Chapter 6
Wednesday, September 7, 1977-Paris Phone rang. It was Paloma for Fred but he wasn't in his bed. Decided that I couldn't worry about him anymore. Paloma had a lunch date with him and said that she'd call back. About 1:00 he arrived and she called back so we all got ready to go meet her. Cabbed to Angelina's ($2). Paloma was wearing all red YSL. Talked about old romances and old happenings out of the past. Paloma picked up the check.
Friday, September 9, 1977-Paris Bob got Liza Minnelli to do an endors.e.m.e.nt in the Puerto Rican rum ad that'll run in Interview Interview and he's now working on Jack Nicholson. and he's now working on Jack Nicholson.
Someone called New York-found out that Bella Abzug lost, Cuomo won.
Monday, September 12, 1977-Paris-Venice The Air France flight to Venice took two hours and we took a boat taxi to the Danielli ($20). Checked in and then we went out for lunch at La Colomba ($25). Went by Autillo Codognato's jewelry shop. He's working on my show here with Doug Christmas. Ran into Nan Kempner. The show is Friday but the paintings are still in customs in Rome. While we were on the launch we saw Graham Sutherland signing prints.
Tuesday, September 13, 1977-Venice We had breakfast and then moved to another hotel where we had a pretty room with a balcony and I liked it better (tips $10, cab $10). Autillo had invited us all to lunch at Harry's Bar. Had chicken with peppers and listened to Doug and Autillo talk about the customs problems still. They're going to call the amba.s.sador in Rome to try to speed things up.
Wednesday, September 14, 1977-Venice There was a storm in the night but woke up to a beautiful day. We were supposed to visit Peggy Guggenheim's collection so we started moving. In the lobby there was a photographer who began to take pictures of me and continued all during the trip back across the Laguna Laguna. Doug then took us to II Prisione where my show would be. It's not a prison, it was a fancy men's club, it's next to the Doge's Palace. It's a good s.p.a.ce with high ceilings but not too big. The white board for hanging went all around the wall but Doug wanted to paint it flesh-colored. The man in charge there took us up to the roof to show us a big cloth banner that said ANDY WARHOL and the dates of the show, 16 September-8 October. There was another one in San Marco Square under the clock and another one on the way towards Accademia. Jed photographed them.
At Peggy's we looked around at everything. John Hornsbee, the curator, asked Peggy if she wanted to receive us and she said no. She's sick. And we didn't really want to see her anyway.
Thursday, September 15, 1977-Venice At 4:00 I had to go over to the prison to sign some posters in advance. Some high school art teacher from San Francisco had left a can of Campbell's for me to sign for him.
Jed and I went to the paper store to try and find some office gifts. We picked out some good designs of Venetian handprinted paper ($60). Went home to rest up. Thomas Ammann arrived from Zurich.
Friday, September 16, 1977-Venice Jed and I got up and did some sightseeing and some more last-minute office shopping (gifts $29, $49, $39). We all met for lunch at Cipriani and Doug didn't seem at all nervous even though the pictures hadn't arrived yet. After lunch I went over to check and they'd finally arrived. The flesh color was a little off on the walls but it looked all right anyway. They all started to work. The Italian workers had already started hanging the paintings. Doug's a.s.sistant, Hilary, told me the workers were surprised when they saw that my paintings were closeups of naked bodies and I guess they didn't think that was good art because they started to make jokes and compare the c.o.c.ks with their own and they didn't do much work. She said that she and Doug had to do most of the work themselves. If Italians laugh at you and lose respect, you can't get work out of them-that was the trouble Paul Morrissey had in Rome when he was shooting Frankenstein Frankenstein and and Dracula Dracula-I guess the crew decided he didn't know what he was doing, because they'd just stand around and sort of snicker.
We went back to the hotel to rest. Then went to the show at about 7:30. After an hour or so we went to Florian's for a drink and everyone took photos. Then went to Autillo's apartment on the second floor of a big palazzo palazzo on the Grand Ca.n.a.l. The big hall was all set with tables for 100 people. Autillo showed us his collection. He had my Flowers and Jackies and lots of good art. on the Grand Ca.n.a.l. The big hall was all set with tables for 100 people. Autillo showed us his collection. He had my Flowers and Jackies and lots of good art.
At dinner I was beginning to feel my chair slip out from under me and was holding on to the table when a waiter told me I should change chairs. But I guess he put the bad chair at another table because in a few minutes I heard a crash and saw a white-haired man getting up from the floor.
After coffee we drifted around a little and looked at the collection some more. I was getting tired and was ready to go but it was by then pouring rain. Fred was drunk and he was very quiet. We waited downstairs for the boat taxis. They didn't come right away so we decided to walk. We held our coats tight around us. Fred slipped once but we got him home all right. Right after I got in bed I felt the entire building move.
Sat.u.r.day, September 17, 1977-Venice-New York I told Jed that there'd been an earthquake the night before and he said it had just been the wind, but when the floor s.h.i.+fts and everything starts to slide you know it's an earthquake. It turned out it was-Autillo said a painting fell at his house.
Got a speedboat taxi to the airport, zipping over the waves ($25 plus $5 tip). At the airport ran into Johnny Nicholson of the Cafe Nicholson. Bought magazines ($10). On the plane I found a good review of Bad Bad-twenty-five movies opened in Paris this week and Bad Bad was the one getting all the publicity, they're saying it's the first "punk" movie. They're calling me the Queen of Punk. was the one getting all the publicity, they're saying it's the first "punk" movie. They're calling me the Queen of Punk.
Sunday, September 18, 1977 My opening at the Folk Art Museum is tomorrow night. Everybody who's been giving me freebies all over town now expects to be invited to this, but it's so embarra.s.sing because the museum isn't giving me any free tickets, it's a $100 benefit. It's just so horrible, these people let you in free all over town and you can't even invite them. I just kept telling them that it isn't anything and that it's going to be boring. Which it is.
Monday, September 19, 1977 Went to see Dr. Poster (cab $2.50) because when I plugged in my contact lens cleaning machine in Paris it was the wrong voltage and it blew out.
Richard Weisman was coming to the office at 2:30. When he arrived he said I had to go to Columbus tomorrow to take pictures of Jack Nicklaus. Richard and Fred had a meeting about the series of sports-star portraits Richard commissioned, and I wished I'd stayed in the meeting longer because after I left they decided there would be the show in December of the ten Athletes portraits we finally settle on to exhibit and I think January would be much better.
Chris Makos came by and gave me a copy of White Trash White Trash, his book of photos, and it looked good, he did a good job.
Left the office early. Doc c.o.x said he was picking me up in his Rolls Royce and I cringed, because I just hate hate to be seen in that car. But he arrived in a cab and I was secretly thrilled when he told me the Rolls had broken down. But I changed my mind when we arrived at the Folk Art Museum because there were photographers all over and actually, for once, the car to be seen in that car. But he arrived in a cab and I was secretly thrilled when he told me the Rolls had broken down. But I changed my mind when we arrived at the Folk Art Museum because there were photographers all over and actually, for once, the car would would have been a big hit because just getting out of a crummy taxi was a bomb. have been a big hit because just getting out of a crummy taxi was a bomb.
Ultra Violet was there and now, thinking about it, she must have had a facelift. She looked like the first day I met her, really great. Really really great. She was wearing a dress with gold coins pinned to it and she was selling them. She already sold the good American ones. I think she got the idea of owning gold coins from me in the days when she thought that whatever I did must be really smart.
We went over to the Four Seasons. There were c.o.c.ktails in the lobby before dinner. I was seated in between Sandra Weidenfeld and Estee Lauder. Estee was really nice, she'd put perfume on the table for free samples. Peter Duchin's orchestra was playing.
Marina Schiano didn't like the end of the table she was at-she was upset she wasn't with Fred, Diana Vreeland, and Diane de Beauvau-and she said that for $100 she should be able to sit next to her husband, Mr. Hughes. [Marina was married to Fred Hughes for a few years although they maintained separate residences.] [Marina was married to Fred Hughes for a few years although they maintained separate residences.] She went over to Bob who was at another table having a miserable time, and told him that she was going home-this is 10:15-and to pick her up for the Studio 54 party in about an hour. She said that she could have been out with Marvin Gaye instead of at this thing. She went over to Bob who was at another table having a miserable time, and told him that she was going home-this is 10:15-and to pick her up for the Studio 54 party in about an hour. She said that she could have been out with Marvin Gaye instead of at this thing.
Doc c.o.x c.o.x was really drunk, drooling over Bob's Kevin. Kevin Farley. I signed things for people and felt bad because they were my friends and I went blank and couldn't remember their names-people I'd known for twenty years who gave me my first job. was really drunk, drooling over Bob's Kevin. Kevin Farley. I signed things for people and felt bad because they were my friends and I went blank and couldn't remember their names-people I'd known for twenty years who gave me my first job.
And then afterwards Alana Hamilton was giving a birthday party for Mick Flick at Studio 54. I was so happy to go to a big fun party after that horrible dinner (cab $2.50).
Peter Beard was at Studio 54 and for the first time I saw him so drunk that his words were slurring. He told me he was glad after the Montauk fire burned his mill-house down that he wouldn't be doing diaries anymore, that he was actually relieved they'd all been destroyed. I told him not not to be relieved, that he to be relieved, that he had had to do more. Sterling St. Jacques was there, he said he has a part in to do more. Sterling St. Jacques was there, he said he has a part in The Wiz The Wiz-he and Pat Cleveland have broken up. He brought me over to s.h.i.+rley Ba.s.sey and she seemed thrilled to meet me.
Stevie Rubell was nice to me and kept bringing me vodkas, but the vodka there is the cheapest and I hide it. But when Bob came over it was just what he drinks so I gave it to him, but Kevin shook his finger and said that it was a "no-no"-he doesn't want Bob to drink. It's so sick, Bob letting himself be henpecked.
Tuesday, September 20, 1977 Watched Stanley Siegel Stanley Siegel. Brooke s.h.i.+elds didn't show up so he did a live telephone interview with Sophia Loren, who's in town at the Pierre. Her English is good now. But you know, seeing her on TV this morning, she's just... trashy. She said she wouldn't let her her daughter be in a movie like Brooke s.h.i.+elds's daughter be in a movie like Brooke s.h.i.+elds's Pretty Baby Pretty Baby, and I mean didn't she just f.u.c.k her way to the top? Who's she kidding? She's so pretentious. I'm supposed to see her on Thursday. Oh, and Monday afternoon at the office I stood there and listened to an unbelievable conversation-Vincent on the phone with our lawyer discussing if I should serve a summons summons on Sophia Loren when I went to have dinner with her! This is for the lawsuit we're bringing against her husband Carlo Ponti, who produced on Sophia Loren when I went to have dinner with her! This is for the lawsuit we're bringing against her husband Carlo Ponti, who produced Frankenstein Frankenstein and and Dracula [see Introduction] Dracula [see Introduction]. They were completely serious. Now see, it wouldn't be direct-there would be this little man with me and when Sophia opened the door, the little man would slap her with the summons. Then she and I would have dinner as if nothing happened. This is what they were working out for me! I just watched Vincent's end of the discussion on the phone and my mouth was open.
Catherine said we had to go to the screening of the Sophia Loren movie since it was especially for us because were going to interview her. Cabbed to 1600 Broadway ($2.60).
It looked like a 1950s Italian movie. Beautiful settings. Sophia is a housewife with cute fat Italian kids, and on a day when Hitler's in Italy, the whole building goes to his parade. Her bird that talks gets away and she's intrigued by Marcello Mastroianni, the man across the way. Then I fell asleep. When I woke up he was telling her that he was a fairy and he couldn't get it up for women. Then I fell asleep again. When I woke up she was on top of him and they were making it but they had their clothes on. It was all mostly in one room. Then she's home and everybody comes back from the parade and she sees the light go out across the way and two guys have come to take him away and send him to, you know, Fire Island or someplace because that's where they sent his boyfriend.
Wednesday, September 21, 1977-New York-Columbus On the plane Richard Weisman said that Vitas Gerulaitis had just been to Columbus and staked out the best motel and the best girls to call.
As soon as we landed Richard called the girls' number and they arranged to meet at midnight in Richard's room. Then we went to the motel Vitas said to. It was almost a dump but it was okay, like every other motel, like being at a Holiday Inn, with a pool and everything.
As soon as we checked in there, we went to another motel, the one that Jack Nicklaus owned, to meet him.
We waited while he talked on the phone. He looked fat, but Richard said that he was once 280 and was now down to 180. He was very suntanned, but his eyes, around them, were white where his sungla.s.ses were, and his hands were tiny and white, he wears gloves on the course. His hair was blond, and he said something about needing a haircut, but I had the feeling that his hair was just the way it always looked, puffed just-so over the ears, like it was "coifed."
I started taking pictures but none of them were coming out good. It's so hard taking pictures of suntanned people because they come out so red. He was being friendly and Richard was trying to be friendly but somehow the situation was strained, he didn't understand what was going on. And I had my tape recorder with me and was taping, but when I sort of realized that he wouldn't understand that, I just quietly shut it off. Richard's secretary Claudia showed him pictures I'd done of Tom Seaver, Muhammad Ali, and Pele, but he still didn't really understand why we were there taking pictures of him. Richard had sent him a book showing my paintings but he didn't understand the style.
And then he got another phone call, and we were getting nervous and I took some more pictures and he didn't like any and we didn't like any. Not getting good pictures made things more and more awkward and finally he said, "Well, you know what you want-you don't tell me how to tee off on the green," and I felt more uncomfortable and everyone just wished we could leave. Then finally he liked one but it was just nothing, a front shot, and I didn't see any difference between the rest of them and that one, but he said he didn't want to be looking-what's the word? It's like c.o.c.ky, but it's a short word-he didn't want to look like that, and he thought this one made him look like a nice person. He talked about his wife and his kids.
Forgot to say that when I was taking the pictures, there wasn't a golf club around, they were all down on the course. He went around to some of the offices asking if anyone had clubs and finally came back with some that he said were just like his, and I didn't know that golf clubs have hats on them with drawstrings.
We ran out and dished the whole thing in the car and that's when it suddenly occurred to me that he actually had looked like he might be lonely and maybe we should have invited him out with us, but he hadn't suggested anything himself, and n.o.body just knew what to do, so nothing happened. We looked around for a place to have dinner. Fred and I wanted to go back to New York right after taking the pictures but the only flight out went to Atlanta first.
We saw a building with about twenty floors and there was a restaurant at the top that moved around in a circle. We decided not to go to that, and then decided that we would go there after all. It had some name like River House. It was next to a Howard Johnson's. We went up in the elevator and sat down in the restaurant, and it began to revolve. There were ladies there playing harps.
Then we went back to Richard's room with him to wait for the girls that were coming at 12:00 and had tequila with him. When the girls called on the phone he asked them to bring some jeans and a T-s.h.i.+rt for Claudia, because they would
Claudia used to be an airline stewardess and I guess that's where Richard met her. She's very pretty and she's the best secretary. She just does everything.
The girls arrived and they looked like New York models, very tall and blonde and pretty and they were wearing the same kind of clothes, jeans and T-s.h.i.+rts.
One of the girls was more the hustler and she went after Richard. All they could talk about was Vitas so they called him in New York. The clothes they brought for Claudia fit perfectly.
Fred and I went to our rooms. They were big and clean and everything, but you'd wake up every half-hour because of the air conditioning. I slept in my clothes because I knew there was a six o'clock wake-up call.
Thursday, September 22, 1977-Columbus-New York Valentino was at the office for lunch. Barbara Allen and Joe Eula were interviewing him. Suzie brought Paige Rense who said, "I might as well ask you right now and get it over with-can I do a story on you in Architectural Digest" Architectural Digest" I said no, and she said, "Okay, I accept that," but still she offered to show me a good time in Los Angeles when I went. She said she fell asleep with her soft contacts in and ruined her eyes for a while, and she can't find her gla.s.ses. Joel Grey's daughter Jennifer was there, too. When Valentino heard I was going up later to interview Sophia Loren he said that she was the stingiest person, that she went to his place and wanted a 70 percent discount and he said goodbye. I said no, and she said, "Okay, I accept that," but still she offered to show me a good time in Los Angeles when I went. She said she fell asleep with her soft contacts in and ruined her eyes for a while, and she can't find her gla.s.ses. Joel Grey's daughter Jennifer was there, too. When Valentino heard I was going up later to interview Sophia Loren he said that she was the stingiest person, that she went to his place and wanted a 70 percent discount and he said goodbye.
Cabbed up to the Pierre with Victor and Robert Hayes in rush hour ($4). Went to the thirty-sixth floor to see Sophia. On the way in the cab I warned Victor everything he shouldn't talk about, like that we were suing her husband.
John Springer met us. Sophia came out looking beautiful. Then she kept telling us how poor she was, it was so ridiculous. Like we asked her if she wore Valentino clothes and she said oh no, that they were much too expensive for her, and she said she wouldn't be able to afford to stay at a place like the Pierre herself-that the movie people were paying for it. Like she didn't mention that she could have stayed right down the street in her own apartment in the Hamps.h.i.+re House. But Victor was fun, he opened champagne and said he saw all her movies in Venezuela when he was a baby. I'd told Victor he couldn't say any dirty words, because when we went to Carlo Ponti's villa in Rome a few years ago they told us that Sophia didn't allow any dirty words in her house and that we'd get kicked out if we said any. Well, the running thing while we were at the Pierre, it turned out, was that Sophia kept saying "f.u.c.k." She and Marcello Mastroianni are on the front page of the Post Post for being on the new d.i.c.k Cavett interview show on channel 13 and Marcello said, "You have to f.u.c.k a lot," when d.i.c.k asked him how do you be a Latin Lover. Sophia seemed to think that was so "cute," so she was repeating it. After about an hour she wanted to get rid of us, and we ran out. for being on the new d.i.c.k Cavett interview show on channel 13 and Marcello said, "You have to f.u.c.k a lot," when d.i.c.k asked him how do you be a Latin Lover. Sophia seemed to think that was so "cute," so she was repeating it. After about an hour she wanted to get rid of us, and we ran out.
Friday, September 23, 1977 Another cousin of Catherine's was in town, Evgenia something, a Guinness, and she came by to get a copy of the issue of Interview Interview that has Erskine as an "Interman." I asked her what she was doing in town and she said she'd come "for a funeral," and I asked who died and she said her stepfather, Robert Lowell. He'd just come in from Ireland and got a cab at the airport and had a heart attack. He was sixty-one. I guess he was the number-one poet since W.H. Auden died. that has Erskine as an "Interman." I asked her what she was doing in town and she said she'd come "for a funeral," and I asked who died and she said her stepfather, Robert Lowell. He'd just come in from Ireland and got a cab at the airport and had a heart attack. He was sixty-one. I guess he was the number-one poet since W.H. Auden died.
Sunday, September 25, 1977 Had a bad night. Woke up at 6:00, fell back asleep, up again at 8:00 and 9:00, turned on the TV and watched all the cartoons. Archie and Amos were still away, they'd gone out to Montauk with Jed-we're still trying to rent the place.
Diana Vreeland called and said someone should talk to Fred about his drinking problem, to tell him he's so attractive but that when he's drunk he's so unattractive.
Stevie Rubell called and said he had tickets to the Lillian Carter dinner at the Waldorf. I had to get into black tie again but the bottoms always itch so much, that's why I wear bluejeans usually with the black-tie top. But tonight I innovated something, I put the black pants on over my bluejeans and it didn't really look lumpy, it worked, so I walked out of the house in two pairs of pants at 6:15. Cabbed to the Waldorf ($2.50). When I got there Stevie was nowhere around.
A boy took me to a small room on the side where there was a reception for Miz Lillian. She was wearing a blue sort-of-nightie and she was really thrilled to see me, she loved the pictures I'd done of her, and she invited me to the party in her room afterwards. She told me it was 7-N. Finally Stevie came in, he'd just had a joint, he said, because these things made him so nervous. He said he'd never been with so many other Jews before. It was the Synagogues of America- something like that-giving a medal to her.
Then we went into the big room. I was at table 3. There were about thirty-five Jews on stage. The Edgar Bronfman guy-the kidnappee's father-paid for the dinner. He talked very cla.s.sy- if you closed your eyes you thought it was d.i.c.k Cavett-and he was the only one who had a pretty young wife who didn't look Jewish. Andrew Young came over and shook my hand, he looks like a butch Johnny Mathis. Then we had gefilte fish, and it was a dairy dinner. While we ate they gave speeches and they sang "G.o.d Bless America" in English and Jewish. The cantor had a very good voice. It went on for hours. Andrew Young gave a speech about the United Nations and freedom. The food looked like airplane food. The best line of the evening was when Miss Lillian said, "I've never met so many Jews in my life. I must tell Jimmy." Everyone was so shocked they laughed. She was good, nervous. There were autographed copies of her book Away From Home Away From Home at every place and I stole an extra one because Richard Kiley hadn't shown up. at every place and I stole an extra one because Richard Kiley hadn't shown up.
So Stevie and I left the Waldorf and went out to look for his car, parked on Lexington. A $30,000 Mercedes. He says it's his only big enjoyment in life, having a car and parking wherever he wants to, spending money on parking tickets. He said he has money in s...o...b..xes. He says we should go around to discos together because he has to pick up boys to work at Studio 54.
Bob Weiner is doing his first big story for New York New York and it's on Stevie and Studio 54. Bob Weiner seems like he's in love with Stevie. and it's on Stevie and Studio 54. Bob Weiner seems like he's in love with Stevie. (laughs) (laughs) Deeply. Bob used to be so straight, producing Broadway plays and then around '69 he became a hippie type and started listening to rock and roll and writing for that dirty newspaper that was like Deeply. Bob used to be so straight, producing Broadway plays and then around '69 he became a hippie type and started listening to rock and roll and writing for that dirty newspaper that was like Screw Screw.
At the party at The Ginger Man for the opening of the New York Film Festival, Leticia Kent was there and John Springer who gave the party, and Marcello Mastroianni and Gerard Depardieu who looked wonderful. He asked me for a French cigarette and I told him I didn't have one but that I could get him a Quaalude, so I went over to Stevie and he gave me one to take and I broke it into fourths and then didn't take it. But Stevie kept saying, "You didn't take your Quaalude." They don't forget-people on drugs really do remember. So I let him see me taking part of it.
Then I saw Howard Smith from the Voice Voice so I went over to say h.e.l.lo. Howard's been writing letters to Valerie Solanis, that's the latest thing, he must have run into her in the Village. He told me he was sorry he'd started that, that he doesn't know how people that crazy are out in the streets. I told him maybe it was because she worked for the CIA. so I went over to say h.e.l.lo. Howard's been writing letters to Valerie Solanis, that's the latest thing, he must have run into her in the Village. He told me he was sorry he'd started that, that he doesn't know how people that crazy are out in the streets. I told him maybe it was because she worked for the CIA.
Stevie wanted to go to the Village to the clubs, he wants to open one down there. The first place we went to was the c.o.c.k Ring. The area has changed, they got rid of the back rooms and the bars are really crowded. Stevie is Mr. Big down there, he recruits all his waiters from there. Right before we went into the c.o.c.k Ring I took my outer black formal pants off and went in my jeans underneath. It was jammed with cute kids dancing.
Then Stevie gets bored right away everywhere and wants to leave. Went to 12 West and I wouldn't dance, so Stevie danced with a pillow. He kept getting poppers and putting them under my nose. Bob Weiner saw Stevie holding the poppers and me sniffing and went out to the car. Later he said that his whole clean innocent image of me was blown, that there I was on Quaaludes, taking poppers and drinking. I said, "Did you actually see see me take a Quaalude?" Then I showed him the bits of the Quaalude still in my pocket and I informed him that I hadn't been inhaling when Stevie put the poppers under my nose. Then he said okay, but that I was me take a Quaalude?" Then I showed him the bits of the Quaalude still in my pocket and I informed him that I hadn't been inhaling when Stevie put the poppers under my nose. Then he said okay, but that I was drinking drinking, and I said, "I always always drink." drink."
Then to the Anvil for a minute. There was a colored guy at the door who didn't want to let Stevie in, he started screaming that Stevie hadn't let him into Studio 54 and who did he think he was now, trying to get into the Anvil, but then he saw me and he waved me in, and he finally let Stevie in, too, but he made him pay. Upstairs there was "entertainment." It was a drag queen. Richard Bernstein was there, he told me that Valentino had ordered forty portraits from him, then only took two. Remember, he's the one who called Sophia Loren the cheapest person in the world for wanting a 70 percent discount! A part of the show that I did think was funny was a boy taking off fifty pairs of jockey shorts.
Stevie said he had to get up at 8:00 because the restaurant meatman comes on Monday mornings and he has to pick out the meat. He lives in a new building on 55th Street. We got into the car and Stevie dropped me home and I kissed him in front of Bob Weiner so that Bob would have something else to write about. That was around 5:00.
Tuesday, September 27, 1977 Ahmet Ertegun called and invited me to a testimonial dinner for Pele that evening. I spent the rest of the day calling people to be my date but n.o.body wanted to go. Dropped off Vincent and Catherine (cab $4). Changed, then took a cab to the Plaza ($2). Met Howard Cosell and his wife and was surprised he was so tall. I liked him, he was fun.
My portrait of Pele was going to be presented. Pele's mother and father were there and they were cute, and his wife, who was white, but everybody in South America is all different colors- his parents were different colors, too. After the dinner we went over to P.J. Clarke's ($2.50). Tucker Frederickson, the football player that I like so much, was there. He's so adorable I kept telling him he should do more TV, but he said he didn't want to. Had a bowl of chili.
Thursday, September 29, 1977 Talked to Fred. We were arranging to go up to meet Nenna Eberstadt who worked at our office all summer for lunch at her school uptown on 83rd Street-Brearley.
Before I left the house I happened to talk on the phone to David Whitney. David said he hadn't even started on the Jasper Johns show. Then he told me something that scared me when I heard it, and scared me even more as the day went on. He said that when Rauschenberg was down in Texas for a show, all the art people were on a chic art-people charter bus and it stopped at a gas station and the men's room was locked so Rauschenberg peed on the side of the bus and two Texas Rangers appeared and arrested him and took him to jail! I mean if you're walking along the street in New York, what if you really have to pee or s.h.i.+t? What do you do? Do you have to do it in your pants? Will they arrest you if you do it in the street? And if you can prove that you really had to go, will they let you go but will you have a criminal record? I guess you have to do it in your pants.
Cabbed up to Brearley with Bob and Fred. Left from the office so I took a stack of Interviews Interviews up with me. When we got to 83rd and First Avenue (cab $5) we walked in and left the magazines at the front for the girls to take. I forgot that this wasn't all a high-school-age place. I was just thinking that all the girls were older, like Nenna. Well, Nenna came to meet us and she looked like she was suddenly ten years old! I couldn't believe it! In a little black uniform and one of those skirts, you know that's short, like-what's the name? Like the ladies wore in the sixties... a miniskirt. And her friend was in a uniform, too, a very beautiful girl who also looked ten years old. And Fred told us a secret, that Mick Jagger had called Nenna and Freddy Eberstadt answered and started screaming at him, "How dare you call a young girl like my daughter? You, an older man of forty!" Mick took offense and said "I am not forty. I'm thirty-four. And Nenna goes out with Mr. Fred Hughes, who is also thirty-four. And besides, up with me. When we got to 83rd and First Avenue (cab $5) we walked in and left the magazines at the front for the girls to take. I forgot that this wasn't all a high-school-age place. I was just thinking that all the girls were older, like Nenna. Well, Nenna came to meet us and she looked like she was suddenly ten years old! I couldn't believe it! In a little black uniform and one of those skirts, you know that's short, like-what's the name? Like the ladies wore in the sixties... a miniskirt. And her friend was in a uniform, too, a very beautiful girl who also looked ten years old. And Fred told us a secret, that Mick Jagger had called Nenna and Freddy Eberstadt answered and started screaming at him, "How dare you call a young girl like my daughter? You, an older man of forty!" Mick took offense and said "I am not forty. I'm thirty-four. And Nenna goes out with Mr. Fred Hughes, who is also thirty-four. And besides, I I don't go around ringing people's doorbells at 4:00 in the morning." Which was a reference to Freddy Eberstadt ringing Mick's doorbell at that hour looking for Nenna. don't go around ringing people's doorbells at 4:00 in the morning." Which was a reference to Freddy Eberstadt ringing Mick's doorbell at that hour looking for Nenna.
As I looked around at how young the girls were, all I could think about was the Interviews Interviews upstairs and about Rauschenberg getting arrested in Texas and about Roman Polanski, how the poor guy could make a mistake because these young girls could be as young or as old as they wanted to look. upstairs and about Rauschenberg getting arrested in Texas and about Roman Polanski, how the poor guy could make a mistake because these young girls could be as young or as old as they wanted to look.
Tina Radziwill was there at Brearley, too. She's changed a lot since that summer Lee rented Montauk. She has so many pimples now. I mean, you'd think they would have found a way to cure pimples. If a girl like Tina who can spend all the money in the world to get rid of pimples can't get rid of them, then there's no hope for me.
Nenna introduced us to another one of her girlfriends and she looked forty! She had t.i.ts so so big and an a.s.s big and an a.s.s so so big. She was white, but there were a couple of coloreds around the school, too. Then they gave us a terrible tour of the library and the gym and where the twelve-year-olds eat. All I could think of was the magazines with maybe nude photos in them. I had Bob run upstairs to take them back, but they were gone. I told Nenna she just had to tell the headmistress that we'd just left them there meaning to pick them up on the way out and she said she'd try to fix it. Cabbed back to the office ($5). big. She was white, but there were a couple of coloreds around the school, too. Then they gave us a terrible tour of the library and the gym and where the twelve-year-olds eat. All I could think of was the magazines with maybe nude photos in them. I had Bob run upstairs to take them back, but they were gone. I told Nenna she just had to tell the headmistress that we'd just left them there meaning to pick them up on the way out and she said she'd try to fix it. Cabbed back to the office ($5).
Mick arrived twenty minutes late in a really good mood-I was photographing the Stones. Then everybody started arriving-Ron Wood and Earl McGrath and Keith Richards who I think is just the most adorable person, I love him. I told him I was the first person to meet his wife, Anita Pallenberg. In the sixties.
Richard Weisman was sending down tickets to a party for Ali, if Ali won his fight with Shavers.
Suzie Frankfurt called. She's been seeing Sam Green all the time and I said to her, "Do you think that Sam Green doesn't talk about you?" She said, "No, Sam loves loves me." I said, "You mean you think he doesn't go all over town repeating to everybody what you say?" She said, "But he doesn't talk about me." I said, "You mean you think he doesn't go all over town repeating to everybody what you say?" She said, "But he doesn't talk about you.'1 you.'1 I said "Yes, and that is because I never never I said "Yes, and that is because I never never tell tell him anything." him anything."
Dropped off Catherine and Peter Marino. Peter and Catherine got friendly in Montauk. I can't figure Peter out, he's nutty. I told him how he owed his whole life and architecture career to us-how we gave him his first job-took him out of his business knickers and gave him his long pants and he said that well now he was in Armani suits and that we sure didn't put him in those those. He was funny (cab $4).
Changed at home. Ate some of Archie's food then started walking up to 730 Park Avenue to a dinner for a Swiss guy who's in town, who said he's been dying to meet me. After dinner I went down to 66th Street to wait for my date, Kevin Goodspeed, who I'd met at Studio 54. He's big and he's like my old crush from the sixties, Rodney La Rod, and at first I thought he'd be a good bodyguard until later in the evening when somebody stepped on his camera and beat him up.
Cabbed to the party for Muhammad Ali at the Americana ($2.50). It was one of those parties where you're Waiting for Nothing. Ali never came, they said he was too badly hurt in the fight. But one great thing happened. I met a black lady boxer. She invited me to go see her box.
Then Richard Weisman wanted to go dancing so we went over to Studio 54. Walked. Stevie Ru-bell is madly in love with me. And Victor was there and got jealous of my date Kevin. Victor was wearing "punk pants" and they had a normal fly that was zipped and everything but at the bottom of the zipper was a hole for his c.o.c.k to hang through, and you didn't even notice it at first, everything looked like it was in order. He was also wearing a sequined Halston bandanna like the kind he gave me. Then Kevin and I went down to Kevin's neighborhood on Third Avenue in the 30s to Sarge's, the all-night coffee shop, and after we had coffee I left him with some people he knew there. It's supposed to be the best coffee shop (breakfast $10). When I got out on the street a kid in a Mercedes pulled up and said he used to live on my block on 66th Street. I made him describe the street and he did know it so I got into the car and he dropped me off. By then it was 5 A.M A.M.
Friday, September 30, 1977 The nightlife is running me down, I can't even drag myself up on the pillow. And I'm still worried about getting arrested for leaving the Interviews Interviews up at Nenna's school. What if there was a naked picture in that issue? I'm afraid to look. They only arrest the publisher. I'm the publisher, Fred's the president. Oh G.o.d. I don't want to think about it. What was Larry Flynt when they arrested him? The publisher? Why don't they arrest the president-or the up at Nenna's school. What if there was a naked picture in that issue? I'm afraid to look. They only arrest the publisher. I'm the publisher, Fred's the president. Oh G.o.d. I don't want to think about it. What was Larry Flynt when they arrested him? The publisher? Why don't they arrest the president-or the editor? editor? Bob could just write his "Out" column from jail. It would be a new scene for him to cover. Bob could just write his "Out" column from jail. It would be a new scene for him to cover.
And speaking of scenes, Steve Aronson read PH's first draft of Popism Popism and said he will edit it for us, after all-that it needs work but that it's fascinating because it's a scene that hasn't been shown yet. and said he will edit it for us, after all-that it needs work but that it's fascinating because it's a scene that hasn't been shown yet.
Paul Jenkins came to the office. He's a painter who puts paint on canvas and lets it roll, and his work is like somebody else's but he does it well. I think he's interested in a portrait. He's with the rich du Pont girl, Joanne.
Sat.u.r.day, October 1, 1977 Went to the bus at Rockefeller Center to go out to see the Cosmos soccer team play (cab $3). The bus was loading with Nan Kempner and Jerry Zipkin and related types. The White House people, Tom Beard and Joel McCleary, were getting into a limo and invited me into that. The Carter son who isn't married was supposed to be coming, that's why the limo, but he didn't come.
In about forty-five minutes we were out in Jersey at the stadium club. We got the VIP treatment, up to have brunch and b.l.o.o.d.y marys. Robert Redford and Muhammad Ali were there. Also Gordon Lightfoot and Albert Grossman, who used to manage Dylan. He told me again that he he has my silver Elvis, but I don't understand that, because I gave it to Dylan, so how would Grossman get it? has my silver Elvis, but I don't understand that, because I gave it to Dylan, so how would Grossman get it?
Kissinger was there waving his hands around like the pope. There were lots of Secret Service around. Then at 1:30 they made them go out to the game.
I went over to Muhammad Ali and said hi, but he looked at me blankly, he didn't seem to know who I was or remember that he met me down at his training camp in Pennsylvania. His people who tell him who's who and what's what weren't around and he was just alone, eating, so I got embarra.s.sed and backed away.
In the stands I sat next to Robert Redford's two kids, about twelve and thirteen. Everybody said this was the first time Redford was out in public letting himself be photographed. There were empty seats all around me where the Carter kid was supposed to be but he never showed. Muhammad Ali was in front of me and they'd put the Carter kid next to him. Ali's wife and kid were there, too. Elaine of Elaine's was there, too, she told me she was on a high-protein diet. But later I saw her stuffing herself with rolls.
Pele played on one side and then on the other side. When it started to rain, they pa.s.sed out raincoats to the VIPs and it was nice in the rain, it made it more exciting. Seventy-five thousand people there. The parks commissioner invited Ali into his gla.s.s box so he wouldn't get wet. When we were getting really soaked we jumped into somebody's box and the little girl in it said her father owned the Giants.
Kissinger shook my hand, but he shook everybody's. The men from Ali's Pennsylvania camp recognized me and asked if I'd talked to Ali and I lied and said no.
Monday, October 3, 1977 Went to see Dr. Poster about my red eye and he said it was just a broken blood vessel, to put hot compresses on it. But I forgot to.
Catherine and I went over to Gleason's Gym to interview the girl boxer, Jackie Tonawanda (cab $2.60). Lots of good-looking fighters went by. I asked about how you can own a fighter and Jackie said it would cost mostly to pay her, because she would manage them, and that would be $150 a week, and then some more to rent a locker at Gleason's. Catherine fell in love with a 6' 5" black fighter who was jumping rope. I tried to get her interested in a cute Irish kid but she said he was too ordinary-looking. Jackie wasn't too good an interview because I'd mentioned something about a movie and that was all she would keep bringing up. She's ready to go to j.a.pan and fight a 6'3" j.a.panese-Irish girl.
Then we cabbed up to the William Morris Agency ($3). We went up to the thirty-third floor. A guy there, Steve Pincus, had been calling the office a lot wanting me to come over and talk to them about representing me. The meeting was fun, he had other guys in there and they were telling me they'd get me American Express TV commercials and Broadway shows and starring roles in movies, and Catherine got so impressed, and G.o.d it was so boring, you'd think I hadn't heard all this for years, going up to William Morris and then after the Big Meeting, nothing happens. But I enjoyed going there. They were all married but they looked like closet queens. Catherine told me not to call her a "rich b.i.t.c.h" because it was undignified. So now I finally know what to call her.
At dinner at Peter Luger's Steakhouse I told Diane de Beauvau who was with her boyfriend Pierre that when I was leaving the house it was on the radio or the TV that a five-year-old Patino girl had been kidnapped. Diane burst out crying hysterically and everybody turned on me and said I'd spoiled the party. Stevie went to the phone and called the wire services to get the story, and it was only a distant distant relative. But Diane was still hysterical, and they were saying, "To cry is a good thing, it brings out feeling," and in the middle of all this the cute Irish waiter came over and told me that he had an Art Deco radio in his room-that he knew I collected them. relative. But Diane was still hysterical, and they were saying, "To cry is a good thing, it brings out feeling," and in the middle of all this the cute Irish waiter came over and told me that he had an Art Deco radio in his room-that he knew I collected them.
Timothy Leary told about how in the early seventies Diane had chased him around Switzerland and sent him notes and letters and he said that it was actually Diane carrying on like that that got him locked up. He told me I was one of his most favorite people of always. Bob Weiner was there, still researching his article on Steve, and I'm sure it's going to be so bad because 1) it's him him writing it and 2) he didn't pay any attention at dinner while all these great things were happening and with all these great people together-he said it was "boring." And every time Stevie would pick up a boy Bob would turn the other way. And then Stevie started rus.h.i.+ng everybody-that's all he likes to do is rush to get someplace and then rush to leave. But Tim told him that for years-in prison-he'd been rushed and told what to do, and he wasn't going to rush anymore. writing it and 2) he didn't pay any attention at dinner while all these great things were happening and with all these great people together-he said it was "boring." And every time Stevie would pick up a boy Bob would turn the other way. And then Stevie started rus.h.i.+ng everybody-that's all he likes to do is rush to get someplace and then rush to leave. But Tim told him that for years-in prison-he'd been rushed and told what to do, and he wasn't going to rush anymore.
Then we went to Elaine's. Stevie was too zonked to drive, so Diane's boyfriend, Pierre, drove. First we had to stop at Stevie's house and he went in to get more Quaaludes or poppers or something, I think. Margaux Hemingway was with us. Her marriage to the Wetson hamburger guy is splitting up and Tim was after her, I guess. Then Stevie wanted to go to the Barefoot Boy and the Gilded Grape.
Tuesday, October 4, 1977 Lady Isabella Lambton, Ann's sister, is now answering the phones at the office while our receptionist Laura goes to Berlitz to finally learn English.
After a benefit fas.h.i.+on show of Madame Gres, went up to Diane de Beauvau's new showroom to see her first collection. I had to start lying immediately and tell her it was all great, but especially after seeing all those beautiful Madame Gres and all the Halstons, her stuff just looked so bad. She acts like a businesswoman-she doesn't take much c.o.ke in the day-but I don't know, I think it's going to be a disaster.
At dinner later at Quo Vadis, Tim Leary was really sweet, he talked some more for the tape about how Diane writing him those love letters and taking acid when she was fourteen got him in jail in Switzerland. He said the jails in Geneva can be like a good hotel-if you pay them they bring you pastries on a tray. And I can't believe it, he remembers each time he ever saw me in the sixties and then in St. Moritz-what I was wearing, everything-and I didn't even know at the time that he would be noticing. Like when we went to his lecture and light-show things in the East Village. He said that if he had it to do all over again he wished he were with the Velvet Underground because they did so much and were really creative.
I just think he's so intelligent. He probably really was with the CIA, because he was the the one at Harvard, and now they're showing that the government was using LSD so far back, and Tim was the master, and when you're a master they do approach you. one at Harvard, and now they're showing that the government was using LSD so far back, and Tim was the master, and when you're a master they do approach you.
Diane de Beauvau and Pierre were on a couch arguing. She wanted him to think she was in love with Tim Leary and that they'd had a romance, so to do that she made a point of telling Pierre that there was absolutely nothing going on, that she wasn't wasn't in love with Tim. So then he had to do the thing of caring because that was how she would be happy. in love with Tim. So then he had to do the thing of caring because that was how she would be happy.
Thursday, October 6, 1977 Woke up with a sore throat and I think it's from kissing all those funny girls who come running over to me. I never used to do that, but they're just there and you don't want to be rude.
I just love all the boys at Studio 54. They're like Rodney La Rod was in the sixties-all jangling nerves and they're all hustlers and they (laughs) (laughs) prey on movie producers, they want to be famous and they can't wait. prey on movie producers, they want to be famous and they can't wait.
Friday, October 7, 1977 I was invited to see the Four Seasons in their goodbye concert at Radio City. They thanked the original producer, Bob Crewe, which is how I knew them in the sixties. Frankie Valli came over after the concert to say h.e.l.lo, I'd given my program over to be autographed by him, and he said that Bob Crewe had been hit by a car in California and that he might lose his leg and that I should give him a call because he was really down. I always thought that Frankie cared so much about Bob, but then he didn't seem too upset. He was concerned, but not as concerned as I would have thought.