Walter Monheit -- The Oldest Club Kid

January 1, 2009 9:56 PM

Walter Monheit -- The Oldest Club Kid A retiree who lives in Bensonhurst with his cat, Precious, he is known for nocturnal antics like dancing with sexy young women in clubs, and getting their phone numbers. In a world marked by status-consciousness tied to youth, physical beauty, and wealth, this elderly man of modest means is popular and respected, and some club owners admit him for free—the mark of a VIP.
posted by jason's_planet (28 comments total)

Loved those movie reviews in Spy magazine...
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 10:04 PM on January 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

Oof. Someone's knocking at the door and his name is Oscar. Four monocles (indisputably a classic).
posted by Hat Maui at 10:21 PM on January 1, 2009

Septuagenarian? More like sep-WOO HOOOOO!-agenarian. Lose the pimple cream and rock that pimped out walker, Oscar, because starting in '09, this is gonna be SOME Country For Old Men! Oooof!
posted by maryh at 10:32 PM on January 1, 2009 [8 favorites]

q q q q




(Those are supposed to look like monocles. I tried.)
posted by miss lynnster at 10:59 PM on January 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

I believe StickyCarpet is acquainted with the oldest and coolest club kid. Zelda has also spoken out against genital cutting.
posted by brujita at 11:16 PM on January 1, 2009

q q q q

I had a coworker who had this as his vanity license plate in Virginia. It was taken away from him by the DMV after some complaints about a possible, and correct, interpretation of its intended meaning. Just say "Four Que" aloud and see what phrase comes to mind.
posted by peeedro at 11:40 PM on January 1, 2009

...Walter Monheit was/is a real person?

*head explodes*
posted by Epenthesis at 11:40 PM on January 1, 2009

Just say "Four Que" aloud and see what phrase comes to mind.

So you're saying that all that time, Ernie was getting Bert to cuss in the "Thank You" sketch?!
posted by JHarris at 1:21 AM on January 2, 2009

Reading that article, I feel like I've fallen into an alternate universe where Quentin Crisp is straight, Jewish and still alive.
posted by ShameSpiral at 1:40 AM on January 2, 2009 [4 favorites]

I still quote my favorite Monheit review in spy, of Point Break:
"Get ready for the lazy, hazy Swayze days of summer! Keanu feel the heat? Ooof!
posted by asavage at 2:08 AM on January 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

Dude still totally owes me for the X I gave him.
posted by bardic at 2:15 AM on January 2, 2009

Huh, I definitely saw him out on the town one night. It was weird seeing an older gentleman in a tux at a techno club at 4AM.
posted by mkb at 6:59 AM on January 2, 2009

When I am old, I want to be him.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:05 AM on January 2, 2009

Yeah, Brujita, just came by to mention Zelda Kaplan

She was dancing up a storm at that downtown party/meetup.
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:15 AM on January 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

Back in high school in the earlier days of raves, I heard of a friend of a friend who brought his impressively lively grandfather to a party. Grandpa was seen by someone in the adult movie industry, and hired for his energy. Not as classy as Walter, but an interesting (mythical) tale, especially for high school boys.

I'm looking forward to my old age, when I sleep less and dance more.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:11 AM on January 2, 2009

Tampa just has The Senator.
While awesome, he's a different breed than a Walter.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 12:50 PM on January 2, 2009

I file these stories with folks like the previously mentioned do gooder who dresses as Batman, and after seeing Man on Wire, Philippe Petite. People who do what makes them happy, who do no harm, and who do not care what other people may think. I want to be a little like him when I'm in my twilight years too.
posted by Ruby Stevens at 3:46 PM on January 2, 2009

PLEASE LET THIS BE ME IN 60 YEARS.

Also, New Years' Eve in Berghain, Berlin was very nice this year. And by "nice" I mean "24-hour-long techno, glitter and sleazefest."
posted by LMGM at 4:54 PM on January 2, 2009

When I am old, I want to be him.
I want to be him now.

As to why he never married, he says, “Why make one girl miserable when you can make all the girls happy?”
WIN!
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 5:25 PM on January 2, 2009

Young women attracted to a rich older man with charm?

WHAT A TWEEST!
posted by DU at 5:58 PM on January 2, 2009

Thanks for posting this -- I would never have come across it otherwise.
posted by wittgenstein at 6:36 PM on January 2, 2009

Today, he manages to get by on a pension from that job and social security.

Doesn't sound rich to me.
posted by sgrass at 7:32 PM on January 2, 2009

Young women attracted to a rich older man with charm?

Did you read the same article I did? Or, for that matter, the same post I did?

In a world marked by status-consciousness tied to youth, physical beauty, and wealth, this elderly man of modest means is popular and respected

wittgenstein: Thanks for posting this -- I would never have come across it otherwise.

Oh, you're welcome! And thank you! I remember reading this in the New York Sun years ago and being absolutely blown away. I kept looking for that article online but The Sun never published it. And now the original author has published it.
posted by jason's_planet at 9:32 PM on January 2, 2009

s/rich/rich-seeming (i.e. tophat, cigarette holder, etc)/g
posted by DU at 4:02 AM on January 3, 2009

that's right. kids 'respect' novelty. let's see that influx of retirees into the club scene. let's see how that goes. this is going to be so 'popular.'
posted by es_de_bah at 7:00 AM on January 3, 2009

that's right. kids 'respect' novelty.

exactly my curmudgeonly thought. i've spent a fair number of years in club scenes. people like this are generally treated as mascots, not people. they are lonely folks who become even more lonely when they realize that none of the young folk they "hang with" considers them a friend. staying drunk has its advantage in preventing this realization.
posted by RedEmma at 10:15 AM on January 3, 2009

Well, he may be a bit of a mascot, but seems like people are all having a good time for the most part. Sounds like he's got a decent attitude and genuinely enjoys his lifestyle. So isn't that what matters? Leastwise, he sounds way more fun to hang out with at parties than Andy Dick... the young whippersnappers aren't throwing beer bottles at him or anything, so that's usually a good sign.
posted by miss lynnster at 11:12 AM on January 3, 2009

Count me as another person who didn't realize Walter Monheit was a real person. Ooof!
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 11:38 AM on January 3, 2009