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Photo by John Rizzo
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You’re a big guy. Just how big?
I’m six feet, six inches tall and weigh three hundred fifty pounds.
What do you do when you’re not providing security for the Black Bear?
I’m a rising senior in the Pace University Class of 2011 with a double major in criminal justice and psychology and a minor in criminology. And I play left guard on the offensive line for the varsity football team and also do shot put for varsity track and field.
What exactly does a bouncer do?
I’m usually at the door, checking that everyone has a valid ID, enforcing the dress code, collecting any cover charge, and determining if a patron has had too much to drink.
What’s one common misconception about bouncers?
That we are large and stupid. To do this job, you have to have a brain and very good social and communication skills; if you don’t, even the smallest thing can erupt into a big explosion.
What’s the most outrageous behavior you’ve ever witnessed while bouncing?
There have been so many, from people having sex right out in public to a thirty-man, all-out melée, where they’re hitting each other with chairs, which happens maybe once or twice a year.
What are some common fights you deal with?
They usually involve a boyfriend getting mad at his girlfriend for dancing with other guys or people taking drinks that are not theirs. Sometimes people just look at each other the wrong way and get the wrong vibe.
Which patrons are typically the most obnoxious?
Drunk females, definitely, from the crying to the babbling to the ‘I lost my shoes, man’ and they’re right there on her feet. Girls are worse than men—they’re brutal. They have the nails, they go for the hair, and they have rings on their fingers like brass knuckles. If a guy is too rowdy and you ask him to leave, it’s his girlfriend you have to watch out for; she’s the one that might jump you.
