Synopsis

Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino step out of a van in New York City's Times Square, shed their clothes, and walk into the crowded plaza completely naked. As tourists stare, laugh, or pass by, the duo strolls through the winter streets with deliberately casual confidence. Their exhibition ends when police officers intervene and tackle them, turning the stunt into a brief burst of public chaos. The video's blunt, playful nudity matches the song's defiant attitude and its rejection of embarrassment and convention.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed in mid-February 2009, making the streaking stunt especially harsh for the performers. People in the surrounding crowd were bundled up in heavy winter clothing.

• Matt & Kim said they were completely nude rather than relying on strategically placed costumes or covering. The point was to create a feeling of liberation and an "I don't care anymore" attitude.

• The production team obtained a permit by describing the concept as tourists walking through Times Square dressed inappropriately for the weather.

• When people asked what the shoot was for, the crew sometimes claimed it was a mayonnaise commercial. The intentionally unglamorous explanation helped discourage further questions.

• The police intervention at the end was real. The performers were not arrested, although Kim Schifino said one officer left her with a significant bruise.

• The video became one of the duo's breakthrough viral moments and helped raise their profile beyond the Brooklyn indie scene.

• "Lessons Learned" won the Breakthrough Video award at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.