The Andy Warhol Diaries Part 12

Then Bob said it was time for dinner. It was just like a vacation, like being in the country-right after lunch you have dinner. Truman does really eat only one meal a day, though, I've watched him.

Before we left Truman had a stiff vodka. Then we went over to the restaurant across the street called Antolotti's. Bob fell asleep at the table and Truman told him to go home.

Truman told me that his fantasy is to make it with the psychiatrist, that that would get their relationship to a "new level"-that then he he would be "in power." I was going to ask him didn't he think it was so old-fashioned to be thinking that way, but I didn't, I'll save that for would be "in power." I was going to ask him didn't he think it was so old-fashioned to be thinking that way, but I didn't, I'll save that for (laughs) (laughs) another session. another session.

He told me that he blew John Huston forty times and then he told me about Humphrey Bogart. He said that Bogart was "reeeally scared" of him and that one night he carried Bogart up to bed, and tucked him in and said to him, "You've got got to let me do it, Humphrey." And to let me do it, Humphrey." And (laughs) (laughs) he said Bogart was really nervous and said, "Okay, but don't put it in your mouth." So then Truman said to him, "Listen, Humphrey, we went to the same school, Trinity, and I he said Bogart was really nervous and said, "Okay, but don't put it in your mouth." So then Truman said to him, "Listen, Humphrey, we went to the same school, Trinity, and I know know you must have done it there." But I don't think they you must have done it there." But I don't think they did did both go to Trinity. Truman makes up so much. Then later, Truman said, they became best friends and he said once they were staying together at somebody like David Selznick's house, and Bogart jumped into his bed with a hard-on. But Truman said he told him it was both go to Trinity. Truman makes up so much. Then later, Truman said, they became best friends and he said once they were staying together at somebody like David Selznick's house, and Bogart jumped into his bed with a hard-on. But Truman said he told him it was (laughs) (laughs) just too early in the morning. just too early in the morning.

Oh, and he said that John O'Shea stole the whole Answered Prayers Answered Prayers novel, that that's why it wasn't done, but I think he's making that up, too. novel, that that's why it wasn't done, but I think he's making that up, too.

And he says he doesn't want to live in the present because his book ends in 1965 and he's trying to finish it. But when could he work?

Oh. And what gets him really upset and nervous is anything a.n.a.l. If I ask him about fist-f.u.c.king he gets so upset. He says he doesn't want to talk about it.

But I mean, how could anybody make it with Truman? G.o.d, I mean I I could never do it with Truman. could never do it with Truman. (laughs) (laughs) G.o.d ... (dinner $52.15). G.o.d ... (dinner $52.15).

Sat.u.r.day, July 8, 1978 Victor called and said he had parasites. He was staying up at Elsa Peretti's, she was just back in town, and he was seeing Dr. Brown, the boy-disease specialist.

Sunday, July 9, 1978 Truman called and said he missed me, to come for dinner. This was the day his picture was the cover of The New York Times The New York Times magazine section. He said he had the phone off the hook, but I don't know whether to believe that. At 7:00 I went over to U.N. Plaza, took eight tapes with me and a camera (cab $2). I talked to Bob MacBride for a while and then Truman made a phone call to Jack Dunphy so I could tape it. Jack was his boyfriend for thirty years. But he hadn't seen the article in the magazine section. He said he had the phone off the hook, but I don't know whether to believe that. At 7:00 I went over to U.N. Plaza, took eight tapes with me and a camera (cab $2). I talked to Bob MacBride for a while and then Truman made a phone call to Jack Dunphy so I could tape it. Jack was his boyfriend for thirty years. But he hadn't seen the article in the Times yet Times yet, so he didn't have any comments.

Truman also told me he'd talked to Gerald Clarke, the guy who's been writing the book on him for something like five years, and Clarke wanted to know how the girl who wrote the article got Jack Dunphy in it when he he couldn't, and Truman said it was because she'd run into him on the beach, it was an accident. Truman said Clarke called couldn't, and Truman said it was because she'd run into him on the beach, it was an accident. Truman said Clarke called him him, but I think Truman probably called Clarke. Anyway, if Clarke did call him, then his phone wasn't off the hook, so either way he was lying.

Then we went over to Antolotti's and got pizza. And the drinks there with the vodka and grapefruit juice really do put weight on you, I've noticed. I was getting drunk. Then I walked him home, I had Truman on my arm. It's funnier to see Bob MacBride walk him home on his his arm- that's arm- that's really really creepy. But when I walk him on mine, it's creepy, too. And he's weaving, and he's so strong he was pushing me over. Went home (cab $3). creepy. But when I walk him on mine, it's creepy, too. And he's weaving, and he's so strong he was pushing me over. Went home (cab $3).

Got three full-sided tapes out of the evening.

Monday, July 10, 1978 Cabbed up to 44th and Sixth Avenue with Vincent ($3) to the studio of Sire Records to do a commercial for the Talking Heads. I had to do it about twenty times. Afterwards I told Vincent that I can never be an actor-I just don't have it, I get tongue-tied, something happens. All I had to say was: "Tell 'em Warhol sent ya," and it came out like I was reading it every time.

Victor called and said he had to stay in a wheelchair for a month. He had all these doctors and his leg just kept getting more swollen, until he got an eighty-year-old South American who gave him a shot, so he was ordering an ambulance to take him to Studio 54 for the party for Elton John.

Tuesday, July 11, 1978 Victor was at the office waiting for me in a wheelchair, acting very peculiar.

He had a friend with him, Andreas, a rich kid from South America who was telling him the same things I was-that he should go home and stop running around. He shouldn't be letting the blood run all over his body, he should keep his leg up.

Friday, July 14, 1978 Went over to Doc c.o.x to show him the pills Jay Johnson brought back from j.a.pan. They sell them over there, they're pills people take to make their liver digest food. He looked at it and he couldn't read j.a.panese so he said, "Take them, I guess."

Picked up Bob to go meet Truman and Bob MacBride at La Pet.i.te Marmite (cab $3.50).

Truman brought another Sunday Times Times, the one coming this week, the second part of the article on him, but this time it wasn't the cover-he'd said it was going to be but it wasn't. I had him autograph it and give it to me. He says he's going to give another party for his 540 best friends and it'd be in a loft and the women would wear veils. Truman picked up the tab.

Cabbed to the office ($3). Susan Blond sent a limo for Truman and me to go to the Palladium to see Rick Derringer and another act. They took us upstairs to a dressing room where we found a bottle of Jack Daniel's and some milk and cookies, and Truman fixed himself a Jack Daniel's with milk and this rock and roll manager-type came in the room and started screaming, "Clear the room. Clear the room, we have to talk money." So everybody left but us, we didn't know where to go, and he said to Truman, "Didn't you hear me say to clear the room?" And so I said, "But he's Truman Capote," and Truman said, "But he's Andy Warhol." And the manager said, "Oh, sorry."

Sunday, July 16, 1978 Barbara Allen called me in the morning to go out to Forest Hills to the tennis matches. Richard Weisman had to go out early because of something to do with ABC television. I was going to go but when I saw how foggy and grey it was I decided I'd watch it on TV and get some work done at home. But I went to church, then came home and watched the matches on TV. It was Nastase vs. Vitas Gerulaitis. I was for Vitas and he did win.

Then Barbara and Bob called and said that Vitas was having a dinner for everyone out at the River Cafe in Brooklyn, on the barge, and they talked me into going. They said they were coming to pick me up. At 10:00 they did. Barbara was showing us the ring Nastase gave her. Then Nastase came in with a beautiful girl, a model, and Barbara went upstairs and cried. And then Richard Weisman was saying how silly Barbara was to be upset when she knew Nastase was married with kids and everything anyway. Truman said he had a really rich guy for Barbara and that she'd have three planes and all the money in the world and a house in Mexico, and that cheered her up.

We were there until 2:00. Vitas paid. He said he'd just been in London and while he was in a club talking to Ringo Starr, Stevie Rubell kept pulling on his arm and saying, "Come on, Vitas, we have to go, Bianca wants to leave," and Ringo said, "Who's the little midget you're taking orders from now?" Vitas said Stevie's really insecure when he's not in his own club. And Stevie doesn't know about Europe at all-he still thinks Gianni Agnelli's name is "Johnny Antonelli," that's what he always calls him. Once he said, "Johnny Antonelli, he's the one who really really owns Fiat-not all those Rattazzi kids." owns Fiat-not all those Rattazzi kids."

Monday, July 17, 1978 I had to think about what drag to go in to Halston's party later on, so I sent Robyn out for a wig and he came back with the perfect one-a grey Dolly Parton ($20.51), and I put it on and wore the dress I'd once designed for a Rizzoli art fashion show that was parts of six different designers' dresses all sewn together. Went over to Halston's. The first person we saw was Stevie who was dressed like Liza-he thought-in red sequins, and he looked awful. All of the waiters who look so good in Studio 54 just looked like tramps at Halston's. Stevie kept pulling out his c.o.c.k from under his dress and I was surprised, it was big. Barbara Allen was the best, she came as a man in a jockstrap. With a jacket and a mustache. Stevie's boa caught on fire and he would have disintegrated if some fairy hadn't put it out. Halston in drag looked like Diane de Beauvau. I guess now it's easy to see why he liked her so much, that's the look he likes, sort of fat-faced and chubby.

Tuesday, July 18, 1978 Truman's picture was in the paper from going on The Stanley Siegel Show The Stanley Siegel Show drunk. I didn't see the show. He'd told Stanley not to ask him anything about drinking but then he went on the show drunk. drunk. I didn't see the show. He'd told Stanley not to ask him anything about drinking but then he went on the show drunk.

Thursday, July 20, 1978 I went to a doctor in the morning for one of those terrible once-a-year physicals where they do everything everything. When it's the same nurse it's not so bad, but Rosemary is away and Doc c.o.x has a male a.s.sistant, and so (laughs) (laughs) it felt like you were at the Anvil. First I got a pelvic X-ray and then a proctoscopy, that's what it's called, and it was too embarra.s.sing. Doc c.o.x went out of the room to see a lady patient and she spilled water on him so when he came back it looked like he'd peed on himself. The Doc was sweet. Then I picked up some things for the office ($15.21) and got down there by 2:30. The lunch was for Eartha Kitt, and Barry Landau had brought Polly Bergen down, too. it felt like you were at the Anvil. First I got a pelvic X-ray and then a proctoscopy, that's what it's called, and it was too embarra.s.sing. Doc c.o.x went out of the room to see a lady patient and she spilled water on him so when he came back it looked like he'd peed on himself. The Doc was sweet. Then I picked up some things for the office ($15.21) and got down there by 2:30. The lunch was for Eartha Kitt, and Barry Landau had brought Polly Bergen down, too.

Brigid had already done her Eartha Kitt imitation for Eartha and Ronnie was looped, saying it was his "last day" on the job-Fred had screamed at him the day before that the place was too dirty, that he wasn't cleaning up enough. Ronnie and Eartha were fighting and n.o.body pulled him out of the room. The fight was over James Dean's personality and whether he was "difficult." I guess Eartha was thinking she was a rebel, too, so she was standing up for James Dean, and it's not the same thing at all-she did it for civil rights and James Dean was just a person not showing up for work. And the fight wouldn't have been bad if Polly Bergen hadn't started sticking up for Ronnie, saying he was right, and then when Polly left the room Eartha said something like that she was full of s.h.i.t, and then when Eartha stepped away once Polly said something like the same thing about Eartha, but not in those words.

Bob thought Eartha was interesting enough to do a story on, but I don't want to hear about the White House, that story's so old I don't want to hear about it. We made a date for the next day at Quo Vadis to have lunch with her and her daughter, Kitt, and I gave Bob the a.s.signment of keeping Barry away. And Ronnie decided to stay on. Victor didn't come by to see me, so that was like a vacation, but he sent me over a present-a c.o.c.k ring, his.

We tried to get Truman on the phone, but he didn't answer.

Got dressed and picked up Catherine. Her English friend Jamie Neidpath was with her, he's a land baron. He looks twenty but he's thirty. He dresses in funny clothes, long stringy silk ties like the Beatles used to wear and frock coats, and I asked him why he dressed funny and he said because he just decided once that this was the way he was going to dress forever, and so he has.

Cabbed to the Bottom Line ($6). Steve Paul was there, I think he manages David Johansen. Lou Reed was at the next table and Catherine was madly in love with him, that was why she wanted to come to this thing. And Fran Lebowitz was at another table with her arm around some girl (laughs) (laughs) so I got a few snaps of that. And oh, David Johansen is so cute, he's just so adorable. The only thing he does wrong is jump around, he should learn not to do that like Lou learned not to. Lou invited us over to his place. so I got a few snaps of that. And oh, David Johansen is so cute, he's just so adorable. The only thing he does wrong is jump around, he should learn not to do that like Lou learned not to. Lou invited us over to his place.

It's on Christopher Street, between Sixth and Seventh, sort of where the Voice Voice used to be, upstairs from a bagel store. When we were going in the kids around were whispering, "There's Lou Reed." He tells them, "Go kill yourself." Isn't that great? The two dachshunds he got after he saw me with mine are so adorable-Duke and Baron. He's sort of separated from Rachel the drag queen but not completely, they have separate apartments. Where Lou is, it's actually more of a house. It's a rent-controlled thing he got from a girlfriend, six rooms and he only pays $485 a month. The best room is a long skinny bathroom, 2' X 12' and he said he was thinking of changing it but I said not to, that it's really great that way. And oh, Lou's life is everything I want my life to be. I mean, every room has every electronic gadget in it-a big big big big TV, a phone answerer that you hear when the phone rings, tapes, TVs, Betamaxes, and he's so sweet and so funny at the same time, so together, it's just incredible. And his house is very neat. He has a maid come in ... well, I guess it does smell a little of dog s.h.i.t, but... Then he was on the phone and he ran a tape of his concert and it was him trying to get the old Billy Name Factory Foto look, very contrasty. Catherine went downstairs and got grapefruit juice and bagels and orange juice. Lou only had a funny pint-size bottle of scotch. used to be, upstairs from a bagel store. When we were going in the kids around were whispering, "There's Lou Reed." He tells them, "Go kill yourself." Isn't that great? The two dachshunds he got after he saw me with mine are so adorable-Duke and Baron. He's sort of separated from Rachel the drag queen but not completely, they have separate apartments. Where Lou is, it's actually more of a house. It's a rent-controlled thing he got from a girlfriend, six rooms and he only pays $485 a month. The best room is a long skinny bathroom, 2' X 12' and he said he was thinking of changing it but I said not to, that it's really great that way. And oh, Lou's life is everything I want my life to be. I mean, every room has every electronic gadget in it-a big big big big TV, a phone answerer that you hear when the phone rings, tapes, TVs, Betamaxes, and he's so sweet and so funny at the same time, so together, it's just incredible. And his house is very neat. He has a maid come in ... well, I guess it does smell a little of dog s.h.i.t, but... Then he was on the phone and he ran a tape of his concert and it was him trying to get the old Billy Name Factory Foto look, very contrasty. Catherine went downstairs and got grapefruit juice and bagels and orange juice. Lou only had a funny pint-size bottle of scotch.

Friday, July 21, 1978 Bob MacBride called me and said he wanted to see me, but I didn't want to see him alone without Truman and I said I'd call him back but I didn't, so now I'll have to lie and say I tried but I couldn't get him.

Monday, July 24, 1978 Bob MacBride came for lunch, and I had McDonald's ($4). He's worried about Truman, he says he's sure he's going to commit suicide. He says Truman is checked into a private hospital room in the same building as my dentist, Dr. Lyons, at 115 East 61st Street, but that n.o.body knows it. Truman's upset because everybody's saying he's washed up. Bob said that on the morning of The Stanley Siegel Show The Stanley Siegel Show he dropped Truman off there himself and he was fine, so he thinks Truman must have taken a Thorazine or something. Truman says he doesn't remember anything about the show. I keep trying to get it out of him if Truman is writing the he dropped Truman off there himself and he was fine, so he thinks Truman must have taken a Thorazine or something. Truman says he doesn't remember anything about the show. I keep trying to get it out of him if Truman is writing the Answered Prayers Answered Prayers book or not, and he won't say yes or no. book or not, and he won't say yes or no.

C.Z. Guest sent her husband over yesterday, Bob MacBride said, to try to convince Truman to go to a hospital in Minnesota. I didn't know if he wanted me to give him advice, or what. I didn't know what to tell him so I just said, "If Truman goes to the hospital, when you go to visit him, try to get me in." I'll tape it. Because you can't stop people-if he's going to kill himself, he's going to do it.

Tuesday, July 25, 1978 Forgot to say that the night before what I watched on TV was the Miss Universe pageant.

Miss USA was actually the best, she was from Hawaii and she looked like Jerry Hall, but when it came to the question, "What do you think of the United States?" instead of saying something serious like "It's the most free nation that glues together everything" she blew it and she said something like "Oh, I love the beaches!" Miss South Africa won, she looked like a brunette version of Miss USA but she gave a serious answer, and Miss Colombia was too stoned to talk. (laughs) (laughs) No, I'm only kidding, she wasn't ... but they had around seventy-five girls and most of them were from South American countries you never heard of. The ex-Miss Universe looked really black, but maybe it was my TV. No, I'm only kidding, she wasn't ... but they had around seventy-five girls and most of them were from South American countries you never heard of. The ex-Miss Universe looked really black, but maybe it was my TV.

I cabbed to the office to pick up Vincent, we had to go to a lunch for 600 people at the Plaza given by Gerry Grinberg the head of the North American Watch Company. The paid speakers were Art Buchwald and ex-President Gerald Ford (cab $4).

And Mr. Grinberg took me over to see President Ford and he said, "Nice to meet you." And I told him that he'd already met me at the White House and he said, "Oh yes, of course." He looked sort of out of it. I asked him (laughs) (laughs) how his wife was, and he said she was out shopping and I said, "At Halston's?" and he said how his wife was, and he said she was out shopping and I said, "At Halston's?" and he said (laughs) (laughs) yes, that maybe she was there. But once he got started on his speech he didn't seem so out of it at all, he remembered the whole speech. It was a good lunch, steak and potatoes. yes, that maybe she was there. But once he got started on his speech he didn't seem so out of it at all, he remembered the whole speech. It was a good lunch, steak and potatoes.

And on the way out we went into the Teuscher candy store in the lobby of the Plaza-the one where they fly the candy in every day or something-and I wanted to sell them an ad in Interview Interview, but I wound up buying $200 worth of candy instead.

I talked to Ronnie. He told me he's now going to one of those halfway houses to stop taking drugs and drinking. He said he hadn't slept at all in a week. I asked him if he was having trouble with Gigi and he said that well, yes, that she'd thrown the wedding ring out the window. I don't know why she ever got married, she's always going to run around, and Ronnie wants her to be like his mother in Brooklyn who never leaves the house. Now she's styling or doing makeup on the Brian DePalma movie and that's going to lead to other things, so ...

Went home and called Truman, but there was no answer, I should have called before I left for work.

Wednesday, July 26, 1978 Went to meet Truman and Bob MacBride at La Pet.i.te Marmite. Truman's just checked out of the hospital. He said that the Guests are taking him to Minnesota to a hospital there to dry out some more. He said he got about 100 letters about his Stanley Siegel Show Stanley Siegel Show and he read me the one from Stanley Siegel, which was so disgusting, saying how great Truman had been and you just know if he really cared he wouldn't have let him go on, and this one show really put Stanley Siegel on the map, it got him national attention. and he read me the one from Stanley Siegel, which was so disgusting, saying how great Truman had been and you just know if he really cared he wouldn't have let him go on, and this one show really put Stanley Siegel on the map, it got him national attention.

Thursday, July 27, 1978 After work I just stayed in. Watched 20/20 20/20 and instead of saying, "In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes," it was so funny to hear Hugh Downs say, "As Andy Warhol once said, in fifteen minutes everybody will be famous." People on TV always get some part wrong, like-"In the future fifteen people will be famous." and instead of saying, "In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes," it was so funny to hear Hugh Downs say, "As Andy Warhol once said, in fifteen minutes everybody will be famous." People on TV always get some part wrong, like-"In the future fifteen people will be famous."

Oh, and I forgot to say that Truman really is looking more and more like his bulldog. He sits there and rubs his eyes as if he were kneading dough, and then he takes his hands away and they're all red-the whites are red, the rims are red, he really looks like his dog, really drooping.

Friday, July 28, 1978 It was a slow day at the office. We sat around eating lots of fruit that we'd gotten for lunches so it wouldn't go bad over the weekend.

Sat.u.r.day, July 29, 1978 Jed and I walked over to the Pierre and then we went to the Oyster Bar in Grand Central and it was closed and then to La Pet.i.te Marmite and it was closed, and then we cabbed to Woods but it was closed ($3). So we went next door to La Relais because we wanted to see if it was good and when we went in, it seemed like everyone was there-Charles Collingwood, and Helen Frankenthaler and she was awful, she always is and she always was. She was with a European gallery owner. Denise Hale was in the restaurant and I asked Helen if she'd like to meet her and she said, "Why? Would it give Denise a thrill?" I asked her if she were going to Washington on Wednesday for the Mondales' party for artists whose work is in the vice-president's house, and she said she was. I'm going down with Fred. I asked her how her big silkscreen was-I heard she'd done a big one-and she said, "I don't do silkscreens-I leave that to you." And so I was confused if she did one or not, so then I said, "I mean for your multiples," and she said, "I don't do do multiples." She was awful. Well, she married Motherwell to get a start. Her work's terrible. multiples." She was awful. Well, she married Motherwell to get a start. Her work's terrible.

Went to the movies (cab $3) to see Patti D'Arbanville in Big Wednesday Big Wednesday. She had three lines: 1) "Oh my G.o.d" 2) "Uh-uh-mm" 3) "Eh-oo-oo."

Sunday, July 30, 1978 Bob called, just back from Montauk where he said Catherine drove him crazy.

I guess Tom really is in love with that Danish model, Winnie. And Ulli Lommel is going to shoot a movie out there, Cocaine Cowboys Cocaine Cowboys. He's married a rich wife, Sukey Love.

Wednesday, August 2, 1978-New York-Washington, D.C.

Life really does repeat itself. The old songs come back in a new way and the kids think they're new and the old people remember and it's a way of keeping people together, I guess, a way of living.

We got the Washington shuttle, after getting magazines and newspapers ($3). The shuttle was packed, it always is. Paid for Fred's and my ticket ($81). Then got a cab to the Madison Hotel ($6.50), checked the baggage ($3). Cab to the Mondales' ($4). Everything is so expensive. It started me noticing inflation for the first time, because everything on the menu at the hotel was actually double. A minute steak that used to be $7.50 is $15 now. And all your life you're taught-you're brought up on money, on pennies and dollars, and the inflation used to come in pennies, but now a dollar is like a penny, things go up in dollars.

Washington was hot and sticky. Joan and Fritz Mondale didn't have any real big artists. Just Helen Frankenthaler and me. And the reason I was included was because they had the Southwest collection and my Blue Flowers was in Mrs. de Menil's gift.

They live in the same house the Rockefellers had when they were vice-presidents, but of course their Max Ernst bed is gone from the place now.

Joan put me on her left and an Indian guy on her right. And then Joan was a little drunk, I think, and she started being very sad and saying, "Well, this is probably the last time we'll see each other because you're a famous artist and you're going to be around for a long time, but they just took a poll in New Jersey and we're the lowest we've ever been, we're lower than Nixon right before they got him out, and we're slipping fast." I told her that things would pick up.

Then we saw the treasury guy over in a corner and I said to Joan that he should make dollar bills that have braille for the blind newsdealers like they do in Switzerland and she said that was a wonderful idea, that I should tell him, but then she got to him first and told him herself. The dinner was so bad. What ruined food in America? Was it those magazines like Good Housekeeping Good Housekeeping and and Family Circle Family Circle and and McCall's? McCall's? They could have great simple steak-and-potatoes dinners and instead they have these fancy concoctions. Like veal with tuna sauce on top of it and capers. It was a "tented affair," and that always costs so much, every time you put up a tent. And they had every kind of hard liquor, which you don't get now at the White House. Then around 10:00 Helen Frankenthaler slipped a note over asking us if we wanted to leave. They could have great simple steak-and-potatoes dinners and instead they have these fancy concoctions. Like veal with tuna sauce on top of it and capers. It was a "tented affair," and that always costs so much, every time you put up a tent. And they had every kind of hard liquor, which you don't get now at the White House. Then around 10:00 Helen Frankenthaler slipped a note over asking us if we wanted to leave.

Then we had to go back to the hotel, and I'd been telling Fred how horrible Helen Frankenthaler was, how awful she was to me last weekend, and then suddenly she was changed. She said, "I've been so awful lately, I don't know what's wrong. I'm really going to be nice tonight." And then she was! was! Isn't it amazing how a person can just change like "that" because they decide to? Isn't it amazing how a person can just change like "that" because they decide to?

And we had drinks with her in the hotel. Fred was bored with her but he paid for the drinks anyway. She was talking about her maid wanting $300 for four days' work, she's live-in. She probably just wants to leave Helen. Helen has three or four people working for her, she said. And she hated the wine, although Fred didn't see anything wrong with it.

Thursday, August 3, 1978-New York Went to the office, everyone was zonked. After Ronnie's whole speech that he was going to A.A., there he was, zonked. And when he gets that way he's so nutty.

I was photographing Bob Colacello and Ronnie would take up the pictures and say, "Bob, these are awful. You have three chins," and Bob said, "No I don't, I've lost two of them, I look good today." And it was true, Bob did look good, but Ronnie was going on, picking up each one and saying how horrible it was.

Brigid was depressed. Only Vincent was happy because some checks came in.

Victor came by, his hair was carrot blond and he was going to go for white to be like me, but with dark eyebrows. He's been up for three days because he bought some good c.o.ke.

I got back some of my pictures of Truman, lying on the psychiatrist's couch. He looked like he doesn't have teeth in my pictures. Does he have teeth?

Friday, August 4, 1978 Brigid was back transcribing the Truman tapes. I haven't called him out in Minnesota yet.

Sat.u.r.day, August 5, 1978 I cabbed to the nail place ($3.20). Getting my nails done was $46.80 plus I gave a $10 tip to the Cuban lady who told me all about herself and did a rotten job on my nails. They serve drinks there to the customers, and one boy who works there said he did Candy Darling's first perm when she was fifteen. I wonder how old Candy was when she stopped being Jimmy Slattery and just wore dresses all the time.

Walked back to the house. Catherine called from Montauk and she was sober. She said that Tom had about thirty people out there shooting Cocaine Cowboys Cocaine Cowboys and that the toilets were backing up. She pretended to know that Tom had just married Winnie. and that the toilets were backing up. She pretended to know that Tom had just married Winnie.

And Mr. Winters called Vincent, going crazy about all the people. Tom moved out to the hotel at the yacht club, so Catherine was happy-she spent the day there ordering from room service and watching TV.

Sunday, August 6, 1978

It was my birthday but I didn't think of it until Vincent called and reminded me.

I thought I was going to see Ain't Misbehavin' Ain't Misbehavin' for the Actor's Fund but I was a week too early. So I called Tom Cashin and we got tickets to the for the Actor's Fund but I was a week too early. So I called Tom Cashin and we got tickets to the American Dance Machine American Dance Machine (cab $3, tickets 4 X $13 = $52). Raining. A few fans handed me notes. (cab $3, tickets 4 X $13 = $52). Raining. A few fans handed me notes.

Monday, August 7, 1978 Victor told me he had a secret-that Halston was giving me a surprise birthday party and it included a great gift that I would love. Then he left to go dye his hair.

Glued myself and went to pick up Catherine at 8:50 but as we were leaving her place Tom Sullivan called and said he'd pick us up on the corner in his limo and we waited there but he didn't come. Then we had to leave to be at "21" (cab $2).

When we got to "21" Jay Mellon was sitting there, alone, no one had arrived for my birthday dinner. Then we had drinks for an hour, and still no one had arrived. The dinner was supposed to be at 9:00 and it was 10:00 already and still n.o.body was there. Catherine went upstairs to see if maybe they were in the room up there, but they weren't. Then I went out to call Eartha and see where she and her daughter, Kitt, were, and Kitt answered the phone and she said her mother had gone out with Barry Landau! So I mean, I said thanks a lot and hung up.

Finally about 10:00 Lou Reed arrived, he gave me a great present, a one-inch TV, and he was so adorable, so sober, and Jay and I were in dark suits but everybody else was light-Lou had a whole suit on with a bow tie.

Then Fred arrived with Nenna Eberstadt, and they were both in white and Nenna was a little embarra.s.sed, she gave me a little present. And then Tom Sullivan arrived and gave me the shirt off his back and made me wear it. And Winnie isn't really that beautiful, I was surprised he would marry marry her. She does need a green card, though. But Catherine does, too. her. She does need a green card, though. But Catherine does, too.

Halston arrived with Dr. Giller and Stevie, all in white. And everyone was nervous because it did just look like all family, and we went to a room and it was really pretty, and Catherine put people together well, and it was thirteen people I think. I was drunk and nervous. The dinner was good, Catherine had ordered duck and Senegalese soup, and at a certain point Stevie said that he knew Lou from Syracuse University and he said all these details, so that was funny they went to school together, and they're both from Long Island, too.

Then a cake came and the waiter sang "Happy Birthday." Victor never showed up, I think he was embarra.s.sed about his hair, and then Halston excused himself to go to his house, he said that he just wanted to get ready for drinks, to meet us there, and we went over I think in Tom's limousine, I can't even remember, I was so drunk, and when we got to Halston's it was a big crowd and I got a singing telegram from a lady in a bowler hat from Bill Dugan and Nancy North, and she really belted it out, she was a good singer.

And there were Barry and Eartha! I couldn't believe it. She's so stupid. I guess that's her problem-she didn't know the difference between dinner and this, and that's what's wrong with her-I mean, she works hard, but she wouldn't have to work so hard as she does to get what she wants if she weren't so stupid. It was the nicest kids there. Pat Ast was there, she's in town, and everybody from the office. And the first present was Stevie brought in a garbage can and it was filled with 2,000 one-dollar bills, and he dumped it on me and it really was the best present. Victor gave me a hardhat.

And Halston gave me a white fur coat but then he said it looked small and he took it away and said that he'd give me another one later, so I don't know. Jed was trying to fix his sister Susan up with Jay Mellon. Susan is looking so pretty now.

Left about 4:00, left everybody at the party.

Tuesday, August 8, 1978 Ronnie came in to work in the morning, late, and then afterwards Gigi came in screaming what did he do with her cats, and he shocked the office. He said that when he got home from Halston's he found the two cats and one of them was choking on a sponge that it had tried to eat because it was so hungry, and the other was clawing at the one who was choking, so he took them into the bathtub and drowned them and then threw their little bodies in the incinerator. He said he was going to go down and divorce Gigi. He said he hadn't fed the cats or himself in five days because he didn't have any money, and when Brigid said why didn't he just borrow some, he said he was "too proud." I think he starved them to get back at Gigi. I knew they never should have gotten married. How could you kill two innocent cats? I couldn't even look at him.

Then the Carimatis called and invited us for dinner, but it was the Italian style of "I'll call you and you call me before 5:00 and then I'll call you and you call me back before 6:00." They said they could get us 40 percent discounts on anything on Madison Avenue because it was all Italians now.

Wednesday, August 9, 1978 Went to Halston's at 10:00 to be photographed for Newsweek Newsweek in the white fur coat. Fred picked me up and carried the garbage can full of money out into the street for me. As we left, about fifteen Negro kids with brooms were going to the park to sweep up, some city clean-up program to give them jobs, I guess. They didn't look too happy. One of them had a shovel and was cutting down every flower when he got to it. They were pretty brooms, too. New. They didn't recognize me except for one little girl who ran all the way back and kept saying, "You're Andy Warhol, you're Andy Warhol," and staring at me and at Fred with his garbage can (cab to Olympic Tower $3). in the white fur coat. Fred picked me up and carried the garbage can full of money out into the street for me. As we left, about fifteen Negro kids with brooms were going to the park to sweep up, some city clean-up program to give them jobs, I guess. They didn't look too happy. One of them had a shovel and was cutting down every flower when he got to it. They were pretty brooms, too. New. They didn't recognize me except for one little girl who ran all the way back and kept saying, "You're Andy Warhol, you're Andy Warhol," and staring at me and at Fred with his garbage can (cab to Olympic Tower $3).

Sat.u.r.day, August 12, 1978 The Pope died, and Brigid was calling, wanting me to watch the funeral on TV with her. When they brought the Pope's body out, everybody standing around there in Rome clapped, all these people, because it was such a good production. There've been 262 popes already. Isn't that a lot? They're usually so old when they get to be Pope that they only last about fifteen years.

Sunday, August 13, 1978 Went to church. It was hot and muggy. Got tickets for the Actor's Fund performance of Ain't Misbehavin Ain't Misbehavin (6 X $17.50). Cabbed to theater ($2) to meet Jay Johnson, Tom Cashin, Amy Sullivan, and Ricky Clifton. Ricky was asked to leave Halston's the other night when Halston found him looking in his closets. He wasn't stealing, he was just poking around, and he was drunk and fresh with Halston, it was 4 (6 X $17.50). Cabbed to theater ($2) to meet Jay Johnson, Tom Cashin, Amy Sullivan, and Ricky Clifton. Ricky was asked to leave Halston's the other night when Halston found him looking in his closets. He wasn't stealing, he was just poking around, and he was drunk and fresh with Halston, it was 4 A.M A.M.

Saw the show. And now the Negroes know how to do satires on themselves, and when you get that sophisticated, it means you're part of the community, so now they are.

Wednesday, August 16, 1978 The big drama was Mr. Winters calling and saying there were three detective cars and three police cars out in Montauk. The townspeople hate Tom because he rides a horse into town and the band has drugs. Finally it turned out it was really nothing, that the plumber's a.s.sistant had told the police he saw so many guns around, and so Tom had to talk his way out of it, telling the police about the movie they were shooting and that they needed the guns for it.

Thursday, August 17, 1978 Martial law was declared in two cities in Iran, so the festival we were supposed to go to on September 8 is cancelled and I'm so relieved.

Sunday, August 20, 1978 I went out and walked Archie and Amos. The new dog-s.h.i.t pick-up law isn't so bad. It was pretty easy, they did it next to the trash cans and I just threw it in.

Monday, August 21, 1978 It was such a pretty day. Hot and dry and breezy. Started walking downtown handing out Interviews Interviews over on the East Side. Stopped in some shops and bought some ideas for drawings. (Sarsaparilla $49.00) It was Monday so most places were closed. I was looking for plastic fruit, that's what I'm drawing. Then cabbed to office ($2.50). over on the East Side. Stopped in some shops and bought some ideas for drawings. (Sarsaparilla $49.00) It was Monday so most places were closed. I was looking for plastic fruit, that's what I'm drawing. Then cabbed to office ($2.50).

I was supposed to go out to Montauk on Wednesday to be in Cocaine Cowboys Cocaine Cowboys but it's been changed to next week. My role is to play myself inteviewing Jack Palance in the movie. but it's been changed to next week. My role is to play myself inteviewing Jack Palance in the movie.

Tuesday, August 22, 1978 Walked over to the office, and Brigid was transcribing away. She'd just come to the Humphrey Bogart part of the Truman tape, and the John Huston affair. Oh, and the Sam Goldwyn affair. According to Truman, Sam Goldwyn went after him one day and said, "You've been teasing me for years," and then he gave Truman a big long tongue kiss. He wanted Truman to go down on him, but Truman wouldn't, but now he thinks it might have been fun. Truman said he said, "What about Frances?" And that Sam Goldwyn said, "Forget Frances."

And when I was recording this tape I'd purposely talked nice about Brigid so she'd hear it while she typed-I said she used to be 350 pounds and now she was 125 and beautiful. So she was a happy worker.

I was painting in the back when I heard a big commotion and it was Bob screaming at Catherine, he had freaked out. He was checking the galleys for the new issue and saying that she hadn't corrected Fran Lebowitz's writing, and she said that Fran didn't want want anyone to correct her. Bob said if Catherine wouldn't do it, anyone to correct her. Bob said if Catherine wouldn't do it, he he would. He was holding a gla.s.s of vodka in his hand. would. He was holding a gla.s.s of vodka in his hand.

Wednesday, August 23, 1978 At 12:00 Bob wasn't at the office so I called him at home and I woke him. I told him how did he expect any of the kids at Interview Interview to work hard when he was still in bed at noon, and then he said that he'd rush right down. Later I heard him telling Brigid that he'd met a deaf-mute and that he was with him when I called. to work hard when he was still in bed at noon, and then he said that he'd rush right down. Later I heard him telling Brigid that he'd met a deaf-mute and that he was with him when I called.

Brigid was typing away and then I caught her eating candy and when I did, she went crazy, she felt so awful, I had to quiet her down. I told her, "Now, now, it's not so bad, you only had fifteen pieces, the day's still young, just take it calm and easy."