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Socialista Disease, or the Rise and Fall of a NYC Hot Spot

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DO NOT GET THE MOJITO KutchMoore (Photo: Getty images)
Surely Bungalow 8 doorman-turned-club owner Armin Amiri never planned to garnish his $12 melon jugos and mojitos with Hep-A, but at his Marxist-themed Manhattan club Socialista, it seems, some trends are just too infectious to resist.

Months ago he announced that entrance into his $2 million, Cuban-themed, semi-private nightclub would be granted on a somewhat egalitarian basis: "As the door goes," he told the Observer, "I'm gonna bring you into this nice atmosphere; hopefully, you're going to bring your great energy in here. And that's it—that's the only even exchange I want with people." (Besides wanting their $600—the minimum required to secure a table—but that doesn't much jive with the socialist rhetoric, does it?)

On the flip side, there's no better symbol of share-and-share alike socialist ideals than a diarrhea-, jaundice-, and nausea-causing disease that does not discriminate between A-list and not-on-the-list. (Note: Hep-A should not be confused with the gnarly, Pam Anderson-y Hep-C.)

Page Six today reports today that bartender Leif (perfect) had the nerve to contract "a raging case" of hepatitis-A and was on duty the night of Ashton Kutcher's birthday party at Manhattan club. The club is now advising Kutcher, Demi Moore, Madonna, Lucy Liu, Salma Hayek, Kate Hudson, Bruce Willis and others in attendance to get a vaccination shot.

How things have changed since the Post's glowing Sept. 30 coverage, given in exchange for a VIP tour. The club would not become the typical playground for the rich and famous owners promised, and the Post described Socialista's own doorman as being "unflappable when wishing hasta la vista to visitors lacking reservations. Just ask Bruce Willis, who was recently turned away at closing time."

Not the case Feb. 8. Leif! Another round of Heptinis! Put it on Bruce's bill!

By FI Staff   02/22/08 11:48 AM
Related: Ashton Kutcher, Hepatitis-A, On the Scene
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