Josh Wenzel

Photo by James BunoanInside the body of baby-faced JOSH WENZEL beats the heart of a 55-year-old—a whiskey-on-the-rocks-drinking, girls-on-the-butt-pinching old-timer. How else to explain the 23-year-old bartender at Costa Mesa's La Cave/aspiring filmmaker's taste in all things old school and/or involving older women? We caught up with him to find out what makes his sick heart tick.

Josh Wenzel: My favorite movie right now is THE GRADUATE. OC Weekly: Why?

Because the situation was close to mine a year ago when I was dating a 39-year-old. I really like the cinematography and editing, and I especially like the music.

Wait, you were dating a 39-year-old? You're, like, 12 now. How old were you then?

I was 11. Not really—I was 22.

And what happened with that?

We realized we were 17 years apart, so it didn't work out, but, boy, was it fun. I guess you could say that OLDER LADIES are also one of my favorite things.

Why?

Because they seem to play less games.

Interesting. Any favorite directors?WONG KAR-WAI. He's my favorite director right now. He's from Hong Kong. He has a somewhat flashy style. He makes movies that are about Hong Kong that show the beauty of the city. There's usually a lot of narration, and the narration is kind of poetic. Now you watch these in the original Chinese, correct?

Yes, but there's also English subtitles, so I guess you could say I read them.

What about music? You love PHIL SHANE, right?

Yes. He's my idol. He appeals to all ages. Very charismatic, and he's probably one of the nicest people I've ever met. I would die for Phil Shane.

Wow. Who else?X and SOCIAL DISTORTION. My favorite X song is "WHITE GIRL" because it reminds me of the time I was dating another older girl. How old was this one?

She was 31. My favorite Social Distortion album is MOMMY'S LITTLE MONSTER, and my favorite song is "ANOTHER STATE OF MIND." You know who I really like, but it's not a music person? BETTY PAGE. I like her long legs, her black hair with her black bangs, her blue eyes. She has a really nice smile.

Now she's in your age range, right?

Well, she's actually a little bit older than I would like, but if it were the '50s, and I was 21, and she was 30, I'd be into it.

Josh, you're coming off as such a creepy perv, and yet I know you, and you're actually very, very nice.

Thank you—I think.