Two people calling themselves the “Xylofolks” are running around New York’s subways and parks dressed as Sesame Street’s Ernie Cookie Monster and a pink ape playing xylophone and the upright base bass (J.F.C.!) for donations:

OMG, genius! They did it! They solved the inherent intractable problem with panhandling: the part where people can know who you are. Some, like NY Mag’s Daily Intel, think the Xylofolks are swell heartwarmers, but I’m more of a cynical, “this is an economic indicator” type of person. If word gets out that these guys are actually making money, there’s going to be a run on the costume shops.

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Comments (39)
  1. meANDmy_mONKEY  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    I am utterly flabbergasted that you cannot tell the difference between an “Ernie” and a “Cookie Monster.”

  2. Jeb  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    positively west fourth street! man, xylophones are the one instrument suited for echoey, aurally refractive subway tunnels.

  3. krup  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    cookie monster, duh.

  4. kto  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    thats cookie monster

  5. geoff  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    Isn’t that Cookie Monster?

  6. rachel  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    I would imagine it’s actually pretty difficult to play the xylophone wearing a Cookie Monster costume head. Good job.

  7. CarolineA  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    Ernie? Really?

  8. Kenny Powers  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic

  9. Ernie  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    What the fuck? What shit-for-brains can’t differentiate between Ernie, an orange clothed humanoid, and Cookie Monster, a blue furry MONSTER. Idiot!

  10. Bert  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    Damn it, Kenny! That’s fucking BERT!

  11. Mcluskyist  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    So it’s Cookie Monster and not Ernie. Big Whoop.

    Can we talk about how these bored, upper-class art-school types (these guys were in Vampire Weekend at one point) are stealing money from legit homeless people?

  12. Kyle-Steven  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    I deliberately came to comment on that being not Ernie – but Caroline A took my EXACT comment.

  13. krup  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    double fail: that’s bert. jesus, people!

  14. .bryan.  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    Pink Ape? It’s a female lion. DUH.

  15. Lindsay  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    Jesus fucking Christ.

    • Elliot  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

      never has your icon been more appropriate.

  16. sean  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    not all street performers are homeless

    sometimes they’re just street performers

    chill out

    and the phrase “legit homeless people” is just hilarious to me

    - sean

    • Mcluskyist  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

      a) Duh.
      b) I was being sarcastic, obvi.
      c) ‘Legit homeless people’ is valid b/c there are kids from the suburbs who try to look sad, poor & dirty and panhandle in the city because they know people (white tourists) are more apt to give change to street urchins/runaways than black people. This happens.

  17. Ashley  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    I don’t think I need to see The Soloist anymore.

    • meANDmy_mONKEY  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

      The best part about your comment is how it implies that there was a reason to see The Soloist before.

      • Ashley  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

        Haha, oh god, no, no there was not.

  18. Elliot  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    i knew those costume shop owners couldn’t stay in business for longl

  19. Dumbelina  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    I prefer upright exponents, myself. They have more power than upright bases.

  20. wondergrrl!  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    NYC seems like a magical place, I want to go there!

  21. wubdub  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    Can we turn up the pink ape in the monitor?

  22. Bubbles  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    NYU art school project, clearly.

  23. baseist  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    bass

    • sorry  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

      Yeah, rough post Lindsay, you pretty much got everything wrong.

  24. Becca  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    this may be arousing for some people (mascot head fetish, anyone?)… they need to cover that shit up.

    not saying i KNOW… just saying i’ve HEARD…

  25. baseist  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    *bass

    • tymoneymoney  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

      uhh, that’s what you said before also.

  26. Steve  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    “The Visitor” would’ve been a much more interesting movie had these two been in it.

  27. ZaH  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    Yes, but are you sure those are costumes???

  28. Mandy  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    this should definitely have the ‘cute as balls’ tag omg. i’m adopting both of them and putting them squarely in my pocket.

  29. David  |   Posted on Apr 15th, 2009

    i freaking SAW THEM walking on Houston Street like a month ago.

  30. duh  |   Posted on Apr 16th, 2009

    and you spelled their name wrong, its xylopholks not xylofolks

  31. otis-anne  |   Posted on Apr 18th, 2009

    I want someone to do this wearing Femskins.

  32. Xoe  |   Posted on Apr 18th, 2009

    I’m not sure which is more painful, *watching* these guys, or *listening* to them, but I only made it through about 5 seconds of trying to do both.

    I hate people in costumes. Especially people — grown-ups — in lame costumes. (Kids in costume on Halloween is the only exception I will make to the general rule that people in costumes are just creepy.)

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