February 21, 2007 -- FORMER As Four fashion designer Kai Kuhne has an infamous, boiling-hot temper that just won't quit - as one SoHo nightclub found out this week when he went on a nasty and destructive rampage after his credit card was rejected, witnesses say.
Kuhne, who just showed his new Myself Spring collection at Fashion Week, was at handbag designer Ben Cho's party at Sway on Sunday night and rang up a $110 tab. But when his credit card was rejected and he was asked for another, he became belligerent and spit in the bartender's face, Sway spokeswoman Lynda Garcia told Page Six.
"Security escorted him outside, were he started physically assaulting them while screaming at the African-American security guard to 'go back to Africa,' " Garcia said.
"[They] restrained him and called police to mediate the matter . . . As an officer was examining his identification, Kai then lunged at him, grabbing his arm trying to snatch the ID from the officer. Police had to put him in handcuffs to control him."
The club declined to press charges against Kuhne as long as he returned the next night to pay his bill. He did, but with a vengeance - approaching the doorman with the $110 in cash and "trying to shove it in his face," Garcia said.
"The doorman went inside to retrieve his credit card that had been held as collateral, [and] when he came back outside, Kai was screaming, '[Bleep] you! Now you have your money!' and tore a huge hole in the exterior vestibule. He grabbed a bag full of bottles from the garbage and hit the security guard in the head with it." Kuhne was arrested on criminal mischief charges.
Sway is the second club where the short-fused fashionista has exploded this month. A few weeks ago, he was tossed out of new hot spot the Anchor when he threw a tantrum and ripped down a bathroom door in front of Mary-Kate Olsen and Kate Bosworth. Even during Fashion Week, Kuhne had problems. He corked himself in the face backstage as he tried to pop open a bottle of Palmes d'Or Champagne. An e-mail to Kuhne and a call to his showroom were not returned
Seriously, he needs to get off meth.
