Summary

2009 article shows that SPiN ping pong, which had significant celebrity backing, hosting "naked ping pong parties" at a club in a contemporary art gallery..

Body

It's all in this article. The founder of the SPiN Ping-Pong nightclubs, who also helped The Standard Hotel hotel open up their own Ping Pong clubs, first used the clubs to run naked Ping Pong events. But then the article goes on to explain that the guy had his own ping pong palace where he regularly fucked women, and then had these orgiastic parties there too. With investments from celebrities like Susan Sarandon. Some important tidbits from the article.

The Prince of Madagascar lives in a penthouse apartment at the National Arts Club, overlooking the barren trees and locked gates of Gramercy Park. The Prince loves Ping-Pong. His mission is to properly introduce Ping-Pong to Manhattan; he’s plotting Ping-Pong establishments all over the city.

So went the tale around a recent party at the National Arts Club for Argentine artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, whose works include a $40,000 Ping-Pong table made of mirrored glass. “Have you heard about the Prince who lives in the Penthouse? He’s about to open an exclusive Ping-Pong club.” The party featured an exhibition match between a pair of 14-year-old Nigerian-born twins and 78-year-old U.S. singles champion Marty Reisman.

The artist in question, Rikrit Tiravanjia, has run art exhibits with "Berlin-style" ping pong -- which is something that Jimmy Comet has mentioned over and over when referring to Dr.Pong, one of his "sister" establishments in Berlin.

The Prince is Franck Raharinosy, a 33-year-old fledgling filmmaker and Ping-Pong impresario who last week signed a 15-year lease for the 13,000-square-foot basement of 304 Park Avenue. [directly across from the Waldorf Astoria] In the past six months, Mr. Raharinosy says, he and three business partners have raised close to $1.5 million to build Spin, a 14-table Ping-Pong social club, which will include a natty members-only lounge designed by Todd Oldham and sponsored by sportswear designer Fred Perry. They hope to open in May.

“We call him the Prince of Madagascar,” said Jonathan Bricklin, 31, one of Mr. Raharinosy’s partners. “He lives on the top floor of the National Arts Club, and right below him he’s got his own private Ping-Pong room. It’s like his own little palace.”

“Franck can’t be stopped,” said Bill Mack, 35, another partner. “He’s the type of dude who’s going to meet a girl at a club and make out with her—or have sex with her in the bathroom.”

Naked Ping-Pong began as the solution to a problem: Friends kept dropping by the loft for a game at all hours, so no one could get any work done. After the first Naked Ping-Pong party—June ’07, 15 friends, $20 buy-in—the roomies knew they were onto something. They began pushing the narrative that they were training for the 2012 Olympics. You paid $20 at the door, $10 more if you wanted to play.

And then there's this weird moment where the guy compares playing ping pong to being abused as a child.

We rode the elevator down to a sixth-floor library, a vast space with an overhanging balcony, where Tim Nye, gallery owner and heir to a real estate empire, has allowed Mr. Raharinosy to set up a makeshift Ping-Pong parlor. I picked up a paddle. Despite my having reached the finals of a Ping-Pong tournament at a beastly summer camp when I was 13, Mr. Raharinosy promptly gave me a beating that reminded me of having my head held underwater by the camp bullies. His favorite move is a forehand smash, which involves a dramatic whip of his entire body, hips and all.

And then there are the celebrity connections:

In 2008, Vitamin Water flew this Ping-Pong posse to Phoenix to be part of 50 Cent’s Super Bowl party. Last April, Susan Sarandon came to one of their parties; she ended up hiring the boys to make a tribute video for boyfriend Tim Robbins’ 50th birthday; she is also an investor in the new club. As is Jean Jacques Cesbron, the president of the classical music talent agency Columbia Artists Music, who commissioned the boys to make a Web series chronicling a tour by Chinese pianist Lang Lang.

“It turned into a networking orgy,” said Mr. Mack. “There’s something about the game that lends to that. I’ve never seen anyone network as well as Franck.”

More:

Pongress, the ping pong "convention" Comet is involved in.

Bounce Ping Pong "blood packs" for vampires

Comedian Judah Friedlander at Comet Ping Pong

Judah and Frank from the article

"Ping Pong Summer" movie featuring Judah Friedlander and Susan Sarandon. Appears to be promoting "All Ages" Ping Pong bars.

Susan Sarandon and Standard Hotel owner Andre Balazs

Natural history museum in London hosting Ping Pong night

Ping Pong at the Serpentine galleries. Alefantis has organized events for the DC Sackler Freer, which is a direct partner to the Sackler Serpentine.

Spin working with Sackler Foundation at Natural History museum. Comet is affiliated with the DC gallery, the Sackler Freer.

Another Link

Ping Pong tables around the TATE Modern, UK. Comet Ping Pong is designed to look like the TATE.

Lord Mayor of London playing Ping Pong at TATE event.

And finally...the Queen herself at the ping-pong ceremonies.