Piss artist
When one thinks of Jerry Collins, one's mind immediately turns to ... elderflowers. That's because Matterhorn's "Jerry Collins" cocktail (a version of the classic Tom Collins) incorporates such manly ingredients as elderflower cordial and feijoa vodka. That's hardly news to Wellingtonians, but its fame has spread across the Tasman and got a whole article in the Sydney Morning Herald's "Rugby Heaven" (hat tip to Duncan in Sydney for the link).
When I asked the bar staff about it this morning, they hadn't heard of the article, but they were amused to read their boss's quote that "When the All Blacks or Hurricanes play in Wellington and feel like going to a bar for a drink they can come to the Matterhorn and nobody will mob them for autographs, or in many cases even know who they are". They probably get mistaken for members of Fat Freddy's Drop.
Apparently the name is ironic. Really? I thought it was because elderflowers are a diuretic.
That's the implication!
Is the other implication that sophisticated Wellington urbanites might not recognise rugby players (since rugby's a brutal thuggish game, and we're above that), but somehow the bar owners and staff of Wellington recognise "Umanga" and the other players? And what the fuck's "Feihjoa"?
On a lighter note, there's a link to the article in the left hand side navigation, which truncates the headline to "The other Jerry Collins cock".
You could definitely read that subtext into it. Though perhaps they're overstating the "not even recognising" them bit, and it's just that Matterhornians are too worldly and blase to run around going "ooh look, it's a famous person!"
perhaps it's just a case of one too many 'Jerry Collins' over the course of the evening, and not being able to recognise much anything at all.
But that's ignoring them -- which is different to not recognising them.
If the owner of The Matterhorn wanted to look down his nose at rugby fans, perhaps he should have done better than name a drink after one of the high-profile Wellington players? Perhaps he'd better consider turn away paying customers on the night of big games? "Sorry mate, not allowed in here -- you'd obviously recognise All Blacks in a line-up".
Perhaps not recognising All Blacks isn't all that rare: I know plenty of people who wouldn't recognise them, because they don't follow sport at all. Plus, the Matterhorn has a lot of international customers, many of whom wouldn't even know what rugby is.
Anyway, I didn't read the comments as being all that condescending. He just said that "in many cases" patrons wouldn't recognise them, but in general those who did wouldn't make a fuss over it. And he obviously recognises them himself, since he says that Tana's a regular.
Even if you follow rugby (and I do), it's nice to have some places that don't revolve around the game.
I was once about to turn away from the Matterhorn as they had a private function sign out. Though it happened it was just to dissuade the marauding post match hordes from coming in!
Not a bad idea at all, I wonder if applied to the players as well?
that youtube video is a classic.
"...nobody will mob them for autographs, or in many cases even know who they are."
Because those sophisticated inner-city urban dwellers who frequent the matterhorn don't watch rugby?