On Shakespeare Avenue, off of 167th Street, sit the Guason stairs, most famously known as the “Joker” stairs since the eponymous movie of the Batman franchise was released in 2019.
In the film, Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, maniacally dances down the Bronx steps as he accepts his dark persona as the Joker and descends into criminal madness. To this day, seven years after the films release, tourists from all over flock to the area to take their own dancing photos, with some companies including the staircase in their tours.
Contrastes de Nueva York, based in Midtown, Manhattan, specializes in tourists from Spanish-speaking countries and grants them tours of the five boroughs, minus Staten Island.
Locals use the stairs to connect from the segregated area at the top to the nearby 4 train at the bottom, and in 2023, the nonprofit CityArts enlisted several young people of the Summer Youth Employment Program to paint the stairs in an effort to reclaim them for the neighborhood.
On Tuesday, Sept. 1, Contrastes tour guide, Jose Cano, led a small group from Spain for a photoshoot at the 132 steps, and even had costumes for them to wear.
While some locals expressed finding the tourists obstructive and isolated, others have taken it as an opportunity to raise funds.
Inaliz Berrocales was on Shakespeare Avenue selling Joker t-shirts to raise money for a back-to-school event organized by the nearby Kuts Y Sam Playroom Suite where kids can participate in open play and are also welcome. The newly founded organization will give away 200 backpacks on Sept. 19 at 3 p.m. at 1178 Anderson Ave., along with food, snacks, children’s entertainment and a DJ.
Reach ET Rodriguez at etrodriguez317@gmail.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
