The incident allegedly occurred outside The Saloon, a longtime dive bar located at 546 South Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas. Video obtained by SanDiegoVille and first published by @leonswagonrides13 shows the man appearing visibly agitated and, at times, seemingly intoxicated as he berates individuals off camera.
"You'll never have a McLaren, you fucking loser," the man says during the recording.
Moments later, the man repeatedly identifies himself by name.
"I'm John Bonavia. Look at me in my fucking face. I'm so beautiful," he says.
Throughout the video, the man repeatedly uses anti-gay slurs and racial epithets while continuing to confront people nearby. At several points, he appears to challenge others to look at him as he continues his remarks.
SanDiegoVille has not independently verified the identity of the individual in the video. However, the man identifies himself as John Bonavia, and publicly available photographs associated with an actor, entrepreneur, educator, and former reality television personality by that name appear visually similar to the individual shown in the footage.
Public records and media reports, including Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB, indicate that a John Bonavia has previously appeared in acting roles on television programs including The Young and the Restless, Suits, NCIS: Los Angeles, and American Horror Stories. Various online biographies and business profiles also describe him as an entrepreneur, investor, educator, and former contestant on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker.
The incident also comes against the backdrop of a highly publicized 2015 arrest involving a man identified as "‘Millionaire Matchmaker’ contestant" John Bonavia. According to contemporaneous reporting by the Los Angeles Times, ABC7 Los Angeles, the Associated Press, and other media outlets, Beverly Hills police arrested Bonavia after responding to a residence where officers reported finding a woman suffering from significant injuries. Prosecutors subsequently filed felony charges including domestic violence with great bodily injury and criminal threats.
SanDiegoVille has not independently verified the final disposition of those charges and makes no allegation regarding their outcome.
It remains unclear what prompted the confrontation outside The Saloon or whether law enforcement was contacted regarding the incident. As of publication, SanDiegoVille has not received a response to requests for comment from individuals believed to be associated with Bonavia.
Anyone with additional information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact SanDiegoVille by emailing Info@SanDiegoVille.com.
Originally published on June 22, 2026.