by Andy Warhol
My nephew Don and his friend David were around, working on the computer things at Interview. I don’t know if they really know what they’re doing or not. And then Donald says he’s not sure he wants to go into business with David, that he’s kind of hard to be with—I’m letting them stay in that apartment I own downtown on Hanover Square, the one Richard Weisman said was a good investment to buy when it went co—op.
Tuesday, September 23, 1986
Was picked up by Tony and we went over to the Animal Medical Center to see the specialist for the dogs. And they have to go back next week for a blood test. Went back downtown. Bought extra Time magazines ($6). With my Gotti cover, they picked a nice one for the cover, and it’s one of those weeks where Time and Newsweek actually have different covers.
Cabbed downtown ($6) and Sam had read my appointment book so he saw that I was having “dinner with Cher” and he immediately started talking to me again. I guess he actually does believe I’m seeing John Travolta and Diana Ross this week, too.
Wednesday, September 24, 1986
I hear Diane Keaton came to the office early one morning at 9:00 or 9:30 because she wanted to see the building. She wouldn’t come for lunch. Who does she think she is?
Worked till 8:00. Sam stayed on. Fred looked in the book and saw all the Diana Ross and Cher and Warren stuff and started to tell me that when I saw Warren to behave myself or something —he thought it was real, too—and I just cut him off. Sam must have told him about my “big week”—he still doesn’t know it’s all a joke. I regret doing it now because it’s all going to turn out to be cruel, because Wilfredo is laughing behind his hand about it and everybody at the office is in on the joke, watching Sam being nice to me, waiting to be invited to these dinners, and oh, I’ll just have to tell him that these dinners were all cancelled at the last minute or something.
Thursday, September 25, 1986
Calvin Klein got married to Kelly in Rome. Got to the office and Sam asked about my upcoming dinner that night with Warren and Cher and I just said I couldn’t make it and did he want to go to dinner and a movie and he accepted that. And nobody better tell him.
The Beverly Hills police detective in charge of the Ronnie Levin case called Interview looking for PH because he read her Don Johnson interview where Don talks about knowing Ronnie. So she gave him the names of two people he should talk to in L.A. to help prove that Ronnie isn’t still alive somewhere, which is what the “Billionaire Boys Club” kids who’re on trial for his murder are saying.
Called Keith to get Martin Burgoyne’s number. I said we really wanted Sean Penn for the cover and Martin offered to talk to him.
Cabbed to 52nd Street to meet Sam to see Shanghai Surprise ($5). I was the only one awake in the theater but the movie isn’t bad. Madonna was beautiful, the clothes were great. Sam dropped me (cab $4).
Sunday, September 28, 1986
Paige was going out to Brooklyn to see Christopher O’Riley, the cute pianist who’s Stuart Pivar’s friend and she didn’t invite me to go, too, so she must be interested in him.
I’m seeing Lincoln Kirstein’s name in all these Anne Bass articles and gee, I’d really like to do a good interview with him myself. These old guys will pop off soon and they’re so interesting. I went over to his house once on 19th Street. Jamie Wyeth took me.
Monday, September 29, 1986
I asked Sam to get lunch and he sort of refused. He’s starting typing lessons, we’re paying for it, and he’s taking French, too.
Cabbed to 59th and Park to Nippon ($6). Sam and I talked shop (dinner $77). Then went to the Baronet (tickets $12). There was no line so we thought it would be empty inside for Blue Velvet but we got in and it was packed. And what a good movie, so weird and creepy. A lot of couples walked out. And Dennis Hopper was finally good. Now he should do straight roles. He’s handsome, he could get the old Rock Hudson roles. Isabella Rossellini could’ve been so beautiful without that awful wig. I can’t believe she could do a movie like that without breaching her Lancôme contract. Went home, looking out for weirdos.
Watched a Betty Grable movie on TV and the color was so great, she was such a beauty, and they just can’t color like that now. Great color and great makeup.
Tuesday, September 30, 1986
Took a few time capsule boxes to the office. They are fun—when you go through them there’s things you really don’t want to give up. Some day I’ll sell them for $4,000 or $5,000 apiece. I used to think $100, but now I think that’s my new price.
I got the paper and there was an item about (laughs) how Lancôme loved Isabella Rossellini in Blue Velvet so much that they renewed her contract for another five years.
Thursday, October 1, 1986
Fred called me in the morning really mad, he said how could Paige and Vincent and I have put an ad for Andy Warhol portraits in the Neiman—Marcus catalog. He was in Europe or something when we did it and he was so mad, saying how tacky it was and that we’re the laughingstock of Texas. I just said life was too short to get so upset about a stupid mistake.
I went to see Bernsohn and he said he’d just bought $2,500 worth of Charivari clothes and that he was going to fill up his closet with Armani, and I’m thinking, “God, so this is why he charges so much.”
Invited Sam and Wilfredo to James Brady’s New York Deli party for his book. Got stuck at the door with Steve Rubell talking at me and spitting in my face the way he does. Claus von Bulow’s girlfriend Andrea Reynolds was there. She said she throws a chicken in the pot for Claus because she believes rich people should cook. She’s so stupid. God. It was a funny nothing party.
After dinner we went down to the Puck building for the party for the first issue of Spy magazine (cab $7). Dropped Sam (cab $6). Wilfredo, too. Home at 12:00, and watched The Tonight Show and all these TV people have these white white teeth and there’s nothing else that white on the whole show. It drives me crazy. Can’t they make them more natural?
Thursday, October 2, 1986
Steve Rubell also told me while he was spraying spit all over me that Barry Diller was giving a big party for Calvin Klein’s new marriage and where should he have it?
I took Sam to the Whitney Museum party for Keith and Kenny that I was hosting. Michel Roux of Absolut Vodka was giving it. Keith asked me what big movie stars I was bringing. He said Nick Rhodes was in town and I don’t know why Nick hasn’t called me. I know he’s been here a while. He’s being distant.
Got to the Whitney early, had to do some press. Some museum people were there but Tom Armstrong wasn’t. Later he said he didn’t come down because he was “upstairs hanging Sargents.” Another distant person. And Cornelia was distant, too. And then we went upstairs because it was cooler there. Jane Holzer came around 8:30 and we walked to Mortimer’s and the block was roped off for the party.
Peter Allen sang inside but I missed it and later when he asked me if I heard it and I said no, he turned away. Another distant person. If I run into Sylvia Miles and she s distant, I’ll know I’m really in trouble. Then at 9:15 we left. Jane and I went to La Reserve at 4 West 49th for the dinner that Michel Roux was giving for Keith and Kenny, they’ve both done paintings of the Absolut Vodka bottle. Had fun there.
Jane walked me home. I watched Letterman and I liked the lady admiral he had on. Oh, and Quentin Crisp was at the Whitney and he looks younger than ever, just great. He told me that Letterman, when you’re on his show, it’s like being out with a gay guy—you know how they’re always looking past you, looking around for somebody better. He said that’s what Letterman’s like on the air.
And I took my quarter—Valium and went to bed. And I guess I have to confess to the Diary that I am a Valium addict. I’m addicted. Because I read in the paper the symptoms and I’ve got them. And starting in December you’re going to need more signatures to get them, so I’ll have to stock up now.
Friday, October 3, 1986
Talked to my nephew, Donald. His friend David is doing the social New York
bit and Donald’s more serious. David’s going after the girls at Interview and not thinking enough about work.
Sunday, October 5, 1986
Stuart couldn’t decide whether to go to the flea market or go give a lecture in Bridgeport, Connecticut and earn $200 but he decided to go to Bridgeport because he (laughs) wanted the money so he gave this lecture and I guess he’s good at it and in Bridgeport he found some garage sales and got a nature encyclopedia for just $3 and here I paid $75 for a regular kind and his has all drawings and everything. This was his “trip to the country.” He never leaves town. Stuart is a real weirdo. Full of knotted nerves. And he was excited later because a pipe cleaner was coming over. That’s what he calls the girls who come over for sex.
Got stuck in the Polish Day parade. Nick Rhodes was calling during the day but I missed the calls. One of the Taylors isn’t in the group anymore but Nick owns the name so it’s still Duran Duran.
Billy Boy I hear is in town but he hasn’t called me or Chris. And I really hate him now—his jewelry breaks! Every gingerboy broke! Every one! But I can’t imagine why he didn’t call. He’s a social climber, so he must be after somebody better.
Then went to meet that kid named Stephen Bluttal from the Museum of Modern Art and went to the closing night of the Lily Tomlin play. Had really good seats. The Campbell’s Soup Can was all through it and the play seemed a lot like the Philosophy book. She does a bag lady that really sounded like a bag lady. She has a great body. At the end Jane Wagner came out and they were crying and kissed, very feminine. There was a party afterwards but I didn’t go to it.
Bianca and Glenn Dubin broke up. I never understood why they were together in the first place, what she could get from him. Because she is a hustler and she really was after Calvin—I saw her just be so after him. But then marrying Bianca wouldn’t kill gay rumors, and Kelly was a real girl. But Bianca should’ve gone after someone like Sid Bass. I mean, if Mercedes Kellogg can get him—she’s just such a dog, that kinky hair….
Tuesday, October 7, 1986
There was a party for Beverly Johnson at Mr. Chow’s. Every person in the world was there. Beverly Johnson asked me to go sit at Eddie Murphy’s table but I just couldn’t. There was just one chair and I wouldn’t have known what to talk about. I’d have to be macho. It’s funny how you haven’t heard his name in a year, isn’t it? I think people want to see lots of cheap quickie B movies. The big stars do these few big expensive movies, and they’re away for a whole year. He’s got the new movie coming out, Golden Child. Grace Jones arrived late and made an entrance.
Peter Beard was there and looks really good. And his new girlfriend is nothing like all his other girlfriends, she’s from Afghanistan. And I heard that Robert Mapplethorpe and Sam Wagstaff are both in the hospital. Paige dropped me (newspapers $6).
Wednesday, October 8, 1986
Sam’s being nice to me because I haven’t taken him anyplace in a few days. And Paige told me that now Sam doesn’t speak to her anymore. I don’t know why he gets that way. Surly. He told me that Paige doesn’t like him. He wants to be wanted in such a funny way. Instead of working (laughs) he wants to be wanted. But if he worked, he would be wanted. And Fred is really tough on Sam. And on everybody. Fred is unbelievable. I can’t believe how he’s changed. When something’s done wrong, he just says, “Get out!” Just like that. “Get out!” Just like Mrs. Vreeland.
Steven Greenberg was taking a whole group of us to the Color of Money Actor’s Studio benefit, and he was picking me up in his limo so I was trying to lock up and there was a problem so I left Vincent there with it and went to the Ziegfeld with Steven Greenberg. We walked in right behind Tom Cruise and Paul Newman, so nobody paid any attention to us. Paige got me popcorn. Saw Aidan Quinn and Mariel Hemingway and her husband. I sat with Cornelia who was more like her old friendly self, and Jane Holzer and Rusty came. And Victor Hugo was there and Ellen Burstyn made a speech and Paul Newman did. And the movie, I slept through most of it. I just wasn’t interested in pool, and nothing was explained. And Paul Newman should’ve had sex with the girl, then at least there could have been conflicts. You didn’t know why anybody was doing anything and you didn’t care, but there were funny lines. Everybody “in” was there.
And then I rode down to the party at the Palladium with Halston and they’d done the place up like a big gambling casino—huge pool—ball balloons on the ceiling, different colors, it was like walking into Studio 54 in the old days because they really did a big theme number. But it was so boring. Then Paige insisted on escorting me home. I don’t know why she gets that way. I’m not a baby—as long as I get a cab, I’m fine.
Monday, October 13, 1986
I got the Enquirer with Sean and Madonna on the cover and it was about Martin, how he was once Madonna’s roommate and how he now has AIDS. And then Martin called me, and it must be so horrible to read this article about yourself where it says you’re dying.
And then I read Steve Aronson’s article in New York magazine on the Sid Bass and Mercedes Kellogg affair and it was riveting, he really got all the information. He even had about Mercedes returning Billy Norwich’s call because she thought it was from Mick Jagger. It was day-by-day how the romance progressed. I have a funny feeling that Mercedes will never make it all the way to the altar. The divorce’ll take two years and you can’t spend all that time in bed. Should we all make bets?
The alarm went off and I’d like to know if they can trigger it off from where they are, the alarm company.
Tuesday, October 14, 1986
Had a fight with Fred. He’s getting more and more like Diana Vreeland every day. I say that Interview is a small magazine and he says no no, it’s not, it’s not. And he won’t let me put my two cents in about it. I tell him, “Fred, Time is a ‘large magazine.’ They get $75,000 a page. We get $3,000.” And he said, “No no, we get $3,100.” I mean, what’s the difference?
Paige said there was the opening of Nell’s and that Steven Greenberg had a date with somebody she introduced him to and that he’d take us all to Le Bernardin, the expensive fish restaurant in the Equitable building. We went and it’s so elegant, so grand, and the food is sort of ordinary, but very expensive. My fish was cooked in sauerkraut, so it was good, just like eating a hot dog on the corner.
Then we went with Steven to pick up Donna McKechnie who’s back starring in Chorus Line. Steven knows all these same types of girls in their late thirties or forties who’re on the prowl. Like Elizabeth Ray and Margaux Hemingway. Donna McKechnie was giving an interview to Frank Rich, and she’s actually beautiful, but she’s in a category that you can’t do much with—forty—four and with a beautiful body, but it’s hard to find another show to dance in. She was kind of classy in a whorey way, and she had a dress that was showing her nakedness. She was too grand for me, but she was sweet.
Then we went down to 14th Street to the opening of Nell’s and that was really exciting. Rupert Everett came in with a costar of his. And Nell was sweet, she said I would be the only one allowed to take pictures. But I didn’t want to move around, really. Bianca was there and Lauren Hutton and Schnabel and everybody who’d ordinarily be at the Odeon. Paige went downstairs dancing with Benjamin and Schnabel and Alba Clemente and all those people. Peter Beard was there with his entourage. They’ll charge $5 admission. I don’t know if those downtown kids will put it down because they’re so used to freebies. Then we left and I feel funny when Steven takes us out because although he spends so much money on us, I have the feeling in the back of my mind that he may be (laughs) a secret cheap person. You know? I haven’t figured out yet how he thinks. But he is always so generous to us. He dropped me off. And Steven and Nell both do the same thing—they carry a hairbrush and pull it out and brush their hair all the time. I guess Steven Greenberg’s George Washington hair is his fortune, his trademark.
Wednesday, October 15, 1986
Had a call from Chris Makos. Peter Wise is going off to Europe with Hedy Klineman to get
her known in the galleries, she’s so desperate to be famous as a painter. And the kid from the air force who was a bartender down in Florida when Chris went to Key West a few weeks ago, he’s bringing him up here. The kid is really good-looking, he could be the best of all those models. Chris, you know, as usual (laughs), sees himself as a young boy in this kid. His name is Ken.
Walked to work. Stuart called and wanted to be sure we were coming to the party at Buccellati’s to raise money for his art school. I told Paige I’d meet her there at 8:00. Her and Wilfredo. Sam had a typing class.
So at 8:00 Paige called and said where was I? And I went to Buccellati’s (cab $3) and outside I said to Wilfredo, “I’m afraid to go in,” and this man who was standing nearby (laughs) came over and said, “That’s very interesting. I am a psychiatrist and I’m staying at the Waldorf if you want to get in touch with me about this, because I specialize in phobias.” It was just like a Peter Sellers movie.
So Stuart was there and Paige made a faux pas and told Barbara Guggenheim about all the musicales Stuart’s been having, and Barbara didn’t know anything about them. And when Paige realizes she’s made a faux pas she laughs hysterically.