Decades before Times Square became the family and tourist friendly destination it is today it was a cesspool of depravity and crime.
And while kooks like the Elmo mascot are still making the place feel a bit scummy it's now so clean you can eat near it.
But back in the 70s and 80s Times Square was full of peep shows, porno theaters and prostitutes, and the police turned a blind eye to much of the depraved action going down on the block.
Or maybe they were just too busy busting other types of criminals, because by 1984 over 2,000 crimes were being committed in the one-block radius of Times Square every year.
And if that weren't bad enough, the Square was also full of another group of people who really got on everyone's nerves- Hare Krishnas.
You say that like it's a bad thing. ;)