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‘Underpants’ fans attempt world record in Naperville

Hundreds of pairs of underpants came out of hiding Saturday afternoon in Naperville as “Captain Underpants” fans tried to set a world record for the most people wearing underpants on their heads at one time.

Kids and their parents gathered outside Anderson’s Bookshop for an appearance by “Captain Underpants” author Dav Pilkey, who stopped in Naperville to sign copies of his new book, “Super Diaper Baby 2: The Invasion of the Potty Snatchers.”

About an hour before Pilkey’s appearance, Anderson’s Bookshop employees climbed to the roof of the storefront on Jefferson Avenue and snapped photos of about 300 people — the majority of them donning underpants on their heads — crowded into a nearby parking lot.

“Why do you have to wear it over your head?” 8-year-old David Chavez-Roa of Wheaton said, asking the question on the minds of many passers-by who didn’t know about the world record attempt. “Why can’t you just put it on over your pants?”

Despite his question, David wore a gray pair of underwear like a hat atop his short hair. Other people’s underpants looked more like headbands or bandannas as they posed for the pictures Anderson’s plans to send to the Guinness Book of World Records for consideration.

Hamelynn Harzman, 8, of Montgomery didn’t put her pink-spotted underwear on her head until the last moment before the photos were shot, but her brothers, 5-year-old Merrick and 11-year-old Aden, along with her father, Brent, all proudly sported their briefs while waiting for Pilkey’s visit.

“The kids are pretty avid readers of the “Captain Underpants” books, so I thought it’d be a nice thing to do,” Brent Harzman said.

Anderson’s, which attempted a world record for most people sitting on whoopee cushions at once this spring, wants a new world record to be created for the underpants-on-the-head feat accomplished Saturday, said Jan Dundon, the store’s children’s coordinator.

“I believe we’re setting a record,” Dundon said. “We’ll send the photos to Guinness and ask them to establish a record, and hopefully they’ll create a new record.”

Store employees and Guinness representatives will count how many people in the photos actually have undergarments on their noggins to establish the official number, Dundon said.

“Then we’ll just have to break it again,” she said.

  Luke Sokolowski, 10, looks up at the camera of an Anderson’s Bookshop employee as about 300 people wearing underpants on their heads attempted to set a new world record Saturday afternoon in Naperville. Luke’s family drove from Monticello, Ill., to be part of the record attempt and attend a book-signing by “Captain Underpants” series author Dav Pilkey. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
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