Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Bedford Avenue "Preacher" Speaks Out...Some More
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 29, 2009
Modified Jul 29, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 29, 2009
Modified Jul 29, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
If you have been to Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, you have seen the ranting grey-haired man pacing up and down the middle of the street. Usually positioned between North 5th and North 7th, sometimes later in the day he'll make it all the way down to the South Side, probably on his way home. Lawrence LaDouceur lives at the Glenwood Hostel, and prior to that he's led quite a life. One brave soul has now gone one-on-one with him, making him the subject of a short film; Russel Fong captures LaDouceur's thoughts as they pour from his head, and he even visits his current home. Maybe next time you see him you'll give him a chance and have your own one-on-one (it's a bit heart-wrenching when he tells Fong of their talk: "you don't know how good this is for me.")
We recommend watching the full 15 minutes, even though it's a bit sad—and until you've got that sort of time, one Williamsboard poster summarizes as such: "Dude's fought in Vietnam and is poisoned by the depression drugs they give out at the VA. He had a wife and kids in Butte, MT, but when he and the wife moved to Utah, they both discovered swinging and he's not sure if he's the father of his youngest. He moved to the state of Brooklyn after being evicted from his public storage locker in Manhattan. He's very lucid when he speaks, but he does rant about sex and morality. He may be the Jewish messiah—moshiach. He thinks one of his parents was Jewish." And we're pretty sure he tossed his hat in the mayoral race during minute 9, noting "we need to de-seat that Hebrew." Watch out Naked Cowboy.
Tagged
bedford avenue
brooklyn
Glenwood Hostel
Lawrence LaDouceur
preacher
rant
Russel Fong
video
williamsburg
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
How the Village Halloween Parade keeps its soul
A visit to the community-driven pre-parade puppet preparations.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 28, 2026 at 12:38 p.m. ET
'You Can See Everything' … as long as you go to Staten Island
Nathan Fielder’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary has been selling out across Manhattan and Brooklyn. Tickets to see the film, however, are very much available in other boroughs.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
'You Can See Everything' … as long as you go to Staten Island
Nathan Fielder’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary has been selling out across Manhattan and Brooklyn. Tickets to see the film, however, are very much available in other boroughs.
By
Sonia Rao
Inside the hidden chamber that controls Lincoln Center's magnificent fountain
By
Sonia Rao
In the algorithm age, NYC college radio DJs are still broadcasting the funky stuff
By
James Ramsay
A Queens prop shop shutters, bunnies find a home uptown, and more openings and closings
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .