Subway Pole Licker Uses Fake Tongue For Coronavirus Challenge

NEW YORK CITY — The guy who started an uproar licking a subway pole as novel coronavirus spread across New York City was using a fake tongue.

"I'm not trying to endanger anyone," said Zeeshan Ali, 25. "It's dark humor."

Princezee, the social media prankster's online persona, went viral last week after video of the seemingly risky lick was retweeted by WorldStarHipHop.

Even the New York Post wrote up the story and relied on a favorite word to describe him.

"What a bozo," they wrote.

But Ali says he bought a fake tongue on Amazon, stuck it in his mouth, and set out to do what he likes best: getting a reaction out of people.

Which he did.

" Irresponsible moron LICKS the bars on a subway train in New York," tweeted Jack Posobiac. "Jail."

"Horrifying," responded Jessica Calvello. "People who do this do not deserve a hospital bed; it takes a bed away from someone who didn't lick a g------ed subway pole."

Ali wasn't concerned by the outrage, or that others might imitate his mock gesture, noting of his social media followers, "They're not dumb enough."

But there have been several similarly spitty #CoronavirusChallenge posts published across the globe.

One woman licked an airplane toilet seat, another "influencer" caught COVID-19 after licking a public toilet and a Missouri man was arrested for licking Walmart products.

"That's crazy," Ali said. "There's a limit how far you can take it."

Ali said of the virus, which had claimed 365 lives in New York City as of Thursday, "I just want to bring a light side to it."

To that end he's also published another video of himself pulling a used mask out of a city trashcan.

"It's not my job to inspire people to do it," said Ali. "It's what my fans wanted to see."