Letting a Fart Escape Madam’s Organ? That’ll Cost You $500

Washington, DC bar Madam’s Organ is facing a $500 fine levied after a drummer in a still-unnamed band opened a window to let out a fart.

The bar, located in DC’s hip Adams Morgan neighborhood, is subject to regulations that prohibit open windows while live music is being performed. As DC news blog Borderstan reports, an Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration inspector just happened to be nearby when the fart — and subsequent window-opening — occurred.

Borderstan quotes Madam’s Organ owner Bill Duggan:

“He opened the window to let [a] fart out,” says Duggan. “He cracked it open for five minutes, then the inspector showed up.”

In a classic “he who smelt it dealt with it” scenario, the drummer opened the window after Madam’s Organ’s General Manager had already confirmed that the bar’s windows were closed for the evening as per regulations. However, because the fart was allowed to slip outside Madam’s Organ — even though the Madam herself was unaware — the Organ is responsible for the fines instead of the drummer whose organ was, actually, responsible.

You can read the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration report for the full timeline of events, including the note that “There is no evidence that the window was open for more than five minutes.” At $100 per minute, this might be the most expensive fart ever expelled.

According to Borderstan, Madam’s Organ may appeal the fine — but it’s already taken the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration a full year to push the fart case this far out, and adding an appeal to this case means that the fart will linger over the bar long after the drummer originally tried to clear the air.

Photo credit: Art Around

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