During the 2003 Sundance Film Festival a producer friend was hanging with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who was doing promotion for Richard Kwietniowski‘s Owning Mahowny, a not-bad-but-not-terrific film about a self-destructive bank manager named Dan Mahowny (Hoffman) who embezzles bank money to cover his gambling debts. Hoffman and a group of five or six (including his manager and agent) went to a special Owning Mahowny party. They were ushered into an upstairs VIP area, but within a few minutes Hoffman said he found the atmosphere odd and artificial and said “let’s walk downstairs and join the real party.” They did so and were quickly ushered into another VIP area, but only Hoffman and one other were allowed past the ropes. His agent and manager were kept out. Hoffman was pissed. He said to one of the goons that “these are my friends and business representatives…and you’re telling me they aren’t allowed in? Are you crazy?” The goon said that only one plus-one was allowed per invited guest. Hoffman said “I don’t need this shit” and left the party with his homies. Some kind of producer or party organizer freaked and followed Hoffman out onto the sidewalk. “Mr. Hoffman! We’re sorry…very sorry!,” he said. “Please…it’s okay…you can bring all your friends behind the rope!” Hoffman said something along the lines of “eff you!” and kept walking. Lesson: Don’t Fuck With The Gods.