Chapter 48
Wednesday, October 3, 1984 Jean Michel called three or four times, he'd been taking smack. Bruno came by and saw a painting that Jean Michel wasn't finished with yet, and he said, "I want it, I want it," and so he gave him money and took it, and I felt funny, because n.o.body's done that for me in so long. That's the way it used to be.
I was going to the party on Malcolm Forbes's boat for Imelda Marcos. It was sort of embarra.s.sing because I thought I was late but I was early. Most of the people were so old and they were all from my street, East 66th Street-I guess it must be the richest street in the world. Imelda lives on it between Fifth and Madison. Lee Radziwill came. She looked good in a short haircut. Imelda's gotten a little too fat, though, so if I did her picture I'd want to do it from the old days, when she was Miss Philippines in the pageant. She was being a hostess and she sang, later on after dinner she sang about twelve songs-"Feelings," and then that song from the war, you know, the oozy-doozy-bowsy-lowsy one. Oh, what is it? "Mares Eat Oats." Everybody said that once Imelda gets started partying you can't stop her, that she's always the last to leave, and it was true, she was going strong.
Then cabbed to Mr. Chow's where Jean Michel was having a birthday party for this girl who'd talked him into having it for her. He had Diego Cortez and Clemente and people and when I got there he was asleep, snoring actually. We woke him up to pay the check, because I wasn't going to get this one.
Got home and I turned on the Letterman Letterman show and there was-Malcolm Forbes! Talking about everything. And I thought, Gee, what a great name for a magazine, show and there was-Malcolm Forbes! Talking about everything. And I thought, Gee, what a great name for a magazine, Forbes Forbes. They just named it their name. And I started thinking about a magazine called Warhol. (laughs) Warhol. (laughs) No no, I don't love my name so much. I always wanted to No no, I don't love my name so much. I always wanted to change change it. When I was little I was going to take "Morningstar," Andy Morningstar. I thought it was so beautiful. And I came so close to actually using it for my career. This was before the book, it. When I was little I was going to take "Morningstar," Andy Morningstar. I thought it was so beautiful. And I came so close to actually using it for my career. This was before the book, Marjorie Morningstar Marjorie Morningstar. I just liked the name, it was my favorite.
Friday, October 5, 1984 Jean Michel came by. Worked all afternoon. Rupert came and he's using the back area now at 860 to collate the new prints. The Details. I hate them. Like details of the Botticelli "Venus." But people are loving these best. It makes you wonder. Like they loved the James Dean cover for the David Dalton book that I did. They're buying it in prints.
Sunday, October 7, 1984 It was a beautiful day. Talked to Jean Michel and he wanted to go to work, so we planned to meet at 860. I went to church and then there were no cabs, so I wound up walking halfway to the office (cab $3.75). I let Jean Michel in downstairs. He did a painting in the dark, which was great. This was the day of Susan Blond's wedding to Roger Erickson, and the thing was at the Cafe Luxembourg and I didn't want to take Jean Michel home with me to pick a painting up for a present, so we both made her a painting there. Jean Michel is so difficult, you never know what kind of mood he'll be in, what he'll be on. He gets really paranoid and says, "You're just using me, you're just using me," and then he'll get guilty for getting paranoid and he'll do everything so nice to try to make up for it. But then I can't decide what he has fun doing, either. Like when we got to Susan's he didn't like it, I don't know if it's because of the drugs or because he hates crowds or because he thinks it's boring. And I tell him that as he becomes more and more famous he'll have to do more and more of these things (cab $10).
I met Roger's mother and she looks and acts just like Susan. Jonathan Roberts flew in from California and I asked him why he bothered. I said, "Just because you had a date once with Susan?"
Danny Fields was the best man, he gave a little speech. And Steve Rubell was there and he wasn't that friendly. I mean, he was really friendly, but sometimes he's really really really friendly. So he wasn't friendly enough.
A woman at the party was from Los Angeles and she was complaining about a table she bought from Ronnie Levin and saying that he took the money and didn't get her the table, and so she called his mother, and the mother said that Ronnie's disappeared. I asked PH about it and she said it's serious, that n.o.body's heard from him for weeks, and that with his big mouth, if he were alive, he wouldve called someone by now.
Monday, October 8, 1984 Picked up Jean Michel and he has people ringing his bell every fifteen seconds, it reminded me of the old Factory. He says things like, "Listen man, why don't you call before you come over." A guy he'd given fun drawings to once when he was needing a place to stay sold them now for a fortune-$ 5,000 or something. So Jean Michel's finding out how you have to be a business, how it all stops being just fun, and then you wonder, What is art? Does it really come out of you or is it a product? It's complicated.
Oh, I forgot to say that Dr. Rossi's kid who's just out of Yale wants to do videos and so I'm sending him to talk to Vincent. Dr. Rossi's the doctor that saved my life in '68 when I was shot.
Tuesday, October 9, 1984 I made up some things for Sean Lennon's birthday and the painting was still wet-a little heart candy-box that said "I love you"-and I also brought a "paint brush" that instead of bristles had strips of red colored paper in a stack. And a bracelet I'd made out of pennies. PH picked me up and we went to the Dakota (cab $6.50). There were fans outside in honor of the day still on the "vigil." Because the ninth is Sean and and John's birthday. Inside Yoko's door everybody had taken their shoes off so there was a line of shoes. I wouldn't take mine off, though, and I didn't want PH to, either, so that I wouldn't be alone. PH said that when she went to the Royal Palace once in Hawaii that the tour guides gave you booties to put John's birthday. Inside Yoko's door everybody had taken their shoes off so there was a line of shoes. I wouldn't take mine off, though, and I didn't want PH to, either, so that I wouldn't be alone. PH said that when she went to the Royal Palace once in Hawaii that the tour guides gave you booties to put over over your shoes and your shoes and that that would be a better way to keep the house clean, I think. So then when we heard a gla.s.s drop and break, that was our excuse-that we didn't want to be in our socks when there might be gla.s.s. Yoko ran to call Sean and he came in and said, "Did you bring my dollar?" Yoko said that he'd been remembering and wanting the other half of the dollar I tore in half the last time. So I gave him a whole bunch of torn bills that I'd brought for him and he went off to try to find the match to the half would be a better way to keep the house clean, I think. So then when we heard a gla.s.s drop and break, that was our excuse-that we didn't want to be in our socks when there might be gla.s.s. Yoko ran to call Sean and he came in and said, "Did you bring my dollar?" Yoko said that he'd been remembering and wanting the other half of the dollar I tore in half the last time. So I gave him a whole bunch of torn bills that I'd brought for him and he went off to try to find the match to the half he he had. Keith was there and he brought Kenny Scharf as his date. Walter Cronkite was there, and John Cage and Louise Nevelson and Lisa Robinson. had. Keith was there and he brought Kenny Scharf as his date. Walter Cronkite was there, and John Cage and Louise Nevelson and Lisa Robinson.
On purpose for fun I had spelled Sean's name "Shawn" on a couple of his gifts, and so when Sean autographed napkins for me he signed it that way, too. He was wearing Michael Jackson-type gloves, but on both hands, that his friend little Max Leroy, Warner Leroy's son, had given him. Michael Jackson is his favorite singer. He said he likes Prince, too, and he must like Boy George, too, because later on his computer he did a drawing of Boy George. Sean and Keith hit it off. Keith is very good playing with kids-he was playing really well with another baby that was there, too, coming after her with a stuffed animal. Sean sat between me and Roberta Flack.
The cake was a big blond grand piano. Sean was the one who had the idea that it should be a piano. He has a piano in his bedroom. And he cut the cake. Harry Nilsson led everyone singing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," and later Sean made a really nice speech and said that if his father were there we'd be singing 'Tor They're They're Jolly Good Jolly Good Fellows" Fellows"
After dinner Yoko and Sean and some of the people went over to the WNEW broadcast that they were originally going to do inside the building, but at the last minute the Dakota wouldn't let them. But most of the people stayed behind. We went into Sean's bedroom-and there was a kid there setting up the Apple computer that Sean had gotten as a present, the Macintosh model. I said that once some man had been calling me a lot wanting to give me one, but that I'd never called him back or something, and then the kid looked up and said, "Yeah, that was me. I'm Steve Jobs." And he looked so young, like a college guy. And he told me that he would still send me one now. And then he gave me a lesson on drawing with it. It only comes in black and white now, but they'll make it soon in color. And then Keith and Kenny used it. Keith had already used it once to make a T-s.h.i.+rt, but Kenny was using it for the first time, and I felt so old and out of it with this young whiz guy right there who'd helped invent it.
Sean's bedroom had two mattresses on the floor and lots of Beatles pictures and the big Rupert Smith picture of Yoko on the wall. There was wrapping paper and presents all over the floor, and lots of robot toys on the shelves.
After we left I was so blue because before I was Sean's best grownup friend and now I think Keith is. They really hit it off. He invited Keith to his party for kids the next day and I don't think I was invited and I'm hurt.
Sat.u.r.day, October 13, 1984 Got up early and it was nice out. Jay's back with Kate Harrington and he's too happily married to go go to work, too. Benjamin's too happily married to to work, too. Benjamin's too happily married to go go to work. So I went alone ($6). The only person who was called was Michael Walsh, the kid from Newport who wants me to look at his work. Worked till 8:00 all alone. Went uptown ($6). to work. So I went alone ($6). The only person who was called was Michael Walsh, the kid from Newport who wants me to look at his work. Worked till 8:00 all alone. Went uptown ($6).
Cabbed to Mick and Jerry's for dinner on West 81st Street (cab $4). There were three butch bodyguards outside. Jack Nicholson was there, and he's into Bouguereau now-he has all these Remingtons and now he's buying Bouguereaus.
The baby wasn't there. Jerry's sister Rosy was, and she had her two t.i.ts almost popping out, which is so odd, because I don't know why she would dress like that when she has this big butch s.e.xy great husband. And I talked to Wendy Stark and she had three pictures of her kid, so it looked like triplets. Whoopi Goldberg came and the Garfunkel guy was there and Mike Nichols. Tina Chow was in the kitchen with the food, they'd done it. And I approached Jack Nicholson about being in the Jackson Pollock story that PH and I are now thinking of buying the book rights to from Ruth Kligman, and then Fred came up and said it was a terrible idea, that Ruth Kligman was another Crazy Matty, and so Jack said, "Well I'll let you two movie moguls fight it out." Jack was wearing a suit that he'd had made in London that made him look like a box.
Mick was drunk and really friendly, came over and hugged me a few times. I was sort of glad that I didn't bring Cornelia, because she'd be "a threat" to Jerry. I was surprised to see Whitney Tower there because Jerry always accused him of getting girls for Mick. There was a whole other room with more stars in it.
Monday, October 15, 1984 I had an appointment with Dr. Linda Li. I was fifteen minutes late and so I had to wait. She told me that I was allergic to potatoes, and I don't know if she's magic or if she smelled them, because I had had some. And she told me not to eat them for a while, the white ones. Left there (phone $2, newspapers $3).
After work I went with Jean Michel to finally check out of his hotel room at the Ritz Carlton, but when we got there he decided it was too beautiful to leave.
Tuesday, October 16, 1984 Jackie Curtis called and said that Alice Neel died. I'd been meaning to call her for a while. She was a sweet old lady. I guess she was old enough, though, in her eighties, I think. It seems like I just saw her on the Johnny Carson show. Jackie wants to take an ad in Interview Interview for a play he's opening, but how can we trust him to pay? for a play he's opening, but how can we trust him to pay?
Jean Michel, me, John s.e.x, and Fab Five Freddy cabbed uptown to the Lyceum and the Whoopi Goldberg show ($8). We were late and in the second row. Whoopi was great, for one and a half hours just a blank stage but she held your interest. She's really intelligent and everything. She does a thing where she asks for quarters from the audience, but then she didn't give them back. So when it was over and we went back to see her she said that she usually gives them back-I asked her-but that a guy had given her a dollar bill and that threw her off, and now she had about $4 and so she might just now give the money to a Catholic charity. She really liked Jean Michel and I invited her to dinner, but she said she had cramps or something.
Wednesday, October 17, 1984 Our lawyer, Risa d.i.c.kstein, was on the cover of the Post Post, because she's the lawyer for the Mayflower Madam, so that shows you what kind of a lawyer we're so fortunate enough to have.
Then Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, the fairy princess, came to the office for lunch with her husband, the fifty-eight-year-old fairy prince that she married when she was twenty or something and got on the cover of every German magazine because he's the billionaire who needed kids for heirs. And now they have three kids. And Betsy Bloomingdale was there, too.
Prince Johannes von Thurn und Taxis started some dirty talking. He said that when he was young and he went to Hollywood and met Marilyn Monroe that she came on to him and invited him over for dinner, but he said he wasn't into women then-he said this out loud. They talk like that. And the wife talks about boys, and then he talks about boys with big c.o.c.ks. It's very abstract. So anyway, he said that he asked Marilyn Monroe who else was going to be there and she said a few names, and he arrives and Marilyn comes out in a decollete negligee and he said, "Where are the other people?" and she said, "They all cancelled." So they had pink champagne and then dinner and then she pulled a little string and she was standing there stark naked and he couldn't... so he said he just banged her on the knockers and said, "See you later, toots." He said that he could've pretended and they could've just wrapped themselves around each other, but that-he repeated it again-he wasn't into women then. She must've known how rich he was. Or else maybe he was good-looking. Because he did also say that Pablo Pica.s.so once saw him and wanted to do his portrait, and said he'd do two and give him one, but he thought it was just some old guy after his body. This was on the beach. But I don't know if his stories are true. They probably are, but he remembers some things about me that I don't, so... Like he says he once invited me out and that I said I was sick and that then he called me at home and I wasn't there, but I know I never gave him my home phone number.
And then I walked them to their limos and Gloria wanted a c.o.c.k drawn on her Interview Interview. And Fred said this was our first society party in the new building. But it would've been great in the ballroom. But it's leaking up there. And Fred had tables built on the roof! I don't know why. And his little dining room is
Monday, October 22, 1984 Went to the new offices and met the construction person that Vincent and Fred are liking so much. I got mad at him when I heard that it was going to be $100,000 for a terrace on the roof, and I just said, "We want just a plain old roof." And I laughed in his face when he told me it would be done by Christmas. Oh sure. I'll have to think about this.
Rupert said that his apartment was robbed so not to get upset if those unsigned prints start showing up at auction. But then the police called and said they'd gotten some things back.
Worked till 7:30.
Cabbed home ($6) and glued then went to dinner at the Sacklers' on Park Avenue and it was for Princess Michael of Kent. And you were supposed to get there before she arrived but I was late. It was dinner for only eight people. And there was a lady stuck in the bathroom and everyone ignored her for half an hour and when she got out she accused Jill of hearing her and not doing anything, and Jill said she hadn't, but I mean, J heard her, so...
Friday, October 26, 1984 Victor came by. Halston's working at home now.
Julian Schnabel was having a birthday party at Mr. Chow's and invited me but Jean Michel and I didn't want to call him back because we knew he wanted to come and see what we were working on. Worked till 7:50 (cab $6). John Lurie who starred in Stranger Than Paradise Stranger Than Paradise came over and we had champagne and that was a mistake. Dropped him at 12:30 (cab $7). came over and we had champagne and that was a mistake. Dropped him at 12:30 (cab $7).
Sat.u.r.day, October 27, 1984 Kate's picture was big in part one of the Truman Capote article in New York York magazine, and part two is about to come out so I'm wondering if it's going to say how she's actually the daughter of the old boyfriend, Jack O'Shea. magazine, and part two is about to come out so I'm wondering if it's going to say how she's actually the daughter of the old boyfriend, Jack O'Shea.
Monday, October 29, 1984 This was the day of the New York marathon, and it was hot and humid so the runners had a bad time. One man from France died-the first one to die in the marathon. And the girl who won was p.o.o.ping in her pants, she had diarrhea, and they tried to brush over it, but they said, "She's tugging at her pants again."
Kenny Scharf called and invited me out for a ride in his Cadillac that he drove here from LA and painted. Now he's got champagne gla.s.ses and monsters on it. He and Keith came along and the car looked like really something and the police were in back of them because they were just curious, like everybody else. So we drove uptown to 90th Street and East River Drive to see the mural that Keith had done. It's like 2' wide X 200' long, like three blocks long. He painted it white and sprayed little black and red figures, but it would've been better just silver. It doesn't make the city look better, really.
Halston called and invited me to dinner at his house where Jack and Anjelica and Steve Rubell and Alana were going to be, and Bianca, and I said sure and watched TV and then at 9:00 walked over there. Ann Turkel who was married to Richard Harris was there. Bianca was kissing her boyfriend as if she were Jade or something, in front of Alana, who was talking about money settlements. These girls. It's so strange, like over the hill, talking about "settlements." Bianca was putting down Alana's house in L.A. and saying it was so trashy and in the worst taste and she and Alana almost had a fistfight. They're friends.
And the big person at the party was Peter Wolf and I told him how all the girls were so crazy about him, they love him in his music video. Dinner was good. Halston's hair is receding a little. His house doesn't have the flair that it had when Victor lived there.
Tuesday, October 30, 1984 Ferraro was on the news. I was liking her a lot in the beginning, but now she's more like all the rest of them, like mechanical.
Jean Michel was in bed with some new girl and didn't show up. Bruno arrived and surprised us. And his wife-Yoyo. And they looked at the big paintings that Jean Michel has been doing silkscreens on, and they had a sour look, they said it ruined his "intuitive primitivism." But he'd always Xeroxed Xeroxed before and n.o.body knew, it just looked like new drawings, and put on with that stuff. Worked till 7:30. before and n.o.body knew, it just looked like new drawings, and put on with that stuff. Worked till 7:30.
Then there was a party for Van Johnson at Limelight. When we got there he was leaving already. It was a party he was giving for Janet Leigh. And he was such a camp. He said, "Oh, I've been dying to meet you forever!" He seems like a big boozer. I guess there weren't enough cute boys in there. Then in the middle of the room was a shower and a girl in it and blood all over and a guy like Tony Perkins in a grandmother's outfit. And in the middle of all this was the real Janet Leigh in a blue sequined dress.
Wednesday, October 31, 1984 Bruno just called-at the Christie's auction Jean Michel's painting went for $20,000. I think he's going to be the Big Black Painter. It was one of his sort of big paintings. I think Jean Michel's early stuff is sort of better, because then he was just painting, and now he has to think about stuff to paint to sell. And how many screaming Negroes can you do? Well, I guess you can do them forever, but... And he bought a $700 mask for Halloween yesterday. Mexican. He just spends money. He did give up the room at the Ritz Carlton and he doesn't take limos now, so that's an improvement. But what he should do-and I've told him this-is keep his early paintings and store them so that he'll have them to sell later on. Because Bruno just buys up everything and then sells them off slowly. But Jean Michel really should be keeping them for a nest egg. The paintings that get good prices are Rauschenberg's early pieces and anything by Jasper and Cy Twombly. Wesselmann's sort of selling off... Rosenquist's prices are just medium, but I think he's the best, I really do.
I guess I'm going to finally face moving out of 860 because Stephen Sprouse has rented the place.
Glued myself together, picked up Gael, and we walked to Jams to meet Fred. And this dinner was really horrible. It was just me complaining. I should've been like a cheerleader, saying, "What can we do to make our magazine even better than the wonderful thing it is?" But it didn't turn out that way. Gael was explaining the printing costs. And really, I should have been positive. I know that you get more out of people by encouraging them. Although I did encourage someone once-Chris Makos. And what I got out of that is that this week they're auctioning off a picture of me in drag from the ones he took. And Gael wasn't eating so I thought it was because I'd made her upset, but it turned out that she was just trying to diet because she's gotten really fat. But she just rubs me the wrong way-she thinks she's so great or something. We just don't communicate. I don't know if she's stupid or if she just plays dumb so she won't have to do what you're telling her to do (dinner $140).
Then we talked about the covers, when would be the Mick, when the Health issue, when Mickey Rourke. It was just a very frustrating dinner, nothing was accomplished, just arguing. It was all my fault. We all would've been better off going to a Halloween party. Fred walked us both home.
Thursday, November 1, 1984 Julian Schnabel called and said he was coming by with that rock person, Captain Beefheart. And we didn't want him to, and then I got worried that Julian might have heard what I'd been saying about him-that he goes around to other artists' studios to find things to copy.
I had to leave early to see Christophe de Menil's first fas.h.i.+on show. She's becoming a clothes designer (cab $8). Went to 79th and Fifth, the French consulate. And the dresses were all just linen and the sleeves were like folded napkins, a 1914-style look. Funny sleeves. I don't know why she would want to go into the dress business-it's not like she has a "statement" to make. Bianca was there and Steve Rubell told me that the reason she didn't want anyone at the birthday party she gave for Jade was because Jade's gotten chubby. So I slipped out (cab $4).
Then Cornelia and I walked over to the Pierre for the ASPCA benefit thing. I talked to C.Z. Guest and she said that Truman got her out of being just a housewife and showed her that she a a] O could do things. And she said that she never told Truman anything personal, but I mean, we were standing there for five minutes and she told] O could do things. And she said that she never told Truman anything personal, but I mean, we were standing there for five minutes and she told me me every personal thing you could think of about her family... I mean you'd bring up drinking, and she's saying, "I lived with a drunk for years, so I know." every personal thing you could think of about her family... I mean you'd bring up drinking, and she's saying, "I lived with a drunk for years, so I know."
Friday, November 2, 1984 Worked till 7:00. Then there was an opening of Schnabel. So went to it (cab $6). I was putting his painting down, being funny, and then I saw he was next to me but I don't think he heard me. There were a lot of plates on the wall. Schnabel said that he was a short-order cook at Mickey Ruskin's restaurant on University Place for a while. Gee, poor Mickey. n.o.body even mentions him now. He's just forgotten. The show was interesting but I had to leave because Cornelia was picking me up for the horse show.
Sunday, November 4, 1984 Went to meet Alba Clemente, the beautiful wife of Francesco Clemente at their loft in the Tower Records building. She studied acting, she has a great laugh, and she's rich. They live in India six months a year. That's why his paintings look the way they do, I guess. Then we went to the Odeon (cab $10). It was fun, we chit-chatted about art. There were big silences, though. Jean Michel is so hard to talk to. His thing is he's in love with waitresses, so he gets quiet and watches them. Alba said that her girl who was minding the children had a crush on him (lunch $90). And then we went back to her place so that Jean Michel could meet the girl, Monica, but she'd taken the kids out. And then Jean Michel was getting inspired from seeing Clemente's work and wanted to go do some painting himself.
So we went to the studio (cab $3.50) and worked two hours. Jean Michel was painting back in the images he'd painted out when he was on smack and he came up with some masterpieces. Then he called the girl, Monica, and invited her to dinner. She wanted to go to the Lone Star because her semi-boyfriend who's Schnabel's a.s.sistant was going to be there, but Jean Michel didn't want to go go there because he was afraid if there was compet.i.tion that he would lose the f.u.c.k. there because he was afraid if there was compet.i.tion that he would lose the f.u.c.k.
Tuesday, November 6, 1984-New York-Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C.
Election Day. It was the worst start imaginable. I was up at 7:00, ready at 8:00. I called Fred and he was just out of it. It drove me crazy. He was rambling. Maybe he'd just slept for fifteen minutes, I don't know.
Anyway, an hour later we were in Was.h.i.+ngton. Went to the Madison Hotel. Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia came with us. Her daughter, Catherine Oxenberg, starts on Dynasty Dynasty next week and she was coming down later. And then some of the people went off to the White House but we weren't invited so we stayed in our rooms. next week and she was coming down later. And then some of the people went off to the White House but we weren't invited so we stayed in our rooms.
So we ordered lunch and that was expensive. Jean Michel ordered a '66 Chateau Latour wine for $200 (lunch $500). Then we limoed to the Sequoia Sequoia, the presidential yacht, and it was cold and miserable and getting dark. Same old people. Peter Max and his girlfriend, who's so beautiful, tall and Texan, and I don't know why she's with him. She was at the beginning and ending of Heaven's Gate Heaven's Gate. A top model, I forget her name. I talked to Chip Carter while I was there.
Then we went back to the hotel and Jean Michel rolled a joint. Then we ordered dinner, which was disgusting (tip $5). Fred didn't realize that he had only yellow socks and brown shoes, so he couldn't wear his black suit. Entertainment Tonight Entertainment Tonight got me on the way in and asked me who I voted for and I said, "For the winner," and they said, "Who's that?" and I said, "The winner is the winner." I don't even know what I meant. If they ever put all the clips they've ever gotten of me together they'd see that I'm a moron and finally stop asking me questions. got me on the way in and asked me who I voted for and I said, "For the winner," and they said, "Who's that?" and I said, "The winner is the winner." I don't even know what I meant. If they ever put all the clips they've ever gotten of me together they'd see that I'm a moron and finally stop asking me questions.
I took pictures of Melvin Laird dancing. Jean Michel was so hard to deal with, he gets so paranoid. This was a "Non-partisan Party" that the Weismans were having because at the last election they gave a party for the Democrats and this time everybody was a Democrat but pretending to be a Republican.
Wednesday, November 7, 1984- Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C.-New York I called Jean Michel's room and said we'd be leaving in one second. And I went into his room and photographed him getting out of bed with a hard-on. And then he began rolling a joint. Jean Michel ordered a whole meal but it never came. Cabbed to the airport ($20).
Jean Michel and I went to the back of the plane and he was smoking joints, and I realized that he'd left his brand-new Comme des Garcons coat in the hotel room when he'd been rolling, and he called and I called but they'll never send it. He knows just what looks good on him. He's 6' -or 6'1" with his hair. He's really big.
Got a cab into Manhattan ($22). Then went to 33rd Street and sat in my room and made phone calls. The boiler was broken and it was freezing in there. And I want to take the key away from those two bathrooms outside my office because every other minute somebody's going in and out and I can't stand it, the constant production of peeing all day. I'm going to make the Interview Interview kids go upstairs to one of those bathrooms or something, because who wants to hear that all day. kids go upstairs to one of those bathrooms or something, because who wants to hear that all day.
I went to Private Eyes (cab $7). Scott was at the door, so he let us right in. Madonna was on the platform and since Jean Michel had once been involved with her, we started to go up, and the bouncer said, "Step aside for Mr. Warhol," and then tried to block Jean Michel and I said that it was okay, he was with me. And Madonna kissed Jean Michel on the mouth but she was with Jellybean, who said he'd heard his pictures in Interview Interview made him look 6' tall so he was thrilled because he's 2'. And Jean Michel was moody because Madonna got so big and he'd lost her. And Dianne Brill tried to get on the platform and the guy just pushed her back and I said, "Don't you know who that is? It's Dianne Brill," but he still wouldn't let her up. And she was so conspicuous in her rubber outfit and Frederick's of Hollywood stuff and everything, so she was really humiliated and that's the way things go-you think you have so much pizzazz and then something like that happens in front of your friends. It's happened to me. Sometime, someplace, it happens to everybody. And I told her I'd talk to the P.R. girl but she said no, that it was okay. made him look 6' tall so he was thrilled because he's 2'. And Jean Michel was moody because Madonna got so big and he'd lost her. And Dianne Brill tried to get on the platform and the guy just pushed her back and I said, "Don't you know who that is? It's Dianne Brill," but he still wouldn't let her up. And she was so conspicuous in her rubber outfit and Frederick's of Hollywood stuff and everything, so she was really humiliated and that's the way things go-you think you have so much pizzazz and then something like that happens in front of your friends. It's happened to me. Sometime, someplace, it happens to everybody. And I told her I'd talk to the P.R. girl but she said no, that it was okay.
Thursday, November 8, 1984 Went to Diane Von Furstenberg's and in the same little room were Bianca and her boyfriend, and Mick and Jerry and her two sisters, and everybody was trying to stand with their backs to each other. And so finally to break the ice Bianca went over to Mick and said, "Oh, you've slept with everybody in this room," and she was giggling, and he said, "Oh yes, why look! There's Mark Shand! And Andy Warhol! I've had them all!" He was funny.
Marina Schiano was there and Jean Michel asked me if she was a drag queen. And Annina Nosei was there. She had a gallery in Soho and Jean Michel used to do paintings in her bas.e.m.e.nt. She would bring people down to look at him like an attraction and he would yell, "Get the f.u.c.k out of here!" He destroyed twenty paintings once, he ripped them off the walls. And after she reminded him of all these old days he felt funny being at this chic uptown place. He's not happier now that he's uptown because it's all before him now and he doesn't know what to do. I told him, "Look, those tantrums weren't real anyway." He's confused. Stayed till 11:30.
Monday, November 12, 1984 Went to see Stranger Than Paradise Stranger Than Paradise. It isn't good.
Oh and the day had started out with Eugenia Sheppard dying of cancer. She invented fas.h.i.+on and gossip together. I guess she started in 195 5. Is that when Princess Grace got married?
Wednesday, November 14, 1984 Went to Dr. Karen Burke's new office on 94th and Park and had my collagen treatment and it really, really hurt. There's supposed to be novocaine in the stuff as it goes in but it doesn't feel like there is. There must be a way to have this done without pain. The last time I had it done was a year ago. Fred said he screamed in pain while he was having his face done. I mean, there's a thousand needles sticking in your face.
Cabbed to Mr. Chow's for Jean Michel's party ($7). And it was great. I feel like I wasted two years running around with Christopher and Peter, just kids who talk about the Baths and things, when here, now, I'm going around with Jean Michel and we're getting so much art work done, and then his party was Schnabel and Wim Wenders and Jim Jarmusch who directed Stranger Than Paradise Stranger Than Paradise and Clemente and John Waite who sang that great song, ''Missing You." I mean, being with a creative crowd, you really notice the difference. It's intriguing both ways, and I guess both ways are right, but... and Clemente and John Waite who sang that great song, ''Missing You." I mean, being with a creative crowd, you really notice the difference. It's intriguing both ways, and I guess both ways are right, but...
And now Chris is thanking me for not using him anymore to print up my photographs, because he says it's made him hustle more and work harder. And Bianca who I'd invited called and wasn't coming and then was coming, and finally she arrived, and she acted grand as if she wasn't looking for movie work. She changed her seat and took Alba's when Alba went to the ladies room and when she came back Alba said in a voice loud enough for Bianca to hear, "She's taken my place again" again" meaning like with her husband Clemente, but it seemed from how they were acting here like Bianca and Francesco didn't know each other. meaning like with her husband Clemente, but it seemed from how they were acting here like Bianca and Francesco didn't know each other.
And Jean Michel became the hostess with the mostest last night. He said it cost him $12,000 -the Cristal was flowing.
Thursday, November 15, 1984 Vincent said I had a big video shoot to do and I said that my face was still all marked up from the collagen thing the day before and he promised that he wouldn't shoot my face.
There were a lot of parties this night but Dustin Hoffman called and said he'd left tickets for Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman so Benjamin and I got to the theater and met Jean Michel there at 7:58. At intermission the people behind us tapped Jean Michel and asked if I was really who I was. Dustin was actually good, but the play is so old-fas.h.i.+oned. I'd seen it years ago with Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock, and they were more like real old people. so Benjamin and I got to the theater and met Jean Michel there at 7:58. At intermission the people behind us tapped Jean Michel and asked if I was really who I was. Dustin was actually good, but the play is so old-fas.h.i.+oned. I'd seen it years ago with Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock, and they were more like real old people.
And afterwards we went backstage and there was coffee and everything and Dustin was really up up up, he was camping and screaming, "Andy Warhol is here! Andy Warhol is here!" And he came over and told us this story about seeing a girl at Sotheby's who was exactly like the first girl he ever f.u.c.ked, and he invited her to the show and then on that exact same night, the first girl he ever f.u.c.ked that she looked exactly like came to see the play. And he took the two of them to dinner and they got to talking and one said she didn't have a place to stay and the other said she could stay with her and they went off into the sunset together. They still looked alike, he said. And Dustin has a sidekick who writes everything down. He's collecting art and wrote down Jean Michel's number, and when I saw his hair and everything shaved off, I don't know why he does the play in so much makeup when he could just do it straight. And he told me that one day when he saw me on the street and we talked it was the day he'd broken up with his first wife, which I didn't know then, and he remembered every word of our conversation because it was such a traumatic day for him.
Friday, November 16, 1984 Lucio Amelio wanted me to hear an opera singer singing falsetto and so they came to the office and the guy sang and I thought it was supposed to be comedy-it was like the castrati castrati singing- but when I started to say how funny it was Fred kicked me. And this boy is very good-looking, he's supposed to be straight. We were all stunned. It was like the old days at the old Factory when once in a while somebody with real actual talent would shock everybody with it. singing- but when I started to say how funny it was Fred kicked me. And this boy is very good-looking, he's supposed to be straight. We were all stunned. It was like the old days at the old Factory when once in a while somebody with real actual talent would shock everybody with it.
Sat.u.r.day, November 17, 1984 Got to the office by 12:00 (supplies $11.96, $3.50, $4.20).
Cabbed downtown to Keith's ($5). Madonna arrived with a black wig on. Downstairs there were three limos and we went out to see the "Greener Pastures" thing at BAM in Brooklyn. Keith had done the sets and Willi Smith did the clothes. I was next to Stephen Sprouse and he's so hard to talk to, but I'm just crazy about him, he's adorable. And we were all wearing Stephen Sprouse. It was really a great show. And they had really good hair in the show. Like brown underneath and red on top and they used twine. I talked to Stephen about doing show-biz stuff. Then that was over.
We went to Mr. Chow's for dinner. Then we went to Area and saw Keith make dresses on John s.e.x. I asked Madonna if she would be interested in doing a movie and she was smart, she said that she wanted more specifics, that she just didn't want to talk and have her ideas taken. She's very sharp. She's really hot right now. Stayed till 3:00, too many people coming up to me to talk (cab $8).
Tuesday, November 20, 1984 We went to the perfume department at Bloomingdale's and this old lady next to me kept saying, "I'm standing next to him. I never dreamed it would happen. I'm standing next to him." And I didn't even have an Interview Interview left to give her, I'd given them all out. We left and I told Benjamin I'd had my fame fix for the day. We went to 47th Street and got hustled into some silver junk. Benjamin got a piece himself, actually-it's only the second time that's happened. He saw it and wanted it first. I should have gotten it for him but it was too awkward. I remember when I was with John Lennon and he was buying thousands of dollars' worth of clothes and didn't say, "Do you want a s.h.i.+rt?" Years ago. And I've found more Polaroids of him and Yoko Ono, only I did that thing that Brigid did, I glued them onto wood and they wrinkled. left to give her, I'd given them all out. We left and I told Benjamin I'd had my fame fix for the day. We went to 47th Street and got hustled into some silver junk. Benjamin got a piece himself, actually-it's only the second time that's happened. He saw it and wanted it first. I should have gotten it for him but it was too awkward. I remember when I was with John Lennon and he was buying thousands of dollars' worth of clothes and didn't say, "Do you want a s.h.i.+rt?" Years ago. And I've found more Polaroids of him and Yoko Ono, only I did that thing that Brigid did, I glued them onto wood and they wrinkled.
Vincent just called and said there's a picture of me-of the robot-in People People. The dummy that's going to star in the Evening with Andy Warhol Evening with Andy Warhol. They're getting an awful lot of mileage out of nothing yet.
Thursday, November 22, 1984 Thanksgiving. Went to see Boy George at the Garden with Jean Michel and Cornelia. I just couldn't like him because it reminded me of what Jackie Curtis could have been, but Jean Michel really liked him. Boy George is so fat.
And then Jean Michel started remembering Halston's last Thanksgiving for turkey and wanted to get there, so we left (cab $6).
The turkey was already put away and dessert was out. Bianca started punching Jean Michel and me really hard, I actually got a black and blue mark. She was screaming about how we had to contribute to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. And I mean, this cheapo-this c.u.n.t! Why should she be asking artists when she should be out whoring herself to get money from rich people! Who does she think she is! I mean, she thinks she knows all about artists, and she knows-s.h.i.+t! She puts on this serious face and interviews them and she thinks something's happening, I mean... She's like a teenager, too, with this boyfriend, Glenn Dubin-she's always rubbing up against him and kissing him. I can't figure out what she's using him for. Maybe just a place to stay.
Sunday, November 25, 1984 The big call of the day was from Nelson Lyon, and the news with Nelson is that he's engaged to Barbara Steele now. She's not an actress anymore, she's a producer. And he said he's so humiliated and embarra.s.sed by all the stuff about him in the Belus.h.i.+ book, Wired Wired, that he can't face anybody. I told him n.o.body cares, that it's chic to be in it and to forget about it.
They're selling Halston's floor in the Olympic Tower out from under him. It's so sad. Where did Halston go so wrong when he sold his name? What should he have done that he didn't? That's what I want to know. And I want to know it from him him, I want to sit down and find out what I should do if I ever sell myself. Find out when and where he made his mistakes. In case I ever want to let a big corporation buy me out and just be a figurehead. Because there's got to be a way to do it where you don't lose all your power the way Halston did.
Monday, November 26, 1984 Dr. Linda Li can't find out what's causing my allergies. She said my spleen was traumatized fifteen years ago.
Had a talk with the Harper & Row editor, Craig Nelson, and had to tell him what I thought of what he'd written for the America America book: He can't write. book: He can't write.
Wednesday, November 28, 1984 Did the East Side with Benjamin. Pa.s.sed out the Christmas issue. Went to Dr. Bernsohn and he said he and Dr. Reese went to the pyramids and that he threw these big crystal b.a.l.l.s around that he'd taken with him. I went to see him to get rid of a cold and then (laughs) (laughs) he had one, too (cabs $4, $5, $5). he had one, too (cabs $4, $5, $5).
I went to Regine's for Cornelia's birthday. Barry Landau was there. Barry's as bad as Cornelia for attracting sleazes. And I guess that means me because I'm right in there. But Cornelia's smart, she sat Marty Bregman next to her and Roy Cohn on the other side. I sat next to the guy who gives the after-hours party in Aspen after the Jimmy Buffett party. And for a present to Cornelia he offered her his credit card for a couple of hours.
Thursday, November 29, 1984 Jean Michel came in and painted right on top of the beautiful painting that Clemente did. There was lots of blank s.p.a.ce on it that he could've painted on, he was just being mean. And he was in slow motion so I guess he was on heroin. He'd bend over to fix his shoelace and he'd be in that position for five minutes.
Friday, November 30, 1984 It was final moving h.e.l.l day, leaving 860 Broadway forever. Stephen Sprouse's friend came for the keys and I asked if I could stay and paint, and so I did, until 8:30. And Stephen Sprouse called and thanked me for the air conditioners we're leaving in the windows for him. So then Jay dropped me off and I just stayed home, exhausted.
Sat.u.r.day, December 1, 1984 Picked up Jon and cabbed down to the Tony Shafrazi Gallery for Kenny Scharf's show ($8). The blond kid who tells people he's my lover was there. And the kid told me that he's the one who's been planting flowers outside my house. I pretended that I didn't even know anybody was putting them in, but I've seen him there. And Kenny's paintings are now going for $30,000 and so Keith felt funny because they're both with Tony's gallery, but Keith's never wanted his prices to be too high. His go for eight, ten, fifteen.
Then afterwards there was a dinner for Kenny at Area. The new theme over there is "Religion," they're trying to take over the Limelight theme.
And the front page of the Sunday Times Times "Arts and Leisure" section is plastered with Schnabel, Grace Glueck calling him better than Pollock. "Arts and Leisure" section is plastered with Schnabel, Grace Glueck calling him better than Pollock.
The dinner was fun. Kenny sold all his pictures. Then I went to the dance floor and toured, saw the burning crosses and things. Benjamin's friend Bernard was St. Sebastian. Keith and Kenny were going to do more work on their article for Interview Interview. Gael told me she took out the part where Kenny asked Keith if it was true he went to to bed with Chris Makos in order bed with Chris Makos in order (laughs) (laughs) to meet me. to meet me.
Sunday, December 2, 1984 And I forgot to say that on Friday, Sean Lennon sent down the tablecloth from his birthday party in October for a souvenir. Maybe he wants a Christmas present. What can I get him? I was so disappointed when his song didn't make it to the top ten-I thought it would.
Monday, December 3, 1984 It was the first day of going to the new building for a full day's work. No more Union Square. It's going to be hard to get cabs in the new area. I'm taking that whole big floor up there. And it was great to see Brigid frazzled, not knowing what phone b.u.t.tons to push, really working finally-not knitting. I'll miss ordering out from Brownies, all the carrot juices and stuff. What're we going to do for food in this new neighborhood? I've only seen greasy coffee shops.
Jean Michel had a date with Paige last night and I think they made it again, which would be a mistake.
And I was just on the phone talking to Gael, there's a thief at Interview Interview-$20 was stolen from petty cash. I I should do that, it's an easy way to make money. Just go into Brigid's wallet and take money out. should do that, it's an easy way to make money. Just go into Brigid's wallet and take money out.
Julian Schnabel called and said that Arne Glimcher has "an empty spot" for Jean Michel and me at the Pace Gallery. I mean, poor Leo. Everybody's trying to get us away from Leo.