by Rudy Rogers
Octobers 4, 2005

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I have been “Working’ th’ door” for about 13 years. Over that time I have talked to many fellow bouncers about what they do and how they do it. As varied as the individuals, some younger, some older or even much older, some big and intimidating some, slight and passive, and so were their answers. However,I wanted to find out what the official definition for BOUNCER was so I looked up the word in a few sources:

Bounc-er n. [slang] a person hired to remove disorderly people from a nightclub, restaurant, etc… Warner Books c. 1990; Webster’s New World Dictionary

Bounc-er n. [slang] a person employed to restrain or eject disorderly persons http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary book=Dictionary&va=bouncer&x=19&y=8

Bounc-er n. [slang] guard at nightclub: a security guard who usually stands at the door of a nightclub or other place of entertainment and is responsible for preventing undesirable people from entering and or ejecting troublemakers http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/bouncer.html

I pretty much had that figured out. Yet, I wasn’t satisfied. Some of the “bouncers” I talked to rarely had to eject someone or looked like, and in a couple of instances just plain couldn’t eject anyone (but then there were those who could). Many defined themselves as “Security”. So, I looked that up as well...

Se-cu-ri-ty n 2: protection; safeguard Warner Books c. 1990; Webster’s New World Dictionary

Se-cu-ri-ty n. PROTECTION b (1) : measures taken to guard against espionage or sabotage, crime, attack, or escape (2) : an organization or department whose task is security http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary? book=Dictionary&va=security&x=25&y=9

Se-cu-ri-ty n. 4. safety: protection against attack from without or subversion from within

5. precautions to maintain safety: precautions taken to keep somebody or something safe from crime, attack, or danger

6. guards: people or an organization entrusted with the job of protecting somebody or something, especially a building or institution, against crime http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/security.html

Wow! Okay. I could see why many of the people at the door I talked to defined themselves as security….security sounds a little more nobler doesn’t it? Verses the image of a hairy-armed knuckle dragger that the term bouncer creates. However security can sound haughty if not misleading in some instances and bouncer….well, I hate turning into one. I prefer “Doorman” or Doorwoman as the case may be. My Webster’s dictionary states:

Door’man n. One whose work is opening the door of a building, hailing cabs, etc…

In most large cities and overseas the doorman also has the capacity to act as a bouncer, and usually screens guests as a form of security. Also, In this day and age of WMDs, psychos, and terrorism, the average Doorman has more to be concerned with than just disorderly patrons. The image and the persona of the establishment you represent can be painted by your actions or inactions.

Mindset plays a key role in most everything you do. In my mind I am not some dumb bouncer who likes to bully, and intimidate the very people who are contributing to my salary. Nor am I some stuffy spooked-out high-and- mighty security snob. I am a Doorman, someone who helps people, can show people a good time, and yet be vigilant

Skill sets I have found over the years that I have had to use almost all of my skill sets to not only to do my job competently, which is essentially protecting the owner’s property and liquor license, but to survive.

The skill-sets I refer to are not just physical, although they have come in handy from time to time (more on that later), but mental, emotional, as well as psychological. For instance. Biting your lip when an unruly patron is verbally abusing you because you deny them entry, or dealing with the stress of administering first-aid on a gruesomely lacerated customer, and even sometimes upholding rules that may make no sense to you or the patron, yet being the face or herald of that ill-logic.

However, no matter how you define them you can be sure that bouncers are someone's daughter or son, brother or sister, or someone's father or mother.

In this next series of articles I will attempt to educate, motivate, and dispel some of the myths and stereotypes of the people who work the door of your favorite hangout and who often put themselves on the line for your safety and peace of mind.

Rudy has fought many times in the ring as a Thai fighter and professional boxer in Japan, Canada, and the United States and has trained many aspiring fighters to victory. He has worked as a doorman for many of Minneapolis' finest bars and nightclubs for over 10yrs.

Rudy's favorite martial art is all of them. But if he had to pick one it would be Kali and the Filipino Martial Arts.