June 11, 2015
More Drama in Fire Island Pines: Weiderpass Allegedly 86'd From Nightclub
EDGE READ TIME: 3 MIN.
An anti-gay presidential hopeful, a gay resort in the throes of a boycott and a big gay conspiracy theory. Who needs TV when you have Fire Island Pines?
The ongoing drama in Fire Island Pines escalated last weekend when Mati Weiderpass, the the man at the center of the now infamous "fireside chat" with Sen Ted Cruz in April, allegedly showed up and was heckled out of a dance being held at FIP hotspot Sip N' Twirl.
The report comes via an eyewitness account by Evan Lobel, whose Facebook post was published by blogger Kenneth in the 212 which reads:
Last night at Lina Bradford's TBS at Sip & Twirl... Fire Island Pines, there was some crazy drama. Mati Wederpas (sic) and a belligerent little friend showed up. Several people engaged them (including myself) wondering how they could show their faces at Sip & Twirl. Mati's friend went on a bizarre tirade bashing Eric Von Kuesteiner (a previous owner of the Fire Island Pines commercial properties) which was curious sincere was there with a guy who had dinner with Ted Cruz, the most homophonic politician in America. PJ (McAteer) told them they were not welcome and asked them both to leave. Indignantly they both told PJ off and PJ called the cops. After a few minutes they decided to leave. The cops showed up and PJ made sure they were indeed off the property. Upon their departure the crowd cheered! Thank you PJ for restoring TBS to what is always is: a celebration of joy and love.
In April, Weiderpass and his former romantic partner Ian Reisner hosted 2016 presidential hopeful Sen Ted Cruz in the Manhattan penthouse the ex-couple still share. The Cruz event set off a firestorm of criticism against Reisner who recently acquired the majority of the commercial properties in Fire Island Pines.
To say that the situation and cast of characters intrenched in the plot line in the Pines is worthy of a TV daytime drama is an understatement. However, as in any soap opera worth watching, the plot thickens.
When the report of Weiderpass being eighty-sixed from Sip N' Twirl that was published by Instinct was posted to the Facebook page for the group actively boycotting the Fire Island Pines properties, a conspiracy theory about the incident arose.
The current boycott on the Fire Island Properties owned by Reisner and his business partner, longtime Pines resident PJ McAteer, whose Sip N' Twirl nightclub has been a fixture in the community's social landscape, has been ongoing since news of the Cruz event broke in April.
Jeff McGovern, a former manager of the Pines properties under Von Kuersteiner, isn't buying Lobel's account. McGovern, who currently resides in Montreal has been one of the most vocal proponents for the boycott.
In a post on the Boycott Fire Island Pines Establishments & Out Hotel, McGovern writes.
I'm sure Mati was there, I'm sure the police were called, and I'm sure that was a real text message by his employee and possible investor. I am also inclined to believe there is a conversation left out. One, where Ian probably called PJ or one of his staff members ( maybe the other way around) , discussed how Mati would show up and be belligerent, PJ would come to the rescue and kick Mati out and call the cops for some extra drama, then the whole community would rally around him and comment on how he is the poor victim of all this mess and the agenda of the Boycott Fire Island Pines Establishments & Out NYC Hotel page.
Last week, gay activist group Queer Nation hired a plane to trail a banner reading "Boycott Hi/Lo Tea! Fight For Full LGBT Rights!" to fly above the beach at Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines on Sunday.