Can we do the same thing in Hollywood please?? It's disgusting... Also if you haven't seen the documentary "Confessions Of A Superhero" check it out... It's about some of the people who dress up for a living and bother tourists. Pathetic but hilarious!

Tax Boy: why tourists insist on hanging about in times square is a complete mystery to me. there's nothing there but shiatty restaurants, tourist-trap souvenir shops, and the same stores you'd find at any mall in the world (just bigger).

there's so much to do and see in nyc, and they all just hang out there 24-7.

Because Times Square has a reputation (outside New York) of being the heart of the city, the "downtown" of New York where it's like all of New York City summed up as one thing.  Of course, it earned that reputation decades ago, and everything that made it unique was exterminated to turn it into a gentrified homogenous pablum that is, as you said, like any mall on Earth.

Somehow though, the idea of fursuited/costumed grifters mugging people, urinating in doorways and groping women makes me smile, like the spirit of Times Square lives even though they cleaned it up on the surface.

Tax Boy: why tourists insist on hanging about in times square is a complete mystery to me. there's nothing there but shiatty restaurants, tourist-trap souvenir shops, and the same stores you'd find at any mall in the world (just bigger).

there's so much to do and see in nyc, and they all just hang out there 24-7.

Because for the last 80 years every song, TV show, music video, movie, etc. set in or about New York has mentioned Times Square as the crossroads of the world?

I love how New Yorkers get butthurt about tourists.  If you spend all your time and money bragging about how awesome the place is, what do you expect?

why tourists insist on hanging about in times square is a complete mystery to me. there's nothing there but shiatty restaurants, tourist-trap souvenir shops, and the same stores you'd find at any mall in the world (just bigger).

there's so much to do and see in nyc, and they all just hang out there 24-7.

Problem is, when you regulate it, you're also implicitly saying it's okay. I'd rather we just get rid of them altogether.

Finally! Lets get rid of these weirdo freaks! Furocaust 2013!