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Mark Roberts, Professional Streaker

Mark Roberts from Liverpool, England is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most prolific streaker, having performed around 300 streaks so far. Otherwise unemployed, Mark has made it his life's work to get publicly naked at as many major events as possible. At time of writing, his list of nude appearances is quite impressive.

In 2003 alone he streaked at Royal Ascot racecourse, the International Synchronised Swimming Event in Barcelona, the Tour de France, the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, the French Open tennis championship, and numerous soccer matches. He ran nude at the Commonwealth Games in 2002. At Wimbledon in July 2000 he streaked during a match featuring Anna Kournikova. Anna's response was to hide under a sweaty towel, which was not the look the upskirt photographers were hoping for. Roberts has also streaked on a floating weather map, at a Mr Universe event, and a Liberal Democrats political meeting. He has been banned from every sporting event in Britain.

Mark has also appeared in a commercial in which he runs onto a soccer pitch fully clothed, and all the other players are naked. The Athletico Bilbao ad actually won a Cannes Film Festival award.

At time of writing his most recent streak was at the US Super Bowl on February 1 2004. He made it onto the field wearing a referee's outfit which he promptly stripped off, and danced around nude before being tackled by a New England linebacker. He had casino advertising writing on his chest and back, along with the words "Super Bowel." Considering the intense security of the event, his streak was an impressive achievement in avoiding security. He was arrested and charged with criminal trespass and public intoxication.

Mark makes use of a specially prepared velcro-seamed outfit similar to that used by strippers.  "The clothes come off in a split second and I'm off.  It's called professionalism," he laughingly told Streakers, a documentary about running in the nude.

"Why do I streak? It's a buzz. If I didn't get the crowd reaction every time I go on a pitch or jump out of an audience, if you don't get the buzz, there's no point, because the point of a streak is humour - to make people laugh.  And in the 7 years I've been doing it, it's the same reaction every time.

"People come up to me in the street, even policemen and say 'I love what you're doing'. It's supposed to be illegal, but it's just a laugh and the police see it as a laugh.  And the magistrates in court laugh.

"Another streak which I very much enjoyed was the Grand National, which I won by a length, by the way." Painted with the words Raw Hide and wearing only a cowboy hat, fake Mexican moustache and cap guns, he was surrounded by over 15 policemen.  "When they came after me I started shooting them... I went to the police station and I'd got to know the policeman behind the desk pretty well.  He said: 'You again, Mark?  I don't want to charge you, but what's it going to take to stop you streaking?'  I said 'When they bring back hanging.'"

"If I have to go to jail for my belief, then I'll go to jail.  If I do see a sporting event that I think is a cracking opportunity to do a streak that hasn't been done before, I'll break the ban and I'll do it, even if it means 28 days.  I'll go to jail and I'll probably do a streak in jail.

"I've never known a feeling like it.  I'm not saying it as a nutcase, or anything like that.  It's a feeling that needs to be experienced by people just to see what it's like.  It's unbelievable."

This article also appears at Naked Men News

Update 6 Feb: All the ridiculous furore over Janet Jackson's breast have stolen Mark's thunder, and apparently he's quite disappointed. Meanwhile, Mark is facing up to a year in jail for his streak.
The Fearless Streaker - ESPN, 2 February 2004 
Grin and Bare It - ESPN, March 2003

Update 14th Feb: Mark appeared in a Texas court on the 12th Feb, but the case has been adjourned until March 30. He was charged with trespass, and the judge will decide whether to proceed with the case against him.
Super Bowl streaker case adjourned - The Scotsman, 12 February 2004
Mark has returned to England and was greeted at Heathrow by a half naked woman and other people employed by his sponsor.
Super Bowl Streaker Returns Home in Triumph - Press Release

Streaker may face US jail - 15 Mar
Mark appeared in a Texas court on February 12 and his case was adjourned until March. He has returned to Britain for the moment, but will have to fly back to the US to face charges of trespass.
Everyone's looking at Janet's breasts and Mark Roberts is miffed - National Business Review
Superbowl streaker faces US court - Ireland Online

Update 16 July: This is a bit late, but anyway... Mark was found guilty of trespassing and fined US$1000
Streaker avoids jail - 22 June
Super Bowl streaker gets $1000 fine - 23 June
Mark was convicted of trespass and was fined $1000. He faced a jury of six women, all of whom thought it was pretty funny.

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The Exploits of Mark Roberts (from the Recent Streaking News page)

The American Football Super Bowl game was interrupted at half time as Mark Roberts streaked onto the field. Mark had been dressed as an umpire and made use of his trademark velcro to quickly strip before running onto the field. He was advertising an online gambling service on his front and had the words "Super Bowel" on his back. Mark was tackled by a New England player, and arrested by police. He's been charged with criminal tresspass and public intoxication (I suspect they're making this last one up). The Yanks have of course never heard of Mark and seem generally confused by him. The real achievement here is that Mark managed to get past the mammoth anti-terrorist security surrounding the event. News articles: Linebacker levels Super Bowl streaker - SFGate "Super Bowel" streaker makes irregular appearance at Super Bowl - Yahoo Streaker disrupts Super Bowl, gets upended by New England Linebacker - Canada.com - 2nd February 2004

Here's another interview with Mark Roberts. A bit out of date, but not to worry :)

Mark's done it again, this time during the running of the bulls in Pamplona. Mark stripped off and dashed beside the hurtling herd, in possibly the most dangerous stunt he's tried so far. The bulls were apparently not so happy to see him and he became the object of pursuit for two very large and angry bulls. "I honestly saw my life flash before my eyes," Roberts told Newswire. "I've seen the bullrun on the TV but they are so much bigger and faster in real life... I thought I was a dead man." Roberts had an ad for Golden Palace casino painted on his back, which makes him one of several streakers who have advertised the online gaming site in this way. - Newswire/PR, 11 July 2003 PS - Mark has given an interview to the International Herald Tribune, here.

Congrats to Mark Roberts, now up to 271 streaks! His latest effort was at the UEFA Cup Final in Seville, Spain, when Mark strolled onto the field just before the second half of the game was due to begin. Dressed in a specially velcroed referee's uniform, he flashed a red card at the real ref, ripped off the gear and attempted a 12 yard shot at the Portuguese goal without success. As usual he was then arrested and carried off to be charged. - KR, 24 May 2003 Earlier, Roberts had appeared before a judge for his big Commonwealth Games streak, charged with public nuisance. Interestingly, prosecution counsel Jamie Hamilton said he had difficulty proving the charge of public nuisance because the crowd had been cheering and clapping happily at his appearance. The judge bound him over and fined him 400 pounds, warning him that things could get serious if he did it again. Mark told the press he had no plans to retire. - BBC Website, 13 May 2003

Mark Roberts - again! Successfully streaked at the main stadium during the Manchester Commonwealth Games.  I'll just put the photo over in his section.

Mark Roberts has done it again. This time he's repeated his 2000 trick by running onto centre court at Wimbledon during the men's final between Lleyton Hewitt and Argentinian David Nalbandian. Just as play was due to begin after a rain delay, Roberts stripped off and ran onto the court, doing a dance at the net and then athletically leaping over it in a somersault when chased by security. Apparently it took some minutes for officials to even react. The crowd was reportedly delighted, clapping and cheering Robert's antics. Naturally he's been charged and fined. Yahoo, BBC, 8 July 2002

Serial Streaker Mark Roberts struck again at a Liberal Democrats conference during the UK general election in June. Roberts had stripped off his traditional velcro clothing and run naked onto the stage of the conference wearing only a toy hat and the words "General Erection" written on his chest. He also had the letters V, T and E on his buttocks. Party leader Charles Kennedy was giving his speech at the time, and was at first taken aback by Mark's entrance, however he regained his composure enough to quip "Come on, we're a liberal party, we can put up with that." He also quoted Nye Bevan saying, "Don't go naked into the conference chamber." Roberts was bundled off the stage by security guards and charged with a breach of the peace.