Shopping with Levi Johnston and Tank Jones
Sarah Palin's former future son-in-law, Levi Johnston, takes The Daily Beast's Renata Espinosa on a spending spree in L.A. and talks about David Letterman's intent ; caring about how Bristol and Willow reacted; a possible reality show about hunting; style tips he's picked up from Tank—his mammoth bodyguard/manager/Tim Gunn—and his out-of-Alaska alter-ego named "Hollywood Ricky."
Meaghan Murphy
“Look, Levi, it’s your style,” says Tank as he motions to Western-style plaid shirts in a stall on Santee Alley in downtown Los Angeles’ wholesale fashion district. They hang across from a wall of Ed Hardy knockoff Y-shirts, the ubiquitous streetwear label of tattoo-printed and metallic embellished Y-shirts frequently worn by Hollywood types. “That’s not what I wear,” says Levi shaking his head. “That’s not a flannel.”
Meaghan Murphy
At Fashion Mart on Santee Street in downtown L.A., Rachel Dahan sells rows of wraparound sunglasses embellished with designer logos. “You gotta try these on, Tank!” Levi calls out. “Some fake Chanels.” The tag reads “Charm and Charm” and the logo almost looks like the two interlocking C’s of the more famous French label. “You pay for them every time you try them,” jokes Dahan to Tank. “Hold this,” says Tank to Levi, handing him his hot dog. “Let me work this.” Israeli music plays over the loudspeakers as Tank pays for his purchase. “I want to see the dance of your culture,” says Tank to Dahan, motioning to her to come out from behind the counter to dance, and she enthusiastically obliges. As Tank leaves the store, he turns to Levi and says, “I just love meeting different people.”
Meaghan Murphy
A men’s shop selling discount suits and shoes produces amused looks between Tank and Levi. “This is the dumbest shit I ever seen,” says Levi, pulling out a pink pinstriped suit that he thinks looks like Tank’s size. He wanders to the next aisle and spots several glittery suit coats that would work for Tank, should he ever star in a show in Vegas. Levi pulls out a gold sequined jacket about five sizes too big for him. “Tank, you gotta wear this. This thing’s pimp, dude!”
Meaghan Murphy
“How are you supposed to wear this?” Levi asks Tank. “Is this for a woman?” Tank is big on getting Levi to wear fedoras while he’s in L.A. channeling his alter-ego, Ricky Hollywood (Tank created the name so the press-shy Johnston would feel comfortable mugging for the cameras), but Levi refuses to wear them on the grounds that it’s “too Justin Timberlake.”
Meaghan Murphy
Tank and Levi stop in D.D. Caprice USA, a store that offers custom designed crystal-embellished T-shirts. As a joke, they decide to get a shirt made that says “Ricky Hollywood” for Levi to wear on the plane ride back home. Tank deliberates over the right lettering to use for “Ricky” while Levi sifts through shirt styles. “Do you have a v-neck?” Levi asks Sue Roberts, one of the store’s owners. “A v-neck?” says Tank incredulously. “Are you serious?” Levi shoots back, “I’ll take some scissors and just cut a V!” The two adjust the placement of the letters on a black T-shirt. “I’m going to get it made in boxes and send it home,” jokes Levi. “That’s my new fashion line right there!” Tank just shakes his head. “You’ll be thrown out of Wasilla for that!”
Meaghan Murphy
“There’s not really any cowboys in Alaska,” says Levi, selecting a cowboy hat to wear. “It’s just me and two of my friends who like to wear these. Normally we wear camo caps, but I like to mix it up.”
Meaghan Murphy
A size 16 shoe is not an easy thing to come by in a store called L.A. Bargain Suits—and the pale lavender pair that Tank spots, to match one of his similarly colored suits sitting in his color-coded closet back in Alaska, is not the right size. “I usually pay $700 to $1,000 for a pair of shoes,” Tank tells the gold-chain wearing sales clerk. “We’re in the wrong part of town for that.” The sales clerk laughs. “Indeed!”
Meaghan Murphy
Most of Tank Jones’ suits are custom-made for him by a tailor in Hong Kong—size 58—and all of his shirts are monogrammed “Tank” either on the cuff or the pocket (and the thread count? “Got to be at least 300,” he says). His jewelry, too, is all custom, like this watch and ring made to look like a diamond-studded scroll.
Meaghan Murphy
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