Chapter 14
We went to Halston's and Dolly was there wearing the most horrible dress, a Halston that just looked awful. She's fat, she likes to eat.
Thursday, October 19, 1978 Watched Steve Martin on the Donahue Show Donahue Show. He looked good. I wonder if he asked for that angle.
Thursday, October 26, 1978 Our limo driver showed us a clipping of himself from the newspaper. He'd been acquitted of kidnapping a bar owner's cat who was a lookalike for Morris the Cat who'd just died. The bar was on Ninth Avenue in the 50s. The driver said that he just fed the cat, then let it out like he always did, only this time the cat didn't go back to the bar and the owner accused him of trying to sell it as a replacement for Morris. The jury deliberated for three hours before finding him innocent, so he felt he was a celebrity.
Sat.u.r.day, October 28, 1978 Thomas Ammann called. He's staying at Fred's house. We went to Christie's and got catalogues, because some of my old drawings are up for sale. They're from Bill Cecil, who was killed in a car crash. His family was in the American antiques business. I think that's how I started collecting American stuff-I got my first cupboard from them, the cupboard that's now in the Interview Interview office, the one they keep the pencils and rubber cement in (catalogues $6, $22, $8, $10). office, the one they keep the pencils and rubber cement in (catalogues $6, $22, $8, $10).
Victor said that Halston had been trying to reach me to invite me to the benefit for John Warner that Liz Taylor Warner was having that night. Liz looked very fat, but very beautiful. Chen, her secretary, was there. But John Warner wasn't even there. Liz was upset at how awful the party was. Halston told her he would have just given given her the $10,000 if that's all she was getting from it. Some face doctor that said I'd met him in California three years ago started talking to me, he said he was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g all day and had come seven times. I don't know why he was telling me. He asked me how old I was and I said, "Thirty-five," and he said I looked forty-five. He said her the $10,000 if that's all she was getting from it. Some face doctor that said I'd met him in California three years ago started talking to me, he said he was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g all day and had come seven times. I don't know why he was telling me. He asked me how old I was and I said, "Thirty-five," and he said I looked forty-five. He said (laughs) (laughs) that if I go to him I can look like "a normal thirty-five-year-old," because he would do nutrition and things. I guess that's why he was telling me he was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g, that I could come seven times if I went to him, too. that if I go to him I can look like "a normal thirty-five-year-old," because he would do nutrition and things. I guess that's why he was telling me he was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g, that I could come seven times if I went to him, too.
Then Aline Franzen who was in charge of the party decided to do her auction thing but n.o.body at this thing was about to buy anything-they were all just wearing the teentsyest jewel you could buy at Bulgari, or something. Aline said, "This is my painting that I did myself with my whole heart and who will bid on it?" And n.o.body did. Finally Liz hit me and said, "You better better bid on it," and I said no, that I wanted to bid on the two tickets to Studio 54, and finally Liz screamed, "All right, I'll take it myself," and Aline said, "No, Liz, you bid on it," and I said no, that I wanted to bid on the two tickets to Studio 54, and finally Liz screamed, "All right, I'll take it myself," and Aline said, "No, Liz, you can't" can't" and Aline threw herself on the floor and was crying and it was such a comedy and then Liz's secretary Chen said and Aline threw herself on the floor and was crying and it was such a comedy and then Liz's secretary Chen said she she would take it, and Liz screamed, "No, Chen, you would take it, and Liz screamed, "No, Chen, you can't can't, you don't have any money." And Lee Grant was an auctioneer, too, she auctioned off two teeth, porcelain ones I think, for $2. I'm telling you, n.o.body in this crowd was going to buy a thing thing. Oh, poor Liz. And Aline said, "You rich people are being cheap." And then John Cabot Lodge got up and made a peculiar speech because he talked about the Red Enemy, and it was so weird. Then Halston and Liz said they would meet afterwards at his house.
So Halston and I went to his house together. Liz sneaked in later and he gave her some c.o.ke and she got high and happy. I told her, "Look, you've got nine days until the election, you've got to really get down and talk to the Negroes." I said, "This lady stuff isn't going to work." And she said, "Oh lawdy lawdy lawdy." And I told her, "Listen, if you lose the election and you leave your husband, I want you to play Truman Capote for me on Broadway." So she started laughing and went into a trance and tried to talk like Truman, but she couldn't remember how he talked.
Then Victor and I went into the kitchen and I fed Linda potato chips under the table which I wasn't supposed to do, which was fun, and Halston and Liz were talking intimately in the other room and he told me later that John Warner wasn't f.u.c.king her.
I told her, "Elizabeth"-you really do have to call her Elizabeth-I said, "Elizabeth, it would be so great to see you in the White House." And she was cute, she said, "Oh but I just want to be a senator's wife, I mean, can you imagine me in the White House? A Jew and married seven times?"
Sunday, October 29, 1978 Woke up at 10:30 but it was really 9:30. Daylight saving time.
Then Bob called and said he was at Averil's and that we were supposed to meet Mike Nichols and the "Dr. Warhol" that Nichols was insisting I had to meet who was from Poland who said he was my long-lost cousin. I didn't want to go-I can't stand Mike Nichols-but we had to go because Ara Gallant had set it up. We were supposed to have Sunday lunch at the Carlyle, but then it was moved downtown to Lady Astor's.
I went to church and then picked up Ara and Bob and Averil ($5.). When we got there Mike Nichols had left. His a.s.sistant said Nichols was mad because we were fifteen minutes late. What nerve to leave after making me go down there, and oh, it was awful-this doctor guy telling me I'm Polish. He spells his name W-a-r-c-h-o-l. This Polish fairy asking me questions like did I live alone. He invited us to Poland next September. Mike Nichols met him because he collects Arabian horses-he has 120 horses in Connecticut-and when he goes to Communist Poland every September to get more this Dr. Warchol helps him.
I went to bed early. Talked to Jed's decorating-business partner Judith Hollander about furniture restoration and about the fights I've been having lately with Jed.
Wednesday, November 1, 1978 Tom Sullivan came by to show Cocaine Cowboys Cocaine Cowboys to us on a Betamax. He was smoking marijuana, and it was funny to smell it at the office. Paul Morrissey watched a little of it and said it was too slow, and Brigid was in and out and thought so, too, but I liked it. to us on a Betamax. He was smoking marijuana, and it was funny to smell it at the office. Paul Morrissey watched a little of it and said it was too slow, and Brigid was in and out and thought so, too, but I liked it.
And I decided I'm not so bad in it. They only let me do one take and I think if I'd been able to do more I would have gotten better. But I was better than in "my first film," The Driver's Seat The Driver's Seat. And Cocaine Cowboys Cocaine Cowboys has some good music in it. It's a dumb story, though. These dealers drop cocaine from a plane and a maid and a secretary find it and steal it. Tom said it cost him $950,000 to make it, but I don't see how, it was non-union. has some good music in it. It's a dumb story, though. These dealers drop cocaine from a plane and a maid and a secretary find it and steal it. Tom said it cost him $950,000 to make it, but I don't see how, it was non-union.
Ed Walsh came by to show us architectural plans for the building we own on Great Jones Street [Andy bought this carriage house at 57 Great Jones Street as well as a four-story building around the corner [Andy bought this carriage house at 57 Great Jones Street as well as a four-story building around the corner - -referred to as "342" or "the Bowery"-in 1970]. We're going to fix it up and then maybe rent it out.
Friday, November 3, 1978 The Elvis at the Parke Bernet auction on Thursday went for $85,000. It was estimated to go between 100 to 125. The market's peaked for contemporary art. Todd Bra.s.sner said the Mao was about to go for $4,000 and he bid it up to $5,000 and then somebody else got it so he was thrilled.
Thomas picked me up in the limo and we went to La Grenouille. I saw the lady who runs La Grenouille and she said that her son was getting married. Her son went to school with my nephew James at Carnegie Tech, my brother Paul's son. James is in New York now trying to be an artist, and I won't help him out. Because, well, I never liked the mother, so I would feel funny helping the kid. I took him out to Montauk a few times, and he just... I don't know.
Sat.u.r.day, November 4, 1978 After we saw Platinum Platinum we picked up a limo outside the theater ($15) and guess who was our driver! The catnapper!! The one from a couple of weeks ago! we picked up a limo outside the theater ($15) and guess who was our driver! The catnapper!! The one from a couple of weeks ago!
Monday, November 6, 1978 Rupert came by and we worked on the Grapes. Cab down to Maxime de la Falaise's loft on Fifth Avenue and 19th Street ($4). Everybody'd been eating dinner. Susan Bottomly-International Velvet-was there. So was there and Patrick O'Higgins, and John Richardson and Boaz Mazor and Amina came in from a fas.h.i.+on show benefit at Studio 54 and she looked beautiful. She said she was writing a play about men who put themselves down in a bar and I told her that everybody does that, why not make them fas.h.i.+on models who put themselves down at a fas.h.i.+on show, and she said that was a great idea, that she'd just make the men girls.
Ricky Clifton gave me the most beautiful earrings, little John Travolta earrings. And this guy who I've met before who did a movie about people who drill holes in their heads was there with his girlfriend and they'd both drilled holes in their heads.
John was telling me that Boaz, when he first met him, was the star of Oliver Stone's first feature movie. It was called Michael and Mary Michael and Mary. Boaz was Michael. They were shooting it on weekends and John said it was like Cocteau-beauties falling all over the place-and Oliver's mother, Jacqueline, gave all the kids in the movie poppers to make them act better. Boaz said it was shown at the Thalia for a couple of weeks once.
Susan Bottomly looks very skinny. She's left her boyfriend in Wales, she said she couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to have a baby and she didn't.
Tuesday, November 7, 1978 It was Election Day, so many places were closed. Catherine called and wanted to do something. We stayed at the office until 6:30 or 6:45 and then went up to 725 Fifth Avenue to the Robert Miller Gallery for Juan Hamilton's opening there (cab $4). And just when I got there a guy came in and served Juan papers. It was charges from the woman that used to work for Georgia O'Keeffe for years, saying that he was conspiring to get all Georgia's paintings.
I left Rupert on 66th and went home and glued. I'd invited the Hoveydas out, things are so bad in Iran, and the du Pont girl and Paul Jenkins. And then Bob invited Lily Auchincloss-her husband Douglas just left her for Kay Kay Larkin.
We went over to Quo Vadis. Hoveyda got a phone call and they told him that the phone lines from Iran to Paris and New York were out, and the Shah's put the military out stronger. The Hoveydas looked worried.
Then around the corner we saw Truman. He was fixing Barbara Allen up with a millionaire. I think it was actually his Jewish lawyer or something. And Truman is a completely different person from last week. Do you think they've found a new drug to give him? Really, this week he's so dapper and last week he was an alcoholic.
Wednesday, November 8, 1978 Dotson Rader is on TV right now on one of the morning shows. He's awful. I've always thought he worked for the CIA and I still do. I just can't take it. Hold on, I'm going to shut it off.... There, I feel so much better now.
c.o.c.ktails at Tatiana Liberman's were fun. Barbara Rose was there, sitting in all these clothes that were so expensive, but she still has no style. I told her we'd rent her a f.a.g and he could take her around and tell her what to buy and how to put it together. I said, "Well, you're living in a chic building now, Barbara"-in the Galleria-"so you should really start to look look chic." I tried to be diplomatic, but everything just came out like the truth. chic." I tried to be diplomatic, but everything just came out like the truth.
C.Z. Guest had a dinner at Le Cirque. Kim D'Estainville and Helene Rochas were there, they said that they'd just been in California and they drove miles to the Venice galleries because they wanted to see some "regional" art, and then when they got there, there was my p.o.r.no show! So they had a good laugh. They loved Big Sur.
Oh, and David Whitney called and said he was going out to California and Philip Johnson had given him a first-cla.s.s ticket and he said, "Oh Philip, you shouldn't have. I don't need it," and so Philip cashed it in for coach!
At dinner I was next to Doris Duke. She was great. Then afterwards everyone was going to Studio 54 and Bob took most of the ladies in his silver limo, and Doris Duke had a station wagon, it was so chic. We got into that. Then when we got there she wanted to leave-she didn't want her picture taken-so I took her to her car and went back. I saw the John Scribner boy and Robyn, and James Curley-he's a Mellon-he's the cute kid whose father was amba.s.sador to Ireland. Catherine was there and she's unhappy with her job at Viva Viva. She said she wished she were back at Interview Interview with Bob screaming at her, she said every article has to have a dozen meetings about it. I said I'd take her home. It was around 2:00 (cab $4). with Bob screaming at her, she said every article has to have a dozen meetings about it. I said I'd take her home. It was around 2:00 (cab $4).
Friday, November 10, 1978 Adriana Jackson came down and I took some pictures of her and a Swiss lady for a portrait. Gigi did the makeup, so we now have someone making the faces white so the wrinkles don't show and they print up better and make up into better screens and also it seems to the people like you're doing something more special for them. The pictures really do come out better. The Swiss lady didn't like her nose, which actually was a nice one, so it was hard to take a picture that she liked her nose in.
Bob Markell from Grosset & Dunlap came to the office. He said the photo book Bob and I are doing should be out by May 31, and then he started talking about me going on TV and I just looked at him and ran out of the room. He'd been saying how everyone in Europe loved all these "intimate pictures" of the people we know, so then I got nervous-(laughs) what if they what if they are are intimate? intimate?
Monday, November 13, 1978 I think I may try brus.h.i.+ng brus.h.i.+ng the p.i.s.s on the p.i.s.s paintings now. the p.i.s.s on the p.i.s.s paintings now.
Went over to Jamie and Phyllis Wyeth's at 1 East 66th Street for Phyllis's birthday party that Jamie had called that afternoon to invite me to. Joanne du Pont's name came up. I don't think Jamie likes her much, but I don't know why not-I mean, he he married into the du Ponts, too. married into the du Ponts, too.
Nan Kempner arrived. Bo Polk arrived
Tuesday, November 14, 1978 Truman Capote stopped by, he was visiting Bob MacBride in his studio at 33 Union Square. Truman may be on Lithium, because suddenly he's happy. But my real theory is that he went out to Long Island and saw Jack Dunphy and that Jack Dunphy finally agreed to write Answered Prayers Answered Prayers for him. And he had the most chic coat on. Courreges. One big zipper and two zippers for the pockets. He said it was a few years old. But his hands are cold. Which drug is that? for him. And he had the most chic coat on. Courreges. One big zipper and two zippers for the pockets. He said it was a few years old. But his hands are cold. Which drug is that?
I worked at the office until 7:30. Rupert was helping me try to paint with a brush, the p.i.s.s on the brush, but it was hard. Dropped Rupert ($4).
Ann Lambton's in town. She's about to go cross-country visiting the Americans she's met in London the past couple of years. It's incredible what a figure she has now.
Wednesday, November 15, 1978 After work we decided to open a bottle of champagne at the office and get drunk. This was 6:30. So Averil and Vincent and I got drunk, and then we left. Averil stopped a limo and asked how much it would be to take us to Bloomingdale's and he said $10, so we got in. Averil said that all the Kennedy kids would be at this opening of the Superman shop. We got there to the Superman shop and it looked like the sixties again. How many times are they going to bring back camp?
Thursday, November 16, 1978 At the T-s.h.i.+rt promotion thing for Viva/Penthouse Viva/Penthouse at Tavern on the Green the blond Smothers Brother-they're on Broadway in at Tavern on the Green the blond Smothers Brother-they're on Broadway in I Love My Wife I Love My Wife-came over and said, "Hi Andy, how are ya." And then later when I went to the phone and tried to call the office, he was waiting for the phone, too. He talked about himself and said he didn't feel he was creative anymore and that it was probably because he was secure, and he asked me how I felt, and I said that I wasn't creative since I was shot, because after that I stopped seeing creepy people. Then a kid said to him, "Don't you remember me? I was so-and-so's chauffeur and also the first houseboy to work in the Sharon Tate house after the murders." Isn't that a great line.
There's a rumor that Viva Viva is about to fold. is about to fold.
Sat.u.r.day, November 18, 1978 It was a beautiful day, in the seventies. I watched people on pogo sticks in the park.
Sunday, November 19, 1978 Stevie Rubell had called me earlier and asked if I wanted to go with Diana Ross to a midnight concert at the Palace that a couple who wrote songs for her were giving. Ashford and Simpson. We limoed to the Palace Theater and went to the dressing room. The husband is really good-looking and the wife is cute. When the audience saw Diana, the whole place mobbed her. There were four bodyguards with us, all the blacks just love her. The Wiz The Wiz is a big hit, I didn't know that. The concert was sensational, there were bravos. is a big hit, I didn't know that. The concert was sensational, there were bravos.
Then there was a Valentino party at 54. I guess Stevie was trying to make it a really bad party, because he had the waiters dressed up like Pilgrims and he was serving turkey. He said he had to explain to Valentino why he was doing it that way. He said he told him, "Well, you know America was discovered by an Italian," and he said that they (laughs) (laughs) understood. The front of Studio 54 was decorated like the front of a boat. I lost Halston but I found him a little later eating a turkey leg, and he made me have some. The last place you want to eat meat from is a discotheque, but later I saw Stevie eating the turkey, too, so I guess it was okay. Barbara Allen was there, going home to meet Bryan Ferry. understood. The front of Studio 54 was decorated like the front of a boat. I lost Halston but I found him a little later eating a turkey leg, and he made me have some. The last place you want to eat meat from is a discotheque, but later I saw Stevie eating the turkey, too, so I guess it was okay. Barbara Allen was there, going home to meet Bryan Ferry.
Monday, November 20, 1978 Truman's going on The Stanley Siegel Show The Stanley Siegel Show again, but only because it's taped this time. again, but only because it's taped this time.
Viva magazine did fold and now Catherine's out in the cold. magazine did fold and now Catherine's out in the cold.
Tuesday, November 21, 1978 Thomas Ammann had called and invited me to dinner with Cy Twombly. And then Bob got invited. Thomas asked me where we should go. I told him about the Palace-that restaurant on 59th Street in the Sovereign that's been in the papers for a year or so, that's supposed to be so expensive-I told him it was $300 per person and he laughed and said it couldn't be that much, that that was fine and that's where we'd go. And then Thomas called Barbara Allen and she was with Taki Theodoracopulos so they came.
The Palace had a crocheted curtain in the window, it looked like a place that gave palm readings. We were the only ones in the place, but there were about eighteen people running around to serve. The look was like going to the tackiest person's apartment who's trying to put on the dog. Like going to Barbra Streisand's house. West Side taste. Every table was under a chandelier, and the dishes had gold trim on them, that kind of thing. But the food was good. There were eight courses. The bill came to $914 and I think it shocked Thomas. I really think he was really shocked. Because after he saw the bill, he stopped making fun of the meal.
Wednesday, November 22, 1978 The big news for the past two days is the ma.s.s suicide in Guyana of a cult led by somebody named Jim Jones. It's costing the U.S. government $8 million to remove all the bodies and bring them back. They'd put cyanide in grape-flavored Kool-Aid. (laughs) (laughs) Just think, if they'd used Campbell's Soup I'd be so famous, I'd be on every news show, everyone would be asking me about it. But Kool-Aid was always a hippie thing. Just think, if they'd used Campbell's Soup I'd be so famous, I'd be on every news show, everyone would be asking me about it. But Kool-Aid was always a hippie thing.
Thursday, November 23, 1978 I watched the Thanksgiving Day parade on TV. I guess New York really is booming-when you think that every member of every marching band has to stay in a hotel room overnight. I glued myself together and went down to work (cab $3.50). There was n.o.body around.
I went over to Halston's for Thanksgiving dinner.
And meanwhile all this holiday they're still finding more and more bodies in Guyana. They must have known that there were 900. Why were they covering it up in the beginning? How come we didn't hear about these people before?
Sunday, November 26, 1978 I called Bob and he was grouchy, he said he couldn't talk because he was writing his "Out" column. I don't know what he's so grouchy for, it's the only writing he does all month.
I went to church, it was so beautiful and cold out. Then I worked. I drew earths and moons and watched TV.
Monday, November 27, 1978 The exciting news story was that the mayor of San Francisco was shot and it sounded at first like it was something to do with the Jim Jones cult, but then it wasn't, it was by a good-looking guy who even looked like a newsman.
Wednesday, November 29, 1978 Went to the Coronet Theater to a screening. The Deer Hunter The Deer Hunter was the new kind of movie-three hours of watching torture. It took place in Clairton, Pennsylvania, where all my cousins are from, and in the movie they said it was Russian-Polish, but that was just to make it more something, because it was really Czechoslovakian. It had John Savage, and lots of good-looking kids. was the new kind of movie-three hours of watching torture. It took place in Clairton, Pennsylvania, where all my cousins are from, and in the movie they said it was Russian-Polish, but that was just to make it more something, because it was really Czechoslovakian. It had John Savage, and lots of good-looking kids.
It starts off, it's three buddies drinking. For a whole hour it's the Polish wedding, and they could have cut it, but it was fun-so real and so beautiful. It shows a new kind of people in the movies that haven't been shown before, so it's really good. Then they go shooting some deer, so you know that from there it's going to cut to Vietnam. In the end Chris Walken puts the gun to his head and shoots himself dead and Bobby De Niro grabs his hand and says, "Oh, darling, I love you, I love you," holding his bleeding head, something like that.
I saw the Daily News Daily News girl, Liz Smith. No photographers took pictures of me, so I guess I'm not so much now. girl, Liz Smith. No photographers took pictures of me, so I guess I'm not so much now.
Oh, and Arthur Miller was at the screening. It was interesting to see him. He's very good-looking. I guess people like that work at it, the rich-kind-of-Jewish look. Like I saw on one of the morning shows this twenty-six-year-old kid named I think Schwartz who talked like a Kennedy, he was a councilman or something. Arthur Miller looked refined, and a straighter face than Richard Avedon, but like that. Like a Lehman. I guess they marry good-looking wives and get good-looking children.
The news the night before showed pictures of all the houses that people had signed over to the People's Temple when they joined. Oh G.o.d, that's the hardest thing, how could people give away their things? things?
Thursday, November 30, 1978 I was invited to Valentino's dinner for Marisa Berenson. Walked over to the Mayfair House to Le Cirque. Lee Radziwill and Peter Tufo were there and Andre Oliver and Baryshnikov. The card next to me said "Jessica" and it turned out to be Jessica Lange, who's now going with Baryshnikov. And when she arrived I said, "I've heard so much about you," and she said the same thing. She was good friends with Cory Tippin and Jay Johnson and Tom Cas.h.i.+n and Antonio Lopez. She said she'd stayed out in our Montauk house when Tom and Jay were out there painting and roofing. She said that Dino De Laurentiis didn't even offer her another part for a year and a half after King Kong King Kong, so now she's going to do a part in the new Bob Fosse film-it sounds like it's just a small part, though.
Friday, December 1, 1978 Everyone was working, getting ready for the c.o.c.ktail party Bob was giving at the office before his dinner for Elizinha Goncalves at 65 Irving. They were rearranging furniture and clearing things off and Vincent went out to stock up. Tommy Pashun came down with flowers.
Stevie gave me a Quaalude and Halston said, "For the box, for the box." Victor's told him about my system, how I drop everything people give me or that I get in the mail into a box at the office. Victor used to bring me some of Halston's notes like from Jackie O., but then Halston realized he should start saving them himself. These ladies really do write notes-when do they find time? And I'm invited to Jackie O.'s Christmas party again. We must be on somebody else's list, though, not hers. Because we weren't invited to the party Jackie gave last week. Robert Kennedy, Jr. told Fred that they had a big question about whether to invite us and decided not to. Jackie really is awful, I guess. She invited Jann Wenner and Clay Felker. Them she invited.
Sunday, December 3, 1978 Taki had told me that Barbara Allen made him so jealous on the phone implying that there was somebody there with her, that he went over to her house in the middle of the night and knocked her door down, and there was n.o.body in there. She did that to somebody else, too, that nice English guy who came all the way over here because he saw her picture and he beat her door down and there was n.o.body there then, either.
Halston and Stevie Rubell gave Bianca a beautiful fur coat. Dr. Giller paid for the collar, and Halston and Steve paid for the rest of the coat. It cost $30,000 or $40,000. I'm surprised they didn't ask me to give her an arm. (laughs) (laughs) And Halston said, "I think everyone should have furs, jewels, and Andy Warhol paintings." And Halston said, "I think everyone should have furs, jewels, and Andy Warhol paintings."
Tuesday, December 5, 1978 Doug Christmas came to the office with a rich lady named Connie from Texas. He'd flown in just for the day to take her back because he feels real money there. Cabbed to meet them ($4).
She wants a life-size portrait. Her girlfriend is the lady with the Kimbell Museum that I did, I can't remember her name, and she says she doesn't want a big head like I usually paint-she wants something different, a life-size portrait. She said she turned down Jackie O.'s portrait guy -what's his name? Is it s.h.i.+ckler? And she said that if I'm going to do her portrait we have to "get to know each other." OH G.o.d, OH G.o.d! She invited me to the $3 million house she's building in Fort Worth. When she kept talking about getting to know us, I finally ran away. Then Fred ran away. But then we came back.
Victor called and said he was on his way to Caracas and I told him, "Don't do it, Victor, don't do it." I think he might get stopped at the border, it's too dangerous. I'm afraid he's going to try something.
I was invited over to William F. Buckley's for music at 6:00, they have things like that.
Wednesday, December 6, 1978 These kids we hire at the office are just hopeless. For the first four weeks Robyn's worked there he was depositing his paycheck by mistake back into the office's account! He has his checking account in the same bank, and instead of writing his own account number on the deposit slips, he was writing the account number off the check he was depositing onto his deposit slip! Vincent had to explain it to him.
Friday, December 8, 1978 Jackie Curtis came up. He made this point of calling a week in advance to make an appointment to come up and see me, and he was supposed to bring one other person. Well, it was like old times. Jackie arrived with fifteen people. Two were photographers and he had David Dalton who's writing a book on him, and Jackie had no teeth and he's fat, and he's on amphetamines again. But he's still so clever. Somebody clever has has to do something with him, figure out how to use his talent. I thought maybe now that we have Ivan Karp and Truman writing for to do something with him, figure out how to use his talent. I thought maybe now that we have Ivan Karp and Truman writing for Interview Interview that we could serialize Jackie's book, but I brought them in to see Bob, and Bob was so cranky, he'd been up all night thinking about his liver, and he said, "Give the book to one of my a.s.sistants." So we gave it to Brigid and she read it later and called me and said it was sort of boring, that it was just tapes, and she had no suggestions, she was just being negative. that we could serialize Jackie's book, but I brought them in to see Bob, and Bob was so cranky, he'd been up all night thinking about his liver, and he said, "Give the book to one of my a.s.sistants." So we gave it to Brigid and she read it later and called me and said it was sort of boring, that it was just tapes, and she had no suggestions, she was just being negative.
Monday, December 11, 1978 There was a party at Xenon for the Superman Superman opening. At the office in the afternoon I saw Bob in a corner moping, looking blue. I mean, he can't be that unhappy, and he can't be overworked. I mean, all he does is go to parties (cab $3). Tinkerbelle and I started talking shop. She just did an interview with David Warner for us. Tinkerbelle is so great, I don't understand why she hasn't made it to the big time. opening. At the office in the afternoon I saw Bob in a corner moping, looking blue. I mean, he can't be that unhappy, and he can't be overworked. I mean, all he does is go to parties (cab $3). Tinkerbelle and I started talking shop. She just did an interview with David Warner for us. Tinkerbelle is so great, I don't understand why she hasn't made it to the big time.
Wednesday, December 13, 1978 Chris Makos called and said that Donahue had a show on about singles over (laughs) (laughs) fifty. He was calling because we were supposed to go out looking for a new camera. Cabbed to meet him at the camera store on 44th and Madison ($5). Then we walked around Grand Central Station and I got nostalgic-it was like twenty years ago when Grand Central used to be the central point for me when I worked for fifty. He was calling because we were supposed to go out looking for a new camera. Cabbed to meet him at the camera store on 44th and Madison ($5). Then we walked around Grand Central Station and I got nostalgic-it was like twenty years ago when Grand Central used to be the central point for me when I worked for Vogue Vogue and and Glamour Glamour, which are right around there, and my bank was right there, too.
Thursday, December 14, 1978 We went down to the office and the traffic was bad (cab $4). The Daily News Daily News had just called wanting a quote from me, they said that fifty agents had gone in and raided Studio 54 for income tax and that they'd busted Ian Schrager for two ounces of c.o.ke. had just called wanting a quote from me, they said that fifty agents had gone in and raided Studio 54 for income tax and that they'd busted Ian Schrager for two ounces of c.o.ke.
A cute guy was in the office, a friend of Averil's, and he didn't know he'd walked across the painting I'd just done, it was still wet. It was funny.
Friday, December 15, 1978 Bought two Daily Newses Daily Newses because Steve Rubell was all over them. Bianca was on the cover (cab $4). Went home to glue, then over to Halston's. He was having a dinner because it was decided that Steve had to eat because he hadn't in three days-I because Steve Rubell was all over them. Bianca was on the cover (cab $4). Went home to glue, then over to Halston's. He was having a dinner because it was decided that Steve had to eat because he hadn't in three days-I (laughs) (laughs) don't know who decides these things. It was "Stevie has to eat, he needs his nourishment." Does that mean Dr. Giller whispered in Halston's ear, "Stevie needs nourishment?" Who starts these things? So Halston was cooking short-order himself. Steak, french fries, and salad. It was the first time I've ever seen everybody at Halston's eat. He's had so many dinners where n.o.body eats anything, but this time everybody was eating because don't know who decides these things. It was "Stevie has to eat, he needs his nourishment." Does that mean Dr. Giller whispered in Halston's ear, "Stevie needs nourishment?" Who starts these things? So Halston was cooking short-order himself. Steak, french fries, and salad. It was the first time I've ever seen everybody at Halston's eat. He's had so many dinners where n.o.body eats anything, but this time everybody was eating because (laughs) (laughs) "Stevie" needed his nourishment. "Stevie" needed his nourishment. [NOTE: After the bust at Studio 54, Andy began referring to Rubell as Steve, not Stevie.] [NOTE: After the bust at Studio 54, Andy began referring to Rubell as Steve, not Stevie.]
This was about 9:30. And it was just family so Bianca wasn't allowed to invite her new Martha Graham dancer-boyfriend. Steve told us all about the bust. He told eighteen different stories. He's not going to have Roy Cohn be the lawyer because he's too conspicuous. They didn't go there to arrest anybody, just thirty-six IRS guys with guns to seize the books, but when they found the c.o.ke on Ian they arrested him. Now Steve says it was just a little, that it was just a Christmas gift, and he was blabbing all these comments about "unwashed money." I was surprised.
Sat.u.r.day, December 16, 1978 Halston said I was invited up to Dr. Giller's and that he'd pick me up. Put my contacts in and Halston arrived in a cab. I told him it was the first time I ever saw him in a cab, and then he got embarra.s.sed, and then I was embarra.s.sed, I said that I always take them, that cabs are great, but then he explained for the rest of the ride how he takes cabs a lot but that I just don't see him, because having the car sit around all day is expensive, and then I was even more embarra.s.sed. And he told me that any time I see his car outside 54 when it's late, to just take it home. Dr. Giller's place is an exact miniature copy of Halston's. The same paintings, the same layout, the same colors.
What Halston's been most upset about in the Studio 54 bust is that the IRS agents discovered another little room that n.o.body knew about, and Halston is hurt because he's such a close friend and Steve hadn't told him about it. Steve says it was an inside tipoff because n.o.body knew about the room except the people who work there. But Steve and Ian are kind of mean when they fire people, so it could have been anybody.
At Studio 54 later, I asked Pota.s.sa if she'd ever had s.e.x with Dali, and she said, "No, he just picked my c.o.c.k up once and kissed it." She said Dali was coming back to town and that we had to resume our friends.h.i.+p. And Pota.s.sa only drinks champagne. "Schom-pon-ye." "Schom-pon-ye." She said when Dali kissed her c.o.c.k he said, She said when Dali kissed her c.o.c.k he said, "Magnifico!" "Magnifico!"
Monday, December 18, 1978 Brigid's down to 140 and looks good. Charles Rydell is staying at her apartment and she's so mean to him. She really is mean. He can't watch her TV, he can't put his feet up, he can't go to the bathroom. After everything he's done for her her-I mean, he gave her handouts for years.
Truman called. He's going to do some long slice-of-life pieces for Interview Interview. We're going to tape him, and then Brigid will transcribe the tapes, and then Truman will turn them into articles.
Tuesday, December 19, 1978 I'm watching Calvin Klein on The Phil Donahue Show The Phil Donahue Show. Halston said that "Halston" perfume is the number-one seller in America. Can that be true? The last time I was in Macy's I didn't see anybody at his counter. Oh, but maybe I didn't really look.
And Barbara Allen said Halston told her how much fun I am without Bob and Fred around, that when I'm with them I don't say anything and let them take over, but that when I'm alone I talk and have fun. Halston has such an odd idea of me. I should have called him yesterday. It's so hard being completely involved, though.
We went to Irving Blum's gallery on East 75th Street to see the show of my early stuff, and one of the Soup Cans was a fake. Irving was embarra.s.sed when I told him.
Victor called, he's back from San Francisco. You really can't kid with him, because you say a word and that word goes deep into his brain and he keeps thinking about it and he gets crazy. I called him "paranoid" and then he started brooding over it.
I finally decided what I'm going to give all the Halston family for Christmas-Halston and Steve and Dr. Giller and Bianca-paintings of a free drink ticket from 54.
Cabbed to Tom Armstrong's ($3.50). Merce Cunningham was there and John Cage and Jasper Johns, but they were just about leaving. Leo Castelli was there trying to dance with his drunk wife. I took pictures. Hilton Kramer was there, the art critic. I'd never met him, so I met him. He's the one that hates my work. Mark Lancaster was there, I had fun with him.
Oh, I read a great column in the Times! Times! It was something like "Funky, Punky, and Junky," and they had been talking about it at Tom Armstrong's-it was about "silly people" and it It was something like "Funky, Punky, and Junky," and they had been talking about it at Tom Armstrong's-it was about "silly people" and it (laughs) (laughs) had me in it a lot. No mention of Steve Rubell, no Halston-just me, Marisa, Bianca, Truman, Lorna Luft-the silly people and the silly places. And later, at Halston's, Halston said he's glad he wasn't mentioned because he said had me in it a lot. No mention of Steve Rubell, no Halston-just me, Marisa, Bianca, Truman, Lorna Luft-the silly people and the silly places. And later, at Halston's, Halston said he's glad he wasn't mentioned because he said [imitates] [imitates], "I'm! Not! Silly!" And then everyone started calling Bianca "silly p.u.s.s.y, silly p.u.s.s.y." And Marisa came over and when she heard about the "silly" column she was upset to be "silly."
Oh, and have I said that Bob said that when he introduced Jerry Hall to Tennessee Williams down in Was.h.i.+ngton a few weeks ago Tennessee told her that she was the prettiest girl he's met since Candy Darling.
Wednesday, December 20, 1978 I'd accepted Marisa's dinner at Mortimer's but just as I was leaving the office I noticed in the book that it was the night of Jackie O.'s Christmas party and I invited Bob and he said he was thrilled, that it made his day, that it was a little something to look forward to. Cabbed to 1040 Fifth ($5). When we got there it was sort of getting over with. Lee was there, leaving. Caroline has turned into a raving beauty-she's thin, her face is thin, her skin is perfect, her eyes are beautiful. We were talking to her and then a cute guy came over, Tom Carney. I asked her if it was her boyfriend and she said yes. He writes for Esquire Esquire, he did the article on Tom McGuane. She asked about her old flame from London, Mark Shand.
Jean Stein was there with the Russian poet she wanted to introduce to society-some name like Andre Bosh-in-eck-s.h.i.+nsk. She's still writing her book on Edie. c.o.c.ktails were from 6:00 to 8:00 and then dinner was being served for the people who didn't leave. It was really good food -baked ham and some new potato salad with red lettuce from Cape Cod-she always goes to the best shops. Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton were there, and Bob heard-overheard- Jackie saying that something Warren did in the hall was "disgusting," but we were never able to find out what it was. We left around 9:00. Got the elevator down with Pete Hamill and the Duchins.
Cabbed to Mortimer's for Marisa's dinner ($2). Marisa looked beautiful in silver, and Paul Jasmin was with her. She's finally leaving town. She's mad at Barbara Allen because Barbara was seeing her husband, Jim Randall, out in California, so Barbara wasn't invited. Steve told us that Warren had f.u.c.ked Jackie O., that he talked about it. Bianca said that Warren had probably just made it up, that he made it up that he slept with her her, Bianca, and that when she saw him in the Beverly Wils.h.i.+re she screamed, "Warren, I hear you say you're f.u.c.king me. How can you say that when it's not true?" and she said she embarra.s.sed him. But then Bianca said that Warren had a big c.o.c.k, and Steve said how would she know, and she said that all her girlfriends had slept with him. Oh, and Diana Ross was at the dinner, she was fun.
So then after dinner everybody wanted to go go to Studio 54. Steve had his Mercedes, and Diana Ross was afraid to drive with him, but I a.s.sured her that he was a great driver, which he is, even in his drugged states, and so she squeezed in between us. Got there and it was jammed-some party for CBS Records. Steve's been having open bar since the bust. James Curley was there with a girl he said he's going to marry so he was cool to me. He was in white tie and tails, he'd just been to a debutante ball-they're all this week. to Studio 54. Steve had his Mercedes, and Diana Ross was afraid to drive with him, but I a.s.sured her that he was a great driver, which he is, even in his drugged states, and so she squeezed in between us. Got there and it was jammed-some party for CBS Records. Steve's been having open bar since the bust. James Curley was there with a girl he said he's going to marry so he was cool to me. He was in white tie and tails, he'd just been to a debutante ball-they're all this week.
Oh, and Bob was in heaven when we left Jackie O.'s party, raving about how nice she'd been to him, p.r.o.nouncing his name correctly and sharing her gla.s.s of Perrier with him when the butler forgot to bring his-she said, "It's ours." ours."
Thursday, December 21, 1978 Yesterday Jackie O. kept calling me at the office. She called three or four times. But I didn't call back, because the messages were complicated-they were like, "Call me at this number after 5:30, or before 4:00 if it's not raining." And then finally she called me at home-I wonder how she got the number-and that was strange. She sounded so tough. She said, "Now Andy, when I invited you, I invited you you-I didn't invite Bob Colacello." She said she was upset because Bob "writes things." And now that I think about it, Caroline made some comment like that at the party. And I mean, there were lots of journalists there-Pete Hamill and Caroline's new boyfriend. I told her not to worry, that Bob wasn't going to write anything. So something must have happened there that she doesn't want written about. She was thinking about it all day, I guess.
Catherine wanted to go to Cowboys (cab $2). It's so great going in there, a black hole with all boy beauties and all available. And then every other person there is somebody. Charlie Cowles was there. Henry Post was there, he's one of these kids that I like that everybody else says is terrible, but there's something nice and intelligent about him. I asked him what he was doing there and he said he was doing research for a story.
Friday, December 22, 1978 Bob picked up Paulette G.o.ddard and then they came and picked me up. When we got to the Iranian emba.s.sy I gave Hoveyda a print. And it was in the papers that the Shah's going to abdicate and his son's going to ascend. Paulette was acting nutty-I think she's losing her marbles-she was talking about her legs getting machine-gunned. And then when we were inside at the table the wind blew the doors open and Paulette got up and was crawling out of the dining room toward the doors to the buffet room... well, not really crawling, but she got up and tried to flee the room, and Hoveyda said, "Where are you going?" And she said, "I want to hide." It was peculiar. She kept saying that the evening was so "morbid" because all the Iranians were looking for new jobs.