Posted on 05/08/2007 5:17:38 PM PDT by ChildOfThe60s
Cincinnati restaurateur Jeff Ruby was at his restaurant in Louisville for Kentucky Derby weekend, when an employee approached him, apparently excited that O.J. Simpson was sitting down to dinner.
Ruby said he took another puff of his cigar and another sip of his drink and decided, "I don't want him here."
Ruby said he found Simpson in the Churchhill room of his "Jeff Ruby's Louisville" steakhouse and told Simpson, "I'm not serving you."
Ruby said he did it for the Goldman and Brown families, referring, of course, to the families of the people O.J. was accused of killing.
Simpson was found not guilty in the criminal trial, but liable in a civil trial.
After telling Simpson to leave, he said the former NFL football star was "classy" about it, rounded up his party and left.
Then, Ruby said, he went into the Churchill Room to be sure they were gone and people at other tables started standing. "They all got up and gave me a standing ovation, started applauding."
Ruby said it happened throughout the restaurant.
He added that the next day in the restaurant, "Nobody in Louisville was talking about who won the Derby, who lost, what happened to the favorite, or the Queen. They were just talking about 'O.J. got thrown out of the place.'"
Ruby's Louisville restaurant is the only one he owns outside of our Tri-state area. It's been open about a year.
Good for Jeff Ruby!
He was there looking for the real killers.
Well, here we go again...institutionalized racism rears its ugly head. What do you want to bet if it was a white former NFL player who had killed two people with a knife and walked HE would have received service by this restaraunt owner/bigot?
Can I help Jeff Ruby defend the lawsuit?
Are you serious or did you just forget the sarcasm tags?
Shoulda served him a backstretch burger.
I doubt that David Duke would get served there, either.
Well, here we go again...institutionalized racism rears its ugly head. What do you want to bet if it was a white former NFL player who had killed two people with a knife and walked HE would have received service by this restaraunt owner/bigot?
Are you serious or did you just forget the sarcasm tags?
Get outta town with that BS.
Sheesh. It had nothing to do with the color of his skin. It was all about the color of his victims’ blood.
The feel good story of the month!!
Sarcasm:
“and walked”
In all seriousness, the left would probably consider the owner to have committed a hate crime, but not OJ.
I thought a business had the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason?
Well who knows? Maybe some white ex NFL player will kill two people with a knife,get let go by the court system and then go to dinner at this guys restaurant and then we’ll have a chance to put your theory to the test huh ???
You are either trying, unsuccesfully, to be funny or you are an A##.
If I ever get to Louisvile, you know where I’m having dinner!
Surprised nobody is calling this a ‘hate crime’. If you kick a black person out of most business establishments, the charge is soon to follow.
I haven’t been to one of Jeff Ruby’s restaurants yet, but I think I just got a big urge to go.
Sort of. Someone said “Al Sharpton”, and that’s like something he would say.
Funny stuff.
It looks like a very nice restaurant.
http://www.jeffruby.com/
In a Louisville business establishment?
That takes even more b@!!$ than tossing OJ!
ML/NJ
When there were protesters in downtown in support of the Boycott Cincinnati (no justice no peace) movement, employees from Ruby’s restaurant poured water on them from the upper floors of the building. It was way cool!
I trust they took away the silverware before they told him.
It’s all about that... they have knives to cut the steak at Ruby’s and the inherent liability involved.
I just sent him a thank you on the “contact us” link.
Send him another one everybody!
This is a flavor of how Jeff attacts controversy:
March 16, 2002 Saturday Finl Edition
SECTION: NEW; Pg. 1A
LENGTH: 646 words
HEADLINE: Boycotters, diners pass downtown
BYLINE: Kevin Aldridge and Jane Prendergast, The Cincinnati Enquirer
BODY:
E-mail draws hundreds to eat, drink
By Kevin Aldridge and Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Downtown Cincinnati on Friday night drew hundreds of Tristaters to support businesses in the wake of the boycott, as well as protesters urging diners to think about justice, not food.
The show of support was partially the result of an e-mail campaign that urged people to spend money downtown on Friday.
Restaurants near the Aronoff Center for the Arts were packed. Reservations were hard to come by at eateries such as Jeff Ruby’s Steak House, Nicola’s Ristorante and the Maisonette. Nicholson’s Tavern & Pub, a popular Friday happy-hour spot, was booked through 8:30 p.m.
“This is my city,” said Patty Grose of Kenwood, one of six people who walked into Ruby’s carrying a “Bust The Boycott” sign. “I usually come downtown and I’m going to continue to come downtown.”
At the same time, the Rev. Damon Lynch III led about 45 boycott supporters on a walk from Ruby’s to other restaurants about 8 p.m. The leader of the Cincinnati Black United Front told his followers they were on “the right side of history” and said no day should be about “wine and dance and fun” until justice comes to the Queen City.
As the protesters, both white and black, marched outside Ruby’s at Seventh and Walnut streets, they chanted about justice and peace and carried signs with slogans such as, “Eat, Drink and Be Racist.” Some people walking by, all of them white, shouted back profanities and insults. A few people threw trash down on the protestors from the windows above Ruby’s.
Both sides pegged their actions to Friday, the date of Bill Cosby’s scheduled appearance at the Aronoff Center. He canceled in support of the boycott against Cincinnati businesses.
Mr. Ruby placed a full-page ad in last Sunday’s Enquirer asking people to come downtown and see his “star-studded cast” of employees which would still be performing, unlike Mr. Cosby.
“The one good thing Cincinnati has going for it is the people who live here,” Mr. Ruby said. “Whoever’s idea the e-mail campaign was, it was a nice one.”
Jamie Ramsey, of Fort Wright, celebrated his 28th birthday Friday night at Nicholson’s. He agreed Cincinnati has some problems, but said the boycott is only creating more.
“I fully support trying to get out and help defeat the boycott,” said Tom Roose, 29, one of Mr. Ramsey’s friends. “I think it’s 100 percent not helping. It’s hurting everyone — black, white, Hispanic, you name it.”
The turnout on Friday was important for businesses near the Aronoff that were depending on the clientele that would have been generated from Mr. Cosby’s performances.
“We definitely would have taken a hit losing Bill Cosby,” said Kevin Fryman, general manager of Nicholson’s.
“What bothers me about this boycott is that it’s a minority of the minority that is affecting minorities in a negative way,” Mr. Ruby said.
Councilman John Cranley, who made stops at Nicholson’s and Ruby’s, said it was important to show support for downtown businesses. Other council members and Mayor Charlie Luken could be found at Ruby’s and other establishments.
“It shows an indomitable spirit and pride that this is still our city,” Mr. Cranley said.
Boycotter Linda Thomas of the West End said she understands people have the right to spend their money where they want. But she marched Friday night hoping that “the nation can really see the truth about Cincinnati.”
“But it’s their money they’re spending,” she said. “I’m not spending one dime downtown until this gets straightened out.”
Robert Anglen contributed to this report. E-mail kaldridge@enquirer.com and jprendergast@enquirer.com
Boycott supporter Michele Taylor-Mitchell’s sign asks a question of patrons entering Jeff Ruby’s restaurant Friday.
David Pogue of Over-the-Rhine serenades some of the hundreds who came downtown Friday.
That kind of advertising, you can’t buy.
I’ve eaten at that restaurant. It is great. Fabulous steaks. Go Jeff!
LOL.... now that's funny!
Any relation to Jack Ruby?
Ruby was equally concerned that this heifer would bankrupt him at the "All You Can Eat" ribs bar.
I sent him one too!!! What a great business owner - morality over money.
Don’t know.
It would not be a hate crime, nor racial discrimination. Mr. Ruby kicked OJ Simpson out because he was an odious person, not because he was black.
Idiot child of the 60s...
He was there looking for the real killers.Ruby should have let him look in the mirror in the men's roon before he left.
My brother was in town for the Derby. He said the juice was all over town gladhanding and such.
The difference is, the white guy wouldn’t have gotten off, because the white jury would have actually considered ALL the evidence, not just the accuser/accused’s skin color.
It is always lurking right below the surface. And now with with Johnnie Cockrin gone, who will stand up to it?
Good!
When Jeff Ruby came on the scene in Cincinnati in the 70’s, I thought he was a punk....I just re-considered!! Good Going!
Ok... what the hell is wrong with these people? I cannot BELIEVE there are people who want to hang around with psychopaths.
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