Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
The Doorman
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 30, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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 Mar 30, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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
Last week we told you about our stint as a dancing owl for the Flaming Lips, but we left out some serious details. We didn't want to sully our happy story with the harsh facts. The judging, the sidewalk politics, our inability to be fabulous. We gained entry from the band's people, but the doormen did everything they could prior to that moment to keep us and our $20 shoes out of Gotham Hall that night. We were lucky, others were not. And so it seems that a stern look at the underbelly of nightclub doormen is in order. The drummer of the Flaming Lips was himself subjected to the cruelty of this doorman, he stated:
I explained that I was in the band and there would be no show without me, at which point he grabbed me by the throat and shoved me up against the wall and was about to take a swing at me when someone yelled "He's in the band. Let him go." [via Central Village]
He has also written an open letter to NYC which is posted in full here. So we ask, who are these doormen guarding the parties of our city? Who was this one in particular? Does anyone else have a horror story from that night?
Tagged
Central Village
event
flaming lips
Gotham Hall
Miscellaneous
nyc
people
Politics
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
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 12:43 p.m. ET
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
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 .