A landmark New York City gay bar has come under fire for alleged racism after text messages from both the manager and owner have been widely shared.
The Monster bar, situated not far from the legendary Stonewall Inn on New York’s Christopher Street, has a long history of attracting gay patrons through a mix of live music, drag shows and scantily-clad dancers. Now a series of text messages sent by bar manager Italo Lopez to bar DJ Mitch Ferrino reveal Lopez criticizing event advertising for “Manster,” a drag theme night hosted by Honey Davenport. In the messages, Lopez orders Ferrino to make changes to a flyer as he does not want to promote a “black night.” He adds that doing so would be “bad for business.”
Ferrino showed the messages to Davenport, who reached out to bar owner Charles Rice with her concerns that his comments had a racist overtone. When Rice did not reply, Davenport took action: she halted her own performance at the bar to notify patrons of the backstage drama. She also announced her departure and exited the stage close to tears, dropping her microphone to the floor.
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The bar patrons reacted to Davenport’s speech with gasps and cheers. Word spread quickly through the drag world, leading several other high-profile performers to cancel events at the bar. Even the club DJ, Mitch Ferrino, has pulled events.
Ferrino’s action prompted a response from owner Rice. In it, Rice placed no blame on Lopez, but seemed to hold Ferrino and Davenport responsible for the bad publicity. Rice, Lopez, and other staff from Monster have yet to comment publicly on the issue.
Davenport, for her part, released a subsequent statement to Out, elaborating on her reasons for leaving the venue.
“First, thank you to everyone who has reached out and spoken up in support. Taking this step away from a place that I had considered my home was terrifying, and it’s a huge comfort to know that my nightlife family has my back. I’m saddened by the stance that Italo (and in their refusal to respond, The Monster Bar) has taken but unfortunately, I’m not surprised by it. This happens everywhere. I had to speak up because I knew that not doing so would mean I was complicit in perpetuating these attitudes towards other artists. Other performers need to know that they don’t have to be mistreated. Our art has no home in a place where we are not respected. Not speaking up would be like saying ‘You just have to take this.’
We have always been a community that fights hate. We must embrace and fight for our queer brothers and sisters of all races. Black people and people of color have had a long history of fighting for our community and we need our community to fight for us now.
Our fight is far from over. We have to keep it going. The Monster is going to wait this out and hope it blows over. For real change to happen, we need to keep fighting.”
Here’s hoping Mr. Rice does the right thing and makes restitution for this ugly situation.
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PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Sorry but havig worked in the bar scene for many years ago, what they have written is unfortunately correct. There are more fights when there are a large percentage of Blacks. And as a Bartender I would say 85% of Blacks simply refuse to tip.
You may call me “racist” I am simply stating the plain truth of what I have witnessed and experienced. A business owner has every right to protect his business and customers. In this PC crazed era people are punished for stating the truth way too many times. Groups now pull out the victim card instead of facing the truth and seeking to own an issue and attempt to rectify it. Haters begin….
SumSay
How do you expect to get tips from a group that you’re racist against? Ever thought those funny looks that you were giving might’ve been the reason there was so much hostility in the first place?
theafricanwiththemouth
You come off as oblivious and ignorant despite your “experiences”. Nonsense.
demetreus
@playswellwithothers You worked in the bar scene many years ago… as a what? Given the huge chip on your shoulder, you probably haven’t made anything more of yourself since. Is that less PC enough for you?
surreal33
First and most important RACISM is the foundation of America therefore, RACISM in gay bars, gay clubs, etc. is perfectly normal. Second the most cursory review of history tells us white men have butchered, subjugated, murdered, (ie. The massacre of 20 million Native Americans and Hitler) more people than all people of color combined. In terms of savagery and violence people of color are complete amateurs compared to white men.
DCguy
So you hate blacks as customers, assume they won’t tip and then are shocked that they don’t tip you? Back in school when I was in the service industry I heard the same crap, and then the other servers would be shocked that I would get great tips from black tables and ask me how I did it.
How’d I do it? I TREATED THEM LIKE THEY WERE ALL IMPORTANT CUSTOMERS. The way everybody who comes in should be treated. Guess what, the rumor in the straight bar industry is also that women don’t tip, yet I never hear bartenders saying that having women in is bad for business.
It’s amazing how many different excuses for racism there seem to be.
Smith David
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS…..Well, the business should put up a sign which reads “Whites Only”
Because, apparently the color of money at this establishment, comes with harsh restrictions. Because you see, unlike many of my hue(black), I like when a racist tells me exactly who they are, as it makes it much easier to believe them.
Davenport, thank you for sharing your story. Sadly, it’s a tale as old as time. Black people continue to be villainized as the most violent race of people ever to walk the earth. No other race seems to be as vile or as dangerous as my black people. And the ignorance marches on………….
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Again I speak from experience. Blacks simply do not contribute to a business success. They will get inibriated prior to going to a bar or try and sneak bottles in. It is true in any business. Be it a restaurant, cab, bar etc. Ask any BLACK business owner or person depending on tips. They are bad for business, it’s not racism on the part of those in business. The other way not so sure….
SumSay
Singling out a group based on race, is racism. I’m sure customers of all colors have been inebriated and sneak in there own alcohol, you just happened to notice only the black ones….right? Discrimination is even more bad for business any entrepreneur will tell you that.
HowDemApples
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS You speak on your experience. Please don’t speak for mine. I have been a server/Bartender at Hamburger Mary’s for a very long time. What your saying couldn’t be more inconsistent with my experience. Fights happen between all races all the time in my bar. As far as your tips go… Maybe your just a bad server or worse you have them bad service because of your racist assumptions and so they tipped you accordingly. My advice is don’t go on “black nights” then. You can stay home those nights, tip yourself, and listen to all the washed up house remixes of your favorite Cher song all you want.
Kangol
I’ll just say that were it not for Black patrons there’d be no downstairs Monster, since the bar-club has long drawn a mixed clientele, including a lot of Black New Yorkers and tourists, since it opened, both for the dance club and the shows. In fact, there are Black people who’ve been going for years to see the Black & Latinx strippers, and as a stop-off before or after other clubs, because the Monster also stayed open late. The problem for the Monster isn’t Black patrons, whatever @PLAYSWELLWITHOTHERS may say, but with the manager and an owner who seems to have forgotten who’s been helping to pay his bills.
Smith David
So, it seems you and a few of your kind have decided it’s ok to speak for an entire race. Lmaoooooo…… So, Oprah walks into a bar? 🙂
Smith David
My last comment was @PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Smith David
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS…your comments are so disgusting on so many levels that I just have to LMAO…..
MrMichaelJ
The issue is money and unfortunately people are wanting to fess up to reality.
Go find anyone who has tended bar and they will tell you there are two types of people that will not tip you. Black people and lesbians. It true.
Sorry but can we just STOP with this BS? Look, this is just like people bitching about the police racial profiling black people. If it was little old Asian women doing most of the crimes then they’d be profiling them and if it was those same little Asian ladies that didn’t tip then a bar owner would be reluctant to have them overtake his bar.
Yes, it’s wrong but it’s the world we live in and people need to stop playing the “Whoa is me, I can’t believe I’m treated this way” to figuring out why they may be treated that way in the first place.
Just sayin.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
1000% Co-sign. Your speak the truth not based on racism, but based on act
actual experience and you see the nasty crap spewed in comments above. Neither of us said anything racist, yet those guilty of such shady behavior and their defenders will NEVER admit what they do is wrong. I didn’t include Lesbians cause they weren’t referred to in thread, but you are 100% accurate on that one also…
deacon
White ignorant gay bartenders will say Blacks don’t tip but are stupid to the fact that they treat Black patrons like shit and expect to get a tip. You’re percentage of 85% is so far off it’s laughable, Blacks do tip when we are given proper service. Put away you’re white victim card it’s 2018 and no ones buying you’re Blacks play the race card victim bullshit. You’re mad because you’re being called out on your racism.
deacon
MrMichaelJ & plays well with others funny how you say Blacks don’t tip and are bad for business, the monster has always sucked and the music is shit, but that here no there, PWWO I don’t here the Bartenders at The Hanger Bar complaining about tips. Like some said previously you need to check your business model, You need to go back to basics and understand you provide service, bad service equals bad tips.
DCguy
Funny because bartenders at black clubs seem to make money.
Maybe the two groups who don’t tip you are also the two groups that you don’t treat well.
startenout
We may not tip YOU because you’re an obvious racist pig who probably ignores us and gives us bad service. I have refuse to tip in those cases because you don’t deserve it. When I’ve been ignored while white people who came up after me got served. You’re disgusting.
However as a former server who never had a problem getting tipped by black people even in a straight bar, I STILL a decade later overtip when I get good service. So you can go dump your racism in the East River since the fault IS IN YOJ.
Me2
@ MrMichaelJ & PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS… It is racist to classify and mistreat an entire race of people based on a stereotype. Blacks are not a monolith. A savvy business owner would know how to reach and attract the more desirable individuals of any race. The bar owners in Harlem have figured it out and are reaping the benefits of “black night” and black clientele hand over fist. So, the problem here really isn’t black people, it’s the antiquated business models, racist and incompetent managers and lazy promoters who have no clue how to properly grow their businesses. And this is why the Monster doesn’t have much of a future left. At this point, that struggling hole in the wall is stupid for alienating anyone of any race, demographic or socioeconomic make-up.
Donston
People claiming that the “gay scene” is flawed are right. But almost every “scene” is flawed. The gay scene perhaps has some toxic masculinity, race and misogyny issues. But when I first came out most of the people I hung out with were bi and fluid identifying. And that “scene” perpetuated too much gay shame, internalized homophobia, self-misandry and hetero worship, which is not good for someone who recognizes that they only want to really be with someone of their gender. Ultimately, all these branches of “queer sociology” have their flaws and limitations, which is why I don’t bother caring about that stuff and don’t go to clubs very often any longer.
These businesses usually care more about money than anything else, including people. The texts are problematic and borderline discriminatory but not really racist. And I’m not sure why a non black owned business should feel obligated to do a “black night” anyways. If they don’t want to do it then they don’t want to do it (and this comes from a black person btw). But apparently, this place is a sh*tty spot in general.
Me2
You’re right, they’re not obligated to do black night. But their assertion that doing black night is bad for business is a flat out lie. They just lack the ability to do black night it correctly, so they blame and label all blacks based on the crowd that they attract. By the way, the Monster is a seedy place in general, so I find it funny that they have the nerve to single out any group of people when the entire dump relys on trashy bottom feeders to stay in business.
DCguy
Just to repeat in a different way. If black customers didn’t tip or didn’t spend money there would be no such thing as hip hop clubs. There are, they make profits, and I don’t hear the bartenders there complaining they don’t get tipped.
If you say black customers aren’t tipping you maybe it’s because they see the way you look at them when they walk up to the bar.