Chapter 16
Sunday, February 11, 1979 Mica Ertegun called and told me that the lunch at Mortimer's was changed from 1:00 to 1:30.
I went out to church and ran into Gary Wells in bright green pants coming back from church, and I was surprised to see him out so early because I'd seen him at Studio 54 so late the night before.
After church cabbed to Mortimer's ($2). The place was jammed, but I was the first person there for the lunch which was for Helene Rochas and Kim D'Estainville. Jerry Hall was there, she was putting down Bianca now that Bianca is suing for half of what Mick's got. The case is in the California courts where all the live-in suits are going on now-like that's where the Hunt girl got support from Mick for the illegitimate kid. I told Mica we have to turn Ahmet gay so he won't be pinching all the girls. He really is funny-we were thinking of dumb ideas for musicals, like jogging-Jogging. And they're all surprised that I'm talking so much lately, they think I'm a new person.
Monday, February 12, 1979 Forgot to remember the most important thing-lunch on Friday at Christie's. I picked Bob up and we walked over there and this guy had all this jewelry there for me to look at and he said, "You can get it cheap." And that's when it started to dawn on me-these auction houses can put the gavel down any time they feel like it any time they feel like it. Right? Right? Think about it: Like you'll be at Sotheby's and the guy will go, "Twennnty dolllars... thirrrrty dollllars..." You know, really milking it, so slow. But then some other time it'll be: "Nine thousand-nine five-ten-ten five-sold! History!" You know? So fast. So then they took us down and showed me the drawings of mine that are up for sale, and there was one fake.
And Christie's is doing a big dress sale, selling Diors and Schiaparellis and things. They'll get $8-10,000 for a Fortuny. So I've just got to track down that man who had that great shop in the Village-Fabulous Fas.h.i.+ons. He had to move and now he's somewhere on West End Avenue, selling out of his apartment. I've got got to find him. to find him.
And Iran really fell. It's so weird watching it all on TV, it really could happen here. And Brigid was telling me about the boy on the news whose mother died and he didn't tell anybody, he just kept her in the house for eight months.
Tuesday, February 13, 1979 Truman said he thinks Interview Interview should become more like the original should become more like the original Vanity Fair Vanity Fair. He was telling Brigid lots of ideas for Interview Interview, saying he wanted to have regular Monday morning editorial meetings of the staff. But meetings like that are just a big waste of time. Other magazines do it that way, but everybody at Interview Interview just sort of does their own job. Other magazines schedule those big long meetings and that's when all these people's ideas about themselves and their positions come out-the "power" things. The meetings just bring out whether people think just sort of does their own job. Other magazines schedule those big long meetings and that's when all these people's ideas about themselves and their positions come out-the "power" things. The meetings just bring out whether people think they're they're better or better or you're you're better. better.
Thursday, February 15, 1979 John Fairchild, Jr. called and said he would pick me up at 6:30 to go out to the Brooklyn Academy to see Twyla Tharp at a Hair Hair benefit Lester Persky was putting on. He came in a limo with Henry Post and William Pitt and Marita and Teri Garr, she's very nice. The driver got lost but we were there on time. Everybody was there. Mike Nichols even said h.e.l.lo to me. I guess he felt he benefit Lester Persky was putting on. He came in a limo with Henry Post and William Pitt and Marita and Teri Garr, she's very nice. The driver got lost but we were there on time. Everybody was there. Mike Nichols even said h.e.l.lo to me. I guess he felt he had had to after making me meet the Polish Warhol. Dr. Warchol. to after making me meet the Polish Warhol. Dr. Warchol.
The dancing, it's a funny new kind of dancing, falling and tripping, and it looks like disco dancing. It looks like if you had a creative person on the disco floor, that they would do this (intermission drinks $10). Jack Kroll was there.
Henry Post told me that John Fairchild, Jr. snuck him into Studio 54 the other night-Henry's been barred for what he wrote in his article about the club and when Ian Schrager saw him he asked him to "leave in a gentlemanly fas.h.i.+on." He said he started to argue that it was a public place, but then he got scared.
I really don't know why Pat Cleveland and Sterling St. Jacques never did any other of their dancing up into an act. Although Ronnie tells me that Pat's going to be performing down at the Mudd Club. That's the latest club for young kids, it's down around White Street. Ronnie's the oldest oldest one there-he's booking a reggae concert. They dropped me off and it was snowing and pretty. one there-he's booking a reggae concert. They dropped me off and it was snowing and pretty.
Friday, February 16, 1979 I called the Neil Sedakas and they were out but the decorator was in, and he invited me up first to his office on 81st and Park and then to go over to see the Sedakas' apartment that he decorated before they move in, on 85th and Park. I went up to the decorator's and he has like a private entrance in a big building. It's a beautiful office but it's decorated horribly. He had paintings like I've seen at other people's apartments, they're just like scribbles and I don't think he he paints them, but it's somebody's paintings. I just couldn't face asking him whose they were. I'm going to, though. He wears Christopher Street clothes, army boots and a leather jacket and chinos, and he has a mustache and a beard. He looks like Victor, like a Gay Bob doll. Then he took me upstairs to see his partner's apartment, and she had a duplex with more scribble paintings. paints them, but it's somebody's paintings. I just couldn't face asking him whose they were. I'm going to, though. He wears Christopher Street clothes, army boots and a leather jacket and chinos, and he has a mustache and a beard. He looks like Victor, like a Gay Bob doll. Then he took me upstairs to see his partner's apartment, and she had a duplex with more scribble paintings.
Then we went over to the Sedakas' apartment. The renovation job looks like it's costing $3 or $400,000 and they're doing things like moving a door one inch. But they're putting in saunas and things.
Cabbed to U.N. Plaza ($3). Truman looked like Dr. Frankenstein had just finished with him. He had scars up and down and across his face. He looked like he had the little screw missing. Then we cabbed over to Dr. Orentreich's office ($4) and we slipped in the back way. It was like sneaking in with Garbo. Okay, let me describe Truman's costume: He had a scarf over his head, then a funny little hat with folds in it and a babushka and a jacket and a scarf over his mouth and dark gla.s.ses and a leather jacket and a coat. I mean with these scarves and funny hats draped all over him, he was so conspicuous. Otherwise n.o.body would have noticed him and he would have been just a strange person with blood leaking down his face.
And he decided he wanted more done-he wanted more pain, I guess-so he was going to have the fold on the bridge of his nose done, too, right then. It's an operation that Truman says he invented and that Dr. Orentreich has rehea.r.s.ed on two women first, and now he was ready to give it to Truman.
There were eight really beautiful nurses. It was like watching Hugh Hefner and his Bunnies. And they said to Orentreich, "What a great sewer you are, doctor." When he was done tucking Truman's furrow-the furrow had been about a quarter-inch and the scar was about three inches-they glued him up. Truman was awake, and he said it didn't hurt, but I don't see how it couldn't have. He made an appointment for Monday to take the st.i.tches out.
Then we cabbed back to U.N. Plaza and Truman was talking about "our magazine." He said that in addition to the big editorial meetings, he wanted to have an opinion page and letters-to-the-editor column and now I'm just bracing myself for some letter to arrive from his lawyers.
He says his next improvement is hair transplants. He said his troubles were all because of John O'Shea and that now he really hates him. But then later Brigid told me that he had her send O'Shea a subscription to Interview Interview.
Sat.u.r.day, February 17, 1979 I told Susan Blond I'd meet her at the Palladium Theater down on 14th Street to see an English group called the Clash (cab $5). Ron Delsener took us to a little room. We sat around there and then a couple came in who I didn't recognize but it turned out to be Carrie Fisher and Paul Simon. I never recognize him. Bruce Springsteen came in and I didn't recognize him, either. He was sweet, he said, "h.e.l.lo, remember me?" and he took off his glove to shake hands. I met him at Madison Square Garden when I took a picture of him that I wasn't supposed to.
Blondie-Debbie Harry-was there and when we got backstage there was Nico! With John Cale! And she looks beautiful again, absolutely beautiful, she's finally thin in the face. Her hair's dark brown, but John's having her dye it bright red. They're opening at CBGB and she's going to sing "Femme Fatale" from the first Velvet Underground alb.u.m and John's going to play his violin. She's staying at the Chelsea.
The Clash are cute but they all have bad teeth, sticks and stumps. And they scream about getting rid of the rich. One of them said he didn't want to go anywhere downtown-that he wanted to be shown uptown. So I said okay, we'd go to Xenon and Studio 54.
Monday, February 19, 1979 George Was.h.i.+ngton's Birthday, it was twelve inches of snow, Had lunch with Peter Beard and Cheryl Tiegs. She's a toughie, so she'll probably make Peter marry her. I've decided Peter's just a playboy, though. He's really looking great, he never ages (lunch $100, tip $30). Cheryl said she wants to be in movies, so I told her she'd have to lower her voice, like Betty Bacall did-talk from the lungs, not from the nose. She said that people like her the way she is, though. They'd let their limousine go, so they walked home.
Wednesday, February 21, 1979 Before I left the office Mrs. Neil Sedaka called and invited me to a party for Neil, so I cabbed up there ($5). Everybody was thrilled I came. When I saw Neil, I couldn't help it, I like him so I told him he was just too fat to have his portrait done and that he had had to lose weight. I just can't face painting him so fat. He said that fat was his image, that people like him fat, but I mean, I'm sure he overeats. He said he'd just had three vodkas. Maybe I went too far. I'm supposed to do him next week. to lose weight. I just can't face painting him so fat. He said that fat was his image, that people like him fat, but I mean, I'm sure he overeats. He said he'd just had three vodkas. Maybe I went too far. I'm supposed to do him next week.
Sat.u.r.day, February 24, 1979 Got up early. Brigid called, she was all the way up to 150 pounds. It was warm and rainy outside and I wanted to go down to Heiner's gallery early so I could pa.s.s out 1,000 Interviews Interviews that afternoon (cab $6). Got there about 12:30 and I started working. I can't believe that I actually gave out 1,000 but I did. Rupert and the Du Pont twins came by and for a break I took them and the gallery kids over to Robata, the j.a.panese restaurant around the corner ($90). Left the gallery around 6:30. A girl who said she went to high school with me was there and she'd brought a copy of the school yearbook and asked if I wanted to see it and I told her I'd like it better if she didn't show it. that afternoon (cab $6). Got there about 12:30 and I started working. I can't believe that I actually gave out 1,000 but I did. Rupert and the Du Pont twins came by and for a break I took them and the gallery kids over to Robata, the j.a.panese restaurant around the corner ($90). Left the gallery around 6:30. A girl who said she went to high school with me was there and she'd brought a copy of the school yearbook and asked if I wanted to see it and I told her I'd like it better if she didn't show it.
Sunday, February 25, 1979 Went to church, bought batteries ($12.22). Cabbed to U.N. Plaza ($3). Truman was having a lunch for Buckminster Fuller-Bob MacBride just did an interview with him for Interview Interview. He's eighty-three, he can't hear so well, he was cute. Truman looks great. He's going for hair transplants this week. He's going down to Georgia to do an interview for us, but he won't say who it's with. I issued him a tape recorder and a camera. Two travel agents were there and Bill Lieberman, the curator of drawings and prints at MOMA for years, he's an old friend.
Monday, February 26, 1979 Cab to Chembank ($4). I worked all afternoon painting faces' backgrounds at the office. Joe Dallesandro called from Paris. He says he drinks a bottle of whiskey a day. He wants money, and I don't know what we're going to do with Joe. We were warned he'd call because Terry Dallesandro came by the other day. She's still living on Staten Island, and she looked good, she had makeup on. She said Joe wasn't sending her any money. I wonder if she's on welfare? Little Joe wasn't with her, he was in school. He's eight now. She still doesn't have any interests. She said she never even picks up something to read, and she said she can't really do anything, she doesn't even know secretarial stuff, and she only has a tenth-grade education. I asked what little Joey was interested in, and she said he was (laughs) (laughs) taking karate lessons. taking karate lessons.
Joe said that he had a "film on the fire," but that's what he said the last time. Oh, and Terry said that six months after Joe's brother Bobby hung himself, another boy who lived in that same foster home on Long Island that Joe and Bobby grew up in also committed suicide.
Rupert called-both of the Du Pont twins have moved in with him on White Street.
Thursday, March 1, 1979 Walked to the office and I ran into John Head and Lorne Michaels coming in for the meeting that we were having with them to talk about a TV show. They said they'd give me a show if we could give him the right look. I think they just wanted to come and get ideas, though, because when you do a TV show, you do run out of them. But unless you're the producer of your own show you never make money so I think we should start at the bottom and do it ourselves and learn everything that way.
Went home and changed and cabbed to the Plaza ($2) to meet John Fairchild, Jr. and Belle McIntyre, and William Pitt and Rupert (drinks $70). John had invited a bunch of fairies so that he wouldn't have any compet.i.tion for Belle. They have a strange relations.h.i.+p-I don't think he's going to bed with her, but he somehow feels that he is and gets jealous.
We walked to Regine's. It was so beautiful out. Belle started dancing with one of the twins and John got so jealous and he was going crazy and I just tried to hold him in my arms-he was so schizo-and then William Pitt said that the only way to stop it was to leave, to go to Studio 54. So we did (cab $4).
Friday, March 2, 1979 Brigid was eating and eating and when I tried to stop her we had a confrontation. She said, 'I'll eat whatever I want to and don't try to stop me, I'll go over 150 if I want." So then I just took all the food and lined it up next to her on the table and told her, "Go ahead. Eat."
Went uptown to a meeting with Bob Guccione. He wanted to talk to me about photographing nude girls for twelve or thirteen pages. He lives in a sort of Renaissance Italian place on East 67th Street. It looks awful. Everything looks so dirty, that look, that feeling.
Sunday, March 4, 1979 One of the Du Pont twins told Susan Blond that he's so in love with me. He told her all these nutty things, and I mean, all I do is (laughs) (laughs) hold his hand and feel him up. hold his hand and feel him up.
Then Jim, the agent or manager of the Beach Boys-he's interested in art-invited me to the Beach Boys concert at Radio City, and I invited Tom Cas.h.i.+n. Then the phone rang as I was leaving, and I thought it was Dennis Wilson when he said, "It's Dennis," but then five minutes into the call I realized it was Dennis Hopper when he said, "The Beach Boys? They're in town? Where're they playing?" I told him to meet us at Radio City (cab $3).
I was sitting having fun with the kids on one side of the stage and then Dennis Hopper called me over to the other side where he was being crazy and silly with the girlfriends and wives. Groupies, really. It's so funny to see groupies in their thirties-their late late thirties. thirties.
I slipped out at intermission and then later on someone told me that they made a big announcement from the stage that I was there, so now they must hate me. We were going over to Laurent, where Dali had invited us for dinner, he had about forty people there. He's really generous with these kids. Then the kids wanted to go to the Xenon party for Pele. New York is so filled with Brazilians
Monday, March 5, 1979 Went to Mercedes Kellogg's lunch for Ralph Destino of Cartier's. Gossiped about Barbara Allen. She was spotted down in Florida or Barbados with Bill Paley. One of those places. Nicky Vreeland saw them and told Diana, and Diana told Bob. I was back home at 12:30 and I pa.s.sed out because of the heavy rain.
Tuesday, March 6, 1979 I cabbed down to Union Square and handed out Interviews Interviews (cab $4). And then I walked over to the office, 1:00. Neil Sedaka arrived and he's just adorable, he's great. We had Jane Forth there to do the makeup and little Emerson was with her. Neil posed, and it was hard to get a good picture, his face is so fat. We worked an hour on it. (cab $4). And then I walked over to the office, 1:00. Neil Sedaka arrived and he's just adorable, he's great. We had Jane Forth there to do the makeup and little Emerson was with her. Neil posed, and it was hard to get a good picture, his face is so fat. We worked an hour on it.
Thursday, March 8, 1979 Jean Stein called Brigid at the office, she wants to interview her for the Edie Sedgwick book that she's still doing. It's such a camp now, she's got like eighteen people working on it-she has George Plimpton editing it. So she called Brigid and Brigid had Robyn Geddes say she wasn't there, and then Dennis Hopper called a few minutes later and Brigid took that call and they were talking and Brigid was putting down Jean Stein saying she was pestering her, and it turns out that Dennis is staying with Jean. Then later on Viva called from California and started trouble-she told Brigid that if Brigid didn't cooperate with Jean that Jean would put everything horrible about her in the book and that Brigid couldn't sue because it was all true.
And Dennis probably hates us, too, because I didn't go to his c.o.c.ktail party. I didn't go because I forgot, but I knew I was never going to go and that's why I didn't remember. But Dennis is wanting me to go to Mexico to meet some friends of his, and Dennis and his group always did know all the rich people, but they're so sixties and they're crazy.
I tried to work on the text for the photo book with Brigid and Bob, but every time I made a suggestion Bob would scream at me at the top of his voice that it was great the way it was and then Brigid would scream it was great, too. Bob raises his voice so much I really do think he's nuts. So I don't know what they want me to even read it for, anyway, since they feel they're doing such a wonderful job and that it's all so great great great great. So I left them alone with their greatness. Actually, it's stinko. I do like the t.i.tle, though-we're calling it Social Disease Social Disease- and the photographs do look really good.
Sunday, March 11, 1979 Finished the Joan Crawford book by Bob Thomas. She seems like she would have been a lot of fun, and really easy to get to know in the end. I wish we had remembered she was around.
Brigid called and said she's overworked. Truman's now got a tape recorder and he's doing all these interviews with everybody and Brigid has to transcribe them. I mean, he could be getting $70,000 to do big interviews like this, and here he's doing it for nothing for Interview Interview, but then he keeps the copyright, so he'll be able to make them all into a book.
Watched All in the Family All in the Family then cabbed to Judy and Sam Peabody's to see Nureyev (cab $2.50). Nureyev arrived and he looked terrible-really old-looking. I guess the nightlife finally got to him. His ma.s.seur was with him. The ma.s.seur is also sort of a bodyguard. And I didn't know this before I went over there, but Nureyev had told the Peabodys that if Monique Van Vooren showed up, he would walk out. He says she used him. But he's terrible. When he was so cheap and wouldn't stay in a hotel, Monique gave him her bed, and now he says then cabbed to Judy and Sam Peabody's to see Nureyev (cab $2.50). Nureyev arrived and he looked terrible-really old-looking. I guess the nightlife finally got to him. His ma.s.seur was with him. The ma.s.seur is also sort of a bodyguard. And I didn't know this before I went over there, but Nureyev had told the Peabodys that if Monique Van Vooren showed up, he would walk out. He says she used him. But he's terrible. When he was so cheap and wouldn't stay in a hotel, Monique gave him her bed, and now he says she she uses uses him him. He's mean, he's really mean. At 1:30 the Eberstadts wanted to leave and I dropped them off (cab $3.50).
Monday, March 12, 1979 Went to Lester Persky's Hair Hair premiere at the Ziegfeld. Then got into the limo and went over to the pier building where the party was and it was the biggest party in the world-they had trees hanging and the whole place looked like Central Park, but without the muggers. Elizabeth Ashley was there and she was sweet and adorable and friendly. She said she saw me at the Knicks game about a month ago. premiere at the Ziegfeld. Then got into the limo and went over to the pier building where the party was and it was the biggest party in the world-they had trees hanging and the whole place looked like Central Park, but without the muggers. Elizabeth Ashley was there and she was sweet and adorable and friendly. She said she saw me at the Knicks game about a month ago.
Oh, and the weirdest thing. Oh, this was so ridiculous. This old man comes running over to me and kisses me on both cheeks and my lips and it was just disgusting and it turned out to be Leonard Bernstein, and he was carrying on, everyone was looking, saying he's been desperate to meet me for twenty-five years and that we had to get together and talk, and that we desperately must see each other tomorrow. Really, everybody was staring. And then Doc c.o.x came and said he wanted me to meet his new boyfriend, so he took me away and then Leonard Bernstein found me again, and it was more of the same, and it was such a camp. I mean, I remember in Pittsburgh this friend of mine saying a queer conductor was in town trying to pick up boys, and that was the first I heard of Leonard Bernstein. And he was hugging me and kissing me more, then putting me down at the same time. Like he'd say a big compliment and then the next sentence would be a put-down. Things like, "I always wanted to meet you but everyone told me you're a creep." Things like that. I finally got away from him.
Wednesday, March 14, 1979 The BBC was at the office doing a story on Fran Lebowitz and then on us interviewing Jessica Lange (pastry $17, $2.77).
Jessica wants to be a serious actress. She's thirty and she's pretty but she has caps on her teeth, I think. They asked me where I found Fran and I said, "In the gutter." And then they asked me if I'd read her book, and I said no. I hope it came out right. What they were actually saying was that since she's so good, how come she writes for you. I asked Fran to help us interview Jessica, and she said she didn't do interviews. And then she didn't have her column for us, so we were upset. She actually did give funny lines, though, this time. She told Jessica she loved King Kong King Kong, and Jessica said she hadn't seen it. And Jessica said to Fran, "I loved your book," and Fran said, "I haven't read it."
Picked up Jed and Paulette G.o.ddard and we limoed to the armory for the Cartier party that Ralph Destino was giving to celebrate the anniversary of the Santos Dumont wrist.w.a.tch that he got Bob to help get celebrities for. Truman was there in his sailor's cap-he looks like he's lost a lot of weight. It's strange. It's as if they took his face and chiseled off some of it. It's not like he looks younger. It's just thinner. And his scars are all gone. The only one left is the one from the fold on his nose. And Monique Van Vooren was there, she said that Nureyev was coming. And I said are you sure, and she said, "Don't worry, if he's getting a free watch he'll be here." And right then he walked in. He really looks so old.
Mr. Destino spent so much money to get the airplanes into the armory-the wrist.w.a.tch was invented for a pilot-and the whole party probably cost about $100,000, but it just didn't work.
Robyn Geddes's mother, Caroline Amory, was there, and Lynn Wyatt, and Joanne Herring. And Catherine was there, she's very fat but she looks beautiful. Like a s.e.xy English fatso, a beautiful body, but all filled in. Like a jelly jar.
Paulette was wearing so much jewelry it must have been $3 million worth of rubies, and she was saying she wants to sell off her paintings, and she was saying how much money she had. She decided she didn't want the woman's watch, that she wanted the man's watch, and she told Mr. Destino and he said fine. The watches they were giving were $1,300 watches, and they gave eight of them, and I guess they cost them $600 apiece. Marion Javits didn't know who Mr. Destino was and she said to him, "These watches are c.r.a.p," and he said, "I'm the president of Cartier." And so she was going crazy because she couldn't get out of it-literally going crazy. Finally I told her, "Well look, Marion, it'll be a memorable evening for him-he'll never forget it."
Bob and I took Paulette home. And Bob was gus.h.i.+ng and sentimental and telling Paulette he loved her, and so just to make things lighter I said, "Gee, Bob, you never tell me you love we." And so I go home and fall asleep and the phone rings and it's Bob saying that he's never said so but that he does love me, and I mean, what's wrong wrong with him? Is he flipping out? with him? Is he flipping out?
Thursday, March 15, 1979 Paulette and I were in the Post Post standing next to the airplanes. The airplanes got lots of publicity. standing next to the airplanes. The airplanes got lots of publicity.
I called John Fairchild, Jr. and invited him to Elephant Man Elephant Man, and he said he'd go, and I said that he'd probably cancel later and he said no, if his life depended on it he wouldn't do that. And then I got home and sure enough there was a long note, cancelling, saying that "a friend came unexpectedly to town." And I just don't know how to handle that. What should I do? Because I just knew he would do it. Should I tell him I never had tickets anyway, that I just wanted to see what he'd do? Should I tell him that? Or just say I didn't care, or maybe I should go to the other extreme and make him feel really really guilty because I just know he feels terrible about it. He probably didn't sleep all night, but I mean, he knew he wasn't going to go and no friend came to town, so why did he say yes in the first place?
Elephant Man is is Equus Equus with an elephant instead of a horse, but I couldn't stand with an elephant instead of a horse, but I couldn't stand Equus Equus so how could I like this? But all the actors are good. so how could I like this? But all the actors are good.
After the play we went to Mortimer's to pick up Catherine. When we were leaving, Sam Green insisted we come and see his new place before we went down to Studio 54, and so we went there, and Sam's really got a great place. You open the door and there's these big stairs, and I was kidding around telling Catherine right in front of Sam that he was a big cocaine dealer and he didn't say anything, so now I don't know if it's true. It's the new kind of place-empty with nothing in it but a rug, and then that photo of him with Garbo at the King Tut thing. And Sam really does get around, he traveled all over with John and Yoko, talking to the Dalai Lama and things. Catherine broke her shoe, she really is fat.
Then as we were leaving, across the street there was a party for China Syndrome China Syndrome going in and they yelled to Sam, "Can Andy Warhol come to the party?" So we went over, and we saw Jim Bridges and he's really the hottest new director now. He said that Jack wasn't there-Jack Larson, our old friend Jimmy Olsen from going in and they yelled to Sam, "Can Andy Warhol come to the party?" So we went over, and we saw Jim Bridges and he's really the hottest new director now. He said that Jack wasn't there-Jack Larson, our old friend Jimmy Olsen from Superman Superman-that he was back in Hollywood. Jim is a big star director now, so he wasn't as friendly, he was acting more Hollywood. He's on Easy Street now.
Oh, and Bob was all upset in the afternoon because he was expecting Mr. Destino to call and give him a Cartier watch, but he didn't.
Friday, March 16,1979 Cabbed down to Chembank ($4) then walked to the office. Fred told me I have to go down to Was.h.i.+ngton on April 6 to teach crippled kids how to paint, and I'm not looking forward to it. It's for Phyllis Wyeth. Fred went down to Leo's because Leo just sold a painting of mine, so that comes right when we have to pay more in taxes-it eased the blow for a second.
David Mahoney was giving a St. Patrick's Day party at Halston's. I picked up Catherine, and we went to the Olympic Tower (cab $3). Curley was waiting for us. He said he'd been invited, but he wasn't, really, he just got in using our name. The Kissingers were just leaving and I told Nancy I'd just met her aunt and she said, "Oh yes, the crazy one." We talked to Governor Carey and he liked Catherine.
It was wall-to-wall celebrities. Truman was there. Steve Rubell was not so friendly to me, he's being cool, somehow, I think because I'm friendly with Henry Post. Walter Cronkite said h.e.l.lo, he was cute, and he introduced us to his daughter who's an actress. And I met the kids of Mahoney who're good-looking now. The girl used to be heavier and dumpy, but now she's pretty. She was in the same green Halston as the year before.
Monday, March 19, 1979 Halston picked me up and we went over to Martha Graham's studio on I think 63rd, to watch her rehea.r.s.e. Martha arrived and she's so great, so young. She has a guy who looks after her. Then we went over to Halston's for dinner. Martha's going to England to do a command performance, and to Egypt, and to Lisbon. Her Iranian performance was cancelled, naturally, but I don't see how she can do it at her age, it's so hard, traveling like that. We talked about cosmetic surgery. I remember somebody telling me once that when Martha was down and out, a kind couple took her in and gave her a facelift and then her career revived. Now maybe she'll get a hand operation, too, she said, because really her hands are just like little stumps.
I told her I saw her dance in Pittsburgh in 1948 and she said she was from Pittsburgh, and Halston was surprised, he didn't know that, he said they'd never really talked. Halston gives her clothes, and somebody else gave her money to redecorate, but instead of redecorating she bought one expensive thing instead of doing the basics, but she said it was just because she didn't have time to do the basics, that she'll get to it. Halston served caviar and baked potatoes. And when Halston serves baked potatoes and caviar, it's always with like a pound of caviar. I don't know if it's really caviar these days, though, because with all the trouble in Iran, where can they be getting it? They may be just making it up.
And the Du Pont twins called me at Halston's, they were calling all over town for me, and I wouldn't take the call, and then they had the nerve to ring the doorbell and they were drunk and giggling and I went to the front door and told them off.
Oh, and Halston's mad at Bianca because she never arrived from London, and it was supposed to be Mohammed's day off and Halston had him wait at home all day, and when he called her in London she said that she had food poisoning, but he didn't believe her because he'd heard her use that excuse over and over again on other people while she was staying at his house.
Tuesday, March 20, 1979 Fred saw Cocaine Cowboys Cocaine Cowboys and he thought it was just terrible, he said he was so embarra.s.sed for me. But then I don't know, Fred doesn't know what's good with movies. and he thought it was just terrible, he said he was so embarra.s.sed for me. But then I don't know, Fred doesn't know what's good with movies.
Friday, March 23, 1979 I stayed uptown because I was going to Brady Chapin's at 225 Central Park West for lunch, it was a cute little building. It was a reunion for Scavullo and Nancy White and me, because we used to work together at Harper's Bazaar Harper's Bazaar. And John Tesh came, the 6 '4" newscaster on channel 2, and he's so handsome. He didn't eat anything, and he brought a girlfriend. Brady knows him from jogging in the park.
Sat.u.r.day, March 24, 1979 Got up early. Thomas Ammann called and he picked me up at 10:30, he wanted to see the new New York things with me. We went to some shops, it was fun (kitchen supplies $50). Then went home and glued myself for Fiorucci's, went there at 1:30 and began signing Interviews Interviews and I was there all afternoon. Paulette showed up and Keith Richards and Ron Wood, and it was the first time I was seeing them in the daylight and they looked so old and beat-up. Their girlfriends looked young and fresh. and I was there all afternoon. Paulette showed up and Keith Richards and Ron Wood, and it was the first time I was seeing them in the daylight and they looked so old and beat-up. Their girlfriends looked young and fresh.
Paulette was sweet, she said she does all her shopping there now. The kids who were waiting on her didn't know who she was. It's so strange to be famous in one category and then other people don't know who you are. But I explained to them that she'd been married to Charlie Chaplin and they connected with Charlie Chaplin. I was there until 6:00 and then took some of the kids to Reginette ($70).
Sunday, March 25, 1979 I have to go to Monique Van Vooren's party at Studio 54. She called a few weeks ago and invited me to her party, but I guess in an abstract way she was telling me she wanted me to give give the party, because when I asked her when it was, she said, "Any day, at your convenience"-that was how she was inviting me to the party, but I didn't get it. Then she gave the same pitch to Bob and he got the message and explained it to me. the party, because when I asked her when it was, she said, "Any day, at your convenience"-that was how she was inviting me to the party, but I didn't get it. Then she gave the same pitch to Bob and he got the message and explained it to me.
Monday, March 26, 1979 It was a nice day but colder. I went out pa.s.sing Interviews Interviews, and I stopped in at Primavera and ran into Audrey the owner and decided she would be a good person to go around to the new places with and to learn about new categories from, so we ran around town and we had fun. Audrey said that a lady brought in a Castellani and she gave her $100 and now it's worth $10,000. Well, that's what you do, that's the antiques game. If it's an old person selling it you give them a break and give them a little little more, but it's like if you go to a flea market and you see something that's really worth a lot, and the person selling it doesn't know-you don't tell them. And categories disappear. It's like Deco-you hardly ever see a Deco piece anymore. People just get them, and then they put them away, and they're all collected up, categories go (catalogues $8). Then we were in Suzie Frankfurt's neighborhood, so we rang her bell. Suzie looks good. She's in sort of a floozy look lately-her hair frizzled and pulled back on one side. And really really big shoulders. Extreme. That's how she looks best. And she looks really rich. more, but it's like if you go to a flea market and you see something that's really worth a lot, and the person selling it doesn't know-you don't tell them. And categories disappear. It's like Deco-you hardly ever see a Deco piece anymore. People just get them, and then they put them away, and they're all collected up, categories go (catalogues $8). Then we were in Suzie Frankfurt's neighborhood, so we rang her bell. Suzie looks good. She's in sort of a floozy look lately-her hair frizzled and pulled back on one side. And really really big shoulders. Extreme. That's how she looks best. And she looks really rich.
Tuesday, March 27, 1979 Brigid called and said she was freaking out, she said she feels like a garbage can-she was over 152-and she doesn't know what to do, and I told her she should go to church and pray to G.o.d.
Friday, March 30, 1979 I cabbed up to Parke Bernet where I was meeting Suzie Frankfurt and Mark Shand, but it was just Suzie, it turned out (cab $2). Suzie wanted to go to 47th Street, so we cabbed there ($3). Suzie said all the good antique jewelry is in London, but then we ran into a guy from the Philips Gallery in London buying something on 47th Street, and he was bringing it back to London, and then Suzie goes there there and buys it and brings it and buys it and brings it back back. He said he comes over here all the time to buy things.
Sat.u.r.day, March 31, 1979 Went to Studio 54 with Catherine and Stephen Graham. Catherine had also invited Jamie Bland-ford, the good-looking marquis who'll be the next Duke of Marlborough. Jamie introduced me to Gunther Sachs's son-it must have been from before Brigitte Bardot, he looked in his twenties. The place was crowded, it was like a subway. Stevie came over and told me a couple of stars that were there, but I can't remember who they were. One was "the new Shaun Ca.s.sidy," a blond kid, Leif something, he's making millions, they say. Garrett. Then I had John Scribner talking in one ear about John Samuels IV, and in the other ear Cindy the Hustler from Columbus talking about John Samuels IV. And she was jealous because he'd dropped her for Larissa.
Studio 54 was a lot of fun. I went up in the balcony and Halston was there with Lester, and if you say, "This is Lester Persky the producer of Hair," Hair," these boys just get down on their knees. They absolutely get down on their knees. And then Halston invited me to the next night's birthday party for Victor. Jamie wanted to go to the bas.e.m.e.nt, but Catherine and I didn't go with him. these boys just get down on their knees. They absolutely get down on their knees. And then Halston invited me to the next night's birthday party for Victor. Jamie wanted to go to the bas.e.m.e.nt, but Catherine and I didn't go with him.
Sunday, April 1, 1979 Jamie called and said everybody down in the bas.e.m.e.nt at Studio 54 was in different corners, having c.o.ke. They're doing it there again. I was giving Victor a Money painting for his birthday and money in the kosher pickle jar that makes a burglar-alarm noise when you open it. When Catherine and I got to Halston's there were just a few people there, just sitting around-Halston, Nancy North, Rupert and his boyfriend who lives with him. Victor wasn't there yet. Halston showed me the birthday cake and it had money all over it and Halston was going to burn the money, but I said no, that everybody should get the money with a piece of cake when you cut it, so Halston made flowers out of the bills for on top of the cake, he really is clever. Then Victor arrived in the green Halston fur coat that Interview Interview photographed Sophia Loren in. He brought his Chinese friend from San Francisco, Benjamin, the one who was in drag the other night at Xenon and he really looked like a pretty girl. photographed Sophia Loren in. He brought his Chinese friend from San Francisco, Benjamin, the one who was in drag the other night at Xenon and he really looked like a pretty girl.
Arman and Corice were there and they gave Victor one of those language computers that have different tapes and you push good morning and it shows you bonjour bonjour. Victor wasn't too impressed with any of the presents, and instead of cutting the cake nice with each piece having money, he grabbed up all the bills and put them into his shopping bag. He was disgusting. Catherine and Dr. Giller were making out.
Everybody hands me Quaaludes and I always accept them now because they're so expensive and I can sell them.
Thursday, April 5, 1979
Picked up Catherine and we went over to Regine's. Paloma Pica.s.so was there with her husband and her boyfriend. Or his boyfriend. Or their boyfriend, I don't know how that one works. Neil and Leba Sedaka and their two little boys walked in and Paloma fell madly in love with Neil. She said when she was ten, in Argentina, that they used to sing "Sweet Sixteen" in Portuguese and Spanish, and then she sang it for Neil that way and he loved it, he was so impressed with her.
And Regine was cute, she now has a "back room." Everybody wants one just like Studio 54 has-Xenon copied it, too-but as usual, Regine has it all wrong. Hers is too big and too plush and too far away from everything.
Monday, April 9, 1979 Fereydoun Hoveyda's brother, the prime minister under the Shah, was hanged in Iran over the weekend.
Everyone's in town for Cy Twombly's opening. And I'm surprised that I wasn't invited to the dinner that Earl and Camilla McGrath gave for him.
Glued myself to go to the Whitney for the Cy Twombly dinner. David Whitney had called and said he and Philip Johnson wanted to pick me up, but I said I was running late and David said they always went on time. Cabbed there in the rain ($2). The show was great. Marilyn and Ivan Karp were there and Marilyn told me that the psychic she'd recommended to Truman who Brigid went to who was in Interview Interview called Marilyn up and asked what about this Fred Hughes who wanted to see him and was he "Fred Hughes the actor." She told him that she didn't know about any Fred Hughes the actor-that called Marilyn up and asked what about this Fred Hughes who wanted to see him and was he "Fred Hughes the actor." She told him that she didn't know about any Fred Hughes the actor-that this this Fred Hughes worked for Andy Warhol. I guess that's how they find out all about the person in advance so that when the person gets there for the reading they know all about him already. Fred Hughes worked for Andy Warhol. I guess that's how they find out all about the person in advance so that when the person gets there for the reading they know all about him already.
Lily Auchincloss said she'd sent Mr. Hoveyda flowers because of what happened to his brother, and she asked me if I did anything, and I said no, because Bob was away and I didn't know what to do.
Tuesday, April 10, 1979 Christophe de Menil invited me to a blues concert at Carnegie Hall (cab $4). I invited Curley and he met me there. The place was jammed. Allen Ginsberg gave me a big kiss, he was with Peter Orlovsky. We had good seats. Everybody loved the show. Blues could really be big now. The black blues guys are such gorgeous dressers-hats and beautiful clothes and gold teeth that you can really see, and jewelry, and they just let people do do things for them. They must be really big stars. things for them. They must be really big stars.
Curley was obnoxious-he called some boy to come and meet him, so I got mad and I'm never going to take him anywhere again. He's just a rich freeloader.
Wednesday, April 11, 1979 Time magazine called and said they accepted my design idea for their cover of the three Fondas. It has to be done by 4:00 Thursday. They were going through their old covers and saw that I'd done one of Jane. I sent Rupert out to get stats and he didn't come back with the stuff until 7:30 so I yelled at him. Bob got back from California in the afternoon. He said he'd gotten the John Savage interview, finally, so that's really great. He said he's never given an interview before, so now maybe we'll be able to get the heavier types who say magazine called and said they accepted my design idea for their cover of the three Fondas. It has to be done by 4:00 Thursday. They were going through their old covers and saw that I'd done one of Jane. I sent Rupert out to get stats and he didn't come back with the stuff until 7:30 so I yelled at him. Bob got back from California in the afternoon. He said he'd gotten the John Savage interview, finally, so that's really great. He said he's never given an interview before, so now maybe we'll be able to get the heavier types who say Interview's Interview's too frivolous. too frivolous.
At Ahmet and Mica Ertegun's party I played backgammon with Ahmet and lost four paintings to him, we'll have to see which ones.
Thursday, April 12, 1979 The Du Pont twins were at 860-Richard and Robert-and Brigid and I were trying to figure out how they got there, and Brigid finally found out that Fred Fred had invited them! And Brigid took Richard home with her and gave him $25 to clean the stove, and then she spent all night eavesdropping while he made plans on the phone to go to Studio 54, arranging to have his brother iron his light green pants-Robert irons for Richard, because that's the only thing he does really well. He's the twin who lived with Rupert and left Rupert for Fred. had invited them! And Brigid took Richard home with her and gave him $25 to clean the stove, and then she spent all night eavesdropping while he made plans on the phone to go to Studio 54, arranging to have his brother iron his light green pants-Robert irons for Richard, because that's the only thing he does really well. He's the twin who lived with Rupert and left Rupert for Fred.
And Truman came down to the office. He loved the new t.i.tle for our photo book, Over-Exposed Over-Exposed. Bob got that t.i.tle out in California when he talked to Irving Mansfield. I like the t.i.tle Social Disease Social Disease better, though, because if we're not going to be commercial anyway, we might as well always be something that people will avoid. better, though, because if we're not going to be commercial anyway, we might as well always be something that people will avoid.
Truman's facelift is the first one I've ever seen that really did work. His chins are totally gone, and they were just hanging there for years. The only thing that's wrong is that the scar over his nose is still two inches thick. I think that one was a mistake. Since the operation he wears a piece of plastic over it, and he could have just (laughs) (laughs) done that in the first place. Oh, and Truman asked for the originals of his articles back, and we were trying to keep them. I'll try to give him a Xerox. done that in the first place. Oh, and Truman asked for the originals of his articles back, and we were trying to keep them. I'll try to give him a Xerox.
Cabbed back to the office ($3) and everyone was waiting for me. Lloyd called, the Mafia-type kid who worked at 54, and he wanted to have dinner with Catherine and me. He said to meet him at a place called York's on 38th and Second (cab $4).
York's was a funny little place. Then we dropped Catherine and cabbed to Regine's ($3). I think he had a Rolls Royce parked near York's but I don't think he wanted us to see it. He said he wanted to meet Regine but when we got to Regine's he knew everybody. He knows everybody everyplace, and it's so strange, he's so young-eighteen-but he acts like forty. I had half a drink and he had three more. Then he told me he was bi. And that got me scared because I always thought he was after Catherine, but then I didn't know. He told me about his family. He said his father works for Roy Cohn, but he sounded more like a money collector to me. He said his "pop" gets up at 6:00 and goes to the post office every morning to pick up the money that's come in from the debts he makes people pay up on. He has a seven-year-old sister that will be a beauty, he says-he buys her presents.
Regine's husband came by and I introduced them. Then he didn't charge us. And then Lloyd still wanted to drink some more so he said why don't we go to the Playboy Club, so that sounded like fun. He likes Bunnies. He has a philosophy about women-he only likes them if they're very beautiful. He's Jewish and I asked him why he wasn't home for Pa.s.sover and he said they aren't religious. At the bar three guys were staring at me, but it turned out they worked at "21." It was strange. Lloyd had two more drinks. He said that his mother is beautiful-she's only thirty-eight-and that she never wears a dress twice, or shoes, either. He wants to take us to a really great restaurant in Westchester. He said, "It's better than Elaine's." Isn't that funny? Of all the places to pick. "Better than Elaine's," he said. "If you don't think it's as good as Elaine's I'll take you to dinner for a year, but you have to be honest."
Oh, and Steve Rubell got taken to jail. It hasn't been in the news yet. It was for fighting with some photographers. Lloyd said the only time Steve ever hurt him was when Steve was on Quaaludes and Lloyd said, "Gee, Stevie, I'm glad you like my mom and pop," and Steve said, "I don't. They're nothing. They're n.o.bodies-it's you I like." He said that really hurt him. This was when he was driving Steve home once.