‘Top Hat Guy’ becomes local celebrity

Skyler Guenther, "Top Hat Guy"

On every college campus across America, there are a few people who stand out from the rest. They are miniature celebrities who are easily picked out for their athletic ability, vast intelligence or their eccentricity.

One of Rowan’s most unique and intriguing characters is senior music major Skyler Guenther, or more affectionately known as, Top Hat Guy. From a distance, he looks like someone who walked right out of a Charles Dickens’ novel, but that can appear strange in 2010.

Guenther can be seen wearing his trademark top hat with a large overcoat in bad weather. Recently, this figure has risen to the level of urban legend for merely walking around campus in Victorian attire.

“It’s really a silly thing to be known for a hat,” said Guenther. “About three or four people have actually asked to have a picture taken with me.”

Guenther became a local celebrity after the creation of the Facebook group “I Love Top Hat Guy,” which currently boasts 380 members. Members have been leaving jokes and comments similar to the Chuck Norris jokes that were popular in 2007.

“Once, while touring southern Argentina, Top Hat Guy impregnated a woman with a glance across a crowded room,” one of the group members wrote.

The comments have been generally positive with anything that may defame Guenther being quickly removed.

His hat is also an homage to the classical genre of music for which the Victorian era had a great appreciation.

Until last semester, Guenther had been a musical composition major, but recently changed to history in order to pursue a career he feels will more likely land him a job from. He is still very fond of composing, a love that first developed after seeing Fantasia when he was very young.

“I then became a huge fan of Bach, followed by Stravinsky. I was also heavily influenced by Modest Mussorgsky’s ‘Night on Bald Mountain.’ I’ve always had a natural feeling toward music,” Guenther said.

His taste isn’t limited to the classical style, but also more modern artists like John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and The Beatles have carved their imprint into the musical mind of Guenther.

While he may opt for an older style of dress and music, he is technologically savvy and is quite familiar with his internet presence.

“I enjoy the idea of being an internet meme, although I try not to spend too much time on the internet,” said Guenther

“I try to limit any non-human contact and keep whatever I can in the real world.”

Guenther was born in Pittsburgh but moved to Cherry Hill when he was very young. In Cherry Hill East school district, he excelled in his classes but decided to drop out and enroll at Camden County College when he was just 16.

“I eventually went back and got my degree under the GED program, but it was the right choice at the time,” said Guenther, “Our high school felt like a police state, with students being pressured into getting high SAT scores so they could become doctors or join some other lucrative field. The pressure got so high that some students began committing suicide.”

After he came to community college he fell in love with musical composition, and became successful enough to attend Rowan. Just like every other student, he hopes to grow and obtain a successful career.

“Some day I’ll leave the hat behind and do what comes naturally. You can’t regret something once you have adopted it and I have not regretted it,” said Guenther.

Guenther is set to graduate this summer. His father is Alan Guenther, award winning journalist and former Rowan professor.