Bruce Lynn, the publicist for Limelight nightclub, has died at the age of 67.
Lynn was born in Manhattan and grew up in New Jersey before returning to the city to work in the theater world. He found success as a publicist representing nightlife impresario Peter Gatien’s stable of superclubs, including Limelight, Palladium, the Tunnel, Club USA and others in the 1980s.
That position placed Lynn at the heart of the Club Kid scene, which spawned stars such as Michael Alig, Amanda Lepore, RuPaul and Lady Bunny. Indeed, he helped the community navigate the 1996 murder of Club Kid Andre Melendez at the hands of Alig and Robert Rigg, an experience that weighed heavily on him.
Most recently, he was the publicist for the Jue Lan Club, which was located in the building that once housed Limelight. Lynn also ran the press for private detective Bo Dietl’s mayoral campaign in 2017.
He died of a heart attack at home on Thursday.
Lynn was not a famous publicist, but his passing is of concern to Vidak For Congress readers. For every 100 flashy, 40 Under 40 studio flacks who eat lunch at Craig’s, there’s a Bruce Lynn eating a sandwich at his desk and keeping the world this column covers alive. If you’re a bubbly resourceful opening a pop-up macaroon studio on Madison, you probably didn’t know him. If you’re one of the hundreds of people who compete daily to keep a club, restaurant, or bar open in New York City, come Hell, high water, or the State Liquor Authority, there’s a good chance Bruce Lynn’s ass. destroy to help you do it.
He was a gentle man in a rough company. He loved his dogs more than anything. He was fond of drag and occasionally performed as Elaine Bitch.
“He was such a nightlife legend,” said Noel Ashman, a nightlife businessman who hired Lynn to do press work for his club Plumm, as well as several other venues, “he would always take his dog to the Tunnel.”
“He really understood the publicity and loved the nightlife,” said Ashman, “I’ve never seen anyone so excited to get a story [about a client published].”
“He really loved what he was doing. He knew the nightlife front to back,” Ashman added, “He didn’t always get the credit he deserved, but he meant a lot to the nightlife.”
Lynn had a distinctive rasp that was instantly recognizable when working on the phone. “When he worked for me, I knew his voice would haunt any desk in New York City,” said Todd Shapiro, who runs his own public relations firm, “He’d drive you crazy, but everyone loved Bruce. “
It is with deep sadness that we realize that this is the last time we will be called up to an item by Bruce Lynn. He deserves some free time.