Only in New York can someone stand on a subway platform with a jacket packed full of live cockroaches and hardly get a reaction. That’s the whole point. In a video going around on social media, a guy waits for his train, wearing this clear, puffy jacket that has several sealed pockets. Each one is crawling with cockroaches, dozens of them, just wriggling against the plastic for everyone to see. The guy looks like he doesn’t care at all. And everyone around him just does what New Yorkers do best: they ignore it and go on with their day.
The jacket isn’t just a chaotic prank. It’s a calculated move from the New York streetwear brand Uncommon NY, or Uncommon Creative Studio. They designed the “Roachcoat” as part of a basketball-themed campaign backing the New York Knicks.
The whole idea started after a Celtics reporter called the Knicks “cockroaches” during some classic trash talk. Instead of getting offended, Uncommon NY ran with it, flipping the insult into a symbol of pride. Their campaign slogan, “You can’t kill what won’t quit,” turns the dig around completely, showing the Knicks as tough, relentless, and still in the fight.
And yes, those cockroaches stuffed in the jacket’s sealed pockets are real and alive. The clip spells it out in big letters so nobody misses it. Uncommon NY loves pulling off bold stunts like this. They’ve even used taxidermy rats in past projects, so the Roachcoat fits right in with their style.
Internet Reacts To New York Brand’s Live Cockroach Puffer Jacket Subway Stunt
Reactions online ranged from disbelief to genuine amusement, with most people landing somewhere in between. “Man really turned himself into a walking cockroach Airbnb,” one person wrote, which appeared to perfectly capture the energy of the clip. Another kept it short: “It’s a crazy world we live in.”
Some viewers were not yet convinced the insects were real despite the on-screen confirmation. “This had just better be an imitation or something,” one commenter wrote. Others leaned into the unmistakable New York energy of the whole thing. “You’ll find the rarest breed of insanity in NY without even looking. Peak craziness,” a user said.
Perhaps the most creative response came from someone who spotted a fashion reference in the chaos. “Beetlejuice’s uncle said you stole his drip,” one person wrote.
This kind of stunt has everything you need to go viral in 2026: gross, clever, fully committed, and it taps into a sports rivalry that New Yorkers genuinely care about. The bugs are locked safely inside the clear pockets, so it’s not like anyone is going to end up with an unwanted encounter. It’s more like wearable, over-the-top performance art, with just enough Knicks pride sewn in to make a statement.
