The Andy Warhol Diaries

by Andy Warhol

  So we got to Radio City and it was just the biggest mob there, but the TV cameras had already left so Keith was really upset.

  My date last year was Maura Moynihan. She’s in India for eight months now. She’s got an Indian boyfriend and Sam Green said she’s wearing saris and bending low—it sounds awful.

  Eddie Murphy’s act was cute, he said “piss” and “shit” a lot and he went to the ladies’ room and picked up a girl, and then went outside and got a guest host. You know, the Letterman man-in-the-street thing, the old Steve Allen thing. But it was boring. It wasn’t young enough.

  Then it was over and we were starved. We went down to the Odeon. But Keith wanted to go right to the Palladium because he didn’t want to miss the stars, he wanted to see Cher again. So we got to the Odeon and he was immediately wanting to leave. He said he wasn’t hungry, he said, “I’ve already eaten,” but we knew he hadn’t, because we’d all been together not eating for hours. I mean, I like Keith, but it was so sick. Dinner was cheap, I guess because nobody drank ($135).

  Then we went in the limo to the Palladium. Stayed an hour or two. The only person I saw was David Lee Roth.

  Saturday,September 14, 1985

  One of those abstract days you just want to block out. Worked until 7:00. Called Jean Michel and said I’d pick him up and did.

  Went over to the Tony Shafrazi Gallery (cab $5) and it was wall to wall. They had a Danceteria doorman. They walked you in and walked you out. Gerard Malanga asked me for my autograph. Taylor Mead was there. René Ricard. The paintings looked really great, everyone seemed to like them. Iman was on the scene, she’s broken up with her husband. Tony had people downstairs for champagne, but it was the same old people and the same old talk. My dates were two stores— Lee from Matsuda and Philip from Fiorucci plus Benjamin. Talked to Madelaine Netter who was in running clothes. Fred had Sabrina Guinness bring David Lee Roth.

  I was wearing the Stefano jacket with Jean Michel’s picture painted on the back, but I’ve decided I can’t wear odd things, I look like a weirdo. I’m going to stay in basic black.

  Monday,September 16, 1985

  Fred’s going off to L.A. because the building on Doheny fell through, they couldn’t get the zoning changed. And the new issue of Interview came out with the Schwarzenegger cover which I love, it has the comic-book look. And the whole issue I like. It looks the way Vanity Fair should look. Just the right amount of odd things.

  Laura Ashley died, after falling down her daughter’s stone steps. But she never advertised. I was just thinking about these English people who just take take take and never do anything for you. We never got a thing from Fred’s best friend, Lord Jermyn. But you know, those Mick Jagger prints that the Heskeths were going to dump on the market? It worked out well—we bought them back and now they’re the most popular after the Marilyns so that was a good thing.

  Paige had people for lunch and I was looking at their jewelry and thinking it was costume, and they were telling me how much it was, and I was saying (laughs), “Gee, that’s like what the real stuff costs.” And actually it was real.

  And Gael took the Jewish holiday off although she’s told me she’s Catholic and then once she said Episcopalian.

  Tuesday,September 17, 1985

  Benjamin and I went to Sotheby’s to see the big Indian show. Millions of things. I missed Kenny Lane’s lunch for Jackie O., some maharani’s in town and Jackie did the India book. It was a busy day.

  Worked till 7:30, was late.

  Went down to Pier 17 for a party where all the rock and roll kids were going to be (cab $7). This new, huge restaurant on the water, a whole block long. The party was just sort of ending. Jellybean was leaving. Matt Dillon was drunk with his friends, and he showed off for them, “Hiii, Andy,” and was shaking my hand and gave me a big manful feel around the shoulder. And then he sort of gave me a kiss.

  Wednesday,September 18, 1985

  Benjamin and I walked out and there was my bodyguard, Matty. I handed him a dollar and told him to beat it, but he didn’t, he stayed with me. And he’s skinnier and dirtier and he had a sore leg and was limping, so that was sad—he’s been walking the streets too much. And then I went to Dr. Bernsohn’s.

  I was in there a long time finding out about the ghost they were throwing out. Judy the secretary wouldn’t come in for three days and then she did and caught Dr. Bernsohn crying because the force was so strong. And they said he shouldn’t have called the ghost because he’s Jewish, that Judy should have done it because she’s Catholic and more easygoing, and it’s different than if they were telling you some phony stuff. I mean, why would they make this kind of stuff up? It must be real. So I left there. And Matty was still waiting.

  I told Matty he should go to museums and auctions and be learning things. He should get a job at one of these places and stop being on the outside and he had a long answer for that—something about being in a plane and zeroing in on Madison Avenue and killing the Jews. He was talking about that a lot. The thing is, we have the same life. We go to all the same places. He kept saying how attractive I am. But all I’m attracting is him (magazines and newspapers $4).

  And the Campbell Soup Company hated the painting they commissioned. It turns out they wanted exactly what they’d said—a painting of their new box. I’d tried to do something clever and make it more, but they hated it and now I have to do it over again.

  And the horrible news of the day was that finally after not hearing from Sandy Gallin about the Dolly Parton portraits, I called, and the secretary got on and said, “Ohhh, Sandy’s soooo embarrassed,” and saying that it just doesn’t look like my art. Sandy just doesn’t like the pictures, she said. And after fifteen minutes, she popped the question of could he get his $10,000 back. And I said, “Well, sure, you know but doesn’t he want me to do it again!” She said they’d thought it would be more colorful, more Pop. But I mean, I should have known, because it all started out so strange, with Dolly calling and saying that she was the one who wanted to buy it-as a gift for Sandy-and then that was just so they could get a better price, I guess, because when I said, “Well, I’d like to give you one, Dolly, for being so nice to Sandy to give these to him,” they called back and said, “Well, since you were going to give a free one, why not just knock down the price instead?” You know? Hollywood. Well, I’ve learned things. Next time I’m going to make them work for it, like come in and see if they like the pictures and everything every single step of the way-make them work hard. Oh, and then they even said that I could try to sell it. They said they’d give “permission.” So that was horrible.

  Thursday, September 19, 1985

  It was a busy day at the office. Fred was meeting with Bruno. Rupert had an idea to stretch canvas over a box for the Campbell’s thing. Left early, saw the dog doctor (cab $6).

  And I missed Paige’s opening for her Mexican artist. This is the second try and poor Paige, just as it was happening they get word about the Mexican earthquake which was really bad—maybe a 7.8. This kid has no luck, this artist.

  Jean Michel picked me up in a limo and we went to Rockefeller Center to a party that this Steven Greenberg guy was giving in his office which is two floors above the Rainbow Room. Two terraces, and the art was worth around $10 million. This Greenberg—he has a white pageboy hairdo—is the one who got me the live demonstration job with the Commodore computer at Lincoln Center. The Debbie Harry thing. He’s an investor, I guess. Someone said he gives business advice to companies and takes stock as payment. He also got Clive Davis to use us. And there were so many young kids, just great. Beautiful makeup, androgynous boys, just beautiful. Downtown kids. And I was just thinking if only the Rainbow Room could get revitalized, it would be so great.

  On the way to Area we decided to go to Odeon. When we were at Odeon I asked for the paper, and there in Friday’s Times I saw a big headline: “Basquiat and Warhol in Pas de Deux.” And I just read one line-that Jean Michel was my “mascot.” Oh God.

  Fri
day,September 20, 1985

  I had my opening at Leo Castelli’s to go to, of the Reigning Queens portfolio that I just hate George Mulder for showing here in America. They were supposed to be only for Europe—nobody here cares about royalty and it’ll just be another bad review. And I told Jean Michel not to come to this. I asked him if he was mad at me for that review where he got called my mascot, and he said no.

  Sunday,September 22, 1985

  Went to church. I always go for five minutes. Ten or five minutes. It’s so empty, but sometimes there’s a wedding. Then cabbed down to Sixth Avenue and 26th Street to the flea market (cab $6). It was such a pretty day. You can still get Fiestaware cheap. It never went anywhere, I guess.

  Monday,September 23, 1985

  Benjamin passed out Interviews while I saw Dr. Li. She told me she’d talked to Jon Gould and that he said he had a $100 million production deal—that that South African crystal guy is giving him $50 million and that Paramount will match it.

  Got a note from Sandy Gallin saying, “Thanks for being so patient.” And I have no idea what that means.

  And Fred doesn’t want me spoiling his new secretary from Newport, Sam Bolton, by taking him places, but he’s a good kid to go around to movies with.

  Tuesday,September 24, 1985

  The Campbell’s soup people loved the painting—the pink one of the soup box.

  I had a message to call Sandy Gallin’s secretary at home, so I did, and she was so bright and asking me if I got the flowers—they were the smallest orchids ever—and being so up and everything and I just wanted to say, “Oh cut it out and give me the real story.” But I know she was just doing her job and didn’t really want to do it and she kept bubbling and gave her fake speech and asked for his money back. I said well sure I’d send it to him.

  Fred enjoys confronting people sometimes so maybe he should do this, and then I can still stay a nice guy. I mean, what was all that about, having me rush rush rush the job and everything? And so after that I had some chocolate and watched TV and fell asleep.

  Friday,September 27, 1985

  Watched Hurricane Gloria all morning on TV because there was nothing else to watch. For some reason they decided to cancel the Today Show and everything to bring constant storm updates and they made it sound so horrible. But then it never really hit New York.

  Sunday,September 29, 1985

  The sun was really hot, I may have gotten sunburn. Went to 86th and Third, to Doyle’s for the joint auction of Louis Armstrong’s stuff and James Beard’s. It was weird, the two different lives put together and every little whisk and pot and piece of sheet music was for sale, with people hovering over them. I’m surprised they don’t do it right there in the apartments. Bought two catalogues ($20).

  Monday,September 30, 1985

  Nobody cared about me yesterday. I was in the same spots looking the same way, but where I was mobbed before, nobody cared. It’s funny, what makes some days different (newspapers $2, phone $1)?

  Thursday, October 3, 1985

  Ohhh, why do we have to get old? The Enquirer article that Frank Sinatra is suing over said that when he gets up in the morning he’s so worried about aging that he asks his wife Barbara, “How do I look today?” Oh, Frankie. I remember when I walked all the way into Pittsburgh to see him to see what all the girls were swooning about, and there weren’t any girls there swooning. I went in and met this other kid to go see him sing with Tommy Dorsey. It was one of my first things that I did alone, going into town and seeing him.

  Went to the Whitney. I was there to “advertise” my Campbell’s Soup Box painting. And for all the work and publicity, I should’ve charged them like $250,000—I mean, they’re a huge company—instead of just the cost of a portrait. We must be getting desperate. Me standing there twenty years later and still with a Campbell’s soup thing, it felt like a New Yorker cartoon. And Rita Moreno was there, I guess she’s a spokesman for Campbell’s and they were treating me more important than her, saying they only wanted to photograph me, and she said, “But he asked me to be in the picture,” and they said, “We only want him.” Because it’s just that it’s a different category. It’s like when I’ve done the portrait of a big baseball player, they photograph him and I’m shoved aside.

  And I was so hurt—I saw Dolly Parton’s picture in the paper, she’s in town, she and Sandy Gallin went to a Broadway show, and they didn’t even call me. I haven’t gotten the real story of the portrait yet. I’ll get it out of Steve Rubell sometime when he’s drunk.

  All the headlines were that Rock Hudson died.

  Keith called to tell me that Grace Jones would be performing at the Garage at 4:00 in the morning. So how can I do that? Go to bed and get up early?

  Monday,October 7, 1985

  The woman in the stationery store said, “So you’re a TV star.” She must have read something that said I was going to be on The Love Boat this Saturday. Bought newspapers ($2). They had stories about Rock Hudson that said there were two baseball stars in his life and (laughs) forty truck drivers.

  Tuesday,October 8, 1985

  Paige and I decided that we would start having “blind-date dinners” because that’s a good way to meet new people and entertain advertisers at the same time. Tama Janowitz’s date will be Dr. Bernsohn, I think she could get material from him, and I’m lining up a Ford model for Paige.

  Steve Rubell called about the Dolly Parton/Sandy Gallin thing. He said that it was really Geffen who was getting the painting. He said that Dolly never saw the painting, and that she didn’t understand that it was going to be over the fireplace, but I said no, that she knew exactly where it was for because she was standing right there when Sandy showed me.

  I got a cab at 8:00 to pick Cornelia up. Went to Regine’s ($4) and I just had a light jacket and all these places have such strong air conditioning, it really is frightening (doorman $5, limo $25). It was a costume party and Anthony Quinn was there and Pelé and Lee Radziwill, and it was an old crowd.

  And Mariel Hemingway’s husband, Steve Crisman, was very friendly, so nice, and then he started being hip with me, like saying, “Give me two,” and doing the two fingers, and I said I didn’t know all that hip talk, and he said oh, that he didn’t really, either. He talked about the Mandrexes and going to India and that type of thing.

  Cornelia wanted to go to the Zulu Lounge so we left and went up there. Gael Love was sort of embarrassed because I saw her there dancing with that guy who’s big and acts butch who writes for the magazine. Somebody Bob discovered about five years ago—Chuck Pfeiffer. Someone said he’s married, but he’s never with a wife and he’s too—much, you know?

  Tama was with Gael and she said that her romance with Bob Guccione, Jr. hadn’t worked out, that he was supposed to take her to L.A. and didn’t.

  Wednesday,October 9, 1985

  The news was all about the boat trouble, the Achille Lauro seajacking in Egypt. And now probably everybody will be watching The Love Boat this week because of it, with my episode on it. So many people are telling me they’re planning to watch it.

  Gael came in and sighed and said she was trying so hard to find someone for Tama. Why is everyone so worried about Tama getting a new boyfriend? But blind date dinners are a fun idea. You find someone, they don’t even have to be any good, you just bring them and somebody may actually like them, you never know.

  And I killed a roach and it was a trauma. A very big trauma. I felt really terrible.

  So then it was time for the blind-date dinner. I was actually doing it because I want Tama to write about me in one of her stories, I want to get into them. And it’s a great new way to meet new crowds. Everybody brings a blind date for somebody else. I brought Dr. Bernsohn for Tama, and she’s funny, like a Jewish mother—she dressed in Chinese clothes because we were going to Mr. Chow’s and she had on crystal earrings so that the crystal doctor would look at them. But now I’m afraid she will write about Bernsohn and that he’ll get into trouble. Because see, using
crystals to heal and stuff isn’t really legit. Oh and the night before when Tama was standing next to Sylvia Miles, I just thought, give her twenty more years and shell be Sylvia—she’d had a few drinks and her hair was disheveled.

  And Tama is desperate—she said she got a phone call that was a wrong number but she made a date with the guy anyway. The guy was trying to call his ex-girlfriend who was getting married, and then after he talked to Tama, he did get the ex-girlfriend and he told her about what had happened, and now she’s coming on the date with Tama and him. This is how desperate people are (cab $5, dinner $350).

  And my guy, oh God, I just hated him from the start. The one they brought for me. It was this gay kid Paige had met the other night and he was a student at Columbia.

  I ran into Gerard, he works for the Parks Department now in the zoo building opposite 64th Street.

  And Dr. Bernsohn was interested in Paige at the beginning, because Tama looks like his mother, that type. I’ve met his mother. And the guy from the wrong number that Tama’s going to see is in the Egyptian delegation at the U.N., so you can imagine. They originally had a doctor for me, but he had to go on duty at the last minute. And my date went off to call his boyfriend. But it is fascinating to meet new people. Then the Ford model I got for Paige disappeared. But she was disappointed anyway, because he was an airhead, he could only talk model talk. And we ran into Holly Woodlawn who was celebrating her facelift—yes, she had one! She’s telling everyone. With all her problems, she got a facelift! She never did get a sex change, I don’t think. Paige dropped me off.