Duchovny's persona non grata at strip club

X-Files star has 'upset' owner of No. 5 Orange

By John Colebourn,
Staff Reporter
The Province


Tony Ricci says X-Files star David Duchovny is no longer welcome at his No. 5 Orange. Staff Photo by Rick Loughran
The moral majority will be scratching their heads on this one.

Downtown Vancouver strip-club owner Tony Ricci is so upset by comments X-Files star David Duchovny made about the city that he's barred him from his establishment.

On the outside of the Main Street No. 5 Orange peeler bar, the marquee sign says: "Dave Duchovny is barred -- go home."

Despite running a place some would like to see shut down, Ricci is on a personal crusade to let the star of The X-Files know he shouldn't slang the city.

Duchovny last week knocked Vancouver for having "400 inches of rainfall a day."

"It is kind of like a tropical rain forest without the tropics. More like an Ice Age rain forest," he said on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

"I'm just defending our city," Ricci said last night at the club, while acknowledging Duchovny has the right to free speech, just as he feels he has the right to showcase naked dancers.

"His comments really upset me and we've barred him from here. We can't stand for this."

With a lot of the X-Files filming done in the downtown area, Duchovny and crew on occasion stop by Ricci's place.

Shows such as The X-Files brought the B.C. economy about $239.6 million last year.

Duchovny has made it clear he wants the show to move its filming to Los Angeles so he can be near his new wife, Tea Leoni.

But X-files co-executive producer Chris Carter has said there has been no decision on what will happen to the series next year.

For some politicians, the comments by Duchovny hit a raw nerve. North Vancouver Coun. Ernie Crist is one who has questioned having such shows like as The X-Files filmed on municipal facilities while the taxpaying public is shut out.

But Vancouver Coun. Gordon Price thinks the whole issue has become a bit silly. He also doubts it will have any long-lasting effect on tourism to the region.

"Everyone should take a step back and realize (Duchovny's) comments aren't important," Price said.

Newspaper ad barring DD from the club (Vancouver Province)