Residents in Illinois took an internet joke to another level after hundreds of people gathered in Chicago to push a giant metal bean seven inches to the left. Their mission was apparently to free an imaginary man the internet has long joked is trapped inside the famous sculpture.
The gathering took place on Sunday, November 8, at Cloud Gate, popularly known as “The Bean,” in Chicago’s Millennium Park. It all started as a viral joke and turned into an actual meetup, with people showing up to take part in the bizarre challenge.
The instructions were oddly specific. Participants were asked to meet at the sculpture at exactly 12:47 p.m. and push it seven inches to the left. The supposed goal was to reveal a hidden latch that would allow them to free the man believed to be stuck inside. Some versions of the joke even suggested bringing him a pickle.
Videos shared on TikTok by @outofjurisdiction and on X by @IcyVert show a massive crowd surrounding the mirrored sculpture on a bright, sunny day. People press their hands against its surface as if trying to move it, while others cheer, pose for pictures, flash peace signs, and record the whole thing on their phones.
There was just one problem: The Bean wasn’t going anywhere. The 110-ton sculpture remained completely still throughout the roughly 35-second video, despite the crowd’s best efforts.
The event was never a serious attempt to relocate the permanent public artwork. It was an absurd internet joke that somehow brought hundreds of people together for a bit of community fun. Still, getting that many people to show up and collectively push a giant bean is quite a commitment to a meme.
Internet Reacts to Illinois Residents Trying to Push The Bean
People online had plenty to say about the unusual gathering. One commenter joked, “This was a test. Now let’s take Chicago, and move it someplace else (warmer location).” Another wondered whether the crowd would have had better luck without everyone recording the event, writing, “Probably would have made some progress if they put their phones down.”
One viewer summed up the spectacle with, “Very ant-like behavior.” Someone else was more impressed by the whole thing, saying, “Sims couldn’t replicate a storyline this good. Humans are absurd and awesome.”
Others stayed focused on the imaginary man supposedly trapped inside the sculpture. “Did anyone bother to ask the guy stuck inside it if he wanted it moved?” one person asked. One commenter even found a bigger meaning in the gathering, describing it as “a good representation of politics, human struggle and the meaning of life.”
While the imaginary man may still be waiting for his escape, the gathering gave the internet plenty of material to joke about.
