Natalie Mathis is a first responder in the war against the corporate greed that threatens to destroy the Chelsea. When she read on our blog about Stanley’s shameful ouster, she made up a bunch of buttons to show her support for the Bard family, and wore one when she was checking into the hotel.
Natalie, who works as a fundraiser for the Taft Museum in Cincinnati, was in New York to attend a 
book party for James St James’ “Freak Show”. She says she likes club kids and drag queens, which leads me to suspect that she is our kind of gal. Though her father keeps calling her because he is worried that some terrible fate will befall her on the mean streets of New York, she says everybody she’s met in the hotel has been really nice. (Hilariously, even she knew who the new guy was – “he’s that bald guy right?” – because he sticks out like a sore thumb.)
We need more tourists like Natalie. Everybody should wear a badge of support for the Bards when they check into the hotel – or better yet, a sandwich board! Which is why we are sponsoring a contest for Best Tourist Protest. Enter now by simply booking a room and showing up and demonstrating your support. Your prize? The satisfaction of being a cool revolutionary. — Ed Hamilton (Photo: Natalie with her "Stanley Bard is my Hero" button.)
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Hotel Chelsea Blog
11 responses to “Radical Tourist Inspires New Movement”
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Natalie is the BEST protester that could have come your way. She is beyond fabulous!
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I want a Bard button! Can we buy them and put the money into a general fund for tenant support?
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And hooray for Natalie, by the way. It’s visitors like her who keep the city alive.
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Sorry to state the obvious, but wouldn’t a better protest be to not check in to the hotel at all? That’s the campaign that should be started: DON’T STAY AT THE CHELSEA.
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Way to go Natalie!
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Gee, a button. Goody goody. Against ‘corporate’ greed. Goody goody. What about greedy Hotel Chelsea residents, who haven’t paid rent for months and months, and who have lived below market rates for years and years?
Interesting that you choose to fight greed when it’s convenient and not your own. You’ve been slouching along on the kindness of others for quite some time. Time to get a real job, earn a day’s pay, and pay for your rent every month like every other hard working person does.LikeLike
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“Sorry to state the obvious, but wouldn’t a better protest be to not check in to the hotel at all? That’s the campaign that should be started: DON’T STAY AT THE CHELSEA.” Posted by: 732 | July 03, 2007 at 11:08 AM
well that’s no fun! no, i’m kidding – you’re right – clearly, not checking in is a good idea – but in case you do…wear the sandwich board.
if you choose not to stay at the chelsea, write a letter and tell the management why you didn’t stay – and forward the letter to ed and debbie…
has there been any meeting among the residents and stanley yet to weigh the options and start a unified campaign? wouldn’t a david lynch or ed norton type celebrity be a good promoter? someone well known who maintains their scruples…as much as possible?LikeLike
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Uh, Marle… I mean, Third Time Poster, you don’t actually read the responses to your posts, do you? I understand, your jaw must get tired reading all these big words. But if you did try to get through a few of the posts, you’d see your concerns neatly refuted. People pay rent. Most pay market rate or above. The people at the Chelsea Hotel are the least greedy people in the world. They’re at the Chelsea Hotel, girlfriend, not on Wall Street. Get it? Or shall I draw you some pictures?
Natalie: You rock, princess.LikeLike
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discussion!…this is good. third time poster is right – i have to make my way in a market system like everyone else – i’m not above it. thankfully the chelsea has supported artists’ working needs, and i hope that’ll be preserved well into the future – because it is so unique and necessary.
i hope solutions come out of this. it seems there are real options that the other chelsea partners could agree to. stanley’s partners probably aren’t ‘soulless,’ which was easy for me to spout – but they clearly have different priorities than the residents. they might be persuaded to see the historic and cultural value in the chelsea as an artist co-op (or they might be bought out – which, given the circumstances we live in, is also a realistic approach – it’s fathomable).
it seems stanley would need to help willing supporters figure out what the options are…it is still his hotel, after all – and i’m sure he’s already tried a lot of things.LikeLike
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Natalie is an overnight Chelsea Hotel legend. Bard buttons!
What a great idea!
Raise some cash while spreading the message — or give them away to the neighbors. You could collect photos of people wearing the buttons, wherever they are, and post them online. It can’t cost too much to get a few hundred of those babies punched out, can it? I’ll take fifty.LikeLike
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Natalie rocks, I say give her a room and let her fight…She’s got in in her.
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