's mask, he is wearing a regular medical mask.
The MTA actually agreed to wear a rodent costume on trains by retweeting the video with the comment, "Thanks for wearing the mask!"
