Alex Julian: Doorman Extraordinaire

[Photo credit: NYMag.com]

New York Magazine interviewed Meatpacking District hotspot Tenjune doorman Alex Julian about what it is like being a “top doorman” in New York City. Julian has been a doorman at some of the top nightclubs in Manhattan, including Cain, Pink Elephant (in New York City and Southampton), Home and Guesthouse.

It’s quite a piece!

On who else he considers a “top doorman”:

“Armin over at Socialista is now not a doorman, but he still has a lot of say over who gets in; Wass has his thing going at Marquee; Ben from 1 Oak, who’s young but he’s good and he has a lot of potential; and that’s it. The test for Ben is how he matures — it’s very easy to get a big ego.“

On how to dress:

“Dress how you feel comfortable and look good. I know who’s wearing something when they’re just trying to impress me, as opposed to someone just wearing a nice pair of jeans, a nice pair of flats, designer sneakers, a blazer …”

On how people have reacted when turned away:

“We’ve all gotten the “I’m so-and-so and you won’t have a job tomorrow.” I’ve gotten death threats. I’ve had people follow me home. I make my mistakes, but 80 percent of the time I do know who you are, or more importantly I do know who you’re not, or what you’re not. I know what’s important to the venue and you might be on the inner or outer half of that equation.”

On the mistake of not letting in Entourage’s Kevin Connelly:

” At Pink, I got the little guy from Entourage [Kevin Connolly, who plays E]. He showed up in the Hamptons with ten or twelve guys. The thing is he’s tiny and he was literally the last one out of those ten or twelve — I never spoke to him. They never mentioned his name until we had already had an awkward exchange. That was something I got a lot of grief over. Celebrity or not, I don’t know what someone is doing with ten guys trying to come into a club.”