Not too long ago I talked about a fleeting interest in owning a bar. Not so much to sell drinks or to be ‘that guy’ but to see people enjoy themselves. I got the idea by watching Bar Rescue, a reality show on Spike TV. Now that I’ve done my research on the unreality of Bar Rescue, I’m turned off by the whole thing.
My experience in bars dates back to my college years when I DJ’d for several establishments. I stuck around after hours long enough to here about how things worked (or more often didn’t work) from the business end. Even then I had an interest. However then I was more in tune with the reality of the situation. I don’t know how even 15 yrs away from the scene I was able to be snowed by the terrible illusion of Bar Rescue. Here is what I know about bars: It is hard to stay cool and relevant for very long. Here is what I know about Bar Rescue: They pitch this illusion that bringing in a fresh coat of paint, a trained up staff, and (of course) a new POS system is going to do the trick. But the real trick here is what the show leads you to believe.
You cannot watch Bar Rescue without recognizing the show is staged. Need proof? Check the lights in the bars. In what world are the lights fully up in a bar? What sort of atmosphere does that create. The more you watch the more you realize how much of these situations are sought out and amped up or even straight up contrived in order to allow the host to appear holier than and scream like he is working with children. It has gotten to the point where I cannot even watch anymore.
So I wont. Nor will I think about opening a bar anytime soon. I remember now how hard and soul sucking that life is.
Some Thoughts:
- Kanye West got married to Kim Kardashian, signaling the end of his career. Jay-Z and Beyonce did not attend. This wasn’t one of those situations where the best man says, “I cannot stand up for you on this, bro” but moreso a commentary on the guest list–specifically Dame Dash’s ex-wife Rachel Roy. If you can remember back to the elevator fight, it is rumored that she is the cause of all that scuffle. She is uber tight with Jigga–so much so that Beyonce has concerns. She went to the wedding, so Beyonce wouldn’t and wouldn’t let that Jigga go. So, as with all things human, it boils down to insecurity. This is useless information, but it makes me giggle.