Soho House doesn’t care for doctors. That’s what one plastic surgeon says he was told when he was wait-listed for membership at the social club, and now he’s threatening to sue. After spending more than a year on the waiting list, Andrew Klapper had his office manager call Soho House’s membership supervisor to find out why. “She told me that they catered to an ‘artsy’ clientele and that he should join a society for doctors,” says the office manager, Debbie Rossi. (“We would rather have a great person from IMG versus a plastic surgeon,” explains membership manager Kenneth Sullivan.) Klapper fired off irate e-mails in response, detailing his impressive credentials (he was Z-100’s plastic surgeon! He was one of Gotham magazine’s Most Eligible Bachelors!) and calling the club “classless.” The club responded by contacting his sponsors. Now Klapper thinks he’s been not only discriminated against but also defamed to his friends. “I spoke with an attorney,” Klapper says. “[He] was outraged and adamant about pursuing this matter on my behalf.” Soho House operations director Mark Somen has offered to meet with Klapper. “I’m sorry if anyone has been disrespectful,” he says.
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