by Andy Warhol
Went to see Rear Window and I was next to a black guy who wouldn’t move, but when he saw it was me he said, “Us Leos do what we want to do, right?” He had b.o. He was intellectual, he laughed in the right places. I loved the movie, it was beautiful Technicolor like they don’t make anymore.
Sunday, November 13, 1983
I’ve been trying to get Keith Haring and Thomas Ammann together for a dinner because Thomas wants to have it, and so I called Keith and he was just getting up, he and Juan had been to the Paradise Garage until 8 A.M. and they’d slept all day.
At 9:00 Thomas picked me up and he said Richard Gere and Silvinha would meet us at VanDam, so we went down there and it was empty on Sunday night. Had broiled fish but didn’t eat it. Richard was wearing a little hat and a mustache, and that’s his look from The Cotton Club. And he was screaming about newspapers never getting things right, he was grand. He said he only came because he wanted to meet Keith Haring. He’s buying art. He told me how he threw a Come painting of mine into the fireplace. What happened was I’d given Jean Michel a Come painting and he had it with him when he and Richard got drunk together, and Jean Michel didn’t have anything to write his phone number on for Richard Gere except this painting of mine, so he wrote it on that and gave the painting to Richard. Then when Richard woke up the next morning he said he saw it and thought it was disgusting and threw it into the fire. I told him it was my come but actually it was Victor’s. And Richard said that if he had all the money he wanted, he’d buy all the paintings of Balthus, who does the little girls smiling like after sex. They cost over a million now.
Monday, November 14, 1983
Dolly Fox came by but she didn’t bring her roommates or anything. She’s a struggling girl trying to make it, only she lives on 61st and Park Avenue and she struggles from there.
Wednesday, November 16, 1983
Jay was upset because I said no to his idea of making the Madison Avenue side of the building a discotheque that he and Benjamin would run, so he was moody.
And Vincent was in a bad mood because he went to Madison Square Garden TV for a meeting and it looks like they’re cancelling our show. They never got the point of our shows—they’re a sports network and they said they wanted to branch out, but …
Friday, November 18, 1983
I went to Karen Burke the collagen girl and with everything she said she put her foot in her mouth. She was saying that she wanted to do a study of the skin of homosexual men because of the sperm they would have swallowed, and she mentioned me as an example and I just looked at her and I told her, “Listen. I haven’t swallowed any sperm.” And she knew she’d made a mistake. And then I asked her if she was going to have collagen and she said oh no, that she was allergic. It was like, “Me take collagen? Are you crazy?” So she put her foot in it again. And then she said, “Oh, and I’ll give you credit on the line of natural-foods cosmetics that I’ll be developing.” And I mean, this was the idea that I told her the week before! To have butter creams and all refrigerator cosmetics that you have to replace all the time. And so I just told her, “Well I’ll be in business with you, so …”
Sunday, November 20, 1983
Cornelia called a couple of times, she was cancelling as my date for the “Marilyn” play opening. The show opened at 6:00 and it should have closed right then. It was silly. The girl playing Marilyn was very good, though, she has star quality and she could sing, but I guess it’s the book that’s so bad. When it was over, we lied and said how great it was. Ran into Lester Persky and Truman Capote who looked pickled. And Truman kissed my hand. What does that mean? And I asked him if he was going to the party afterwards and he said, “No. I can drink at home.”
Got home and saw a little of the Kennedy Years thing on TV and Republicans must have done the script because it had Jackie worrying about the curtains when they were having the Cuban crisis. Fell asleep watching.
Wednesday, November 23, 1983
Had an appointment to go see Doc Cox, but when I got there, there really wasn’t anything to do. Bubbles is just crazy. She said that the test that they took about ten gallons of blood out of me for the last time hadn’t worked. But they couldn’t do it again this time because they can only do blood tests in the beginning of the week. She said they charged me for it last time but that this second time would be free. And really, I think they just brought me up there in person because they didn’t want to call and tell me to pay my bill, so they did it this way. Because there was really nothing that I was there for. The whole place has gotten sort of crazy. But then while I was there someone named “Saul Steinberg” called on the phone, so maybe it’s the really rich one and so Doc Cox does have rich important clients. Then they told me that I hadn’t had any X-rays since 1978 but I said the nurse had done them and then they did find them and I blamed Bubbles for losing them, but Doc Cox said that Bubbles never even went near that drawer.
Monday, November 28, 1983
I’m looking out my window … there’s a lady with her dog running away from the poop he just did … she’s leaving it … she’s gone, and she left it right in front of my housel And here comes a truck from the Happiness Cleaners and Laundry….
Fred hired a kid to replace Robyn and didn’t even ask me. And I don’t think this kid can be any good because he just sat there for five hours waiting for Fred to arrive instead of seeing what little things he could do, like sweep up. He’s Italian with an English accent.
Tuesday, November 29, 1983
The New York Times had a big story on AIDS. The tourist business in Haiti is down to nothing. Probably the tourists were only there secretly for the big cocks. Because Jean Michel is half Haitian and he really does have the biggest one.
Went to the Trump Tower and laid out a stack of Interviews and watched people take them for free. A lady was shaking when she asked me for an autograph, and she said, “God bless you” and I hope she’s right.
I heard that Peter Brant just bought Antiques magazine, I guess for Sandy to run. It’s a good idea, it’s a good magazine.
Wednesday, November 30, 1983
Went to go to the thing at Tavern on the Green that was to announce Don King taking over the management of the Jacksons.
And Don King started an hour-long speech, and he was outrageous, he was telling everybody that Dustin Hoffman was there, and Muhammad Ali, and everybody was booing because everybody knew they weren’t really there (laughs). And then he started talking about “a young man with a camera,” and then Benjamin was hitting me and saying, “It’s you! It’s you!” And all the Jacksons had on dark glasses and wouldn’t take them off and wouldn’t say anything. And Mrs. Jackson is beautiful.
Sunday, December 4, 1983
Steve Rubell called and said he was picking me up at 6:30 with Bianca and Ian Schrager to go to the Helmsley Palace for the Philip Johnson retrospective exhibition with Jackie O. at the Municipal Art Society benefit in the Villard House. Got into black tie.
Went over there and talked to David Whitney. The photographers wanted a picture of me and Bianca, but she was being difficult. She was in a Calvin.
Then we went in Steve Rubell’s car to the Four Seasons. Shook hands with Jackie O., she never invited me to her Christmas party again, so she’s a creep. And now I wouldn’t go if she did. I’d tell her to go mind her own business. I mean, I’m the same age, so I can tell her off. Although I do feel like she’s older than me. But then, I feel like everybody’s older than me.
Philip was sort of cute. He said that it wasn’t his exhibition, it was his execution. David Whitney was having martinis and he said that as soon as Philip popped off he and I could get together. I laughed it off, but later he said I had to kiss him on the lips. I really didn’t know he actually felt this way about me! I always thought he was kidding. And Philip gave a speech and David laughed and clapped. He’s smart, David.
Bob Rauschenberg had me kiss him on the lips, too. And then later a pretty girl groupie kissed me on the lips. So if
I catch anything the Diary will know where it’s from. I left Bianca there without saying goodbye (cab $7).
Wednesday, December 7, 1983
I’m talking like Bianca: “Hellllloooo.” You call her and you get this whole low voice and Euromumble. She’s at the Westbury.
And Fred’s new assistant’s name is Sandro Guggenheim. The one Fred hired without asking me. Well, his name’s not really Guggenheim, but he’s Peggy Guggenheim’s grandson. Peggy didn’t leave him any money, though.
Thursday, December 8, 1983
Went up to Fiorucci to sign Interviews because Interview had arranged it. And when I got there (cab $6) it was so nutty because it was “Andy Warhol Look-alikes Day” and there were five guys at the store dressed in white wigs and clear pink-framed glasses and it really looked funny. So I signed about 250 Interviews and sold them.
Sunday, December 11, 1983
It was a grey day. Went to go look at the trees out at Averil’s in Katonah, where her husband is an emergency-room doctor and she just had twins. They’ve lent Fred a little shack on their property, so we were going out there to see Fred’s newest architectural adventure.
Peter Wise rented a car and we picked up Fred and went out there (tolls and gas $10). And Averil’s husband’s so handsome. They live in a big comfortable house with a live-in maid and it’s rich but sort of the shabby way. And it’s this perfect family with Christmas trees and a dog and her husband who loves her, and it’s so amazing to think how wild she was just a few years ago.
Tuesday, December 13, 1983
It was raining hard yesterday. Benjamin and I walked down Madison Avenue and saw all the stuff I want but it’s the same old problem—you don’t know whether to get a lot of the cheaper little things or one big expensive thing. And this year I notice that people are back to new things. Last year it was retro. If you had a thirties watch on last year it was chic. But now it’s back to Corums and things. Pocket watches are out. Wristwatches are in, but they’re sort of finishing. That’s the second collecting trend that I started, the wristwatch one. The first was Deco. This year you can get pocket watches that were $12,000 last year for $4,000. And ones that were $85,000 you can get now for $35,000.
We went to the office and I read the Rolling Stone where Jann Wenner puts down all his best friends. He put me in with the most “Overrated People.” And you’d think since he owns my Maos that he’d be putting me up. I wonder why not. Oh I know, maybe he sold them! And you know it was Joe Allen who sold the Silver Elvis! And he sold all his furniture and everything, the new wife is really moving in there. Jed is doing their apartment.
Decided to go to Peter Beard’s party at Heartbreak. Peter was at the door showing slides. The usual. Africa. Cheryl on a turkey. Barbara Allen on a turkey. Bloodstains. (laughs) You know.
Wednesday, December 14, 1983
Bruno came and drove us crazy. He didn’t bring Jean Michel’s rent payment, so later I called Jean Michel about his rent being due and then I had a fight with Jay because he gave Jean Michel my home phone number. He said, “Oh, I didn’t know you didn’t want…” I yelled at him, “Are your brains still with you?” I mean, he knew I wouldn’t have Jean Michel coming up to my house—I mean he’s a drug addict so he’s not dependable. You can’t have—I mean, so then why would I want him to have my home phone? Jay should have known better.
And Richard Weisman sent us tickets to the hockey game because Wayne Gretzky invited us.
And since I’d called Jean Michel about the rent I felt bad so I invited him to the hockey game and I sent Jay home early so he could drop off the ticket to him.
And Robyn Geddes came by about getting his old job back, but Fred had to tell him he couldn’t have it. And Fred called to remind me not to wear bluejeans to the hockey game because we were going to “21” afterwards.
So then I met the Shiatsu guy who Richard Weisman recommended and he worked on me for an hour and a half and he was really good, a thorough professional. He told me that when I cross my legs I should cross them left to right or right to left—I forget which—because one side is weaker than the other, but I told him I never cross my legs (laughs). But I’m looking now and here I sit talking with them crossed … anyway, so I made a standing appointment for every Wednesday at 7:30. His name is Eizo, and his philosophy is: “You are young you are young you are young, therefore you are young.”
I lied about my age, I told him I was forty-four. And he said, “Oh that’s my age, too!” I guess he knew I was lying. But I felt wonderful afterwards.
Thursday, December 15, 1983
Worked out with Lidija and I strained myself. Or maybe I have cancer of the groin, I don’t know. I decided to start drinking water instead of coffee. The office was busy. Vincent paid bills.
Thomas Ammann showed a few paintings here at the house—Balthus, Picasso from 1923, and Utrecht. And what should I do with these Christmas trees that Tommy Pashun sent? Five little ones. Last year all my trees died after I spent loving care on them, spraying them with water and everything.
Friday, December 16, 1983
Stopped at different places where I’d been the week before where I’d asked them to hold some things, and none of the places had held them. So I saved a lot of money. But on the other hand, I got really mad and hated them for not holding something for a regular customer. So—fuck ‘em.
And Lorna Luft’s so mean, she’s having a baby because she knows Liza can’t. And I’m working on a picture present for the Geros. Maybe one from the picture of Liza and Judy that ran in the Post last week.
Went out walking with Jon and we ran into Jann Wenner in the neighborhood—he saw me from a block away and came over and then invited us in for a drink. I said, “Gee, Jann, you put down all your best friends in your article on “Overrated People.” And he said, “Oh yeah, I made them take Gilda Radner off that list.” He didn’t say a thing about me! And he’s got a big pot belly and his hair is long again.
Saturday, December 17, 1983
There was lunch with Bo Polk at “21.” I asked Jon if he wanted to go. Picked him up and we went to 52nd and Fifth. Got out of the cab ($5) and happened to turn my head and saw this car running down about fifty people. People were being thrown up in the air. It was like a movie scene. And when the car stopped there were people lying all over the sidewalk and other people screaming and running. It made me really sick. Jon ran over to try to help. Some people who weren’t hit were trying to help the others, but there were other people trying to get Cartier packages away from people who’d been hit. Jon found this boy on the ground who didn’t have anybody with him, he was from Yale, and he asked Jon to slip his Cartier package in his inside pocket so no one would steal it. Ambulances got there in just a second, though. Lots of Empire ambulances. Where do they come from so fast, I wonder. It was chaos. And I was standing next to George Plimpton and I asked him if he was going down to the lunch, but he didn’t answer me, he was being grand. When Jon was done I thought he’d have blood all over him, but he didn’t.
Then later on after seeing on the news about all these other disasters, the bomb at Harrod’s and the fire in Madrid, it was great that not one person in this Fifth Avenue thing was badly injured. And what happened, it turned out, was that a traffic cop told this guy in the passenger seat of some car in front of Doubleday to move, and the guy couldn’t drive but I guess his foot just went onto the accelerator accidentally because they didn’t charge him with anything.
So it was all really odd and I can still see it in my eyes. It could have been us, or anything.
At “21” the hat-check girl said, “I know who you are.” And I thought she was making a reference to my dirty coat which the other day they hadn’t even wanted to check, they just threw it on the floor. But later on she asked me for my autograph, so I guess that was why she said it.
After lunch walked up Madison still feeling peculiar because of the accident.
Sunday, December 18, 1983
Talked to Chri
s and Peter. They were decorating their tree and then they were going off to judge an underwear contest at the Pyramid Club on Avenue A. Cabbed to Chris’s ($9). And Chris is so skinny that his eyeballs are sticking out. He’s doing it for the same reason I was when I was down to 115—he thinks it makes him look young. But he doesn’t look good thin. So when we get to Aspen I’ll have to get him on an ice cream binge.
Monday, December 19, 1983
Cabbed to meet Lidija ($5). And while I was exercising two big sharp pains went through me, as if somebody stuck a sword through me angled down. I thought it was the end. Especially after seeing that accident on Saturday and how it could just all be over in a second. But it went away. It must have been some odd muscle spasm. Lidija was concerned. She does adjust things. Like we don’t do stomach exercises anymore because it was making the bullethole in my stomach bigger. And we’re going to make the weights less. I did used to lift weights when I was young. At Al Roon’s. Before it became the Continental Baths and hosted Bette Midler. When it was just a regular gym. But I wasn’t lifting them right. I was just lifting.
Tuesday, December 20, 1983
Jean Michel came up to the office but he was out of it. Clemente brought up some of the paintings that the three of us are working on together, and Jean Michel was so out of it he began painting away. Jean Michel and Clemente paint each other out. There’s about fifteen paintings that we’re working on together.
