Quantcast

"It Was Like Guantanamo For Sexual Deviants"

2008_02_cuffs.jpgGood news about the man who was found in respiratory distress while suspended from the ceiling at a Midtown S&M club on Friday. The 60-something retired math professor from Montreal woke up yesterday, but he didn't remember the incident.

His wife didn't realize what had happened (she was still in Montreal) and told the Post reporter, who relayed the story, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe this." Wow, to hear about your husband's near-death experience from the Post!

The retiree (named in the Post, but not in the News), was apparently a regular at the Nutcracker Suite, an S&M club on East 33rd Street. He had a choker around his neck, and the choker was suspended by a rope from the ceiling. He was also wearing a hood, nipple clamps and high heeled shoes. His dominatrix had been checking on him at regular intervals, but at one point, his hands seemed blue, so 911 was called. The Post reports that the man "began choking when one of his feet slipped out of the tall shoe." Police are looking into whether to press charges of negligence.

The president of a business in the same building, Janet Benshoof of the Global Business Center, summed up the clientele to the Daily News: "A steady stream of bankers, lawyers, doctors, going to the ninth floor. It was like Guantanamo for sexual deviants. It was Abu Ghraib in Manhattan, but for pleasure." And the man's wife told the News, "He comes down to visit once in a while," adding, "I thought New York was safe."

Image of Kookie Cuffs, which can be purchased at Toys in Babeland

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Comments [rss]

  • Many of those engaged in long-term BDSM relationships learned their skills from larger BDSM organizations and communities There was a lot of discussion by the respondents on the amount of
    control the top possessed in the relationships with almost non-existent
    discussion of the top "being better, or smarter, or of more value" than
    the bottom.
  • Blumpkin

    @wiseguy. Good point. My decision process for what to do with a day often sounds like "Soup Kitchen, bondage... soup kitchen, bondage... soup kitchen, bondage."

  • pdgrrl

    I remember The Vault and The Hellfire Club. And hey, is Paddles still around? Wow. Guess I did experiment a little bit back then...

  • pdgrrl

    Is it bad that I remember The Vault and The Hellfire Club? And is Paddles still around? Wow. I guess I did enjoy some experimentation back then.

  • pdgrrl

    Is it bad that I remember The Vault and The Hellfire Club? And is Paddles still around? Wow. I guess I did enjoy some experimentation back then.

  • Elderta

    OK, who's old enough to remember the Vault?



    Ah, the 80s. Good times.

  • wiseguynyc

    Call me naive too but... with so much bad stuff happening in the world right now, you'd think these people could spend their free hours trying to make their corner of it a better place.



    Ever heard of doing volunteer work? Or cleaning the neighborhood park? How about donating your time at a soup kitchen? It's a free country, of course, but maybe instead of engaging in perverted acts in clubs they should find a more altruistic use of their time.

  • pissyrabbit

    @emilydickenson

    and before that it was called Nouvelle Justine my ex and I had a big pre-wedding party there in '97



    Unfortunately it was similar in fashion to Lucky Cheng's and had it stayed open much longer it was destined to become the hot spot for asshats.

  • oldwetsuit97

    i hope he left a good tip

  • emilydickinson

    @9: I don't even know how many bdsm clubs there are in the city, but its' quite a few, and they come in many different flavors. Nutcracker is basically a full service dungeon, one the larger side where you can get pretty much anything you want, in a setting tailor made for your specific fetish. On the smaller scale, you might have a dungeon that is just a small space or apartment with one or two dommes. Solo practioners who do in-call exist, but mainly aren't pro dommes. They're more like prostitutes who happen to own a corset and a whip. Most pro-dommes only do in call, because most of the people using their services probably would rather keep the moaning and banging out of their own domiciles. Again, there are exceptions. Then there are groups like Paddles, that hold workshops, classes and get togethers where people can play together, but it isn't a money exchange situation between the participants. Maison De sade was a great little spot where you could have your dinner and a flogging, which sadly doesn't exist anymore. It was a great place to vet potential dates.



    Depending on your budget you can get a Honda (a prostitute with a whip) all the way up to a Rolls Royce (something like Nutcracker). Most people in the bdsm/fetish community regard it it as an art (have you ever seen rope bondage done well? It's like human origami). BDSM is just one small slice of NYC sex world, there's something for everybody. That's why New York is New York.

  • JRod5417

    No, I have not and yes you are a naive cat fetishist.

  • mihow

    Side note: I feel really naive. I had no idea that these clubs actually existed. I figured people got their kicks by having a profession come to their home, but an actual club? Wow.



    Anyone ever been?

  • mihow

    That line makes me choke...on laughter.



    Yeah, right. Take the ball gag out of your mouth, JRod.

  • pissyrabbit

    um..the big difference between Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and The Nutcracker Suite is the *consent* forms.

    You know, unless I'm missing something.

  • JRod5417

    "I thought New York was safe"



    That line makes me choke...on laughter.

  • rtd2101

    Isn't it always the "60-something retired math professor" who has a secret S&M fetish?

  • Guest

    Nutcracker Suite? And I thought that a couple of the gay bars in Fort Lauderdale (Ramrod, Cubby Hole) were humorously named. LOL!

  • Dave Hogarty

    "I thought NY was safe," says the woman whose husband's hobby is to have himself trussed and hung by the neck. He wasn't mugged!

  • alivefromnewyork

    Guatanamo? Do you mean Guantanamo?



    At least re-read the titles.

  • mihow

    This place has got to be something else if people are traveling down from Montreal to hit it.

blog comments powered by Disqus

send a tip

tips@gothamist.com