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Nobu Co-Owner Handcuffed After Freaky Flight Outburst

102809notar.jpg Richie Notar, the co-owner of acclaimed sushi chain Nobu, took a pill and drank a glass of wine before his Monday night red-eye flight from LA to New York. Then he was "out for the count"—at least, from his point of view. But before the flight was over, he'd be trying to bite his way through a pair of flex cuffs. One witness from the flight gave this account:

Hours into the flight, Notar's "arms were flailing and he was shouting. Everyone was looking at him. A little while later, the woman seating next to him had to be moved to first class after claiming that Richie had made 'inappropriate hand gestures' at her. Two women behind him were moved as well... A male flight attendant was seated in the aisle seat next to him trying to calm him down, but Richie was just gesticulating wildly. Finally, the crew managed to get a pair of flex cuffs on him, though he tried to bite them off.

Notar was escorted by three NYPD officers at JFK, and two complaints were filed but both were dropped. Notar doesn't recall any of this, and tells the Post, "I just remember sleeping. I guess I have to be more careful, or there go my upgrades." It sounds similar to those Ambien sleepwalking incidents, but it also reminds us of that time a bipolar Bronx man stripped naked midflight and refused to get dressed. Air travel is the new Greyhound bus.

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Comments [rss]

  • militza

    I'm just mesmerized by the pink v-neck sweater he's wearing in the pic. wonder if he had it on during the supposed incident.

  • NannyState

    He's two Nori sheets short of a California roll.

  • Clarice City

    Only one pill and a glass of wine? Something fishy about that story. Hey-oh!

  • CR

    "Everyone was looking at him." Isn't this what every douchebag New Yorker cares about? No wonder he wasn't that upset...

  • SuburbanAntiChrist

    Meh, not bad, but he's no Gerard Finneran

    http://www.thesmokinggun.com/altitude/monday3.html

    (go to item #6)

    Finneran has the forever and ever world record on plane incidents... He is the King!

  • grove

    floating in a seat 30,000 feet in the air has become no big deal. CRAZY

  • Ethan

    Air travel is the new Fung Wah bus.

  • valeriob

    A pill, a glass of wine, and sub-par sushi waiting for him at his restaurant. What a life.

  • A little while later, the woman seating next to him had to be moved to first class after claiming that Richie had made 'inappropriate hand gestures' at her.

    I know how I'm getting a free upgrade next flight.

  • sexisicilian

    That's funny, gotta luv the white shirt under the pink sweater combo very chic:)

  • cutlass

    Air travel has been the new Greyhound Bus for quite a while - in fact, I'd say air travel is the new F train.

  • NannyState

    On Continental, we're talkin' the No.7 train.

  • longacre

    Just wait until airlines start flying standing-only planes.

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