Customers often show interest in my job and want to talk about it with me, sometimes at length. I’m always happy to oblige. I enjoy what I do and love friendly encounters with my customers. The conversations are pretty similar, and I get many of the same questions, which I don’t mind at all—it allows me to have cookie-cutter answers ready and waiting. "Do you have to fight a lot?" No, most people know how to behave themselves, and de-escalation is a better way of approaching my job. "What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen working out here?" I once witnessed a homeless guy give himself the Cheddar Bob treatment (if you’ve never seen 8 Mile, there’s a character named Cheddar Bob who accidentally shoots himself in the dick, which is precisely what our unfortunate homeless neighbor did—don’t play with guns, kids). During these customer conversations, one topic that pops up every now and then is the bouncer movie. I’m talking about Patrick Swayze’s 1989 cult classic Road House. Work as a bouncer long enough, and someone will bring it up.
Now, this flick gets a lot of shit. It did poorly at the box office, only gaining popularity once it hit the home video and cable TV markets. The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywood’s Worst lists Road House in Chapter Five: "Now That’s A Dumb Idea!" In an episode of Family Guy, Peter and Brian pick up a copy at a video store and watch it together. After the movie ends, Peter comments on the timelessness of the movie’s message, to which Brian responds, "Peter, the only message in that movie is that every problem in life can be solved by kicking." Peter eagerly embraces that message, to the annoyance of everyone around. Is that really all there is to Road House though? Sure, on its surface, it seems like the official violent jackoff fantasy of Toxic Masculinity™ , and admittedly, the second half of the film goes off the rails in a big way. Still, Swayze’s character Dalton has some legitimate gems to offer those of us working as bouncers.
For starters, let’s talk about Dalton’s background. The dude has a degree in philosophy from NYU. That detail jumped out at me when I recently re-watched it, recalling a quote by Thucydides I read a long time ago: "The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools." When thinking and fighting are both tools in your toolbox, you’ll have an easier time knowing which one the situation calls for. More often than not, it’ll be thinking, but as they say, everything looks like a nail if a hammer is all you’ve got. A degree in philosophy is not a prerequisite for bouncer work, but at least learn stuff. Engage in intellectual pursuits. Read some books. The best bouncers I know are the ones who make use of that grey stuff sloshing around their skulls.
Then there’s the legendary Wade Garrett, played by Sam Elliott. Wade plays the role of mentor to Dalton. When Dalton realizes he’s in over his head, it’s Wade whom he calls for help. There’s another thing we can learn from Dalton. His reputation as a bouncer/cooler is such that Tilghman (the owner of the Double Deuce who recruits Dalton to get his security situation under control) doesn’t blink when Dalton demands five grand upfront, plus 500 bucks a night, plus medical expenses. It would be easy for that kind of reputation to go to a guy’s head, but Dalton still possesses the humility and self-awareness (good traits to possess in this line of work) to recognize when he needs advice and/or backup.
When Dalton starts at the Double Deuce, he gives his bouncers a set of rules that, frankly, ought to be adopted industry-wide. Let’s take a look at those rules.
Underestimating people is never a good idea. There are so many things to consider when dealing with a security situation. Anger issues, mental illness, drugs, fighting experience, or martial arts training—all these things come into play. A small person isn’t necessarily weak, and a person who appears calm as you deal with them might act that way to lull you into a false sense of security. The opposite is true, as well. A large person isn’t necessarily dangerous just because they’re large; they might be weak or clumsy, and sometimes a person who seems agitated might have a legitimate concern, which, when addressed, might diffuse the situation entirely (and that person could end up being a really great customer after that). A situation isn’t always what it appears on its surface. Take a moment to observe and evaluate. It might give you some useful insight that isn’t readily apparent.
Take it outside. If a situation turns, shall we say, kinetic, it’s better for that to happen outside. A brawl in your establishment is the last thing you want. Dalton mentions on his first night at the Double Deuce, "People who want to have a good time won’t come to a slaughterhouse." To point out the obvious, "outside" is bigger than "inside." Unless you’re talking about the TARDIS, but we’re discussing Road House, not Doctor Who. It’s better to diffuse a situation than to let it become a brawl, but if a brawl is going to happen, better that it’s not inside where lots of people are in a smaller space. Broken glass, property damage, and injuries to innocent bystanders will be much less likely once you take it outside.
Such a simple rule, but it seems to be the easiest rule for bouncers to forget while on the job. Dalton immediately expands on this rule: "If somebody gets in your face and calls you a cocksucker, I want you to be nice. Ask him to walk. Be nice. If he won’t walk, walk him. But be nice. If you can’t walk him, one of the others will help you, and you’ll both be nice. I want you to remember that it’s a job. It’s nothing personal." Some of the bouncers find this rule to be a sticking point, with one guy asking incredulously, "Being called a cocksucker isn’t personal?" Dalton’s response is one that a lot of bouncers could stand to hear and take to heart: "No. It’s two nouns combined to elicit a prescribed response." Letting someone’s words provoke you unnecessarily will always cloud your judgment. As a period at the end of the sentence of rule three, Dalton tells the bouncers, "I want you to be nice until it’s time to not be nice." Everyone at your establishment will have a much better time if you can be friendly with everyone until they entirely eliminate that option. Not every situation needs to be a fight. Dalton’s first order of business at the Double Deuce is to fire a bouncer named Morgan because he doesn’t have "the right temperament for the job." One of the best professional compliments I’ve ever been given was a friend who told me he thought I was the best de-escalator in the neighborhood. Dalton refers to himself as a "cooler." It’s the same thing. Like I said before, it’s a better way of doing my job.
Road House is currently on Netflix. Pop some popcorn, give it a watch, and keep in mind that while kicking can solve some problems in life, Swayze showed us a better way to bounce.
Nate Hazen is a professional de-escalator and movie buff. His degree is in mechanical engineering, not philosophy. Follow him on Instagram via @natehazen (because creatively naming social media pages is not one of his intellectual pursuits) and @stripcitytv (because creative writing is).
