Vancouver Strip Club Takes a Shot at Trump

A longtime Vancouver nightclub known almost as much for the jokes on its outdoor sign as for what happens inside recently found itself at the center of another political controversy. The The Penthouse Nightclub, located on Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver, changed its marquee in late August 2026 to read: “CAN’T HANDLE A POOL BUT WANTS OUR LAKE?” The short message managed to combine two separate stories involving U.S. President Donald Trump: a dispute involving the name of Lake Ontario and criticism surrounding the condition of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. Shortly after the nightclub posted a photograph of the sign to Instagram, its account disappeared. The joke was created by Benjamin Jackson, the Penthouse employee who has become locally known as “The Sign Guy.” Jackson has spent years turning the old-fashioned letter-board marquee outside the club into a constantly changing commentary on Vancouver news, sports, pop culture and occasionally politics. According to Jackson, the latest message went online and disappeared remarkably quickly. He told CityNews that within about three minutes of posting it, both his personal Instagram account and the Penthouse account were gone. Club owner Danny Filippone said staff were surprised because the sign didn't mention Trump by name and appeared to them to be a fairly mild political joke. Exactly why Instagram removed or suspended the account was not immediately established publicly. The nightclub began appealing the decision, and CityNews contacted Instagram parent company Meta for an explanation. That distinction is important: the account disappeared after the sign was posted, but publicly available reporting did not establish that Meta employees personally reviewed the joke and intentionally banned the club because it criticized Trump. Automated moderation, user reports or other account issues can also result in temporary suspensions. The joke itself requires a little explanation. The “lake” portion referred to a dispute involving Trump and Lake Ontario. In late August, Trump had pushed the name “Lake America,” drawing a strong reaction in Canada. Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded publicly with his own message emphasizing that it remained Lake Ontario. The issue quickly became another symbolic argument in the increasingly tense political relationship between Canada and the United States. The “pool” portion referred to problems at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington. The Reflecting Pool had attracted attention because of algae and maintenance problems. The condition of the landmark became an embarrassment and a political talking point, particularly after significant attention and money were directed toward repairing it. The Penthouse compressed both stories into seven words: if Trump couldn't properly deal with a reflecting pool, the joke suggested, why should he be talking about Canada's lake? That style of joke is exactly what the Penthouse marquee has become known for. The sign originally served the ordinary purpose of advertising what was happening inside the nightclub. Over time, Jackson began using the space for short jokes about whatever people in Vancouver were talking about that week. Sometimes the jokes promote the club. Sometimes they barely mention it. During changing COVID restrictions in 2022, for example, the marquee read “Clothing & masks optional.” Following Will Smith's infamous slap of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, Jackson avoided making the obvious joke by putting up “Certainly not making a Jada Smith joke.” Other signs have referenced Vancouver Canucks losing streaks, Taylor Swift concerts and national news. Eventually the marquee became an attraction of its own. Jackson told local media that he originally started creating the messages largely to make friends and coworkers laugh. His signs gradually began being photographed by pedestrians and drivers, then shared widely online. By 2025, the marquee