Chapter 25
Thursday, August 21, 1980 It was Suzie Frankfurt's birthday so we were having a lunch for her. She invited everybody she wanted (party decorations $84). Lester Persky was the hit of the party. Suzie's decorating his house in Beverly Hills. He was telling everyone what a great producer he is. Renny the flower person sent a birthday boy from his place wrapped in cellophane in a box who gave roses to Suzie. Lester tried to take the cellophane off. Tommy Pashun sent an orchid plant. The whole thing was over by about 3:00 and Suzie took everything from the table home-the chocolates and the flowers. Then Tommy Pashun had to get the orchid back from her, because they send you the orchids but you don't get to keep them, they're rare, and the florist picks them up after you've had them and takes them back to the solarium. Then the next day they go on to somebody else.
Monday, August 25, 1980 Bob said Ina called and that we were going to see the opening of 42nd Street 42nd Street. Went up to the Winter Garden (cab $4). The photographers and people were there and shoved us around. Mary Tyler Moore walked in right when it was starting. The show was great. Tammy Grimes was really funny as an old star. They had fifty tap dancers for the opening number. It was what shows should be, really big. The set changes. Gower Champion was in the hospital, they said.
The show was really exciting, but the most amazing thing in the show was that Carol Cook was finally a star! I couldn't believe it. Here's someone I met twenty-five years ago from Nathan Gluck and she was saying every minute that she just had to be a star, had to be one. And here it is twenty-five years later and she's finally made it. She had the Joan Blondell part. And it was the regular thing-"the show must go on" thing. And this Carol does what Brigid used to do-she looks in the mirror and she's happy because she sees a pretty face, but she never looks below her neck because if she did she'd see 500 pounds of fat. Desilu signed her once and she was in some I Love Lucys I Love Lucys. She's not so fat now.
When the show was over there was all the bravo-ing, really a lot. Eighty-five curtain calls. Then there was a hush. And David Merrick came out and put his hand to his forehead and said, "This is a tragic moment. Gower Champion just died." And n.o.body knew what to do. The lead girl started crying. She had just moved in with Gower or something. It was like a movie, the lead guy was saying, "Pull the curtain, get the curtain down!"
And outside Joshua and Nedda Logan were in tears, and it was lots of actors acting. Then we ran backstage and they let us in. The lead girl ran out and tears were coming down her face and she said something like, "Go get my dress" to somebody and "The show must go on, and I have to be a star." So this was her big moment and she was so upset with Merrick for ruining it.
Then we went to Carol Cook's dressing room and Ina started to introduce me and Carol said, "Oh my G.o.d! Oh my G.o.d! Andy Warhol! I haven't seen you in twenty-five years! Remember when you gave me a drawing and I gave you a cat? Oh my G.o.d!" It was such a camp. "Let's get together."
We bought the papers but no reviews of the play were in it ($1). I don't know about this new section that the News News is putting in that Clay Felker's editing. I don't think it's going to make it. It looks too much like that Long Island newspaper- is putting in that Clay Felker's editing. I don't think it's going to make it. It looks too much like that Long Island newspaper-Newsday-and I think people do like newspapers like the Post Post more. more.
Wednesday, August 27, 1980 Doc c.o.x called and said he was picking me up for the screening of Union City Union City starring Debbie Harry. Closed up early. Dropped Robyn and Fred (cab $5.50). The Doc was a little late, he finally arrived in a limo. He told me that he'd broken up with his nineteen-year-old boyfriend because the kid got too jealous. The kid was a weirdo. Charles Rydell was in the movie, he was a cabdriver. He was good. Taylor Mead was in the movie for a minute as a drunk, doing a bit. I thought the movie was great, but Bianca, Ina, Bob, and Doc c.o.x all hated it. And they had doctor things in the movie, so the Doc was whispering things like, "That's not right, that's not the way you do it." Then we were meeting Tammy Grimes at Elaine's. Helen Frankenthaler came to our table and she was so drunk. I said, "Would you like to meet Bianca Jagger?" and she waved her hand and said, "I don't care about that." She said she wanted me to come to her table and meet Clement Greenberg and Kenneth Noland, she said she thought it would be fascinating, so I went there. starring Debbie Harry. Closed up early. Dropped Robyn and Fred (cab $5.50). The Doc was a little late, he finally arrived in a limo. He told me that he'd broken up with his nineteen-year-old boyfriend because the kid got too jealous. The kid was a weirdo. Charles Rydell was in the movie, he was a cabdriver. He was good. Taylor Mead was in the movie for a minute as a drunk, doing a bit. I thought the movie was great, but Bianca, Ina, Bob, and Doc c.o.x all hated it. And they had doctor things in the movie, so the Doc was whispering things like, "That's not right, that's not the way you do it." Then we were meeting Tammy Grimes at Elaine's. Helen Frankenthaler came to our table and she was so drunk. I said, "Would you like to meet Bianca Jagger?" and she waved her hand and said, "I don't care about that." She said she wanted me to come to her table and meet Clement Greenberg and Kenneth Noland, she said she thought it would be fascinating, so I went there.
Then Tammy came and we reminisced about the old days. I once drew her feet. She looked pretty good. I confronted her again and said, "I just know it is is your voice on those TV commercials because n.o.body could imitate your voice, and you told me it wasn't you and I just your voice on those TV commercials because n.o.body could imitate your voice, and you told me it wasn't you and I just know know it is." And then she confessed that it was. it is." And then she confessed that it was.
Thursday, August 28, 1980 Somebody's been calling every morning about 7:00 and letting it ring three times and hanging up. And it's on this this line-the line that not too many people know about. I picked it up once, but I usually don't. Isn't that peculiar? line-the line that not too many people know about. I picked it up once, but I usually don't. Isn't that peculiar?
Friday, August 29, 1980 I went to look at a building to buy on 22nd Street, but it's just too expensive-$1.3. It's ten floors but it's next to those fire escapes that they made them put on that are painted bright yellow. It would be a good building for the magazine, though. I walked around looking for other buildings in the neighborhood but they've all gotten eaten up by everybody in the last couple of years, everyone's been buying.
I called Donald Ambrose, Curley's friend who lives in the Gramercy Park area, and invited him out to dinner because we need someone to replace David at Interview Interview who quit. Sa.s.sy. You never knew what would come out of his mouth. He'd been painting the office, and he had a friend from Wisconsin, Jay Shriver, helping him. Jay had just come to New York and was staying with him. So I noticed that Jay was really neat, and a good, organized worker, and I thought that he would be a good person to have working at the office, to be like a janitor but we wouldn't who quit. Sa.s.sy. You never knew what would come out of his mouth. He'd been painting the office, and he had a friend from Wisconsin, Jay Shriver, helping him. Jay had just come to New York and was staying with him. So I noticed that Jay was really neat, and a good, organized worker, and I thought that he would be a good person to have working at the office, to be like a janitor but we wouldn't call call it a janitor, and even help me with painting and stuff because Ronnie's gotten too elegant, all he does is talk on the phone all day and he's going over to Europe for a show that Lucio's giving him. Anyway, so I said to David that we would like to ask his friend Jay to work for us and he got so upset and said how could I even it a janitor, and even help me with painting and stuff because Ronnie's gotten too elegant, all he does is talk on the phone all day and he's going over to Europe for a show that Lucio's giving him. Anyway, so I said to David that we would like to ask his friend Jay to work for us and he got so upset and said how could I even ask ask that. And then he quit. that. And then he quit.
Cabbed to Trader Vic's ($2). Met Donald Ambrose at the bar (drinks $20). There were a couple of hookers next to us and as we were leaving to go into the dinner place one of them grabbed David. Then Ricky and Cathy Hilton were there and I asked them to sit down, but they said no. They were with a girl who was just in from L.A. and she said she knew a friend of mine, Ronnie Levin, and I told her she shouldn't even know know him, let alone admit it, that it would be trouble, and that made her nervous. She had all gold jewelry. She was a funny type, like the daughter of some old Hollywood person (dinner $100 plus $5 to headwaiter). The food was just awful. him, let alone admit it, that it would be trouble, and that made her nervous. She had all gold jewelry. She was a funny type, like the daughter of some old Hollywood person (dinner $100 plus $5 to headwaiter). The food was just awful.
Sunday, August 31, 1980 The presidential election is just too stupid to watch. I even hate John Anderson now, for one second once he seemed great. And you see Ronald Reagan in these neighborhoods with the poor people and you can just hear him saying, "Oh my G.o.d, what am I doing here?" But his hair looks really good. On my TV it really looks like good hair, not dyed.
Tuesday, September 2, 1980 Went to Halston's. NBC was doing a magazine show. David Brinkley was filming Halston's rehearsals of his people to take them to the Far East, and then the crew is going to follow Halston to China. It looked so rich at Halston's, so many orchids, so cool, the girls running around with their brand-new luggage. Halston made 500 new pieces of clothes for the trip, and some of the girls are taking the clothes for pay and some are (laughs) (laughs) just taking money. The clothes were beautiful. just taking money. The clothes were beautiful.
Afterwards I decided to walk to 42nd Street and ohhh, it was like a crazy play. Black guys mingling around, waiting to tear the next gold chain off. The jewelry shop guys with guns strapped to their ankles. And the black guys hanging around the stores with all the diamonds in them as if it's the neighborhood corner-grocery store. It was like a make-believe movie. Had an appointment at the office at 3:00.
Brigid lost three pounds. She's eating three meals, but all dietetic. She calls her O.A. friends-Overeaters Anonymous-the night before and they plan out exactly what they'll eat the next day and then once you plan it, you can't change it, you have to have a hamburger patty if you've said so, you can't change it to fish. They watch each other. She's down to 166.
Wednesday, September 3, 1980 Got up and the big news is that Johanna Lawrenson, Viva's old friend, Helen Lawrenson's daughter, is living with Abbie Hoffman, who just announced he's going to surrender. I doubt if Viva could have known because she would have blabbed.
The Princess Holstein in Interview Interview was upset because I was doing a poster for Joseph Beuys's Green Party, she said it was a tragedy that somebody like me would do it, that it was a Socialist party, and I didn't know what to do. She told Bob she didn't know if she could continue working for a person who would make a political statement without even knowing what it meant. Fred told her it was none of her business. was upset because I was doing a poster for Joseph Beuys's Green Party, she said it was a tragedy that somebody like me would do it, that it was a Socialist party, and I didn't know what to do. She told Bob she didn't know if she could continue working for a person who would make a political statement without even knowing what it meant. Fred told her it was none of her business.
Thursday, September 4, 1980 Hermann-the-German Wunsche was just in off the Concorde. He's doing a catalogue of all the prints since the beginning. Lunch for Hermann.
Brigid was trying to call Viva to find out if she'd known that Johanna Lawrenson had been living with Abbie Hoffman. Brigid was thrilled, it was the return of the sixties. Abbie Hoffman looks horrible, he doesn't look any different even though they say he had plastic surgery. And his wife just slapped him with alimony and child-support charges.
Ron Feldman called and said the Miami trip was going to be so exciting, that I was going to get three keys to the city. It sounds scary.
Friday, September 5, 1980-New York-Miami New York to Miami is the worst line to go on, everybody's so ugly and Puerto Rican and Cuban and South American, it's just sort of disgusting. Florida's really changed, it's so different down there, it's a new world (magazines and newspapers $12).
We were picked up by a limousine and taken to Turnberry Isle, and traffic was so bad it took us an hour and a half and I had to glue myself for a c.o.c.ktail party downstairs and I had three portraits to take photos for during c.o.c.ktail time. They had a big buffet with all the great food and I couldn't eat anything because I had to talk to all these people who wanted me to sign autographs and I talked to this lady and she wanted her portrait done right then and there so we had to leave and go upstairs and oh she had pearls on that were a knockout, really like down to her belly and so beautiful. I just don't remember her name but she's a good friend of Liza's. She asked me if I wanted a blow and I said no, she was one of those crazy ladies. So I did her portrait, and then the lady who owned the hotel was giving a dinner downstairs, very cla.s.sy. I sat between the hostess and another portrait and had a really great time.
After dinner I had to go to the room and do the two other ladies and we had Rupert as a makeup man. The first girl was all pale because she was too elegant to go into the sun and get wrinkles and the other girls were dark and suntanned so it was very hard, we had to really redo them without a real makeup person. And so we used a lot of white makeup. And so finally we got them all over by 2:00 A A.M. and we all went to bed and I was so exhausted I couldn't sleep.
Sat.u.r.day, September 6, 1980-Miami Art Deco bus tour thing with five TV stations and a hundred cameramen. We had this girl who gave a lecture on all the Art Deco hotels. Jed couldn't make the tour, he was still working in Palm Beach, he said he would come around 6:30.
Then we went to the Famous Restaurant, and each reporter came up to talk to me and there were a hundred of them, and I signed a lot of autographs and talked a lot and I had to be photographed eating everything, like gefilte fish. I'd never had it before. It was okay. That was real hard work and afterwards we were exhausted so they took us back to the hotel where we rested up for the opening. Jed arrived with Alan the architect, and we all got into limousines and went to the opening. I had to sign, do interviews, mob scene, Popisnts, Exposures Popisnts, Exposures, posters.
Sunday, September 7, 1980-Miami It was really hot. Got up, we had to have breakfast downstairs with the owner, Mr. Sopher and his wife-Donald and Carol. I'd done her portrait two days before, and I was a little late and when I came they were all there, two tables full of all these chic and exciting people. You had to walk the line, the buffet, but it was really really good food-salmon, you could have scrambled eggs with anything, they had roast beef and bagels and cream cheese and lox. I don't know why they spent so much money doing the food, but it was really good. Ron Feldman was there. Talked to the owner and he reminded me he was from Pittsburgh or McKeesport. He owned this whole empire, 800 acres of swamp that he made into this great place. Signed a lot of autographs and did interviews. It was just exhausting.
Went back to the hotel and watched Stage Door Stage Door with Ann Miller and Katharine Hepburn, and that was better than watching the tennis matches because I can't stand watching anyone who might lose. with Ann Miller and Katharine Hepburn, and that was better than watching the tennis matches because I can't stand watching anyone who might lose.
Monday, September 8, 1980-Miami-New York The lady's Rolex that Thomas Ammann gave me as a birthday present doesn't run right, it's two hours slow. Waited around the airport lobby. Bought magazines ($8). There was a story in one of the newspapers that in Dade County where we were staying there's a murder every minute. It's the most murderous place in the world. Somebody checked into a hotel and they didn't look under the bed and the next day they did and there was an eighty-one-year-old woman strangled to death. So you can imagine what that place is like. Well, it's so hot there, I think in hot places people get nuts. It fries your brain. Finally we went up and I went to the bathroom in the airport, I was really scared to go there alone thinking of all these murders there, and there were a couple of people in back of me, and I thought it was going to be a mugging but as I turned around-I hadn't even washed my hand-the guy just wanted my autograph and to shake my hand. He was one of the workers there. White.
On the plane the girl in the seat in front of me wanted an autograph so I signed a sick bag for her.
Had a date with Sharon Hammond for dinner and we picked up Ann Barish to go to Elaine's (cab $4). And Elaine's that
Dustin Hoffman was there with his girlfriend and he walked by and didn't say anything to me. David Merrick was the big hero there, everybody came up to shake his hand. And I kept telling Sharon that I was finished, that n.o.body would say h.e.l.lo to me. But then the Secret Service all came in and what's-his-name came over to say h.e.l.lo to me. Jack Carter. So it was a really good night there.
Wednesday, September 10, 1980 It was the Jewish holiday so things started clearing out at 3:00. Worked with Rupert until 7:30 or 7:45 on the Debbie Harry portrait (cab $5). Picked up Barbara Allen and John Samuels who are now an item. We got to Diane Von Furstenberg's and it was absolutely n.o.body we knew and Diane was nowhere around to introduce us, so we just sat and giggled. Then Richard Gere and Silvinha came. They were just back from Fire Island. Marina Schiano and Thomas Ammann were after Richard. They were putting down Fire Island and I said it was the greatest place in the world. I told Richard I bet n.o.body asked for his autograph because you know how cool those fairies are out there and Marina had to make a comment, "Well they didn't ask for yours yours but you can be sure they asked for but you can be sure they asked for his." his." You know Marina. And Richard told Bob You know Marina. And Richard told Bob (laughs) (laughs), "No pictures please." Food was fried chicken that could have been from the Colonel's, and chocolate cake. Diane's kids are beautiful. As we were leaving she came over and said, "Oh my dear, didn't you meet the prince of Thailand?" And she pointed out this kid that we thought was a waiter. I mean, he could have worked at the vegetable stand on the corner. But she never even introduced us! And we'd been dying to meet him. He's tinier than Rupert. Dark hair.
Left Barbara and Silvinha and Thomas Ammann staring at Richard Gere. John Samuels they dropped-he was looking around nervously wanting to go to the Ritz to see some group like "The Coconuts" or something. Had a sleepless night.
Thursday, September 11, 1980 Watched Mrs. Allison the psychic on Donahue Donahue talking about her "angels" that she finds-the bodies of children that are missing. It was fascinating but I don't know if I really could believe it. She would be great if she could tell you in the hour after a child was missing where he was-that would really do something. She should sit by her phone. talking about her "angels" that she finds-the bodies of children that are missing. It was fascinating but I don't know if I really could believe it. She would be great if she could tell you in the hour after a child was missing where he was-that would really do something. She should sit by her phone.
Glued myself together and picked up Bob and Diana Vreeland to go to the Wins.h.i.+ps' for dinner. Diana was wearing a beautiful Valentino (cab $2). Got there and it was really cozy, a dinner party for Zandra Rhodes. The Carimatis were there, and Ralph Destino and Andre Gregory. Ralph told me he was in love and that he was going to get married and for the third day in a row I gave somebody the lecture not to get married, which I really have to stop. And then I made a big bet with him and I'm scared to find out who's right. A portrait-sized bet. It's whether Rita Hayworth was born in Brooklyn. I said she wasn't. I asked him for a 40 percent discount at his store, Cartier. With 40 percent they still make a 10 percent profit.
Zandra Rhodes had an upsweep of purple and pink hair. The Wins.h.i.+p lady had on a plain Zandra dress. Zandra's fiance Couri Hay came after dinner. He's trying to play it heavy with Zandra so I brought up his wife. Oh, you know, his "wife," that boy. And he tells Zandra to be freakier and I told her she should play down the freak stuff now, that the colored hair was sort of old-fas.h.i.+oned. In front of Zandra he said, when I asked him why he didn't put her in his columns, he said because n.o.body knew who she was.
Friday, September 12, 1980 Still a Jewish holiday. It was a nice warm day and it was still pretty empty, just cabs around. Fred came in and said he'd just been over watching Milos direct Ragtime Ragtime on Irving Place. And that it was fun with the horses.h.i.+t and everything. on Irving Place. And that it was fun with the horses.h.i.+t and everything.
Sat.u.r.day, September 13, 1980 Decided to go over to the Kennedy bash to celebrate that Michael was getting married to Vicky Gifford. I didn't want to go alone so I waited on the corner for Fred and Mary Richardson to pick me up and we cabbed to 55th and Sutton Place to Le Club. The paparazzis were all there, Ron Galella and everybody. Caroline and John-John were there and Eunice Shriver-I think it was her-and Ethel. The only grownups missing were Jackie and Ted. And Jean Kennedy Smith.
Fred and I were at the old folks' table. Eunice told me that she likes madonnas and I told her that I was doing Modern Madonnas and I'm going to call her to come down to the office. Michael gave a speech about how he loved Frank Gifford and it was like having a new father. And the little ten-year-old gave a speech about how when Michael was in a car and had to go to the bathroom he p.i.s.sed in a beer bottle and they were all telling him to shut up but he wouldn't. And Robert Jr. gave the best speech, he'll probably be better than Teddy, he'll probably be the one. But the funniest Kennedy was the one who was dancing with his girlfriend's purse and being like a fairy. They all dance pretty good. Kerry wrote some songs and they all sang them. Mary kissed all the boys, she knew them all.
I was then invited to a boat party that Calvin Klein and Elton John were giving down at that boat called the Peking where Yves St. Laurent had the Opium party that I'd missed so I wanted to go. Elton John had given a concert for 400,000 kids in the park. Fred wanted to take Mary and Kerry and a bunch of boys, so we got a limo outside to go downtown. It was a beautiful night. And I saw some interesting people there like Joe Dallesandro. And Archie and Amos's vet, who's so good-looking, Dr. Kritsick, was there. And John Samuels. Every model in town. Lester Persky was running around after every model there.
Sunday, September 14, 1980 Brigid said that she talked to Viva finally and that the reason, Viva said, that Abbie turned himself in was that he found out that Viva found out about it and he knew she would blab.
And Barbara Loden died. She was sweet.
Monday, September 15, 1980 Cab to the Jewish Museum where Time Time magazine was taking photographs of me ($3.10). It's the same photographer that's been photographing me for years. Ron Feldman was there. magazine was taking photographs of me ($3.10). It's the same photographer that's been photographing me for years. Ron Feldman was there.
Eunice Shriver had called in the morning and said she wanted to come in to see the Modern Madonnas that I told her about and I invited her for lunch, but then later she cancelled. The place was busy, everyone was running around. One of those boys from Las Vegas that Edmund Gaultney brought by decided to have his portrait done. We couldn't find anyone to do makeup though, so I did the makeup myself and I guess I can actually do makeup, it came out pretty good. The boy was really suntanned, I put on white.
Went downtown to Dr. Giller's birthday party. It was the pretty people, everyone we knew. Rupert crashed, and when Rupert crashes he stands there in bright red and smiles. Tommy Pashun was there. And a defense lawyer named Ed Hayes who looked like he was from Laverne and s.h.i.+rley Laverne and s.h.i.+rley, like a plant that people invite to parties to wear funny clothes and jump around and make things "kooky." Sort of forties clothes, really crewcut, about twenty-nine. He said, "I can get ya outta anything."
Tuesday, September 16, 1980- New York-Philadelphia-New York I changed my mind about the train to Philadelphia for Jamie Wyeth's show at the Fine Arts Museum. Had Fred get a car. Bob and I cabbed to Doubles ($5). We were having lunch with Jean Tailer and Pat Buckley. I checked my bag, had drinks, and then lunch. It was a ladies' lunch, all the ladies like to go to Doubles for lunch because it's cheap and you can eat all you want and go back all the time and it's horrible food like smoked turkey and smoked ham and it gave me a sore throat. All these rich ladies who spend money on clothes but they won't buy good food. Bob was the best gossiper. Pat Buckley said she was so thrilled that Shogun Shogun was on TV. She said the night before she just went to bed with a tray and watched all three hours of it and had her girlfriends call her between segments-she didn't even go downstairs to see George Bush who was having dinner with her husband. And she was so disappointed that it was only going to be on for two hours that night. was on TV. She said the night before she just went to bed with a tray and watched all three hours of it and had her girlfriends call her between segments-she didn't even go downstairs to see George Bush who was having dinner with her husband. And she was so disappointed that it was only going to be on for two hours that night.
Arrived in Philadelphia and couldn't find Delancey Street, the driver was too old and cranky. Saw the cracked bell. Found Walter Stait. We told him that we wouldn't be staying over after all, that we had to do a portrait early in the morning in New York. Had tea, changed.
Emlen Etting was there in a black cape and black hat, so old, looking like one of those funny fairies. We gave him a lift to the museum. All the old bags were there. Met Jamie, did some TV. His father and mother were no-shows. His brother Nicky and his brother's wife Jane who works for Sotheby's were there. Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn't, and Nureyev wasn't. I saw Bettie Barnes who let my cat die. It's a man. B-E-T-T-I-E. I once gave him a kitten and the kitten was crying and I thought it wanted its mother so I gave him the mother. We had two cats left, my mother and I had given away twenty-five already. This was the early sixties. And after I gave him the mother he took her to be spayed and she died under the knife. My darling Hester. She went to p.u.s.s.y heaven. And I've felt guilty ever since. That's how we should have started Popism Popism. That's when I gave up caring. I don't want to think about it. If I had had her spayed myself I just know she would have lived, but he he let her die. let her die.
So it was Jamie's big show. I had to stand in front of my portrait. Jamie is painting bigger-more Pop-pictures now. I told him he should go even bigger and he said he didn't think you could get stretchers that big and I said you could get them as big as the sky.
Phyllis Wyeth was my dinner partner and my other dinner partner was Bonny Wintersteen, she's filthy rich.
Warren Adelson and his wife were there and she was wearing the same dress she wore in Monte Carlo and I said, "That's the same dress you were wearing in Monte Carlo," and she said that when she was getting dressed to come she said, "n.o.body will remember this dress except Andy Warhol. He'll say, 'That's the same dress you wore in Monte Carlo.' " It was funny, we had fun.
Walter Stait was funny. I was having a good time until Fred told me that this place, the Fairmont Hotel, where we went after the museum, was where they had Legionnaire's Disease and then my throat started hurting more. But they said it had been completely renovated.
Then we slipped out and went back to Walter's to get Fred's bag. A two-hour ride back. I wanted to give the driver a really big tip, but Fred said you can't spoil them ($20).
Wednesday, September 17, 1980 I was tired from the Philadelphia trip.
So many Jewish newspapers are coming to interview me about the Ten Jewish Geniuses-Jewish Day, Jewish Week, Jewish Month-and Fred thinks I shouldn't do any more interviews for a while, that I've been doing too many. And he's right.
I walked home, glued myself together. Thomas Ammann was picking me up to go to Sondra Gilman's party. It was for Nick Roeg, but Nick was gone when we got there. It was so hot there, people were sweating. Sylvia Miles was there, and Sylvia acts so funny, she feels like we've dropped her and she says she wants to "renew our relations.h.i.+p." But whenever she invites me to be her date someplace, it's always someplace that I've already been invited to, so I have to tell her that I'm already going and that I'm taking somebody. And she told the best gossip-that Joe Dallesandro is now living with Paul Jabara. No wonder he hasn't been calling for money.
Sondra had some interesting people there-like Tony Walton the stage designer. Sondra looked great in this beautiful bright yellow silk dress-the color I used on the Debbie Harry portrait-and it made her look so young, eight years old, and we asked her who made it because it was really pretty and she said, "You'll fall over if I tell you." So she told us and Bob and I did fall over-it was a Diane Von Furstenberg. Off the rack for $120. It really was pretty.
Sondra produced the new Nick Roeg movie, Bad Timing Bad Timing with Art Garfunkel and that girl I think I met there, Teresa Russell, she didn't look like anything. The food was awful. We left and Sondra was still serving quail eggs, they have a quail-egg farm. with Art Garfunkel and that girl I think I met there, Teresa Russell, she didn't look like anything. The food was awful. We left and Sondra was still serving quail eggs, they have a quail-egg farm.
Thursday, September 18, 1980 I went to the office and had a fight with Carole Rogers about her throwing some envelopes out. She said they only cost thirty-five cents, but I proved that they cost $2. Bob was in a better mood because he moved into his new bigger office. Jay Shriver is really good at straightening up the place.
Senator Heinz's wife called and said that I just had to come to her dinner in Was.h.i.+ngton next week because she's planned on Jamie and me and it was in my honor. Ronald Reagan, Jr.'s people called to say he'd agreed to be interviewed by me for Interview Interview, which I didn't know anything about.
Joanne Wins.h.i.+p was calling me all day about whether I was picking up Carolina Herrera to take to her Italian Boy Scouts charity dinner, which I was, but I wanted to wait to call Carolina in order to drive Mrs. Wins.h.i.+p crazy. Mrs. Wins.h.i.+p threatened that if I didn't let her know right then, that she was going to send a car for Carolina, which I knew she wouldn't. I picked Carolina up and she was wearing one of her creations, she has about twenty that she did herself, she's going into the designing business, that's why she's here staying in New York. We got a cab and went to the Pierre ($3). Monique Van Vooren was there and she wanted her picture taken with me, so we did, and then I walked away but then she grabbed me and said how dare I "dump" her and I said, "Oh come on, Monique, you're crazy." She said, "How could you drop me! I'm going to be so big next year."
Then Monique sat at our table and Joanne Wins.h.i.+p said, "These disgusting people who sit where they're not supposed to!" And Monique said, "Oh you b.i.t.c.h." And Joanne said, "You phony, you're my guest and you'll sit where I put you!" It was so nutty, Joanne was a raving maniac. I loved it. I just wanted a tape recorder so badly.
Fred got left for a second and when he came back Joanne saw him sit back down next to Mrs. Vreeland where he'd been sitting before and she screamed, "How dare you sit in that spot!" Poor Fred, he'd just gotten up to go to the bathroom.
Then Ron Link who'd staged the fas.h.i.+on show before the dinner sat down at our table and Joanne screamed at him and then he he hated her and left and then Joanne told Monique he'd left because of hated her and left and then Joanne told Monique he'd left because of her her. I mean, she's just bonkers, totally crazy. I had such a great time.
Sat.u.r.day, September 20, 1980 Was picked up by John Reinhold to go to Bill Copley's wedding party (cab $5.25). The door was open when we got there. There was a tent set up in the back, Donald Bruce White was catering. I was jealous of the bride because she had on a $145,000 string of pearls from Tiffany's. This is the woman who was a real madam who Bill cast in his play that Maxime de la Falaise and Denise Bouche were also in. I left her name off the present I brought-on purpose. It was a Shoe.
It was a small party. Ludwig is Bill's new dachshund and he's different from little Tommy who was run over, but he's nice. I gave him food so he liked me. They were cutting the cake and this guy came over and said he wanted to talk to me and he took me aside and I thought he was going to say some nice things and suddenly he was so mean! He was the boyfriend of the madam's girlfriend. I don't know what was bothering him. I was afraid to get up, I thought he would swing at me.
John Reinhold and I left quickly and John said to me, "Why didn't you look at his suit, because then you never would have talked to him."
Sunday, September 21, 1980 I tried to watch TV but nothing good was on. Oh yeah, that's right, the debate. I couldn't stand to watch either one of them though-Reagan looked so old, so crunched-up. And the other guy, Anderson, looks too much like Chris Hemphill.
Monday, September 22, 1980 Raquel Welch's secretary called and said that Raquel would like to change our lunch from 1:30 to 1:00 so I stayed uptown, then walked to Quo Vadis.
Raquel was a half-hour late anyway, she didn't get there till 1:30. She looks great for forty. Her new husband is some French film producer. Raquel is sweet now that she's come down a little in the world.
Tuesday, September 23, 1980 Bob was giving a big lunch for Paige Rense, the editor of Architectural Digest Architectural Digest, and it was a big success. There was Eugenia Sheppard and Earl Blackwell and Lily Auchincloss and Pat Buckley. And Lee Radziwill who Paige Rense is interviewing for Interview Interview-and Cris Alexander was there to take pictures of the two of them. Jean Tailer was there and Christina Carimati and Marion Javits and Joe Eula who I haven't seen in months. Twenty-seven people.
And Victor called from Paris. Halston and the gang had gotten successfully through China. He said it was wonderful, that I'd missed a great thing.
Wednesday, September 24, 1980- New York-Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C.
Got to the hotel, checked in. At 7:00 7:00 went to Steve Martindale's c.o.c.ktail party where we saw Liz Carpenter who said she still wanted her portrait done, but then I asked Ina Ginsburg if Liz was serious, and Ina said, "Well, I think you should tell her the price." I guess she doesn't know it costs $2 5,000. Ina said she'll probably have a heart attack. Liz Carpenter kept saying, "You've got to Xerox me." Instead of Polaroid. "When are you going to Xerox me, darling?" went to Steve Martindale's c.o.c.ktail party where we saw Liz Carpenter who said she still wanted her portrait done, but then I asked Ina Ginsburg if Liz was serious, and Ina said, "Well, I think you should tell her the price." I guess she doesn't know it costs $2 5,000. Ina said she'll probably have a heart attack. Liz Carpenter kept saying, "You've got to Xerox me." Instead of Polaroid. "When are you going to Xerox me, darling?"
And then we went off to another party for the d.y.k.e Women of the Year. You know, the d.y.k.ey types-what's it called? "Outstanding Women." And the first person I was introduced to was this creepy guy who said that Viva was in town and that he was going to be her lawyer in a lawsuit. He was saying, "Viva's very unhappy about the situations of the past," implying that she wanted to sue us, and I was saying, "Well, Viva makes her own own problems. I mean, they're not mine." It was very creepy, just absolutely creepy. It's just those kind of creeps who make problems. The kind that want to start trouble over nothing. Oh, but actually, when I think about it, Viva could never stand being with this guy for one second. problems. I mean, they're not mine." It was very creepy, just absolutely creepy. It's just those kind of creeps who make problems. The kind that want to start trouble over nothing. Oh, but actually, when I think about it, Viva could never stand being with this guy for one second.
Then we took the brownies Ina had in the car over to Senator Heinz's. Jamie and Phyllis Wyeth were there. And then Liz Taylor came in with John Warner and she came over and was really sweet and then later she came back to our table and had dinner with us. John would bring me a full gla.s.s of wine but he'd bring Liz a thimbleful, and she'd say, "Well, what happened?" and he would say, "Oh I don't know, it was the bartender, he just didn't give me enough."
And I met Mrs. Ka.s.sebaum, the daughter of Alf Landon, the only lady senator. A lot of tough broads, but funny ones. There was a Portuguese guitarist there because Mrs. Heinz is Portuguese from Mozambique. We toured the house, a beautiful house, and they have really rich, great paintings. They have a Copley. And Mrs. Heinz made the food, it wasn't Heinz, it was Portuguese duck and rice, but I just had one helping.
Ina dropped us off at the hotel. Went upstairs and they'd left a package of G.o.diva chocolates and I ate the centers out of them. I opened every center. And they left a bottle of brandy so I drank that. And a basket of fruit and I ate all the kiwis. Got sugared up and I guess I pa.s.sed out but I woke up an hour later.
Thursday, September 25, 1980-Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C-New York On the plane I read Conversations with Joan Crawford Conversations with Joan Crawford. I loved the way she said "s.h.i.+t" and "f.u.c.k" and everything like that. Oh G.o.d, if only I could have gotten Paulette to do that when we were trying to do the book with her, it would've been so great. I'll have to ask her as a Christmas present if she'll do it now, let me tape a good juicy tape so that I can use it someday. I wonder if I can really ask her for it-"Oh, please Paulette-just a present so I can (laughs) (laughs) jack off by it." That's a good line, right? Yeah, I think I'll tell her that. jack off by it." That's a good line, right? Yeah, I think I'll tell her that.
The rain caught up with us in Manhattan. Bob had checked his bags so we had to wait a little (cab $20). We all went home to drop our bags off. 11:30.
Ron Reagan, Jr. was coming to the office. The photographers came and the hairdresser came, the stylists came, the art directors came-so the place at six o'clock was filled with like twenty-five people. And Bob was going around, crazy, saying, "Is this this what it is to take a simple picture of a nice-looking boy?" They kept arriving-the a.s.sistants of the a.s.sistants of the a.s.sistants, and finally we said this is crazy and sent them away and then we were down to three people, four people. what it is to take a simple picture of a nice-looking boy?" They kept arriving-the a.s.sistants of the a.s.sistants of the a.s.sistants, and finally we said this is crazy and sent them away and then we were down to three people, four people.
Then Ronnie Reagan, Jr. came with his girlfriend, hand in hand. And a black friend who takes care of him who he called "Chocolate Boy." And Jamie Kabler who's married to Mrs. Annenberg's daughter arranged it all. He ran over to me and said, "Can you believe this? Lally Weymouth called Ron up for an interview and when he told her, 'I'm sorry, I don't do interviews-I'm only doing one interview and it's for Interview Interview magazine,' she said, 'How can you work for that h.o.m.os.e.xual publication? The two of us are more the same kind of person. I mean, magazine,' she said, 'How can you work for that h.o.m.os.e.xual publication? The two of us are more the same kind of person. I mean, I've I've got top family and got top family and you've you've got top family, and you're giving an exclusive to got top family, and you're giving an exclusive to that that newspaper?' " Jamie said Ron got really upset and wanted to call off the shoot, but Jamie ran out and bought an newspaper?' " Jamie said Ron got really upset and wanted to call off the shoot, but Jamie ran out and bought an Interview Interview and Ron read it and it didn't look h.o.m.os.e.xual to him, and he said he didn't care anyway, that he still wanted to be in it because he wanted "to meet Andy." And go out to dinner with me. And he turned out to be a really nice kid, G.o.d he was so sweet. The only trouble was he kept pawing the little girl. He and the girl live together. The Chocolate Boy is just a close friend. and Ron read it and it didn't look h.o.m.os.e.xual to him, and he said he didn't care anyway, that he still wanted to be in it because he wanted "to meet Andy." And go out to dinner with me. And he turned out to be a really nice kid, G.o.d he was so sweet. The only trouble was he kept pawing the little girl. He and the girl live together. The Chocolate Boy is just a close friend.
And he's very smart. He didn't say much, but then when he did it was smart. Lispy and cute. And he was sort of sitting there looking bouncy. Then they took pictures and he drank. He drank more than anybody I know, I don't know if it was just not to be nervous or what.
Then went to do the interview at 65 Irving. I didn't know what to talk to him about, I was too shy and he was too shy. But then Bob got a little encouraged and started asking about his father. And I asked him (laughs) (laughs) on Bob's behalf, whether his father dyes his hair. He said everybody asks him that question. I blamed it on Bob. Bob then blamed it on me. Ron said no, his father doesn't, and that his mother's very sweet and very adorable. So then I got sneaky and brought on Bob's behalf, whether his father dyes his hair. He said everybody asks him that question. I blamed it on Bob. Bob then blamed it on me. Ron said no, his father doesn't, and that his mother's very sweet and very adorable. So then I got sneaky and brought Ordinary People Ordinary People up, and I told him how much I hated Mary Tyler Moore, that after I saw the movie if I saw her on the street I'd just kick her. And at that point he was almost going to say something about Nancy, but then somehow he got the drift of it and changed the subject. Because I think the mother in up, and I told him how much I hated Mary Tyler Moore, that after I saw the movie if I saw her on the street I'd just kick her. And at that point he was almost going to say something about Nancy, but then somehow he got the drift of it and changed the subject. Because I think the mother in Ordinary People Ordinary People is just like Mrs. Reagan. Really cold and shrewd. And by the way, little Timmy Hutton, the star of it, turned us down, he won't do any interviews. is just like Mrs. Reagan. Really cold and shrewd. And by the way, little Timmy Hutton, the star of it, turned us down, he won't do any interviews.
Okay, so we're at 65 Irving. I told him I'd never had frogs' legs and he was so sweet he ordered them just so I could try it. He's really sweet, a beautiful body and beautiful eyes. But he just doesn't have a pretty nose. It's too long. Big full lips. He doesn't look like anybody in the family, it's surprising. I don't know if he's a fairy. He was sitting there holding his girlfriend's leg, touching her. She's twenty-eight years old, her name is Doria, and they met in California. She invited me over for a Cuisinart dinner-he bought her a Cuisinart for her birthday. And they have a ten-inch television set, Quasar.
Then outside we ran into Annie Leibovitz and she's gotten over her "heart attack." She looked great. I took some Polaroids and gave them to them as souvenirs, and I gave them Philosophy Philosophy books and books and Exposures Exposures. And then little Ron wrote in one to the black friend, "To my favorite n.i.g.g.e.r," and the boy said he's going to show it around when he goes to the White House. Then we were talking about Merce Cunningham and Ron said the piece Merce did with the helium pillows was his favorite and I told him that I'd made those Silver Pillows and he said that he didn't even know, that that wasn't why he'd said it. Bob just fell in love with him, thought he was so great. Jamie Kabler had a limo and we dropped the Reagan kids off, they live on 10th Street between Fifth and Sixth. They had a really good time, they really liked us, so we'll be going off to Cuisinart dinners.
Have I said that I lost the bet to Ralph Destino about where Rita Hayworth was born-she was was born in Brooklyn and so now I have to do the portrait of the woman he's going to marry. born in Brooklyn and so now I have to do the portrait of the woman he's going to marry.
Sat.u.r.day, September 27, 1980 Got up at 9:00. Had to glue myself together to meet Fred Dryer to interview him at Quo Vadis. He's the Los Angeles Ram. He arrived and he wasn't wearing a s.h.i.+rt or tie, and he had two bruisers with him who weren't, either, but we got the restaurant to give us the back table, the one we had when we interviewed Burt Reynolds. Fred Dryer's 6'6" and he's so good-looking I fell in love with him. He wants to go into acting. I was embarra.s.sed when he asked me what number he was and I didn't know. He had four salads and meat.
Sunday, September 28, 1980 Brigid was at EST all day. They took their watches away. She didn't get home till 5:00 in the morning. They had 200 people and it sounds smelly. They looked in people's eyes and farted. They called each other a.s.sholes, so now Brigid's a big a.s.shole. It's just ridiculous.
Wednesday, October 1, 1980 I decided to stay at the office and get some work done with Rupert on the diamond dust. If it were real, it would cost $5 a carat and that would be $30,000 or $40,000 for each painting for the diamond dust alone. Then John Reinhold picked us up to see Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatrical Company's play Reverse Psychology Reverse Psychology down on Sheridan Square (cab $6, tickets $32). down on Sheridan Square (cab $6, tickets $32).
We had good seats and the play was good because it was so real. It's about a man and a woman psychiatrist who have a couple of patients who go off to an island and take a drug called PU which makes them love whoever they didn't, and vice versa, and it was fun, worth going to see because the fights were so real.
John and I decided to go see what Bobby Short was really like so we went to the Carlyle (cab $4.50) and Bobby was there singing away, and I was reminiscing about seeing him in the old days when John brought me back to reality-he told me that s.h.i.+rley Goldfarb went to heaven. Then Bobby was starting to come over so we paid up and ran out quickly ($68.30). Got home about 1:30.
Thursday, October 2, 1980 Nelson Lyon came over with Michael O'Donoghue, the writer on Sat.u.r.day Night Live Sat.u.r.day Night Live, and he's a funny guy but he doesn't look Irish. He said that at a party I took a picture of him, but I must have been aiming at somebody behind him. He looks like he wants to be Buck Henry. I hadn't invited them for lunch and they saw all the leftover food from the big lunch Bob had just had, so I had to make some excuse, and Nelson's so paranoid, anyway.
Richard Weisman said he needed some girls for the "21" thing before the Ali fight so I invited Barbara Allen. And she wanted to bring John Samuels so I asked Richard and he said yes.
Worked till 7:30 on portraits with Rupert. I found out the fight didn't start till 11:00 so I wondered why we had to get to "21" at 7:30. I answered the phones. Then cabbed uptown ($5).
"21" was doing this special thing for its good customers, I guess, it was c.o.c.ktails at 7:30 and dinner at 8:30. Then they gave us tickets to go over to Radio City Music Hall and see the fight and invited us back to "21" for a light supper afterwards. John McEnroe, Sr. was there with a friend from the Paul Weiss office who said he was our lawyer but I didn't know him. There were Ali posters and "I Am the Greatest" b.u.t.tons. I was trying not to drink too much. They kicked us out when they said we were going to miss the fight. We went through the Warner's building and over to Radio City. The Spinks fight was on and then the Muhammad Ali fight came on and I couldn't watch it, I ate all my fingers on one side. The audience couldn't believe it when he lost. It was too unreal. And he had makeup on, he looked so handsome, it was like white makeup and his face wasn't s.h.i.+ny and Holmes's face was black and s.h.i.+ny. Then we went back to "21" and I introduced Barbara Allen to John Coleman. John Samuels fell in love with Walter Cronkite and was talking to him at the bar and I got John away because he was drunk.
Then Richard wanted to take us to a new singles-swingles restaurant and he invited three blonde girls along and Barbara didn't like that. She was talking about John Samuels, saying, "Oh look, he's just like Peter Beard-he walks like Peter, he talks like Peter, oh look, he runs like Peter, he eats like Peter!" I said, "What are you talking about?" Because, I mean, they're nothing alike.
And Barbara was saying she couldn't wait until Bianca came back and found her with John- "What do you think Bianca will think? What will she say? Well, maybe I'll let her have him when she gets back. What will she think, though?" And here John had just said to me, "I can't wait till Averil gets back-I'm going to meet her at the airport."