Miller Lite, Motors, and Mortality … By Whitney Farmer – Un Pop Culture

June 29, 2011 Whitney Farmer 0 Comments

Whitney runs a rock music venue on the beach in L.A.. She has an M.B.A., and recently finished a book.*

A few months ago, Ryan Dunn came to the club. I think it was him, but guys with beards look pretty much the same to me.

Wee Man had recently opened up a Chronic Taco restaurant up the street, and ‘Jackass 3D’ had just hit theaters. A group of about ten came in to celebrate in a VIP booth that was farthest back in the venue.

When I came to the table to welcome the group and to make sure their server had come to their table, Dunn had decided to start the night off by being – ironically – a jackass to me in front of his friends.  Some things were said, including, “So, WTF? We get Miller Lite wristbands from security, but you’re not serving Miller Lite?”

I could have told him why we didn’t have it that night, or apologized and paid homage which might have been what he wanted. Instead, I said, “Well, the wristbands were free. So, because I am the manager and an MBA, the reason you have those wristbands is because I said so and because it’s a smart idea. As to why don’t we serve you Miller Lite? What do you think this is, a microbrewery?”

Basically, this was an acknowledgement that at a certain level, cheap beer is cheap beer whether it’s ML or PBR and to whine within this price point is weak. It is the same dynamic when ordering a regular coffee or a skinny decaf mocha: one you just want, the other you order when you want to chat with your girlfriends – unless you’re a guy, then say ‘no’.  He blushed, shut up, and his friends laughed.  Maybe I should have been more elegant and even gracious, but everyone seemed to relax.

Last week on June 20^th at 3:30 a.m. – after reportedly drinking Miller Lites and doing shots at a local bar – Ryan Dunn and his passenger, Jackass 3D production assistant Zachary Hartwell were killed in a car wreck in Pennsylvania. Dunn was driving approximately 130 mph in a 55 mph zone, and his blood alcohol level was nearly two times that state’s legal limit. Dunn, with 23 citations from various countries on his driving record including 6 for drunken driving, and his passenger were killed by either impact or incineration – hard to tell yet.

The photos that Dunn had twittered from the bar where he had been partying in the hours before have been pulled from the internet. The reasoning behind this has not been released, but the assumption is that it either glorifies those fatal choices, or provides incriminating evidence for criminal or civil proceedings that are anticipated to follow. Depending on how the overserving occurred, there is a possibility that the bar will be out of business for the violation, even if Dunn had a history of driving recklessly while sober. Business owners, bartenders and servers can end up behind bars as a result of this type of event.

If Dunn had survived the crash, he would be facing criminal prosecution for vehicular homicide at least, but possibly second degree murder.  He had enough encounters with law enforcement to know what could be the consequences of his actions. This could make him eligible for the supersizing of the criminal charge.  Any wealth that was generated from his “Jackass” career could have been forfeited through civil litigation.  This could still be a consequence facing his estate once Zachary Hartwell’s grieving family heals enough to organize their rage.

Not much else can be said.  It would be great to be able to write that both survived the wreck, even that Dunn was behind bars awaiting arraignment. Anything besides dead. No one going through the midst of a violent and useless death has an inner voice that says, ‘This is so cool…!’ Nor is it cool to have the scene of your death be the site of trophy-hunters who intend to sell the last wreckage of your life on eBay. If only the current discussion could be that the wreck was the first step in Dunn deciding to live a new life. Having the opportunity to experience regret and changing because of it must be one of the most powerful and sacred gifts given to humanity.

Given one more chance, Ryan Dunn would make a different choice. He wouldn’t order Miller Lites with shots that reports stated were his Last Supper at that bar. He wouldn’t drive like he did. He might not even get in that car. Whatever it would take to get another chance, he would do.

Bet on it.

——

Quote of the Blog, conversation between a patron and ‘Denny’ working security:

“Can I buy you a shot?”

“Nah, I’m working and need to stay sober.”

“Cool. So, do you know where I can score some blow instead?”

“Not now. Twenty years ago I could have.”

* ’finished’ as in ’read’ a book. Still working on writing the first one. Might have decided on title…