Stan the Chauffeur | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #619

Stan, a seasoned chauffeur from the Bronx, shares wild stories from his career and personal life, including a robbery attempt, a severe burn from boiling noodles, and his philosophical views on relationships and raising children.

• A chauffeur's role goes beyond driving, requiring exceptional customer service and ensuring passenger safety.

• Personal experiences, including a robbery attempt and a severe burn incident, highlight the unpredictable nature of Stan's life and work.

• Stan advocates for education and strong male leadership in relationships, despite his own ongoing challenges in love.

Stan the Chauffeur, a guest on 'This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von', recounts his journey from the Bronx to becoming a professional chauffeur in Charlotte and Columbia, South Carolina. He details the code of conduct for drivers, the challenges of dealing with intoxicated passengers, and how the limousine industry has evolved. Stan also shares deeply personal experiences, including surviving a severe burn incident from an intoxicated girlfriend, navigating complex relationships, and offering life advice to young men about education and avoiding the streets.

From Bronx to Chauffeur

• 00:02:16 Stan recounts his move from the Bronx to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1997, following his first wife and daughter. He initially sought a fresh start and accepted help from his ex-mother-in-law, but quickly left her home due to inappropriate advances. Stan began his chauffeuring career in 1999 after a chance encounter with a limo owner, which sparked a passion for driving luxury vehicles and providing a unique 'Stan experience' for his clients.

Chauffeur Code of Conduct

• 00:06:32 A chauffeur's primary responsibility is to ensure guests have a safe and enjoyable experience, which includes anticipating their needs, such as bathroom stops or drink refills, by creating excuses like needing a Mountain Dew. Stan emphasizes the importance of passenger safety, especially for women, whom he views as 'sisters and daughters.' He considers severely drunk passengers, particularly those who vomit, among the worst to deal with, as they are unreasonable and tend to ruin the evening.

Risks and Challenges

• 00:08:55 Stan discusses various challenges chauffeurs face, including requests for illegal substances like cocaine, which he always declines due to legal risks and loyalty to his boss. He shares anecdotes about passengers attempting to engage in sexual acts in the vehicle, explaining his method of discreetly giving them privacy before interrupting. Stan adamantly avoids any physical interaction with female passengers, seeing it as a 'trap' given their intoxicated state and his own moral code as a father and brother to daughters and sisters.

Confrontation and Self-Defense

• 00:27:25 Stan recounts a harrowing experience where an unbooked passenger attempted to rob him in his limo. He diffused the situation by driving erratically and threatening a suicidal crash, startling the would-be robber into exiting the vehicle. In another incident, he faced a contractor, Mickey Moore, who defrauded him and an elderly lady. Stan confronted Moore, who was armed, and ended up using Moore's own knife against him eight times in self-defense, targeting below the waist to avoid felony charges, a legal strategy he learned from his Bronx upbringing.

Personal Life and Relationships

• 00:36:30 Stan opens up about his complex love life, including two divorces and a turbulent relationship with his current 25-year-old girlfriend. He describes an incident where she threw boiling fettuccine noodles at him during an argument, causing severe burns that required surgery at America's largest burn center. Despite the physical and emotional toll, Stan declined to press felony charges, attributing her actions to intoxication and emotion, and emphasizing his dedication to her and her children.

Life Lessons and Wisdom

• 00:56:05 Reflecting on his life, Stan advises young men to prioritize education over street credibility, emphasizing the value of being a 'nerd' like Bill Gates. He acknowledges his own struggles in relationships, particularly with African-American women who may resist male leadership due to growing up without strong father figures. Stan believes love requires 100% effort from both partners and constantly seeks his 'ultimate queen,' despite the challenges of aging and navigating complicated relationships.