From Sun archives: Bruce who?

Fake Springsteen drinks and runs

This story was originally published Oct. 6, 1980.

The owners of a popular downtown disco thought they had received a rare visit Saturday from rock star Bruce Springsteen -- but hours later, after serving an impersonator and two companions more than $150 in drinks and champagne, they discovered it was a hoax.

Before the evening had ended, the disco's owners had called the police because only a portion of the bill had been paid, and one man was arrested.

The ruse began about 6 p.m. Saturday when an "agent" for Mr. Springsteen telephoned Girard's disco to say that the rock star was in town and planned to visit the establishment in the 1100 block of Cathedral Street.

Jerry Herling, a co-owner of Girard's, said the agent asked for the normal VIP courtesies when the star arrived.

"I told them that it would be all right," Mr. Herling recalled, "as soon as they showed the proper ID."

About three hours later, a man who identified himself as Mr. Springsteen's bodyguard flashed a card in front of the doorman at the disco and asked to inspect the premises.

Mr. Herling said the man went inside, walked around and then left.

About 15 minutes later, a man with a grubby beard -- a Springsteen trademark -- dark sunglasses and a denim jacket entered the disco with a woman and the "bodyguard."

Mr. Herling, who was behind the bar, introduced himself to his "famous" visitor, but not long afterward, he said, he sensed that something was wrong.

"It was just an instinct I had," he said. "I remember reading about this sort of thing happening frequently in Washington."

While he pondered his suspicions, Mr. Herling said, rumors began circulating around the disco that the world-famous Bruce Springsteen was in the bar, and a few patrons began eyeing the visitor curiously.

Still having doubts, Mr. Herling said, he eventually asked the visitors for identification, but the bodyguard replied that his employer did not carry any in the event "something might happen."

At that time, the visitors had consumed two bottles of champagne -- each costing $77 -- and several drinks.

While they continued drinking, Mr. Herling summoned the police.

The fake bodyguard at first confronted the police belligerently, Mr. Herling recalled. He said the police led the man to a rear office, where they interviewed him.

At this point, the woman produced a credit card and paid about $100 for the tab, Mr. Herling said. The couple then left the bar unnoticed while police were interviewing the bodyguard.

"I really left myself open by calling the police," Mr. Herling remarked. "I knew that there could have been a chance that he was for real. But there was a guy in the bar who said he knew Bruce Springsteen and knew that [the impersonator] could not have been him.

Police arrested a man alleged to have acted as the bodyguard in the scheme and charged him with failing to pay a portion of the bill. Timothy Lambers of Devonshire place in Washington, was released on $100 bond yesterday after spending the night in the central district police lockup.