Who Is The Serial Farter? Details And Theories About The Mysterious Man Purposely Stinking Up The West Village
He's on the loose — and letting it rip.
Getty ImagesAn unidentified flatulent figure in New York has been dubbed the “Serial Farter” for his reputation of letting one loose without shame.
The mysterious man has been haunting The West Village locals by dropping a loud stinker as he walks by, a signature move that has landed him in the news.
A blogger posted about his encounter in 2018 with the famous farter and said he must have some sort of machine that mimics the sound of one ripping it.
“It’s happened thrice, so it can’t be a coincidence: There’s some guy who I believe is playing a fart sound as he passes people as some sort of social experiment. I think it’s always the same ... fart,” the post reads.
“Every time ... while I was talking to a friend ... we just get interrupted by this fart that leaves us silent and staring. He plays it as he passes and never looks back, acts as if nothing happened. The guy is white, college-age, very straight-laced looking.”
According to witnesses, the “Serial Farter” does nothing to stand out, other than his thunder from down under.
“He just kept walking with no acknowledgment that anything had happened,” local resident Amy Reeder, who has run into the serial farter in Washington Square Park three times in recent months, told The Villager.
“No looking back, no slowing down or speeding up, no shrinking in embarrassment — and the lack of reaction felt eerie given the circumstances.”
His farts could not possibly be natural, locals have agreed.
RELATED: The Weird Way Farting Is Good For Your Relationship, Says Study
“I looked at my husband immediately and we both started laughing,” Tiffany Gifford wrote on Nextdoor, a neighborhood messaging app that has addressed the local celebrity. “Then my husband said, ‘That couldn’t have been real — it had to have been a fart machine.’”
“It sounded too ‘perfect,’” she continued. “Who knew there could be a ‘perfect’ sounding fart?”
Another woman who encountered the man, who The Villager has called The Village Ripper, with her husband twice said it was a laughable experience.
“To be honest, my first thought was, ‘was that you?’ to my husband, who farts quite often and thinks it’s hysterical every time,” Colleen White said. “But when I looked at his face, I realized it was the guy who rushed right past us. Of course, we laughed and it was a great little moment of ‘did that just happen?’”
Although the NYC neighborhood is dedicated to sniffing out the cheese-cutter, many residents are supportive of his prank. Some believe he is just a student who likes to do social experiments and this may be his best so far.
“I think the whole thing is awesome,” Reeder said. “The guy is a hero. I goof off in this city. Nothing’s more fun than making strangers your audience, and they love it, too.”
The Ripper may be trying to make a name for himself, Reeder explained.
“Clearly, he’s in it for the social experiment,” she said. “I would guess he wants to become a New York personality, and I’m O.K. with aiding that.”
Whoever the “Serial Farter” is, he seems to be well-liked and poses no threat to the community.
“I think it’s fun to think that maybe an N.Y.U. student or artist is playing a lighthearted prank or even doing some kind of human behavior study in the Village,” Gifford said. “We live in New York — it only adds to the fun. I hope to encounter him again!”
Sarah Gangraw writes about all things news, entertainment and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on August 2, 2018, and was updated with the latest information.