The Webster Hall Boycott
Does the recently re-opened Webster Hall have racist door policies? The new Facebook group Boycott Webster Hall claims it does, saying:
me and a group of friends (mostly females) and I go to Webster Hall for a night of drinking and dancing. When we got to the front of the line the bouncer tells us that we're not going to be let in [before getting carded or even spoken to]. We move to the side, and the group of Caucasian people behind us are let in (btw i dont want this to be a race war). We notice that every group of black and/or Hispanic people are not let into the club. From what we saw, a Hispanic couple, a group of black men as well as a group of black and Hispanic women were not let in. We caught this on tape and it will be released as soon as it's edited together.
A group of Hispanic males were not let into the club before we went in.
This is ridiculous, I understand that someone may want to keep the place safe so they don't allow a group of 'thugs' in. But this was every minority. Our friend, who was white [who seemed to be gettin closer to being let in] but spoke spanish was not let in. Yet our asian friend, was allowed in. They were right next to eachother.
Webster Hall is Racist. but worst of all were the Black bouncers explaining why and defending such blatant racism. We also overheard one of the white men at the entrance say "They're too dark..." Several Black & hispanic clubgoers left upset, and completely aware of the racial discrimination being exhibited by this establishment
But is it true?
A FB commenter claims it is not, saying "Thursday January 8, 2009 I went to webster hall with a group of minority female friends and we all got in with no problem." We would hate to think that Webster Hall is blatantly rejecting people based on the color of their skin, and that this was an isolated incident. The group does now have 145 members, so it seems many people have had a negative experience at the East Village institution.
DBTH
Reader Comments (30)
Kenny Kenny getting bad rep?
You have to put things into perspective. A nightclub survives by having a certain type of crowd. If your demand is high you can be selective and let in the type of crowd you wish to have in a club. Some clubs will let it a type of crowd that others wont. 5 girls walk right in, 5 guys from Jersey have to get 2 bottles. Is that sexist? You bet your ass it is, but it is justified if you understand the biz.
If you had a choice between 5 hot girls and 5 mediocre girls, who would you chose to let in?
Take a look at the type of crowds at the clubs where you hear about shootings and stabbings. Mostly minorities. (Not a racist statement, its just a fact). ie: Plaxico
It is a private establishment and they have to protect their interests. When you work as security and 85% of the fights that break out are of a certain demographic, you may be inclined to be selective with that given demographic as a door policy. It is not racist it is common sense. If you hear of violence constantly in a certain neighborhood wouldnt you try to avoid it if possible?
The most successful nightclubs all seem to have a similar type of crowd. That is not a coincidence. That crowd typically will not consist of many minorities, maybe some, but not many, if it works financially, makes sense to follow the trend.
just saying
Well said
In other words, hispanics and blacks should stick to hip hop and whites to listening to KTU
bravo, just saying. bravo.
Attention all minorities. USE MY GUESTLIST!
We already do!
Jaffee you are one of the most uselss and lowlife characters in the scene today. Please do something better with your time
so much for the "post-racial" America
@Just Saying
Anyone who has to keep telling you over & over again that what they are saying is "not racist" is guess what??....
I'm "just saying"....
I'll have to disagree with "just saying". A lot do happen at clubs that are not targeted to minorities. How about kidnappings? drug busts? fights in front of the clubs? fights inside of the clubs? And they just happen to be, guess what??? WHITE PEOPLE! I really doubt a group of females will come out and start a shoot-out regardless of their race. Your comment is really offensive. It's sad that nowadays in 2009 that we have to deal with racism. Our elected president will be the first black president! Matter fact, if he ever stepped up with his black relatives at WH, will he be denied? He is really bi-racial and most african-americans have some type of white in them and other mixtures. And hispanics are made out of different races. This is plain ignorant. I'm sure whoever thought of the idea of being discriminatory thought this was making their party "upscale". NOT! racist.
One question that hasn't been asked is if these individuals that were not let in were just not dressed right or look right. It's pretty easy to write a story about how you weren't let in and the establishment is racist. I have never been to Webster Hall, new or old so, i do not know. However the demographic that clubs discriminate against most is ugly people (based on the doorman's opinion). That is a fact. The truth is, this group of people might not have been that attractive.
Just sayin,
I am a male who has been going to bars and clubs for over 10 years. I have gone to places where the room was all white and fights would still break out. A couple of them involved flying bottles and chairs. And I have seen many great clubs get raided or shut down because a few white people were caught selling drugs. If those "successful clubs" were free of violence, why is the Meatpacking district overflowing with cops on the weekends?
You need to get a book called "Clublife" that was written by Rob the Bouncer. In it, he says the biggest troublemakers in the nightlife industry are ...... guidos. And I am not a fan of that word, which should give away my ethnic background.
And one more point.... At its high point in the late 90's, Webster Hall was always a mixed crowd......
Cool. People are still posting things under my name. Thanks for giving me additional press.
We're doing Marquee, Pink Elephant and Cain Luxe this weekend.
Also, I have no problem with anyone using my guestlist - in fact, i encourage it.
From personal experience, i don't think it's Kenny Kenny - he's one of the top doormen in NYC. Plus, he has experience with people's hatred from when he was a child growing up in Ireland.
I've never been to WH though so I don't know if this article is accurate but... yeah, I'd like everyone to use my guestlist - and that includes Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, Asians, etc.
As long as people are well-dressed and neat then it's all good :)
Good to be back in NYC after spending a week in Mexico :)
David
Door policies are not conducted by skin color, and anyone who still thinks that doesn't go out enough. If you've convinced yourself that that's the reason you or someone you know isn't getting into a given club you're wrong.
The way you dress, carry yourself, and the group you come with will determine entry into any club. The smaller "it lounges" as I call them will be stricter requiring a name drop and such, but with that and the aforementioned you will be fine.
The people claiming this racism don't fit the profile of what the club is looking for, for that given night, and race is not the issue, besides that it's a private venue which may include and exclude who it deems admissible.
I live 2 blocks away so i see the crowds at that shithole at all hours- pre and post. The people in question must have looked like some serious lowlives considering the people i have seen walking around. I didnt think it was even possible to get rejected from that place. The crowd appears to be very mixed so it is not racism...classism?- most certainly.
WH has a puerto rican, a cross dresser, and king at the door....racist? two door people arent even white...they are trying to make the crowd look better in there. most of the problems in clubs are between these upper east side white fake drug dealers anyway who decide to look tough beating up some poor little jewish nerd for credibility....my experience is its the white kids who fight...especially the low level dealer ones...remember being a low level dealer Steve Lewis. Those are the kids to look out for.
a simple call to the hispanic doorman in charge of decisions shed light on the situation. it wasn't color that kept them out. .it was the offending remark one of the 4 girls said to the other in spanish. she obviously didn't know the doorman could understand what she was saying. he politely told her not to bother and the bitch went nuts. the race card is easy to play but a lot of the crowd who got in were non-white and whites were turned away as well. they are trying to make it nice there and obviously don't need drama from these type of foul mouthed low class people. she knows what she said and it's worse than the shit she made up.
What did she say?
as few have mentioned so far, i've been to some of the top most "exculsive" clubs all around the country and 99% of the time it's white people fighting, doing coke in the bathroom, white girls stealing purses, etc.(witnessed it more than once) That's not the point though. Doormen have the right to use their discretion as they see fit, so this was probably a rowdy group anyway. Besides, it's WH, I didn't even know they deny ppl. Haven't been there in years though so idk. I will say this though, I went to Cafe Deuville (sp?) once and this douchebag doorman gave myself and a female friend (both black) a hard time, but told my white friend that if we weren't there it wouldn't have been a problem. The promoter that we knew came out to get us but after that little remark we said nah f it. Also, once at Arena the doorman charged me cover :gasp: but comped my boy and the two girls we were with (who happened to be black) so who knows. It's just funny to experience these things as those same ppl are wearing dunks and fitteds while Biggie is blasting from the inside. Soooo it's okay to rape black culture but not let them in our establishments? Oh except when they're throwing 2 g's down to buy bottles, that's right. i'm definitely a very well dressed, good looking guy with money so who knows why doorman do what they do. I feel that it should just be the knuckleheads against the good ppl. don't let in the obvious trash and it'll be fine. oh well what do i know? if a club doesn't want to let me in on the strength of my skin color their loss...at least that's what my mom told me ;-)
Nobody is asking this question
WHY THE FUCK would anyone want to go to Webster Hall
"Why would anyone got to Webster Hall?"
Cause some of the most kickass bands in the world play there !
Webster Rocks!
only ppl going to WH are -21 and have no connections (yet)
"as few have mentioned so far, i've been to some of the top most "exculsive" clubs all around the country and 99% of the time it's white people fighting, doing coke in the bathroom, white girls stealing purses, etc.(witnessed it more than once) That's not the point though"
Because 99.9 percent of the crowd at these clubs will be white.. lol that seems to make sense that 99 percent of the time it would be white kids causing the problems...
And for those not in the know.. WH has undergone a change. It's not the old WH... its new with better door staff and tougher door policy...
Webster Hall is cool if I have friends from Oklahoma coming in and they want
to say they went to an NYC club....surrounded by 21 yr olds drinking long island ice teas
this is impossible because white people do not go to webster hall. let me rephrase that, white people that act like white people who are over 21 do not go to webster hall. we stopped going when i was 19 because i felt too old for the place.
If 99 percent of fights and drugs are caused by white people, then it would make more sense to bar white people from the clubs??
If its still 19+ at the door or you can get in simply by pulling out a credit card, it's not a tough door......
dont think webster hall is Racist - but do think it's a cheese big club !!!
yo, webster hall wants to change their shit up and clean it up, all you (-21s, guidos, spicks, niggers) have to deal with it and find another spot to go to! do not blame the door staff Kenny, Ruben and King ... they hired them there for a reason, to keep you deuchebags out! the end
agreed
I haven't been to WH in close to 5-6 yrs. Whenever I went there was always a mix of people. Racist against Spanish people.. I find very strange.. the top floor had a spanish room and everyone up in there was spanish. I always had a good time there.
If WH has changed anything really at the door I hope its the person that checks the IDs. My friends and I always got in with fake IDs