WhatIsNewYork is actually a spinoff of another cool online project. "I created SubwayCreatures back in 2012 to document all of the funny, crazy things I was seeing. When that got big, I decided to expand the content outside of the subway into the streets of NYC," Rick McGuire, the man behind these Instagram accounts, told Bored Panda.
Now, McGuire receives close to 200 submissions per day, "but a lot of them are not worthy of being posted."
"I don't exploit the homeless or those who appear to be mentally ill and I try to spotlight people who are doing something intentional or funny to bring attention to themselves," he explained.
#4 You Ever Just Be Sitting There And The Dude Next To You Falls Asleep On You?
Rick said that the warm weather and people being able to dine out late have resulted in all sorts of crazy submissions. "Pet owners still bring their weird, exotic animals around the city with them and Washington Square Park has always been a hot spot for interesting activity."
"Another popular submission is photos of funny NY vanity plates. I posted a bunch of them and didn't realize how much of a 'thing' it was. My inbox was filled by the end of the day."
"More than half my followers are NYers and that number might be underestimated because there are people who move away and still follow because they miss it so much," Rick said.
According to him, the NY followers are quite easy to spot in the comment section. They're the ones who identify areas in the videos and can relate to a lot of what the page posts. "They are also not shocked or surprised by what they see most of the time," Rick added.
This doesn't come as a surprise. Rather, it's a testament to New Yorkers' colorful everyday life, a sentiment echoed by Adrienne E. Adams, Speaker of the New York City Council.
"Our city is home to a mosaic of cultures," she said. "As a lifelong New Yorker and native of Queens, where we speak more languages than anywhere in the world, I consider anyone who calls our city home a New Yorker."
"Whether lifelong residents, immigrants, transplants, or recent asylum seekers, the shared joys and struggles we uniquely experience as New Yorkers unite us. Our historic women-majority and most-diverse City Council reflects this diversity to help everyone find success," Adams explained.
#12 Got A Bunch Of Late Submissions So Here’s A Final Halloween Weekend Roundup
Because of its massive diversity, New York City is commonly referred to as the 'Melting Pot' of America.
There are over 8 million people currently living in the city who speak over 200 different languages!
