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He's wearing bell-bottoms.
4
00:00:29,233 --> 00:00:30,733
Hold it right there.
5
00:00:32,318 --> 00:00:34,025
And he's chewing gum.
6
00:00:34,066 --> 00:00:36,276
I'm not gonna be fake.
I come from Venezuela.
7
00:00:36,318 --> 00:00:38,775
-More coming up over there.
-Okay.
8
00:00:38,816 --> 00:00:42,318
-Let the black guy in.
-I think they should let all of us in.
9
00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,566
Exit over there
to your right, please.
10
00:00:48,608 --> 00:00:50,025
Yeah, let them in.
11
00:00:50,066 --> 00:00:52,816
I will get inside.
12
00:00:52,858 --> 00:00:56,608
What do you think
makes a place hot?
13
00:00:56,650 --> 00:00:59,900
Like 54... What was the phenomenon
that it became international?
14
00:00:59,941 --> 00:01:02,150
People flew in from over
the world just to go there.
15
00:01:02,191 --> 00:01:04,691
What made it such a...
16
00:01:04,733 --> 00:01:06,525
I don't know.
I, uh... You know,
17
00:01:06,566 --> 00:01:09,483
in a club it's all about
capturing a moment.
18
00:01:11,983 --> 00:01:14,858
When you walked through
those blacked-out doors,
19
00:01:14,900 --> 00:01:16,650
you were in another world.
20
00:01:24,775 --> 00:01:27,025
Anyone that was allowed in,
21
00:01:27,066 --> 00:01:29,483
uh, was totally free inside.
22
00:01:41,191 --> 00:01:44,525
Steve and I had no idea
what it would really mean,
23
00:01:44,566 --> 00:01:47,983
or that it would last
only 33 months.
24
00:01:48,025 --> 00:01:51,775
Just captured
everybody's imagination.
25
00:01:56,441 --> 00:01:59,276
You could be next
to Elizabeth Taylor
26
00:01:59,318 --> 00:02:01,816
or, uh, just about anybody,
27
00:02:01,858 --> 00:02:06,150
uh, and feel wonderful
and good about yourself.
28
00:02:14,816 --> 00:02:16,400
I love the nightlife,
29
00:02:16,441 --> 00:02:18,775
and I love seeing people
have fun nights.
30
00:02:18,816 --> 00:02:20,233
There's nothing
that makes me happier
31
00:02:20,276 --> 00:02:22,733
than to see the people
having a good time.
32
00:02:22,775 --> 00:02:25,318
Everybody that was there
was a star.
33
00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,525
Thanks. That makes me
feel great.
34
00:02:27,566 --> 00:02:29,233
It does, because so much bad
35
00:02:29,276 --> 00:02:31,608
came out of it,
you know, for Ian and I
36
00:02:31,650 --> 00:02:32,941
that it's good to think
37
00:02:32,983 --> 00:02:34,525
some people
think of it like that.
38
00:02:37,066 --> 00:02:40,108
The owners of Studio 54, Ian Schrager
and Steven Rubell...
39
00:02:40,150 --> 00:02:42,400
Two dozen agents raided
the chic disco this morning.
40
00:02:42,441 --> 00:02:45,441
It's up to ten years
in prison.
41
00:02:45,483 --> 00:02:47,441
What was your reaction
when you learned
42
00:02:47,483 --> 00:02:50,400
that your partner
had been arrested?
43
00:03:08,816 --> 00:03:11,775
-I just go?
- Uh, yeah, try that.
44
00:03:11,816 --> 00:03:14,441
Well, um,
45
00:03:14,483 --> 00:03:17,775
you know, I was
wondering to myself why,
46
00:03:17,816 --> 00:03:20,483
after almost 40 years,
you know,
47
00:03:20,525 --> 00:03:23,775
I would finally feel okay
to talk about Studio,
48
00:03:23,816 --> 00:03:26,983
'cause I hadn't talked
about it, you know, at all.
49
00:03:35,525 --> 00:03:38,360
Now I'm at a point
in my life
50
00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,276
that it doesn't sting as much
51
00:03:41,318 --> 00:03:44,650
after all this time
the way it used to sting.
52
00:03:47,483 --> 00:03:48,941
There's only two people
53
00:03:48,983 --> 00:03:50,483
that could've
told this story...
54
00:03:50,525 --> 00:03:54,233
Steve and I.
55
00:03:54,276 --> 00:03:56,400
That's why I'm happy
56
00:03:56,441 --> 00:03:59,233
to finally tell the story
as it really happened.
57
00:04:01,900 --> 00:04:02,900
All right.
58
00:04:04,733 --> 00:04:08,360
You haven't seen the book
in a few weeks,
59
00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:09,900
so we should look
at everything,
60
00:04:09,941 --> 00:04:12,276
and I have to ask you
a couple questions.
61
00:04:17,941 --> 00:04:20,900
I never been in a room
62
00:04:20,941 --> 00:04:22,360
with so many celebrities.
63
00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:23,858
It was like numb.
64
00:04:33,608 --> 00:04:36,441
So we need a picture here.
65
00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:41,941
This one.
66
00:04:49,108 --> 00:04:51,525
My friendship with Steve
was always very close,
67
00:04:51,566 --> 00:04:54,233
almost from the moment we met.
68
00:04:55,816 --> 00:04:58,483
We met in college.
69
00:04:58,525 --> 00:05:00,983
We both came from Brooklyn,
70
00:05:01,025 --> 00:05:02,775
middle class,
71
00:05:02,816 --> 00:05:05,276
lower middle-class
working families.
72
00:05:05,318 --> 00:05:09,276
Everybody upwardly mobile
and ambitious,
73
00:05:09,318 --> 00:05:11,400
and everybody
wanted their kids
74
00:05:11,441 --> 00:05:13,858
to do better than they did.
75
00:05:18,191 --> 00:05:20,691
Brooklyn made me hungry.
76
00:05:20,733 --> 00:05:23,941
My father was a tennis pro,
and I played tennis,
77
00:05:23,983 --> 00:05:26,276
and I'd visit these estates,
and I saw how people live.
78
00:05:26,318 --> 00:05:29,525
And you just see
this whole other life.
79
00:05:29,566 --> 00:05:31,360
You were very well aware
of the difference
80
00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,441
between what they had
and what you had.
81
00:05:33,483 --> 00:05:36,150
Somehow tennis
expanded the universe,
82
00:05:36,191 --> 00:05:39,858
and you saw that there
were other possibilities.
83
00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:42,025
We chose,
as much as possible,
84
00:05:42,066 --> 00:05:45,441
to try and pursue
those avenues of success.
85
00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,066
In college,
Ian was very studious.
86
00:05:51,108 --> 00:05:53,025
He wanted
to become an attorney.
87
00:05:53,066 --> 00:05:55,566
And Stevie was
the social butterfly.
88
00:05:55,608 --> 00:05:59,441
If you wanted to meet a certain girl,
you saw Steve Rubell.
89
00:05:59,483 --> 00:06:03,233
If you needed to know
what courses to take,
90
00:06:03,276 --> 00:06:04,733
you saw Steve Rubell.
91
00:06:04,775 --> 00:06:09,525
He knew everybody
at Syracuse University.
92
00:06:09,566 --> 00:06:12,360
Steve was the most
public of people,
93
00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,858
but he, in fact,
was very private.
94
00:06:15,900 --> 00:06:18,858
He was never open
about his sexuality
95
00:06:18,900 --> 00:06:20,483
and the fact that he was gay.
96
00:06:20,525 --> 00:06:23,066
It wasn't something
we talked about.
97
00:06:23,108 --> 00:06:26,025
You know, it didn't matter.
98
00:06:26,066 --> 00:06:30,733
Steve was an extrovert,
and, yeah, I am an introvert,
99
00:06:30,775 --> 00:06:35,400
but inside, value-wise,
essence-wise,
100
00:06:35,441 --> 00:06:37,441
you know, we were the same.
101
00:06:44,525 --> 00:06:47,150
After we graduated,
I got a job as a lawyer,
102
00:06:47,191 --> 00:06:49,941
and then Steve was working
on the steak restaurants.
103
00:06:53,858 --> 00:06:58,276
Steve was very interested
in doing steak restaurants
104
00:06:58,318 --> 00:07:01,441
in as many places as fast
as he could possibly do it.
105
00:07:01,483 --> 00:07:05,108
He had expanded too quickly,
and they weren't doing well.
106
00:07:05,150 --> 00:07:07,525
So I acted as his lawyer
107
00:07:07,566 --> 00:07:09,900
and kept
the creditors at bay.
108
00:07:11,483 --> 00:07:14,441
That's when Steve and I
became partners.
109
00:07:17,941 --> 00:07:21,150
I was the one that wanted to go
into the nightclub business
110
00:07:21,191 --> 00:07:25,066
because I smelled that there was
a real, you know, opportunity with it.
111
00:07:25,108 --> 00:07:28,650
That ambition, that drive
112
00:07:28,691 --> 00:07:32,360
really forged
a real bond between us.
113
00:07:33,816 --> 00:07:38,691
Steve always felt
he had something to prove,
114
00:07:38,733 --> 00:07:41,066
as I did.
115
00:07:41,108 --> 00:07:42,441
From the beginning,
116
00:07:42,483 --> 00:07:45,608
they had this
intuitive understanding
117
00:07:45,650 --> 00:07:47,150
that they were getting out
118
00:07:47,191 --> 00:07:49,483
and they were gonna do
something big together.
119
00:08:08,276 --> 00:08:09,816
The Vietnam War ended,
120
00:08:09,858 --> 00:08:11,191
and Watergate ended,
121
00:08:11,233 --> 00:08:13,066
and everybody,
all of a sudden,
122
00:08:13,108 --> 00:08:15,566
was tired of being concerned
about outside forces,
123
00:08:15,608 --> 00:08:17,816
and they said,
"I want to have some fun."
124
00:08:17,858 --> 00:08:20,360
They were tired
of being serious.
125
00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,108
So everybody went out
and went wild.
126
00:08:35,276 --> 00:08:39,318
We were going out to clubs
in Manhattan all the time,
127
00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:40,691
and trying to figure out
128
00:08:40,733 --> 00:08:42,441
what kind of club
we wanted to create.
129
00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,566
♪ Makossa ♪
130
00:08:48,608 --> 00:08:50,650
Gay clubs
were some of the first clubs
131
00:08:50,691 --> 00:08:53,276
that had disco music.
132
00:08:53,318 --> 00:08:55,066
But disco was black music,
133
00:08:55,108 --> 00:08:57,691
and it came out of black clubs.
134
00:08:57,733 --> 00:08:59,858
♪ Makossa ♪
135
00:08:59,900 --> 00:09:03,483
The beautiful models,
the girls would go to the gay clubs
136
00:09:03,525 --> 00:09:06,775
with the gay designers
and hairdressers and makeup men,
137
00:09:06,816 --> 00:09:09,733
and then the straight guys
would want to meet the models,
138
00:09:09,775 --> 00:09:11,276
so they would go
to these clubs,
139
00:09:11,318 --> 00:09:12,733
and it all started blending.
140
00:09:14,566 --> 00:09:16,983
For me, as a New Yorker,
141
00:09:17,025 --> 00:09:20,276
I'm telling you,
this was revolutionary.
142
00:09:20,318 --> 00:09:22,025
And it was the first time
143
00:09:22,066 --> 00:09:25,360
that it felt like
people were nonjudgmental.
144
00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,941
Everybody was fine
with everybody else's culture.
145
00:09:29,983 --> 00:09:35,858
At that time, gay clubs were
behind closed doors, hidden.
146
00:09:35,900 --> 00:09:41,025
It was a little bit like going to
a speakeasy in the '20s, I suppose.
147
00:09:41,066 --> 00:09:42,608
It was subversive,
148
00:09:42,650 --> 00:09:44,191
and there was
an incredible energy.
149
00:09:53,650 --> 00:09:56,360
We wanted
to tap through the loose,
150
00:09:56,441 --> 00:10:01,360
intense, sweaty, dancing fun
that was happening there
151
00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:02,691
and take it up a notch...
152
00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,483
to create
the ultimate nightclub.
153
00:10:08,650 --> 00:10:10,483
Blow everybody away with it.
154
00:10:10,525 --> 00:10:13,191
Dent the universe.
Change the world.
155
00:10:13,233 --> 00:10:15,650
♪ Makossa ♪
156
00:10:15,691 --> 00:10:19,066
Ian and I walked into this
old opera house and theater,
157
00:10:19,108 --> 00:10:20,733
and Ian and I both saw it,
158
00:10:20,775 --> 00:10:22,608
and we both went upstairs
and signed the lease.
159
00:10:22,650 --> 00:10:23,900
And some people
said we were crazy
160
00:10:23,941 --> 00:10:25,650
'cause we were on 8th Avenue
161
00:10:25,691 --> 00:10:27,691
and 5th and 4th when
the West Side was nothing.
162
00:10:27,733 --> 00:10:29,816
In those days, it was not.
163
00:10:32,900 --> 00:10:37,441
And Mayor Beame said he's
gonna clean up the streets.
164
00:10:37,483 --> 00:10:39,608
We're still waiting.
It's very dirty.
165
00:10:39,650 --> 00:10:41,816
I'm living here many years,
when I remember
166
00:10:41,858 --> 00:10:45,025
when it was beautiful,
and now it stinks.
167
00:10:45,066 --> 00:10:48,525
54th and 8th
wasn't Disneyfied yet.
168
00:10:48,566 --> 00:10:50,608
It was really
a very sleazy neighborhood.
169
00:10:50,650 --> 00:10:53,150
Perhaps the sleaziest
neighborhood in the city...
170
00:10:53,191 --> 00:10:56,066
the West Side
and the Theatre District.
171
00:10:56,108 --> 00:10:57,608
If you wanted to get mugged,
172
00:10:57,650 --> 00:10:59,858
that was really
a good place to go.
173
00:11:01,483 --> 00:11:03,900
It was amazing that anyone
would think of opening up
174
00:11:03,941 --> 00:11:06,566
a discotheque
on West 54th Street.
175
00:11:11,608 --> 00:11:14,233
In the '20s, it was built
as an opera house.
176
00:11:14,276 --> 00:11:17,733
And then it used to be
a CBS television studio.
177
00:11:17,775 --> 00:11:21,025
And there were some really
big-time shows that were there.
178
00:11:21,066 --> 00:11:24,233
Time now for everybody's
favorite guessing game...
179
00:11:26,566 --> 00:11:30,900
Uh, What's My Line?,
Captain Kangaroo,
180
00:11:30,941 --> 00:11:32,691
The $64,000 Question.
181
00:11:32,733 --> 00:11:36,441
I mean, these are big-time
television programs.
182
00:11:36,483 --> 00:11:38,318
They had all moved to L.A.,
183
00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,233
and it sat empty
for a long time.
184
00:11:52,066 --> 00:11:56,566
This is around the 40th
anniversary of Studio.
185
00:11:56,608 --> 00:11:58,900
It seems like yesterday to me.
186
00:12:00,483 --> 00:12:05,775
Now there's a sloped floor
here for the theater,
187
00:12:05,816 --> 00:12:10,318
like there was when we
were here 40 years ago.
188
00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,858
But, you know, you can't have
a sloped floor and have dancing.
189
00:12:13,900 --> 00:12:16,566
So we had to level it off.
190
00:12:16,608 --> 00:12:18,360
And we didn't
have enough time
191
00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:21,318
to get a building permit
to do it.
192
00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,150
We had to just start working
on it immediately.
193
00:12:24,191 --> 00:12:26,650
So we said,
"Just go ahead and do it."
194
00:12:27,816 --> 00:12:29,441
We had a guy
195
00:12:29,483 --> 00:12:32,900
on a tall ladder
with a paintbrush...
196
00:12:32,941 --> 00:12:35,566
Yeah....that was maybe
30 feet long...
197
00:12:35,608 --> 00:12:39,360
Right. Right....and he was painting
the ceiling.
198
00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:41,941
And someone kept
moving the ladder.
199
00:12:41,983 --> 00:12:45,691
Yeah, I worked 30 hours
straight right up to the opening.
200
00:12:45,733 --> 00:12:49,441
Yeah. And it was that kind
of unbridled energy,
201
00:12:49,483 --> 00:12:52,566
you know, that got this whole place
built in six weeks.
202
00:12:59,816 --> 00:13:01,133
We were competing against
203
00:13:01,295 --> 00:13:04,400
what probably is the best
nightclub people in the world,
204
00:13:04,441 --> 00:13:06,983
and wanted to have
the best of those clubs.
205
00:13:09,276 --> 00:13:11,983
First, we went
to the usual suspects.
206
00:13:12,025 --> 00:13:13,941
They said
they couldn't work with us
207
00:13:13,983 --> 00:13:16,360
'cause they were told not to
by our competitors.
208
00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,733
So, it was out of that problem
209
00:13:19,775 --> 00:13:23,941
that it went to Jules Fisher
and Paul Marantz,
210
00:13:23,983 --> 00:13:29,025
Tony award-winning
lighting designers.
211
00:13:29,066 --> 00:13:31,318
The theater part
was already there,
212
00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,608
and we made as much use of it
as possible,
213
00:13:33,650 --> 00:13:37,858
which turned out
to be a very good idea.
214
00:13:37,900 --> 00:13:40,566
And the people we hired to help us
were mostly coming from the theater,
215
00:13:40,608 --> 00:13:45,318
'cause this was all at the speed
of a theater production.
216
00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,108
We were hammering and nailing,
we were working there,
217
00:13:48,150 --> 00:13:50,441
we were wiring, we were doing
everything... I don't know...
218
00:13:50,483 --> 00:13:53,066
with no unions, no nothing,
you know?
219
00:13:55,441 --> 00:13:57,775
I remember I was even
a little bit afraid,
220
00:13:57,816 --> 00:14:01,276
because we had to
have people back here.
221
00:14:01,318 --> 00:14:03,483
They were paid $65.00 a night.
222
00:14:03,525 --> 00:14:04,903
That was a lot of money,
223
00:14:05,065 --> 00:14:08,025
and I was afraid
it was gonna impact the margins.
224
00:14:08,066 --> 00:14:10,318
And I didn't want
to have anybody back here.
225
00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:11,816
You know,
even having a lighting guy.
226
00:14:11,858 --> 00:14:14,941
Up to that point,
no nightclub had a lighting guy.
227
00:14:14,983 --> 00:14:16,525
The DJ did the lights.
228
00:14:16,566 --> 00:14:18,650
He played the music, and then
he played with the lights.
229
00:14:18,691 --> 00:14:21,233
There was nothing like it. So,
we had a DJ, we had a lighting guy,
230
00:14:21,276 --> 00:14:23,441
we had two guys
on a fly reel back here.
231
00:14:23,483 --> 00:14:25,650
Like, we had four people
in that thing.
232
00:14:25,691 --> 00:14:28,483
♪ Shoot me ♪
233
00:14:28,525 --> 00:14:32,025
There's still some old CBS
residual stuff around here too.
234
00:14:32,066 --> 00:14:35,608
CBS left a lot behind
that was just lying here for years.
235
00:14:35,650 --> 00:14:40,066
What we tried to do was keep it
in the context of a theater.
236
00:14:40,108 --> 00:14:41,983
All the lighting...
Everything was designed...
237
00:14:42,025 --> 00:14:44,150
The rawness of it,
the seeing of the lights...
238
00:14:44,191 --> 00:14:46,775
It wasn't designed
to be just pretty,
239
00:14:46,816 --> 00:14:48,900
it was designed
to be a theater.
240
00:14:53,691 --> 00:14:56,525
There was just
a tremendous amount of detail
241
00:14:56,566 --> 00:14:58,483
that went into the band floor.
242
00:14:58,525 --> 00:15:01,318
And, of course,
all the interior design.
243
00:15:04,318 --> 00:15:07,191
You know, we just...
we had to race ahead
244
00:15:07,233 --> 00:15:10,566
and were doing everything
instinctive.
245
00:15:10,608 --> 00:15:14,400
Making the club was Ian's job.
246
00:15:14,441 --> 00:15:16,691
Steve did not get involved
in this kind of stuff.
247
00:15:16,733 --> 00:15:19,691
But they were both engineering
this whole process
248
00:15:19,733 --> 00:15:22,941
of getting the right crowd
in the club.
249
00:15:22,983 --> 00:15:26,525
♪ Ooh, ahh ♪
250
00:15:26,566 --> 00:15:29,066
♪ Ooh, ahh ♪
251
00:15:29,108 --> 00:15:30,691
Ian and Steve
shared the same office,
252
00:15:30,733 --> 00:15:32,983
and Steve was always
laying on the couch.
253
00:15:33,025 --> 00:15:35,775
They were making deals
and calling people,
254
00:15:35,816 --> 00:15:37,483
and they were
sending limousines,
255
00:15:37,525 --> 00:15:41,816
they were inviting
all the important big names.
256
00:15:41,858 --> 00:15:46,858
We were also sending out
thousands of invitations.
257
00:15:46,900 --> 00:15:51,441
All those things contributed
to the groundswell, the buzz.
258
00:15:51,483 --> 00:15:54,025
♪ Ooh, ahh ♪
259
00:15:54,066 --> 00:15:57,858
♪ Ooh, ahh ♪
260
00:15:57,900 --> 00:16:02,483
In the crush of everything
that was going on,
261
00:16:02,525 --> 00:16:07,191
it was impossible to get a liquor
license in that period of time.
262
00:16:07,233 --> 00:16:09,276
And matter of fact,
we kind of forgot about it.
263
00:16:09,318 --> 00:16:11,441
It got lost in everything.
264
00:16:11,483 --> 00:16:14,900
So we thought we would
go up and get a series
265
00:16:14,941 --> 00:16:17,608
of one-day catering permits.
266
00:16:17,650 --> 00:16:23,400
And so we called our company
the Broadway Catering Corp.
267
00:16:27,025 --> 00:16:30,816
This is the first article
ever written on Studio.
268
00:16:30,858 --> 00:16:33,108
This is Deana Winterpiece.
269
00:16:33,150 --> 00:16:35,360
"'Then we saw this',
said Steven Rubell,
270
00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,483
"leading a tour around
the forgotten theater that is,
271
00:16:38,525 --> 00:16:42,691
even as we write, becoming New York's
newest discotheque."
272
00:16:42,733 --> 00:16:45,360
How much did it cost?
273
00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:49,900
400,000. I remember that.
274
00:16:49,941 --> 00:16:51,441
No, it was more,
because we... No.
275
00:16:51,483 --> 00:16:53,483
...we owed him money.
276
00:16:53,525 --> 00:16:56,150
-We owed him money.
-How much?
277
00:16:56,191 --> 00:16:59,941
Probably another
350,400,000.
278
00:16:59,983 --> 00:17:02,360
Yeah, it was close
to 700,000.
279
00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,463
-Are you sure, Jack?
'Cause I always remember 400.
280
00:17:04,625 --> 00:17:05,360
-Um, yeah. Yeah...
281
00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:07,483
Who did you owe money to?
282
00:17:07,525 --> 00:17:09,233
To the contractor.
283
00:17:09,276 --> 00:17:12,233
And, you know, that made me nervous
because I was on the hook.
284
00:17:12,276 --> 00:17:16,150
You guys weren't.
We didn't have anything.
285
00:17:16,191 --> 00:17:18,525
Jack, why did you do this?
286
00:17:18,566 --> 00:17:21,400
Steve and Ian had a club,
287
00:17:21,441 --> 00:17:25,150
Enchanted Gardens,
which is where I met them.
288
00:17:25,191 --> 00:17:26,858
We had done
a bar mitzvah for him.
289
00:17:26,900 --> 00:17:29,733
And I think at that time,
it was the first time
290
00:17:29,775 --> 00:17:33,650
that anybody had actually
done a discotheque for a, uh...
291
00:17:33,691 --> 00:17:35,483
-Bar mitzvah.
-For a bar mitzvah.
292
00:17:39,150 --> 00:17:42,025
Enchanted Garden
was the first nightclub
293
00:17:42,066 --> 00:17:43,650
that Steve and I did.
294
00:17:43,691 --> 00:17:45,983
It was a club
for the kids in Queens.
295
00:17:49,858 --> 00:17:51,816
The first night,
Steve went to the bar
296
00:17:51,858 --> 00:17:53,691
to hang out with the people,
297
00:17:53,733 --> 00:17:56,318
and I went up in the DJ booth
to play with the lights.
298
00:17:58,691 --> 00:18:00,191
It's not over yet.
299
00:18:00,233 --> 00:18:02,191
Our fabulous band
from Fiorucci
300
00:18:02,233 --> 00:18:04,816
are gonna give you
a couple more treats,
301
00:18:04,858 --> 00:18:07,150
and then we hope you'll
join in and dance with them.
302
00:18:07,191 --> 00:18:09,191
It was at the Enchanted Garden
303
00:18:09,233 --> 00:18:12,983
that we started to throw
these extravagant parties.
304
00:18:13,025 --> 00:18:14,483
We learned the business
305
00:18:14,525 --> 00:18:16,733
and got our feet wet
in Queens.
306
00:18:16,775 --> 00:18:19,233
But we always wanted to do
307
00:18:19,276 --> 00:18:22,733
a nightclub in Manhattan,
which was the big leagues.
308
00:18:25,108 --> 00:18:26,983
As of tonight,
309
00:18:27,025 --> 00:18:30,483
the disco-goer
becomes the performer.
310
00:18:30,525 --> 00:18:32,816
During the night
you'll have sunsets, sunrises,
311
00:18:32,858 --> 00:18:36,191
fog machines, snow machines,
wind machines.
312
00:18:36,233 --> 00:18:39,233
There'll be a tornado about
1:30 at night to get the people...
313
00:18:39,276 --> 00:18:41,441
Every night at 1:30,
there's gonna be a tornado.
314
00:18:41,483 --> 00:18:43,525
Right. Tonight at 1:30,
there'll be a tornado.
315
00:18:43,566 --> 00:18:45,191
Where do you take shelter
around here?
316
00:18:45,233 --> 00:18:47,691
Oh, we hide upstairs
in the balcony.
317
00:18:47,733 --> 00:18:49,775
You can also retreat
to the balcony
318
00:18:49,816 --> 00:18:52,733
if you don't want to become
one of the performers down there.
319
00:18:52,775 --> 00:18:54,941
In fact, they encourage you
to come up here,
320
00:18:54,983 --> 00:18:56,941
whether you come up here
to spectate or not.
321
00:18:56,983 --> 00:18:59,025
They give you
these binoculars.
322
00:18:59,066 --> 00:19:01,525
Kristy Fair,
Channel 11 Action News,
323
00:19:01,566 --> 00:19:05,775
on the balcony,
out of the act, at Studio 54.
324
00:19:10,983 --> 00:19:16,191
We had everything
riding on this club.
325
00:19:16,233 --> 00:19:20,650
If it was a failure, it would've been
a very, very big failure.
326
00:19:20,691 --> 00:19:24,276
And if it was a success,
it would've been a big success.
327
00:19:31,733 --> 00:19:35,400
The opening night,
there's a mob scene.
328
00:19:35,441 --> 00:19:38,360
It was almost impossible
to get close to the door.
329
00:19:40,525 --> 00:19:43,525
We didn't have the velvet rope
all stretched out.
330
00:19:43,566 --> 00:19:45,400
And we didn't have
adequate security.
331
00:19:45,441 --> 00:19:47,691
We had to take all the rest of
the security that was in the place
332
00:19:47,733 --> 00:19:49,400
and put them out front.
333
00:19:49,441 --> 00:19:52,816
And we were afraid that they
might break the door down.
334
00:19:52,858 --> 00:19:54,858
All right, please,
everybody back up.
335
00:19:56,900 --> 00:19:59,941
At first, I was
hired as security,
336
00:19:59,983 --> 00:20:01,483
but that first night,
337
00:20:01,525 --> 00:20:03,400
Steve put me outside
the front door,
338
00:20:03,441 --> 00:20:05,691
and I was out front
from day one.
339
00:20:05,733 --> 00:20:08,775
And Marc Benecke
became the doorman
340
00:20:08,816 --> 00:20:10,525
only because
he was the better-looking
341
00:20:10,566 --> 00:20:12,483
of the rest
of the security guys.
342
00:20:12,525 --> 00:20:14,941
I'd never worked
at a nightclub before.
343
00:20:14,983 --> 00:20:19,733
I, you know, just had to...
I had to just kind of wing it.
344
00:20:19,775 --> 00:20:22,483
It was really beyond crazy.
345
00:20:25,858 --> 00:20:30,733
I remember getting
past the doorman,
346
00:20:30,775 --> 00:20:32,775
and there was a carpeted...
347
00:20:32,816 --> 00:20:34,858
Looked like almost a runway.
348
00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:37,400
And it was mirrored.
349
00:20:37,441 --> 00:20:40,608
The coatroom
was to the right.
350
00:20:40,650 --> 00:20:44,276
I just remember hearing the music,
and I threw my coat.
351
00:20:44,318 --> 00:20:45,983
The coat check
was so out of control.
352
00:20:46,025 --> 00:20:47,525
I just started
giving people tickets.
353
00:20:47,566 --> 00:20:49,108
We were hanging coats
or putting coats...
354
00:20:49,150 --> 00:20:50,900
Then we're just throwing coats
on the floor.
355
00:20:50,941 --> 00:20:53,191
Like, hundreds of people must've
lost their coats that night.
356
00:20:53,233 --> 00:20:55,775
It was...
It was total pandemonium.
357
00:20:57,858 --> 00:20:59,858
Boom, boom, boom.
358
00:20:59,900 --> 00:21:03,441
The sound of the music
down the hall.
359
00:21:03,483 --> 00:21:07,566
There was a rush to get
to the dance floor. Just a rush.
360
00:21:07,608 --> 00:21:09,441
The full blast of the sound,
361
00:21:09,483 --> 00:21:11,566
you know, just came over you
in a big wave.
362
00:21:11,608 --> 00:21:15,066
♪ You make me feel ♪
363
00:21:15,108 --> 00:21:17,650
♪ Mighty real ♪
364
00:21:19,108 --> 00:21:22,191
♪ You make me feel ♪
365
00:21:22,233 --> 00:21:25,733
♪ Mighty real ♪
366
00:21:27,733 --> 00:21:30,360
The amount of drugs
was profound.
367
00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:31,941
You know?
And they were all uppers.
368
00:21:31,983 --> 00:21:35,150
No one was on a downer
that night.
369
00:21:35,191 --> 00:21:38,900
♪ You make me feel ♪
370
00:21:38,941 --> 00:21:42,775
It was carefree.
It was hot. It was sexy.
371
00:21:42,816 --> 00:21:45,733
♪ Mighty real ♪
372
00:21:45,775 --> 00:21:49,441
♪ Make me feel mighty real ♪
373
00:21:49,483 --> 00:21:54,483
Something happened from that
first night opening party.
374
00:21:54,525 --> 00:21:56,483
The message was sent out.
375
00:21:56,525 --> 00:21:59,650
It was like, poom,
this was the spot.
376
00:21:59,691 --> 00:22:01,650
♪ I feel real ♪
377
00:22:01,691 --> 00:22:03,858
They invited the people
378
00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:06,650
that everyone else wanted
to be in a room with.
379
00:22:06,691 --> 00:22:10,233
♪ You make me feel ♪
380
00:22:10,276 --> 00:22:14,025
♪ Mighty real ♪
381
00:22:14,066 --> 00:22:17,608
♪ You make me feel ♪
382
00:22:17,650 --> 00:22:21,276
♪ Mighty real ♪
383
00:22:21,318 --> 00:22:24,983
♪ Oh, you make me feel ♪
384
00:22:25,025 --> 00:22:28,441
♪ Mighty real ♪
385
00:22:28,483 --> 00:22:30,733
♪ You make me feel ♪
386
00:22:30,775 --> 00:22:32,400
I was absolutely shell-shocked.
387
00:22:33,775 --> 00:22:35,650
Steve was only 33,
388
00:22:35,691 --> 00:22:37,941
I was 29,
389
00:22:37,983 --> 00:22:40,400
and we had this massive hit.
390
00:22:40,441 --> 00:22:43,318
We were on the front page
of the New York Post.
391
00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:46,066
No other place had ever
gotten that. None.
392
00:22:46,108 --> 00:22:49,360
It was like a dream for us.
393
00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,400
Then it was just a question
of, uh, feeding the monster.
394
00:22:58,066 --> 00:22:59,608
Who, me?
395
00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:06,858
I think they wanna get
out of the cab.
396
00:23:06,900 --> 00:23:08,150
Get them out of the cab.
397
00:23:08,191 --> 00:23:09,858
Oh, you're not shaved.
398
00:23:09,900 --> 00:23:11,608
There's no way in a million
years you're gonna get in.
399
00:23:11,650 --> 00:23:13,608
-Every... -It doesn't matter.
You're not shaved.
400
00:23:13,650 --> 00:23:15,566
-Listen, just go home.
-Over here!
401
00:23:15,608 --> 00:23:17,566
I'll try
as soon as some leave.
402
00:23:20,858 --> 00:23:22,983
-Marc, check that side.
-Right over here.
403
00:23:23,025 --> 00:23:24,566
Can you put the lights
down a little?
404
00:23:24,608 --> 00:23:26,108
I can't see some of 'em.
405
00:23:26,150 --> 00:23:27,983
This is the scene
406
00:23:28,025 --> 00:23:31,233
outside a New York disco
called Studio 54.
407
00:23:31,276 --> 00:23:33,941
This is the place that's in
with the disco crowd.
408
00:23:33,983 --> 00:23:36,066
Except that these people
are still out.
409
00:23:38,108 --> 00:23:40,483
Of course, Liza Minnelli
and her kind of celebrities
410
00:23:40,525 --> 00:23:43,483
sweep right through
the protective ranks of doorkeepers.
411
00:23:43,525 --> 00:23:44,288
The ropes came about
412
00:23:44,450 --> 00:23:46,691
because there were prostitutes
on 8th and 5th and 4th,
413
00:23:46,733 --> 00:23:49,441
and in order to keep them out,
we put the ropes up.
414
00:23:49,483 --> 00:23:51,650
And the ropes became
part of the game.
415
00:23:51,691 --> 00:23:53,691
Steve!
416
00:23:53,733 --> 00:23:55,400
Now, you only
admit celebrities?
417
00:23:55,441 --> 00:23:58,025
No. No.
We admit everybody.
418
00:23:58,066 --> 00:23:58,946
How do you choose?
419
00:23:59,108 --> 00:24:01,483
What are your criteria
for admitting someone?
420
00:24:01,525 --> 00:24:02,361
Really fun-loving...
421
00:24:02,523 --> 00:24:04,691
We want people who are just
in there to have fun
422
00:24:04,733 --> 00:24:06,608
and not get heavy
with each other.
423
00:24:06,650 --> 00:24:09,525
-People come there to relax.
-You favor couples versus singles?
424
00:24:09,566 --> 00:24:12,066
We... Couples, gay people,
you know?
425
00:24:16,441 --> 00:24:18,276
Going out in those days,
426
00:24:18,318 --> 00:24:20,400
it was all about ego.
427
00:24:20,441 --> 00:24:23,858
This was one's lifestyle.
428
00:24:23,900 --> 00:24:27,566
If you didn't
see somebody at Studio 54,
429
00:24:27,608 --> 00:24:29,983
it meant they couldn't get in.
430
00:24:30,025 --> 00:24:32,360
And what did that mean?
431
00:24:32,441 --> 00:24:35,233
Pfft!
432
00:24:37,900 --> 00:24:40,691
Every night, there
would be a guest list
433
00:24:40,733 --> 00:24:43,025
that would be
for the front door.
434
00:24:43,066 --> 00:24:45,650
There'd be somebody's name
on the guest list,
435
00:24:45,691 --> 00:24:47,066
then the next column,
436
00:24:47,108 --> 00:24:51,318
there would be "pay,"
"comp," or "NFU."
437
00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:55,150
And "NFU" meant "no fuck-up."
438
00:24:55,191 --> 00:24:57,691
That meant that Marc
had to let them in.
439
00:24:57,733 --> 00:25:00,691
We had "GN,"
which really meant "NG,"
440
00:25:00,733 --> 00:25:03,108
which meant "no good,"
which means if they were no good,
441
00:25:03,150 --> 00:25:05,525
you don't have to let them in.
Celebrities...
442
00:25:05,566 --> 00:25:08,608
Some celebrities get special
treatment, others don't.
443
00:25:08,650 --> 00:25:12,191
-Do they get in for nothing?
-Most of them do, not all.
444
00:25:12,233 --> 00:25:15,276
-Mick Jagger and Keith Richards,
of course, would get in.
445
00:25:15,318 --> 00:25:18,733
But some of the other Rolling Stones
actually had to pay.
446
00:25:22,318 --> 00:25:26,483
Friday and Saturday night,
you know,
447
00:25:26,525 --> 00:25:29,525
the so-called bridge-and-tunnel crowd
used to come in.
448
00:25:29,566 --> 00:25:31,276
They didn't get
into Studio 54.
449
00:25:31,318 --> 00:25:35,025
They probably did go
to New York-New York,
450
00:25:35,066 --> 00:25:38,066
and Infinity, the Ice Palace,
451
00:25:38,108 --> 00:25:40,816
you know, Hurrah's,
and other clubs like that.
452
00:25:40,858 --> 00:25:43,983
But they weren't
coming to Studio 54.
453
00:25:44,025 --> 00:25:46,900
Steve is the one who came up
with that term "bridge-and-tunnel."
454
00:25:46,941 --> 00:25:48,650
You know, it was his way
455
00:25:48,691 --> 00:25:51,566
of explaining that
we didn't want people
456
00:25:51,608 --> 00:25:55,983
with the polyester shirts,
gold chains.
457
00:25:56,025 --> 00:25:58,108
"Polyester melts
under the lights."
458
00:25:58,150 --> 00:26:01,276
That was, uh...
That was one we heard a lot.
459
00:26:01,318 --> 00:26:03,276
He would split up couples.
He would say to the girl,
460
00:26:03,318 --> 00:26:04,775
"You're really beautiful.
You're in,
461
00:26:04,816 --> 00:26:06,441
"but your boyfriend's
gotta go home
462
00:26:06,483 --> 00:26:08,525
and change
into a cotton shirt."
463
00:26:08,566 --> 00:26:11,108
And would you let yourself in
wearing a shirt like that?
464
00:26:11,150 --> 00:26:13,233
This shirt? Yeah, this is
a good one to let in...
465
00:26:13,276 --> 00:26:16,691
these Hawaiian shirts.
Uh, good one. But, uh,
466
00:26:16,733 --> 00:26:19,150
I don't know if I would've let
myself in when the place started.
467
00:26:19,191 --> 00:26:21,816
I doubt it really very much.
If somebody else was to...
468
00:26:21,858 --> 00:26:23,816
No, actually,
it isn't like that.
469
00:26:23,858 --> 00:26:27,525
The only thing that
it's not based on is money.
470
00:26:27,566 --> 00:26:30,191
Has anybody ever offered you sex?
Oh, yeah.
471
00:26:30,233 --> 00:26:34,483
-Do you take it?
-Depends on the offer.
472
00:26:34,525 --> 00:26:36,733
But they have to be hot enough
to get inside first.
473
00:26:36,775 --> 00:26:39,276
Because if they weren't, then that
wouldn't be a problem anyway.
474
00:26:39,318 --> 00:26:41,983
-So it doesn't matter.
475
00:26:46,941 --> 00:26:48,733
If you look at the photograph,
476
00:26:48,775 --> 00:26:50,941
it's a more
slightly hopeful throng.
477
00:26:50,983 --> 00:26:53,066
You see
an occasional waved hand,
478
00:26:53,108 --> 00:26:58,816
a little grin trying to catch the eye
of Marc Benecke or Steve.
479
00:26:58,858 --> 00:27:02,191
It's like the damned
looking into paradise.
480
00:27:04,276 --> 00:27:06,608
I don't know. Last time I was here,
I got in right away.
481
00:27:06,650 --> 00:27:10,691
So I don't know. I guess they either
like the way you look, or they don't.
482
00:27:10,733 --> 00:27:14,191
If I knew what their policy was
and how they selected
483
00:27:14,233 --> 00:27:17,733
those who are permitted
entrance to the inner sanctum,
484
00:27:17,775 --> 00:27:22,025
I might even alter
my personality, my dress,
485
00:27:22,066 --> 00:27:23,608
in order to pass inspection.
486
00:27:23,650 --> 00:27:26,360
But they, apparently,
keep it a secret.
487
00:27:30,025 --> 00:27:33,318
There was a passion to get in,
488
00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:36,150
and a resentment
and a hatred if you didn't.
489
00:27:36,191 --> 00:27:40,525
We didn't care.
We just wanted the success.
490
00:27:51,775 --> 00:27:56,025
Ian and Steve were
excellent at the PR.
491
00:27:56,066 --> 00:27:59,150
Steve just loved
getting on the phone,
492
00:27:59,191 --> 00:28:01,441
and talking to the press
and letting them know
493
00:28:01,483 --> 00:28:03,150
who was there, what went on.
494
00:28:03,191 --> 00:28:06,150
And we got more press
than anybody else.
495
00:28:09,816 --> 00:28:13,108
Ian called me up and said,
"Let's make a deal."
496
00:28:13,150 --> 00:28:17,066
And I would get paid
for wrangling the celebrities.
497
00:28:19,900 --> 00:28:24,318
If I generated
PR around that person,
498
00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:28,816
I would get $500
for the cover of the Daily News.
499
00:28:28,858 --> 00:28:30,691
If I got them on the cover
of the New York Post,
500
00:28:30,733 --> 00:28:32,691
it would be
an additional $500.
501
00:28:32,733 --> 00:28:36,066
And then if I got them into
"Page Six," it'd be like 150.
502
00:28:36,108 --> 00:28:39,150
So, any celebrity
that walked in
503
00:28:39,191 --> 00:28:42,150
pretty much got on the cover of
the New York Post or the Daily News.
504
00:28:42,191 --> 00:28:45,276
It was huge news.
505
00:28:45,318 --> 00:28:47,941
Anything that happened there
506
00:28:47,983 --> 00:28:50,191
was on the cover
of the newspapers,
507
00:28:50,233 --> 00:28:52,941
was double pages inside.
508
00:28:52,983 --> 00:28:55,858
And there were celebrities
there every night.
509
00:28:55,900 --> 00:28:59,233
Everyone felt like
they had to be there,
510
00:28:59,276 --> 00:29:03,150
or they were missing out.
511
00:29:03,191 --> 00:29:05,360
There was this paradigm shift
512
00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:10,276
away from reading about
crime and and sports heroes,
513
00:29:10,318 --> 00:29:12,900
and people became fascinated
with celebrities.
514
00:29:15,025 --> 00:29:18,900
It was the beginning
of the age of celebrity.
515
00:29:18,941 --> 00:29:21,108
We were there
at the right time,
516
00:29:21,150 --> 00:29:24,608
and we rode it
for all that it was worth.
517
00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:36,900
The photographers we let in
were those that we could control,
518
00:29:36,941 --> 00:29:40,191
that would play by the rules
that we set up.
519
00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,233
Here's the Studio 54 box.
520
00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,816
Here's some of the pictures
that I've taken.
521
00:29:51,858 --> 00:29:56,733
This is a great shot
of, uh, Elton John
522
00:29:56,775 --> 00:30:01,150
feeling the boobs of Divine.
523
00:30:01,191 --> 00:30:06,816
I did miss Bianca, but I got
Dolly Parton kissing this horse.
524
00:30:06,858 --> 00:30:09,233
In the limousine,
I got this great shot
525
00:30:09,276 --> 00:30:11,650
of Liz Taylor in a limousine.
526
00:30:11,691 --> 00:30:13,525
I call it "Fat Liz."
527
00:30:15,318 --> 00:30:18,483
Here we have Truman Capote
with his robe.
528
00:30:18,525 --> 00:30:20,983
And he had slippers.
I have another shot
529
00:30:21,025 --> 00:30:25,900
with his slippers...
with his initials on his slippers.
530
00:30:27,483 --> 00:30:31,691
There's Ian Schrager
at the stage door,
531
00:30:31,733 --> 00:30:34,150
looking for an arrival
of a celebrity.
532
00:30:34,191 --> 00:30:36,566
I don't know which celebrity
he was looking for.
533
00:30:36,608 --> 00:30:38,525
But Ian was very nice.
534
00:30:38,566 --> 00:30:41,566
He was an introvert.
535
00:30:41,608 --> 00:30:43,150
He was rare, actually.
536
00:30:43,191 --> 00:30:44,983
It was a rare time
I got that picture.
537
00:30:45,025 --> 00:30:46,983
He didn't like publicity.
Like, you see,
538
00:30:47,025 --> 00:30:50,483
here's a braggadocio.
539
00:30:50,525 --> 00:30:52,733
Here's a braggadocio!
540
00:30:52,775 --> 00:30:54,483
Steve Rubell!
541
00:30:54,525 --> 00:30:56,441
Here I am.
542
00:30:56,483 --> 00:30:58,441
Look at me.
543
00:30:58,483 --> 00:31:02,318
He's there with the stars.
Big stars, small stars.
544
00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,816
He wanted exposure,
and he got it.
545
00:31:04,858 --> 00:31:08,150
He got a lot of exposure.
He's in the pictures.
546
00:31:12,566 --> 00:31:14,150
What came first,
547
00:31:14,191 --> 00:31:17,191
the photographers
or the celebrities?
548
00:31:17,233 --> 00:31:19,650
I think the room,
and being an old studio,
549
00:31:19,691 --> 00:31:22,025
an old theater,
and the lights, and...
550
00:31:22,066 --> 00:31:23,941
That has a lot to do with it.
I mean,
551
00:31:23,983 --> 00:31:25,900
you have to build
a nice mousetrap
552
00:31:25,941 --> 00:31:27,983
to attract the mice.
553
00:31:31,608 --> 00:31:35,233
Steve really took care
of these celebrities.
554
00:31:35,276 --> 00:31:39,108
He became very friendly
with fashion designers like Halston.
555
00:31:39,150 --> 00:31:42,191
The press actually
came up with this phrase,
556
00:31:42,233 --> 00:31:44,650
"Halston-Liza-Bianca-Andy,"
557
00:31:44,691 --> 00:31:46,318
with hyphens
between the names.
558
00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:48,150
It was like a unit.
559
00:31:48,191 --> 00:31:51,025
They were the core group.
560
00:31:51,066 --> 00:31:53,608
Studio got so much publicity
561
00:31:53,650 --> 00:31:55,858
that it made
all of these people
562
00:31:55,900 --> 00:31:57,816
more of household names.
563
00:31:57,858 --> 00:31:59,983
-Hello, Steven.
-Hi.
564
00:32:00,025 --> 00:32:02,525
I go out of my way to take care of them,
make them feel comfortable,
565
00:32:02,566 --> 00:32:05,525
honestly, 'cause
I get off on it myself.
566
00:32:05,566 --> 00:32:07,650
This was really his dream.
567
00:32:07,691 --> 00:32:10,983
His dream was to be the best
friends with everyone he saw
568
00:32:11,025 --> 00:32:14,191
in the newspapers
and in magazines growing up.
569
00:32:14,233 --> 00:32:15,650
And they were.
570
00:32:15,691 --> 00:32:18,066
Hi, Michael. Come on in.
You can come right in. Hi.
571
00:32:18,108 --> 00:32:19,816
-Hi. Hi.
-How are you?
572
00:32:19,858 --> 00:32:21,983
-You just walked in?
How are you? -Yeah, I did.
573
00:32:22,025 --> 00:32:23,838
-Michael, this is Jane Pauley.
Come sit over here.
574
00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:24,941
-Excuse me. Whoops. Can I?
575
00:32:24,983 --> 00:32:27,276
-Hi. Fine. -How do you do,
Michael Jackson?
576
00:32:27,318 --> 00:32:29,483
Good to see you.
Come here a lot?
577
00:32:29,525 --> 00:32:33,441
Oh, God, yes. Because, well...
Why?
578
00:32:33,483 --> 00:32:35,691
I like the atmosphere
of Studio 54.
579
00:32:35,733 --> 00:32:37,191
I've been to a lot
of discotheques,
580
00:32:37,233 --> 00:32:38,608
and I don't like them,
honestly.
581
00:32:38,650 --> 00:32:39,983
What's the difference?
582
00:32:40,025 --> 00:32:41,566
All around the world,
I've been...
583
00:32:41,608 --> 00:32:43,400
I don't know. The feeling...
I mean,
584
00:32:43,441 --> 00:32:46,816
the excitement of the props
coming down, and the balcony...
585
00:32:46,858 --> 00:32:49,191
It's just exciting.
Honestly.
586
00:32:49,233 --> 00:32:51,483
People take good care
of you here?
587
00:32:51,525 --> 00:32:54,983
-Yes. Steve's very nice.
-What's Stevie like?
588
00:32:55,025 --> 00:32:58,360
He's one of my favorite people
because he's genuine,
589
00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,276
and for real and honest.
590
00:33:01,318 --> 00:33:02,858
And that's
what I like in people.
591
00:33:02,900 --> 00:33:05,233
When you hear the name
Studio 54, what does that do?
592
00:33:05,276 --> 00:33:07,691
Does it... your pulse quicken,
and your feet start moving?
593
00:33:07,733 --> 00:33:09,733
Yeah, I'm ready
to have a good time.
594
00:33:09,775 --> 00:33:12,066
It's where you come
when you want to escape.
595
00:33:12,108 --> 00:33:15,360
It's really escapism.
596
00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:18,733
That's what I try to make it
be, too, is escapism.
597
00:33:18,775 --> 00:33:22,150
In other words, people who have...
whatever hassles they have all day,
598
00:33:22,191 --> 00:33:24,650
they come here, and they can forget
about them. -That's right.
599
00:33:24,691 --> 00:33:27,650
And they can come here
and just be yourself and dance.
600
00:33:29,566 --> 00:33:31,150
When you dance here,
you're just free.
601
00:33:31,191 --> 00:33:33,318
You dance with
whoever you want to.
602
00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:36,066
You just go...
I mean, you just go wild.
603
00:33:39,650 --> 00:33:42,941
There aren't that
many times in life
604
00:33:42,983 --> 00:33:46,150
where you're absolutely free.
605
00:33:49,483 --> 00:33:53,650
Everybody felt
protected and safe.
606
00:33:56,775 --> 00:34:00,191
You felt like you were in a place
where you could relax.
607
00:34:00,233 --> 00:34:03,983
You saw gay men kissing
for the first time there.
608
00:34:04,025 --> 00:34:06,608
And celebrities
with gay men.
609
00:34:06,650 --> 00:34:09,108
And people didn't judge.
610
00:34:09,150 --> 00:34:11,941
You could be who you are
when you were there.
611
00:34:11,983 --> 00:34:15,733
The lighting and everything... I mean,
it makes you feel sensuous.
612
00:34:15,775 --> 00:34:17,691
All this going on
and drinking
613
00:34:17,733 --> 00:34:19,483
and thump-thump-thump music
614
00:34:19,525 --> 00:34:22,191
and beautiful people
everywhere.
615
00:34:22,233 --> 00:34:24,733
It makes you
want to feel like that.
616
00:34:27,108 --> 00:34:29,650
I was wearing
lingerie and heels,
617
00:34:29,691 --> 00:34:31,691
and I could
go to the dance floor,
618
00:34:31,733 --> 00:34:33,858
and I could dance
with everybody.
619
00:34:33,900 --> 00:34:37,360
I'd float on the dance floor
and dance with...
620
00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:39,566
They were all my friends.
621
00:34:39,608 --> 00:34:41,650
I mean, I didn't know them.
They didn't know me.
622
00:34:41,691 --> 00:34:43,858
But they didn't care,
and I didn't care.
623
00:34:43,900 --> 00:34:46,276
So that's how we danced
at Studio.
624
00:34:46,318 --> 00:34:48,691
We danced with
the entire club.
625
00:34:52,233 --> 00:34:54,566
Disco was a haven
626
00:34:54,608 --> 00:34:57,983
for, you know,
inclusion and acceptance,
627
00:34:58,025 --> 00:35:00,066
and that the street wasn't.
628
00:35:00,108 --> 00:35:01,566
Out on the street,
629
00:35:01,608 --> 00:35:05,608
homophobia existed
much more than even today.
630
00:35:05,650 --> 00:35:08,108
Transgenders took
their lives in their hands
631
00:35:08,150 --> 00:35:09,941
walking down the street
in New York City.
632
00:35:11,775 --> 00:35:15,566
But as soon as they stepped foot
into the disco, they were safe.
633
00:35:15,608 --> 00:35:18,775
And not only they were safe,
but they were included,
634
00:35:18,816 --> 00:35:22,150
they were accepted,
they were part of the scene.
635
00:35:22,191 --> 00:35:24,691
Do people ever insult you
or are rude to you?
636
00:35:24,733 --> 00:35:26,525
-No.
-No, they're petrified.
637
00:35:26,566 --> 00:35:28,691
They think we escaped
from a Broadway show.
638
00:35:28,733 --> 00:35:30,360
Basically, New York
people are very open
639
00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:31,983
and very courteous
and kind.
640
00:35:32,025 --> 00:35:33,733
No. No, that's not true.
Only at Studio.
641
00:35:33,775 --> 00:35:35,566
-We truly feel at home here.
-Yeah. Yes.
642
00:35:35,608 --> 00:35:38,983
We pay rent, sort of.
$14.00 is rent, I think, you know?
643
00:35:39,025 --> 00:35:43,733
At Studio 54, gay energy
was bigger than life.
644
00:35:43,775 --> 00:35:46,650
The influence filled the room
and filled the space.
645
00:35:49,566 --> 00:35:52,441
The mantra at Studio was
you were in a fantasy
646
00:35:52,483 --> 00:35:54,318
and you could be anyone
you wanted to be
647
00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:56,566
for that moment in time,
and people did.
648
00:35:56,608 --> 00:36:00,108
♪ All that love
and affection ♪
649
00:36:00,150 --> 00:36:02,025
Thank you, Rollerina.
I really needed that.
650
00:36:02,066 --> 00:36:06,983
Rollerina was
a Wall Street banker by day,
651
00:36:07,025 --> 00:36:09,025
a fairy godmother by night.
652
00:36:11,233 --> 00:36:13,483
Disco Sally was a lawyer,
653
00:36:13,525 --> 00:36:16,400
and she was
about 78 years old.
654
00:36:16,441 --> 00:36:18,858
I was against Disco Sally
at the beginning
655
00:36:18,900 --> 00:36:22,025
'cause I thought the whole thing
was kind of gimmicky.
656
00:36:22,066 --> 00:36:24,191
And Steve's like,
"No, no, you're wrong. You're wrong.
657
00:36:24,233 --> 00:36:26,108
This is good for the club.
It's good for the club."
658
00:36:28,983 --> 00:36:30,276
Potassa, who was, like,
659
00:36:30,318 --> 00:36:31,608
the most fabulous drag queen
660
00:36:31,650 --> 00:36:33,191
of that whole era.
661
00:36:33,233 --> 00:36:36,566
She was 5'11" out of shoes,
662
00:36:36,608 --> 00:36:38,983
and 6'6" in shoes.
663
00:36:39,025 --> 00:36:43,775
And you never, ever, ever,
ever, ever saw her out of drag.
664
00:36:43,816 --> 00:36:46,816
And she'd hold center stage
when she wanted to.
665
00:36:52,775 --> 00:36:55,191
What's really beautiful
about the Studio...
666
00:36:55,233 --> 00:36:56,983
the combination of people.
667
00:36:57,025 --> 00:37:00,276
If you put just the beautiful people
so close together,
668
00:37:00,318 --> 00:37:02,608
then they... they are used
to seeing each other.
669
00:37:02,650 --> 00:37:04,318
They might even
get bored of that.
670
00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:05,983
But if you mix them properly,
671
00:37:06,025 --> 00:37:07,733
which was the case
of the Studio,
672
00:37:07,775 --> 00:37:09,318
with all
the bizarre characters
673
00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:10,941
and the transvestites,
and all that,
674
00:37:10,983 --> 00:37:12,360
they like the combination.
675
00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:14,691
I think it was
a wonderful cocktail.
676
00:37:19,150 --> 00:37:23,066
That diversity created
this combustible energy.
677
00:37:23,108 --> 00:37:24,983
It was tribal almost.
678
00:37:25,025 --> 00:37:27,066
That wild abandonment,
679
00:37:27,108 --> 00:37:28,858
that freedom
was all a part of it.
680
00:37:33,191 --> 00:37:36,566
It was like
an adult amusement park.
681
00:37:36,608 --> 00:37:39,691
They had a real sense
of what people wanted.
682
00:37:39,733 --> 00:37:41,941
You know? Adults wanted.
683
00:37:41,983 --> 00:37:47,691
♪ Ahh, my baby's baby ♪
684
00:37:49,108 --> 00:37:51,900
♪ Oh, my ♪
685
00:37:51,941 --> 00:37:55,483
♪ My baby's baby ♪
686
00:37:57,941 --> 00:38:01,525
In the '70s, there was this
kind of window of opportunity
687
00:38:01,566 --> 00:38:03,775
between the invention
of the pill
688
00:38:03,816 --> 00:38:05,691
and the advent of AIDS.
689
00:38:05,733 --> 00:38:08,066
So, even if you
weren't promiscuous
690
00:38:08,108 --> 00:38:10,441
or sleeping with someone
different every night,
691
00:38:10,483 --> 00:38:12,066
you felt like you could.
692
00:38:12,108 --> 00:38:14,691
You know, love was in the air.
693
00:38:14,733 --> 00:38:16,608
Sex was in the air.
694
00:38:16,650 --> 00:38:20,816
♪ Fly, robin, fly ♪
695
00:38:20,858 --> 00:38:23,191
In the balconies,
it was dark.
696
00:38:23,233 --> 00:38:26,441
People would make out, and maybe
somebody would give somebody a blow job.
697
00:38:26,483 --> 00:38:27,983
♪ Fly, robin, fly ♪
698
00:38:28,025 --> 00:38:30,816
Same thing in the bathrooms.
699
00:38:30,858 --> 00:38:33,941
♪ Up, up to the sky ♪
700
00:38:33,983 --> 00:38:37,108
There were mattresses
in the basement.
701
00:38:37,150 --> 00:38:39,318
And I went down there
702
00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:41,360
and slept with
a lot of people. A lot.
703
00:38:49,276 --> 00:38:50,858
Gay people had the advantage
704
00:38:50,900 --> 00:38:53,441
because no one was getting
pregnant. So, basically,
705
00:38:53,483 --> 00:38:55,400
you could just go out there
and have a blast,
706
00:38:55,441 --> 00:38:56,900
and you could have sex
as much as you want,
707
00:38:56,941 --> 00:38:58,108
and there was no
repercussions.
708
00:38:58,150 --> 00:38:59,400
And why not?
709
00:38:59,441 --> 00:39:00,816
Because you're
supposed to now.
710
00:39:00,858 --> 00:39:02,276
It's all about freedom.
711
00:39:02,318 --> 00:39:03,941
You could try anything.
712
00:39:11,775 --> 00:39:13,191
Steve had this huge coat
713
00:39:13,233 --> 00:39:14,941
that he would wear
a lot of times,
714
00:39:14,983 --> 00:39:17,400
and in that coat
was money and drugs.
715
00:39:17,441 --> 00:39:20,816
And it was like
Daddy Warbucks.
716
00:39:20,858 --> 00:39:24,733
Steve was big on Quaaludes,
to be quite frank about it.
717
00:39:24,775 --> 00:39:27,360
He loved giving out the Quaaludes.
If you said, "Steve,
718
00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,566
I don't want a quaalude,"
he'd say, "Oh, just take a half."
719
00:39:29,608 --> 00:39:32,566
Oh, I don't think
you're a priest, are ya?
720
00:39:32,608 --> 00:39:34,733
You're too much
of a bad boy.
721
00:39:34,775 --> 00:39:39,150
He always wanted to get the party
going to another level.
722
00:39:39,191 --> 00:39:41,400
You can say
higher and lower,
723
00:39:41,441 --> 00:39:43,816
and I'll leave that
open to interpretation.
724
00:39:43,858 --> 00:39:45,941
Everybody, come on!
725
00:39:45,983 --> 00:39:48,191
You think this happens anywhere else
in the world?
726
00:39:48,233 --> 00:39:51,150
-No.
-No, I was all over the world.
727
00:39:51,191 --> 00:39:54,941
I'm happy.
728
00:39:54,983 --> 00:39:57,150
The music, the lights,
729
00:39:57,191 --> 00:40:00,483
supple-bodied young waiters
dressed in nothing but shorts,
730
00:40:00,525 --> 00:40:03,483
and drinks at
one pound fifty a glass.
731
00:40:03,525 --> 00:40:07,900
The formula has made the owner
a very rich young man.
732
00:40:10,441 --> 00:40:12,775
He enjoyed every night.
733
00:40:12,816 --> 00:40:16,441
I mean, Steve probably
had more fun than anybody.
734
00:40:16,483 --> 00:40:19,608
And the environment
we created allowed him
735
00:40:19,650 --> 00:40:23,691
to be comfortable
and accept his sexuality,
736
00:40:23,733 --> 00:40:26,108
maybe for the first time
in his whole life.
737
00:40:27,941 --> 00:40:30,276
He was in his element.
738
00:40:30,318 --> 00:40:33,400
To me, it was different.
739
00:40:33,441 --> 00:40:34,983
I didn't want
to walk through the crowd
740
00:40:35,025 --> 00:40:37,691
and have to be poked,
people say hello.
741
00:40:39,318 --> 00:40:43,233
All the time
that Studio 54 existed,
742
00:40:43,276 --> 00:40:48,900
you rarely saw pictures of Ian
or read anything about Ian.
743
00:40:48,941 --> 00:40:52,360
Ian was behind the scenes.
744
00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:54,983
But he was the brilliant mind
745
00:40:55,025 --> 00:40:58,983
and designing in a way
that had never been seen.
746
00:40:59,025 --> 00:41:01,441
People were just obsessed
747
00:41:01,483 --> 00:41:04,441
with what he was
gonna do next.
748
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:09,441
There was a theatrical
quality of the place
749
00:41:09,483 --> 00:41:12,941
that I'd never seen before.
750
00:41:12,983 --> 00:41:15,983
It was an experience.
751
00:41:16,025 --> 00:41:18,691
Touching, like, pretty much
all of your senses.
752
00:41:28,608 --> 00:41:30,650
It's a visceral business.
753
00:41:34,066 --> 00:41:35,775
You have really
no discernible product
754
00:41:35,816 --> 00:41:37,608
except the magic you create.
755
00:41:43,025 --> 00:41:46,566
The moving of lights and sets
and changing the environment
756
00:41:46,608 --> 00:41:48,900
from one second to the next...
757
00:41:48,941 --> 00:41:50,941
that had never
been done before.
758
00:41:56,608 --> 00:42:00,150
Ian really created
a world of fantasy.
759
00:42:00,191 --> 00:42:02,691
It was the transformation
of individuals
760
00:42:02,733 --> 00:42:04,775
into this sort of group energy
761
00:42:04,816 --> 00:42:07,191
that absolutely exploded.
762
00:42:22,108 --> 00:42:26,733
Ian really is a genius for
creating experiences for people.
763
00:42:26,775 --> 00:42:30,441
We went right up to the edge
764
00:42:30,483 --> 00:42:34,483
in every single aspect of it.
765
00:42:34,525 --> 00:42:38,608
Building code, modalities,
taste levels, social morays...
766
00:42:38,650 --> 00:42:41,233
everything,
right up to the edge.
767
00:42:44,733 --> 00:42:48,816
It would cost as much
as 40,000 or $50,000
768
00:42:48,858 --> 00:42:51,276
just for the one night.
769
00:42:53,525 --> 00:42:56,691
We wanted to break down
that barrier
770
00:42:56,733 --> 00:42:59,858
between the audience
and the performers
771
00:42:59,900 --> 00:43:03,108
and introduce the idea
that anything could happen.
772
00:43:03,150 --> 00:43:04,066
And it did.
773
00:43:09,191 --> 00:43:12,816
Everybody who worked there
knew we were cast members.
774
00:43:12,858 --> 00:43:14,775
We were putting on a show,
775
00:43:14,816 --> 00:43:17,691
and everybody had to give
an incredible performance
776
00:43:17,733 --> 00:43:19,400
and give an incredible service.
777
00:43:30,066 --> 00:43:32,525
I was addicted to Studio 54,
778
00:43:32,566 --> 00:43:34,608
without any question.
779
00:43:34,650 --> 00:43:37,691
I had to go there every night,
and so did a lot of people.
780
00:43:37,733 --> 00:43:42,441
Studio 54 is probably the Mount
Olympus of the disco world.
781
00:43:42,483 --> 00:43:44,360
Right now, it is the center
of the universe
782
00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:46,983
for those who dance
to 125 beats a minute.
783
00:43:47,025 --> 00:43:51,233
Studio 54, the definitive disco
here in New York City.
784
00:44:02,108 --> 00:44:07,025
We were so excited,
so high on the success,
785
00:44:07,066 --> 00:44:10,900
that I would count the money
at night, which I enjoyed.
786
00:44:10,941 --> 00:44:13,733
You know, dump the money
out of the bag,
787
00:44:13,775 --> 00:44:17,650
kind of arrange it,
and then split it up in...
788
00:44:17,691 --> 00:44:19,691
You know, and I
would make three piles,
789
00:44:19,733 --> 00:44:23,025
and bring in a pile for Steve
and a pile for Jack.
790
00:44:26,025 --> 00:44:28,191
One thing that I think,
if you hung out there,
791
00:44:28,233 --> 00:44:30,108
you did notice
was that they changed
792
00:44:30,150 --> 00:44:33,525
the cash register receipt roll
in the middle of the night.
793
00:44:33,566 --> 00:44:36,318
That began to get out.
794
00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:38,483
People began to notice that.
795
00:44:38,525 --> 00:44:41,108
It was about the exhilaration
796
00:44:41,150 --> 00:44:44,400
of having this great success,
our life's dream.
797
00:44:47,233 --> 00:44:49,276
We had the best crowd
in the world.
798
00:44:49,318 --> 00:44:51,525
We had the best press.
We had the best club.
799
00:44:51,566 --> 00:44:53,360
We were number 1.
800
00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:56,733
Suddenly on top of the world.
801
00:44:56,775 --> 00:45:00,733
They were living
in a dream, practically.
802
00:45:00,775 --> 00:45:02,483
It was becoming so much fun
803
00:45:02,525 --> 00:45:06,025
that they were losing touch
with reality.
804
00:45:12,775 --> 00:45:16,233
I was up in my office
with a girl,
805
00:45:16,276 --> 00:45:18,858
and I heard the music stop.
806
00:45:18,900 --> 00:45:20,360
Well, I walked downstairs,
807
00:45:20,400 --> 00:45:22,483
and Steve
was already over there.
808
00:45:22,525 --> 00:45:24,775
You're encompassed in this little
world, and all of a sudden,
809
00:45:24,816 --> 00:45:26,360
the lights went on,
and the police are there,
810
00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:28,816
and it was like the reality
was in your face,
811
00:45:28,858 --> 00:45:30,191
like holy shit.
812
00:45:30,233 --> 00:45:33,318
And we were both under arrest.
813
00:45:33,360 --> 00:45:35,400
We still didn't have
a liquor license,
814
00:45:35,441 --> 00:45:37,400
so we were getting
catering permits every night.
815
00:45:37,441 --> 00:45:39,566
But, you know, at a point in time,
they're like,
816
00:45:39,608 --> 00:45:42,276
"Okay, why are these guys coming
every night for a catering permit?
817
00:45:42,318 --> 00:45:44,360
They're a nightclub,
and everybody knows it."
818
00:45:44,400 --> 00:45:46,691
Okay.
819
00:45:46,733 --> 00:45:48,608
Roy Cohn was our lawyer
at the time.
820
00:45:48,650 --> 00:45:53,983
I had called him,
and, uh... to help us.
821
00:45:54,025 --> 00:45:56,108
Their lawyer was Roy Cohn,
822
00:45:56,150 --> 00:45:59,483
and I knew he was also
an attorney for Mob guys
823
00:45:59,525 --> 00:46:02,108
and heavy-duty people
in Manhattan.
824
00:46:02,150 --> 00:46:03,941
That kind of
made sense to me...
825
00:46:03,983 --> 00:46:06,191
that there's a reason
they're not afraid of much.
826
00:46:06,233 --> 00:46:08,483
After a few hours,
827
00:46:08,525 --> 00:46:10,608
we were released.
828
00:46:10,650 --> 00:46:13,983
We were able, you know,
to keep the place open
829
00:46:14,025 --> 00:46:17,108
for six months with no liquor.
830
00:46:17,150 --> 00:46:20,441
Then we finally
got the license.
831
00:46:20,483 --> 00:46:22,318
I have a picture
of me and Steve
832
00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:27,108
holding the liquor license
when we got it.
833
00:46:27,150 --> 00:46:28,983
And from that moment on,
834
00:46:29,025 --> 00:46:31,233
we felt like
we conquered the world.
835
00:46:36,775 --> 00:46:38,775
They thought
they were so important
836
00:46:38,816 --> 00:46:41,150
that they could do anything.
837
00:46:41,191 --> 00:46:45,318
But people started to get angrier
and angrier at Steve Rubell
838
00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:48,025
and at Studio 54
because they couldn't get in.
839
00:46:48,066 --> 00:46:49,983
-One day, I'll be a star.
-They won't let me in.
840
00:46:53,691 --> 00:46:56,858
You can't have
this much popularity
841
00:46:56,900 --> 00:47:00,983
without somebody somewhere
842
00:47:01,025 --> 00:47:04,650
being envious
or wanting to take it down.
843
00:47:04,691 --> 00:47:08,360
I mean, it's human nature.
It's just the way life is.
844
00:47:11,733 --> 00:47:14,150
The Dan Dorfman article,
845
00:47:14,191 --> 00:47:16,900
Steve said,
"Only the Mafia does better,
846
00:47:16,941 --> 00:47:18,400
but don't tell anybody."
847
00:47:20,441 --> 00:47:23,525
Part of Stevie
was a braggart, you know?
848
00:47:23,566 --> 00:47:25,566
"Look what I'm doing,
I'm having the best time,
849
00:47:25,608 --> 00:47:27,775
and we're making
tons of money."
850
00:47:27,816 --> 00:47:30,150
He was very proud about that.
851
00:47:30,191 --> 00:47:32,608
I thought it was the stupidest thing
I'd ever seen.
852
00:47:32,650 --> 00:47:34,608
And when I called him, I said,
853
00:47:34,650 --> 00:47:36,025
"You're asking the IRS
854
00:47:36,066 --> 00:47:38,775
to just come knocking
at your door."
855
00:47:38,816 --> 00:47:41,983
And he said, "No, no,
no one's gonna bother me."
856
00:47:50,108 --> 00:47:53,150
Close to two dozen IRS agents
857
00:47:53,191 --> 00:47:55,150
raided the chic disco
this morning,
858
00:47:55,191 --> 00:47:57,191
armed with a warrant
to search and seize
859
00:47:57,233 --> 00:48:01,525
any and all records relating
to the club's finances.
860
00:48:01,566 --> 00:48:05,900
We got raided
on December 14th, 1978.
861
00:48:05,941 --> 00:48:08,816
December 14th...
that was just a terrible day.
862
00:48:10,941 --> 00:48:15,733
The Studio 54 case began
with an allegation
863
00:48:15,775 --> 00:48:18,941
of a gigantic
skimming operation,
864
00:48:18,983 --> 00:48:21,691
that there was cash
and drugs hidden
865
00:48:21,733 --> 00:48:24,775
at Studio 54.
866
00:48:24,816 --> 00:48:27,441
One of the cleaning guys
called me and said,
867
00:48:27,483 --> 00:48:30,483
"There's some guys here,
and they have warrants."
868
00:48:30,525 --> 00:48:32,525
So I called Steve.
869
00:48:32,566 --> 00:48:34,441
Steve said there were
some Quaaludes in the safe,
870
00:48:34,483 --> 00:48:36,608
and if I can run over
and see if I can get them out.
871
00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:40,360
But I ran into the Feds
872
00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:41,983
while I was in the basement,
873
00:48:42,025 --> 00:48:44,150
and they said,
"Are you the manager?"
874
00:48:44,191 --> 00:48:47,483
I said, "Yeah." And they said,
"Well, come on, open the safe."
875
00:48:48,816 --> 00:48:51,108
27-42-37, da, da, da.
876
00:48:51,150 --> 00:48:52,900
Two this way,
one this way, one this way.
877
00:48:52,941 --> 00:48:54,400
Clink, ploomp, and open.
878
00:48:54,441 --> 00:48:55,775
They said,
"Is this everything?"
879
00:48:55,816 --> 00:48:57,108
And that's when I said,
880
00:48:57,150 --> 00:48:58,318
"Well,
there's a couple of boxes
881
00:48:58,360 --> 00:48:59,276
up above here too."
882
00:49:03,650 --> 00:49:05,400
First of all,
I tried to open the door,
883
00:49:05,441 --> 00:49:06,608
and somebody pulled it back
884
00:49:06,650 --> 00:49:08,525
because they were
already in here.
885
00:49:08,566 --> 00:49:10,191
Yeah.
886
00:49:10,233 --> 00:49:12,233
So I put my key in
and tried to open it.
887
00:49:12,276 --> 00:49:16,025
Then they pulled it back.
And then eventually,
888
00:49:16,066 --> 00:49:18,941
the federal marshal,
whatever, just opened it.
889
00:49:18,983 --> 00:49:20,816
This is 9:00 in the morning,
by the way.
890
00:49:20,858 --> 00:49:23,566
Federal marshal opened it
and said something...
891
00:49:23,608 --> 00:49:25,525
"Do you wanna come in,
do you not wanna come in?"
892
00:49:27,941 --> 00:49:31,108
So I came in. I had all my papers
with me like I normally have.
893
00:49:31,150 --> 00:49:34,983
I put them down on the floor,
then I walked in.
894
00:49:35,025 --> 00:49:37,775
Ian Schrager, one of
the owners of Studio 54,
895
00:49:37,816 --> 00:49:39,566
entered the club
some time later,
896
00:49:39,608 --> 00:49:40,858
and agents say
897
00:49:40,900 --> 00:49:42,733
that among his records
they found cocaine.
898
00:49:44,441 --> 00:49:46,816
It wasn't in my books.
It was around my books.
899
00:49:46,858 --> 00:49:49,066
And then they came in.
I put my books on the floor.
900
00:49:49,108 --> 00:49:51,150
Maybe it was left from
the night before. Who knows?
901
00:49:53,025 --> 00:49:54,608
The field test kit
902
00:49:54,650 --> 00:49:57,025
showed positive presence
of cocaine.
903
00:49:57,066 --> 00:49:58,483
Not only was it positive,
904
00:49:58,525 --> 00:50:00,525
the thing was off
the charts, pure.
905
00:50:00,566 --> 00:50:02,525
It looked like it had
been cut right off the key,
906
00:50:02,566 --> 00:50:04,566
as they say
in the narcotics business.
907
00:50:04,608 --> 00:50:08,191
If you're going
to walk onto the premises
908
00:50:08,233 --> 00:50:11,150
that are being searched
by 50 IRS agents,
909
00:50:11,191 --> 00:50:12,983
with cocaine under your arms,
910
00:50:13,025 --> 00:50:14,691
don't walk in.
911
00:50:20,566 --> 00:50:22,608
-I was arrested, and
912
00:50:22,650 --> 00:50:25,318
my first call
was to Roy Cohn's office.
913
00:50:25,360 --> 00:50:29,276
And he came down immediately
914
00:50:29,318 --> 00:50:31,318
and advised us
915
00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:33,441
to overturn all
the furniture in the office
916
00:50:33,483 --> 00:50:36,318
and make it look
like the agent
917
00:50:36,360 --> 00:50:39,858
turned everything
upside down, like a Gestapo.
918
00:50:39,900 --> 00:50:42,483
They even ruined
my birthday presents.
919
00:50:45,276 --> 00:50:46,525
And it got everybody
920
00:50:46,566 --> 00:50:47,941
even more pissed off at us
921
00:50:47,983 --> 00:50:49,276
because it wasn't true,
922
00:50:49,318 --> 00:50:51,191
and they said
they were very careful
923
00:50:51,233 --> 00:50:54,691
to keep everything very neat.
924
00:50:54,733 --> 00:50:56,441
That kind of started
925
00:50:56,483 --> 00:50:58,483
the litany of mistakes
we made in this thing
926
00:50:58,525 --> 00:51:00,233
because that made
the front page
927
00:51:00,276 --> 00:51:01,733
of the Daily News.
928
00:51:03,691 --> 00:51:06,276
I don't think we realized
929
00:51:06,318 --> 00:51:08,941
the, uh, the seriousness
930
00:51:08,983 --> 00:51:11,858
of, uh, of what we got
ourselves involved with
931
00:51:11,900 --> 00:51:14,025
because we're getting away
with everything.
932
00:51:14,066 --> 00:51:16,233
And they were interviewing Ian.
933
00:51:16,276 --> 00:51:20,233
Ian was sitting in a chair
with the chair turned around,
934
00:51:20,276 --> 00:51:22,191
leaning on it like this.
935
00:51:22,233 --> 00:51:24,025
Like, defiant.
936
00:51:24,066 --> 00:51:26,816
Kind of like, with, like,
"Fuck you."
937
00:51:26,858 --> 00:51:29,360
You think he'd be scared,
but he wasn't.
938
00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:32,650
He was... He was pissed.
939
00:51:32,691 --> 00:51:34,941
Seven hours after
the raid began,
940
00:51:34,983 --> 00:51:38,360
co-owner Steve Rubell emerged
with lawyer Roy Cohn,
941
00:51:38,400 --> 00:51:41,233
-who blasted the IRS.
-...publicity stunt...
942
00:51:41,276 --> 00:51:44,360
Well, you tell me one other
instance in American history
943
00:51:44,400 --> 00:51:46,483
when 23
Internal Revenue Agents
944
00:51:46,525 --> 00:51:48,525
at the beginning
of an investigation,
945
00:51:48,566 --> 00:51:51,900
before they even go to a company's
accountants or lawyers,
946
00:51:51,941 --> 00:51:53,983
come in and raid a place,
947
00:51:54,025 --> 00:51:57,108
tear it to pieces,
open up everything in sight...
948
00:51:57,150 --> 00:51:59,858
Uh, if that's ever happened
before in America, I've never seen it.
949
00:51:59,900 --> 00:52:01,066
But what was it?
Was it cocaine?
950
00:52:01,108 --> 00:52:02,276
What does it look like
inside right now?
951
00:52:02,318 --> 00:52:04,566
It was not in his briefcase.
952
00:52:04,608 --> 00:52:07,066
They do not allege
it was in his briefcase.
953
00:52:07,108 --> 00:52:09,858
I've read the complaint, and I was
in court, and you weren't.
954
00:52:09,900 --> 00:52:12,733
-Steve, what does it look like inside?
-Wait a minute.
955
00:52:12,775 --> 00:52:15,483
We have to fight
to get a lawyer into this place.
956
00:52:15,525 --> 00:52:17,400
I came in through the front door
to get in.
957
00:52:17,441 --> 00:52:20,441
-The first time I had
trouble getting in.
958
00:52:22,276 --> 00:52:23,858
One piece I billed him.
959
00:52:23,900 --> 00:52:26,108
-That's a piece...
-One piece of the bill. Come on...
960
00:52:26,150 --> 00:52:27,983
Steve, what is the reaction...
961
00:52:28,025 --> 00:52:30,816
-What about the cocaine?
-I don't know anything about that.
962
00:52:30,858 --> 00:52:32,276
I really don't know
anything about that.
963
00:52:32,318 --> 00:52:33,858
Are there any other drugs
on the premises?
964
00:52:33,900 --> 00:52:35,608
I don't know anything
about any other drugs.
965
00:52:35,650 --> 00:52:37,733
Did you know anything about drugs
on the premises this time?
966
00:52:37,775 --> 00:52:40,025
No, I didn't.
Absolutely not.
967
00:52:40,066 --> 00:52:41,441
What was your reaction
when you heard
968
00:52:41,483 --> 00:52:44,191
that your partner had been
arrested for cocaine?
969
00:52:44,233 --> 00:52:47,400
I-I-I'm very fond of Ian.
970
00:52:47,441 --> 00:52:50,025
We went to college together.
We met in college.
971
00:52:50,066 --> 00:52:52,691
He's a good guy.
And of course I was upset.
972
00:52:52,733 --> 00:52:55,150
Was coke use common
at Studio 54?
973
00:52:55,191 --> 00:52:56,983
No, I like...
What Roy said...
974
00:52:57,025 --> 00:52:58,483
I don't wanna
really comment
975
00:52:58,525 --> 00:53:00,691
on anything to do with
that legal case of it,
976
00:53:00,733 --> 00:53:02,025
but, uh, you know...
977
00:53:02,066 --> 00:53:04,108
-What?
978
00:53:04,150 --> 00:53:06,858
-Steve, look this way, please.
Thank you.
979
00:53:06,900 --> 00:53:09,150
I feel like
the president today.
980
00:53:15,276 --> 00:53:18,066
We had had
every great lawyer
981
00:53:18,108 --> 00:53:19,608
working for us.
982
00:53:19,650 --> 00:53:22,233
You know, we had had
one of the lawyers
983
00:53:22,276 --> 00:53:24,816
that had represented
John Mitchell on Watergate.
984
00:53:24,858 --> 00:53:26,400
We had James Neal,
985
00:53:26,441 --> 00:53:29,233
who had sent
Jimmy Hoffa to jail.
986
00:53:29,276 --> 00:53:32,566
We had had Arthur Liman.
We had had Mitchell Rogovin,
987
00:53:32,608 --> 00:53:34,691
who was part
of Arnold & Porter,
988
00:53:34,733 --> 00:53:35,983
where Abe Fortas came from,
989
00:53:36,025 --> 00:53:37,900
and he was
a Supreme Court Justice.
990
00:53:37,941 --> 00:53:39,276
We'd circled the wagon,
991
00:53:39,318 --> 00:53:41,318
and we got ready
to fight the government.
992
00:53:41,360 --> 00:53:44,816
There are, incidentally,
37 lawyers
993
00:53:44,858 --> 00:53:47,360
working on behalf
of Schrager and Rubell.
994
00:53:47,400 --> 00:53:50,025
When they were raided,
995
00:53:50,066 --> 00:53:53,566
it was real Schadenfreude
here in New York City.
996
00:53:53,608 --> 00:53:56,566
They'd finally got what was
coming to them, people felt.
997
00:53:56,608 --> 00:53:58,691
They had their loyal friends,
998
00:53:58,733 --> 00:54:01,191
but nobody was running around
with their head in their hands.
999
00:54:01,233 --> 00:54:03,900
"Oh, poor Steve Rubell,
poor Ian Schrager"...
1000
00:54:03,941 --> 00:54:06,191
None of that happened.
People kind of liked it.
1001
00:54:06,233 --> 00:54:09,276
And now, following up
on the Studio 54 story,
1002
00:54:09,318 --> 00:54:11,525
is Weekend Update
correspondent Laraine Newman
1003
00:54:11,566 --> 00:54:12,858
outside Studio 54.
1004
00:54:12,900 --> 00:54:14,400
-Laraine?
-Thank you, Bill.
1005
00:54:14,441 --> 00:54:17,191
Standing next to me
is Steve Rubell,
1006
00:54:17,233 --> 00:54:18,566
co-owner of the club.
1007
00:54:20,025 --> 00:54:22,276
Steve,
what was your reaction
1008
00:54:22,318 --> 00:54:25,566
when you learned cocaine
had been found here?
1009
00:54:25,608 --> 00:54:27,733
I was shocked.
1010
00:54:27,775 --> 00:54:30,941
It was more of, you know,
1011
00:54:30,983 --> 00:54:35,983
taking on the institution,
taking on the system,
1012
00:54:36,025 --> 00:54:39,441
which was all part
of the Studio 54 mystique.
1013
00:54:39,483 --> 00:54:41,400
And I think everybody
rallied around,
1014
00:54:41,441 --> 00:54:43,150
and there was
a party after that.
1015
00:54:45,233 --> 00:54:47,775
The notoriety was like
a moth to a flame.
1016
00:54:47,816 --> 00:54:49,816
And everybody came,
and it got even bigger.
1017
00:54:51,441 --> 00:54:54,566
Which controversy,
uh, sometimes does.
1018
00:55:09,900 --> 00:55:11,608
A lot of people say,
1019
00:55:11,650 --> 00:55:13,691
"Well, Rubell was
shooting off his mouth
1020
00:55:13,733 --> 00:55:15,941
about don't tell the IRS this
1021
00:55:15,983 --> 00:55:17,566
and don't tell the IRS that."
1022
00:55:17,608 --> 00:55:19,066
That was not it.
1023
00:55:19,108 --> 00:55:20,858
This case came about
1024
00:55:20,900 --> 00:55:24,858
strictly because, uh,
an informant, who was
1025
00:55:24,900 --> 00:55:29,150
very unhappy with his
treatment at Studio 54...
1026
00:55:30,816 --> 00:55:33,941
and knew where
the records were kept.
1027
00:55:33,983 --> 00:55:37,400
The basement
had a drop ceiling.
1028
00:55:37,441 --> 00:55:39,318
And if you remove
the ceiling tiles,
1029
00:55:39,360 --> 00:55:41,400
that's where we found
the manila envelopes
1030
00:55:41,441 --> 00:55:43,900
that were, in effect,
the second set of books.
1031
00:55:43,941 --> 00:55:46,525
Also,
up there in garbage bags...
1032
00:55:46,566 --> 00:55:48,650
plastic garbage bags...
there was cash.
1033
00:55:48,691 --> 00:55:51,066
Absolutely never
any millions of dollars
1034
00:55:51,108 --> 00:55:53,318
in the ceiling of Studio 54.
1035
00:55:53,360 --> 00:55:56,360
That's, uh, just folklore.
1036
00:55:56,400 --> 00:55:59,941
They took down bags of cash,
1037
00:55:59,983 --> 00:56:02,691
which had been particularly described
in the search warrant.
1038
00:56:02,733 --> 00:56:04,816
It was, like, five
combinations, and you had to...
1039
00:56:04,858 --> 00:56:06,900
It's like, "Oh, man,
this is a pain in the neck.
1040
00:56:06,941 --> 00:56:08,608
The guys are all
dying for quarters,
1041
00:56:08,650 --> 00:56:09,900
so I'll keep the quarters
up top."
1042
00:56:09,941 --> 00:56:11,691
That's as simple as it was.
1043
00:56:11,733 --> 00:56:14,525
That was the "money
in the ceiling" story.
1044
00:56:23,191 --> 00:56:25,525
There was also cash
1045
00:56:25,566 --> 00:56:27,983
in a safe-deposit box
that belonged to Steve Rubell
1046
00:56:28,025 --> 00:56:29,525
that we got a warrant for.
1047
00:56:29,566 --> 00:56:31,483
We drilled the box.
We got cash out of there.
1048
00:56:31,525 --> 00:56:35,191
There was also cash
in his apartment.
1049
00:56:35,233 --> 00:56:37,900
There were secret doors
behind bookcases.
1050
00:56:37,941 --> 00:56:43,525
Steve had 900,000 in cash,
5s and 10s, stacked.
1051
00:56:43,566 --> 00:56:46,233
The Feds came,
took all of that.
1052
00:56:46,276 --> 00:56:47,858
I was driving around
1053
00:56:47,900 --> 00:56:50,900
with $400,000
in the trunk of my car.
1054
00:56:50,941 --> 00:56:54,441
It could've been stolen.
It could've been towed.
1055
00:56:54,483 --> 00:56:57,191
I mean,
I was parking in garages.
1056
00:56:57,233 --> 00:56:58,775
It was ridiculous.
1057
00:57:03,066 --> 00:57:04,608
At Studio,
1058
00:57:04,650 --> 00:57:06,483
Steve's mother
was the bookkeeper.
1059
00:57:06,525 --> 00:57:11,483
And Steve always had a budget
for recreational drugs.
1060
00:57:11,525 --> 00:57:15,441
He would give them for free
to certain people.
1061
00:57:15,483 --> 00:57:17,775
Steve's mother didn't know
anything about the drugs
1062
00:57:17,816 --> 00:57:19,233
and what the codes were,
1063
00:57:19,276 --> 00:57:22,400
but she knew where
every penny was going.
1064
00:57:22,441 --> 00:57:24,775
If there was $100 taken out
1065
00:57:24,816 --> 00:57:27,483
to get a celebrity
a drug or whatever,
1066
00:57:27,525 --> 00:57:29,360
it was recorded
as a "party favor."
1067
00:57:29,400 --> 00:57:31,025
So it had everything in there.
1068
00:57:33,276 --> 00:57:35,108
There was one envelope.
1069
00:57:35,150 --> 00:57:38,400
On the outside of the envelope
were three columns:
1070
00:57:38,441 --> 00:57:40,650
"Ian," "Steve" and "Jack."
1071
00:57:40,691 --> 00:57:43,441
And then there was
a fourth column,
1072
00:57:43,483 --> 00:57:47,276
which was the total amount
of the take for that night.
1073
00:57:47,318 --> 00:57:49,025
And then there was
a fifth column
1074
00:57:49,066 --> 00:57:50,441
that was labeled "skim,"
1075
00:57:50,483 --> 00:57:53,608
"S-K-I-M," or "SK."
1076
00:57:53,650 --> 00:57:56,816
So that you had a daily record
1077
00:57:56,858 --> 00:57:59,775
of everything
that they took in
1078
00:57:59,816 --> 00:58:02,900
and what they took out as skim
and didn't report.
1079
00:58:02,941 --> 00:58:05,233
Who created those books?
1080
00:58:08,983 --> 00:58:12,983
I didn't, uh, 'cause I
wasn't the bookkeeper
1081
00:58:13,025 --> 00:58:15,318
or taking care of the books.
1082
00:58:15,360 --> 00:58:18,233
But one of us did. I... I...
1083
00:58:18,276 --> 00:58:22,608
Who instructed that
those books be created?
1084
00:58:22,650 --> 00:58:25,900
You know, I... I...
I don't remember...
1085
00:58:27,983 --> 00:58:30,108
You sure you're not
a prosecutor here?
1086
00:58:30,150 --> 00:58:32,360
I, um...
1087
00:58:32,400 --> 00:58:35,983
You know, all I know was
that I got the benefit of it,
1088
00:58:36,025 --> 00:58:39,900
and I was a co-conspirator,
1089
00:58:39,941 --> 00:58:43,318
and, you know...
1090
00:58:43,360 --> 00:58:46,150
But, you know, the actual,
you know, workings and all...
1091
00:58:46,191 --> 00:58:47,941
I don't...
I don't know who did it.
1092
00:58:53,025 --> 00:58:55,483
In the 33 months
that they were doing it,
1093
00:58:55,525 --> 00:58:57,441
I think there was skim
of two and half
1094
00:58:57,483 --> 00:58:59,150
or three million dollars...
1095
00:58:59,191 --> 00:59:01,025
an astronomical amount
to skim,
1096
00:59:01,066 --> 00:59:03,691
which was ridiculous.
1097
00:59:03,733 --> 00:59:07,483
I mean, if you're gonna skim,
you know, skim 10% or twent...
1098
00:59:07,525 --> 00:59:09,233
You know, not 80%.
1099
00:59:09,276 --> 00:59:12,858
They were really, you know,
pigs about it.
1100
00:59:12,900 --> 00:59:15,233
Well, this was
the Richard Nixon of skims.
1101
00:59:15,276 --> 00:59:18,816
We just went way over
and way beyond, you know,
1102
00:59:18,858 --> 00:59:23,733
anything that was even remotely
possible to go unnoticed.
1103
00:59:25,441 --> 00:59:28,608
Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager
1104
00:59:28,650 --> 00:59:31,191
are totally
and completely innocent
1105
00:59:31,233 --> 00:59:34,066
of this claim
for additional taxes
1106
00:59:34,108 --> 00:59:37,858
or any kind
of evasion of taxes.
1107
00:59:37,900 --> 00:59:40,775
Cohn charges there was
only one partner to blame
1108
00:59:40,816 --> 00:59:42,525
for the troubles
of Studio 54...
1109
00:59:42,566 --> 00:59:43,858
that's the man
who keeps the books.
1110
00:59:43,900 --> 00:59:45,066
His name is Jack Dushey.
1111
00:59:45,108 --> 00:59:46,608
He secretly pleaded guilty
1112
00:59:46,650 --> 00:59:47,900
to charges last week,
1113
00:59:47,941 --> 00:59:49,150
and he now faces
1114
00:59:49,191 --> 00:59:51,360
up to five years in prison.
1115
00:59:51,400 --> 00:59:55,858
Jack Dushey agreed
to cooperate and to testify
1116
00:59:55,900 --> 00:59:59,066
against Rubell and Schrager
in the grand jury
1117
00:59:59,108 --> 01:00:03,525
and at the trial,
if one was necessary.
1118
01:00:05,733 --> 01:00:09,233
What happened
wasn't his fault.
1119
01:00:09,276 --> 01:00:12,150
He had a whole family.
He would've never done it.
1120
01:00:14,150 --> 01:00:16,360
-I never asked him that.
-No.
1121
01:00:16,400 --> 01:00:19,360
But that's what I've,
uh, always felt.
1122
01:00:21,276 --> 01:00:22,900
Were you...
Jack, were you resentful...
1123
01:00:22,941 --> 01:00:24,276
It was very difficult
1124
01:00:24,318 --> 01:00:28,400
to put reins
on the success, you know?
1125
01:00:28,441 --> 01:00:31,233
Who am I? First of all,
I was older than them.
1126
01:00:31,276 --> 01:00:34,025
And, you know,
I didn't need the money.
1127
01:00:34,066 --> 01:00:37,733
I wasn't doing it
for the money. But, uh,
1128
01:00:37,775 --> 01:00:40,441
this was
an overwhelming success,
1129
01:00:40,483 --> 01:00:45,441
so I wasn't about
to try to harness them.
1130
01:00:45,483 --> 01:00:49,191
And, you know, you know,
we all paid the price.
1131
01:00:51,941 --> 01:00:53,733
I mean,
but did you know
1132
01:00:53,775 --> 01:00:57,066
what was going on
in the counting house?
1133
01:00:57,108 --> 01:00:59,775
Oh, I was right
in the middle of it.
1134
01:00:59,816 --> 01:01:02,066
Yeah, I was right
in the middle of it.
1135
01:01:04,025 --> 01:01:08,691
I was just as culpable as,
you know, Steve and Ian.
1136
01:01:10,276 --> 01:01:12,441
But you seem so level-headed.
1137
01:01:12,483 --> 01:01:15,318
Why do you think
you let that happen?
1138
01:01:15,360 --> 01:01:17,191
Oh, the success.
1139
01:01:17,233 --> 01:01:19,318
-The success went to everybody's head.
- Yeah.
1140
01:01:25,360 --> 01:01:27,816
I was assigned
1141
01:01:27,858 --> 01:01:30,941
to the Organized Crime
Strike Force,
1142
01:01:30,983 --> 01:01:33,983
which deals mostly
with organized crime.
1143
01:01:34,025 --> 01:01:37,525
In particular, at that time,
the Italian Mafia.
1144
01:01:37,566 --> 01:01:39,650
The Studio 54 case...
1145
01:01:39,691 --> 01:01:42,691
there was a supposed
connection
1146
01:01:42,733 --> 01:01:45,983
to organized crime
through Ian Schrager,
1147
01:01:46,025 --> 01:01:50,025
whose father
was Louis Schrager,
1148
01:01:50,066 --> 01:01:54,150
also colloquially known
as Max the Jew.
1149
01:01:56,233 --> 01:01:59,191
I've always heard
all these things
1150
01:01:59,233 --> 01:02:01,608
about my father
in the newspapers,
1151
01:02:01,650 --> 01:02:04,566
and I didn't really know
anything about it.
1152
01:02:04,608 --> 01:02:06,360
I idolized my father.
1153
01:02:06,400 --> 01:02:09,691
I knew he was different
than other fathers,
1154
01:02:09,733 --> 01:02:11,983
you know,
with his hours of work,
1155
01:02:12,025 --> 01:02:13,483
and I was always concerned
1156
01:02:13,525 --> 01:02:15,941
that that would be
a problem for me.
1157
01:02:15,983 --> 01:02:18,816
I was always
very sensitive to that.
1158
01:02:18,858 --> 01:02:22,191
Louis Schrager,
who had died at the time,
1159
01:02:22,233 --> 01:02:25,108
was an old
Meyer Lansky associate.
1160
01:02:27,276 --> 01:02:29,691
But we never found
any evidence
1161
01:02:29,733 --> 01:02:33,816
that Studio 54
had a Mafia link.
1162
01:02:33,858 --> 01:02:35,816
I definitely think that Ian
1163
01:02:35,858 --> 01:02:38,650
didn't want any part
of his father's business
1164
01:02:38,691 --> 01:02:40,691
or connections or anything.
1165
01:02:40,733 --> 01:02:43,525
I mean, his father was
successful at what he did.
1166
01:02:43,566 --> 01:02:45,691
His father had power.
1167
01:02:45,733 --> 01:02:48,483
And I think
that Ian wanted power
1168
01:02:48,525 --> 01:02:52,025
and success
in a different area.
1169
01:02:55,400 --> 01:02:58,276
The three owners and the manager
of the Studio 54 disco
1170
01:02:58,318 --> 01:03:00,775
were indicted today
on charges of income tax evasion.
1171
01:03:00,816 --> 01:03:02,191
Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager
1172
01:03:02,233 --> 01:03:04,150
were slapped
with a 12-count indictment...
1173
01:03:04,191 --> 01:03:06,025
Now Ian Schrager
and Steve Rubell
1174
01:03:06,066 --> 01:03:07,983
face up to ten years in prison
1175
01:03:08,025 --> 01:03:10,318
and fines up to $20,000.
1176
01:03:12,650 --> 01:03:15,900
They had this ball of fire
1177
01:03:15,941 --> 01:03:19,276
that nobody in the world had.
1178
01:03:19,318 --> 01:03:20,858
They had this... this thing
1179
01:03:20,900 --> 01:03:23,441
that was worldwide popular
1180
01:03:23,483 --> 01:03:25,691
that had fallen
into their laps,
1181
01:03:25,733 --> 01:03:27,775
and I don't think
they wanted to lose that.
1182
01:03:30,775 --> 01:03:32,360
During one of the meetings,
1183
01:03:32,400 --> 01:03:34,360
the lawyers kept saying,
"Well, you know,
1184
01:03:34,400 --> 01:03:36,441
you have to try
and trade something."
1185
01:03:37,691 --> 01:03:39,525
It was August 25th.
1186
01:03:39,566 --> 01:03:41,608
I remember Steve telling me,
1187
01:03:41,650 --> 01:03:43,525
"I hope there's
a war in Iran."
1188
01:03:43,566 --> 01:03:45,858
I said, "What are you talking about?"
He said, "I just don't...
1189
01:03:45,900 --> 01:03:47,525
"There's a story
that's gonna break,
1190
01:03:47,566 --> 01:03:49,400
and I just don't
want it to be big."
1191
01:03:49,441 --> 01:03:51,025
The Justice Department
1192
01:03:51,066 --> 01:03:53,400
is investigating
an allegation
1193
01:03:53,441 --> 01:03:56,941
that White House Chief of Staff
Hamilton Jordan used cocaine
1194
01:03:56,983 --> 01:04:00,360
during a visit to New York's Studio 54
discotheque last year.
1195
01:04:00,400 --> 01:04:03,233
The White House
flatly denies the allegations,
1196
01:04:03,276 --> 01:04:05,691
saying the people making them
have a clear interest
1197
01:04:05,733 --> 01:04:08,025
in making false
and sensational charges
1198
01:04:08,066 --> 01:04:10,608
so they can bargain
for lighter sentences.
1199
01:04:13,900 --> 01:04:16,608
To accuse the White House
Chief of Staff
1200
01:04:16,650 --> 01:04:18,150
of asking to buy cocaine
1201
01:04:18,191 --> 01:04:20,441
in the basement of Studio 54...
1202
01:04:20,483 --> 01:04:22,066
I mean, didn't Steve realize
1203
01:04:22,108 --> 01:04:24,816
he now is gonna have
the White House against him?
1204
01:04:24,858 --> 01:04:28,691
I thought Steve better
be really careful.
1205
01:04:28,733 --> 01:04:31,525
These people are powerful.
He doesn't have any power.
1206
01:04:31,566 --> 01:04:34,650
He's a nightlife person.
His power is among celebrities,
1207
01:04:34,691 --> 01:04:36,983
it's not among the politicos.
1208
01:04:37,025 --> 01:04:40,900
He definitely messed
with the wrong people.
1209
01:04:40,941 --> 01:04:43,276
President Carter's
comment about Jordan was
1210
01:04:43,318 --> 01:04:44,608
"He will tell the truth,
1211
01:04:44,650 --> 01:04:46,441
as my wife would
or my children."
1212
01:04:46,483 --> 01:04:48,360
While
the Justice Department
1213
01:04:48,400 --> 01:04:50,191
would not ordinarily
pursue a case
1214
01:04:50,233 --> 01:04:52,191
involving individual use
of the drug,
1215
01:04:52,233 --> 01:04:54,191
it's compelled
to do so on this case
1216
01:04:54,233 --> 01:04:56,983
because of a new law called
the Ethics in Government Act.
1217
01:04:57,025 --> 01:04:59,816
That law grew out
of the Watergate scandals.
1218
01:04:59,858 --> 01:05:03,525
It requires an investigation
of up to 90 days by the FBI
1219
01:05:03,566 --> 01:05:05,150
when criminal allegations
are made
1220
01:05:05,191 --> 01:05:07,360
against high-ranking
government officials.
1221
01:05:07,400 --> 01:05:09,441
One of the lawyers,
Mitchell Rogovin,
1222
01:05:09,483 --> 01:05:11,608
made a really fatal mistake
1223
01:05:11,650 --> 01:05:13,650
and hurt us.
1224
01:05:13,691 --> 01:05:16,191
He didn't understand
1225
01:05:16,233 --> 01:05:19,066
how Watergate
changed the law.
1226
01:05:19,108 --> 01:05:21,150
It became very public.
1227
01:05:21,191 --> 01:05:25,108
The train left the station
and took a life of its own.
1228
01:05:25,150 --> 01:05:26,900
There was no turning back.
1229
01:05:26,941 --> 01:05:28,566
You saw, with your own eyes,
1230
01:05:28,608 --> 01:05:30,150
Hamilton Jordan
use cocaine?
1231
01:05:30,191 --> 01:05:31,233
Yes.
1232
01:05:31,276 --> 01:05:32,400
-No question?
-No question.
1233
01:05:32,441 --> 01:05:33,858
-No mistake?
-No.
1234
01:05:36,691 --> 01:05:38,150
We didn't
realize the magnitude
1235
01:05:38,191 --> 01:05:39,900
of what was going on.
1236
01:05:39,941 --> 01:05:41,025
We had this thing
of, you know,
1237
01:05:41,066 --> 01:05:42,441
"We'll get out of it.
1238
01:05:42,483 --> 01:05:44,483
"You know, we got Roy there,
but, you know,
1239
01:05:44,525 --> 01:05:47,691
we'll figure out a way
and get a way out of it."
1240
01:05:47,733 --> 01:05:53,233
We even went and did a major
renovation in the club,
1241
01:05:53,276 --> 01:05:56,150
like a signal to everyone...
it's gonna be fine.
1242
01:05:59,108 --> 01:06:00,858
What do you do
1243
01:06:00,900 --> 01:06:02,608
when you're under indictment
for tax evasion
1244
01:06:02,650 --> 01:06:04,650
and fighting Hamilton Jordan
in your spare time?
1245
01:06:04,691 --> 01:06:06,108
Well, you can
create a new image...
1246
01:06:06,150 --> 01:06:07,858
architecturally, at least.
1247
01:06:07,900 --> 01:06:09,900
600 workers
on round-the-clock shifts
1248
01:06:09,941 --> 01:06:11,608
have been laboring since last
Wednesday to put it all together,
1249
01:06:11,650 --> 01:06:13,233
and when they're finished,
1250
01:06:13,276 --> 01:06:16,025
it's expected to cost
$1 1/2 million...
1251
01:06:16,066 --> 01:06:17,483
three times what it cost
1252
01:06:17,525 --> 01:06:19,066
to open Studio 54
three years ago.
1253
01:06:19,108 --> 01:06:21,318
♪ More, more, more ♪
1254
01:06:21,360 --> 01:06:23,775
♪ How do you like it,
how do you like it? ♪
1255
01:06:23,816 --> 01:06:25,900
♪ More, more, more ♪
1256
01:06:25,941 --> 01:06:28,441
♪ How do you like it,
how do you like it? ♪
1257
01:06:28,483 --> 01:06:30,983
Ian had
all these magical ideas.
1258
01:06:31,025 --> 01:06:32,691
He'd seen Sweeney Todd,
1259
01:06:32,733 --> 01:06:34,983
and he got this idea
to do a bridge.
1260
01:06:35,025 --> 01:06:36,650
Tired of fighting your way
1261
01:06:36,691 --> 01:06:38,276
through the crowded
dance floor?
1262
01:06:38,318 --> 01:06:39,650
Well, this moving bridge
1263
01:06:39,691 --> 01:06:41,150
ought to be able
to solve that problem.
1264
01:06:41,191 --> 01:06:43,108
It can carry 25 tons in weight
1265
01:06:43,150 --> 01:06:45,360
and will be able
to move 250 people
1266
01:06:45,400 --> 01:06:46,733
over the heads of the dancers
1267
01:06:46,775 --> 01:06:48,066
to the other side
of the room
1268
01:06:48,108 --> 01:06:49,483
or to the balcony
1269
01:06:49,525 --> 01:06:52,233
at the speed
of 45 feet a minute.
1270
01:06:52,276 --> 01:06:53,858
Of course, the story goes
1271
01:06:53,900 --> 01:06:55,566
that they had to
cover the balcony
1272
01:06:55,608 --> 01:06:58,816
in rubber so they could
wash it down more easily.
1273
01:06:58,858 --> 01:07:01,650
Were you aware that you
were creating a sex pit?
1274
01:07:01,691 --> 01:07:03,650
♪...how I really feel? ♪
1275
01:07:03,691 --> 01:07:04,941
♪ Just get the cameras
rolling... ♪
1276
01:07:04,983 --> 01:07:06,108
Yes.
1277
01:07:08,691 --> 01:07:10,816
♪ More, more, more ♪
1278
01:07:10,858 --> 01:07:13,360
♪ How do you like it,
how do you like it? ♪
1279
01:07:13,400 --> 01:07:15,400
♪ More, more, more ♪
1280
01:07:15,441 --> 01:07:17,483
♪ How do you like it,
how do you like it? ♪
1281
01:07:17,525 --> 01:07:20,566
I love Studio 54 so much,
and I thank you
1282
01:07:20,608 --> 01:07:23,025
for making all my evenings
a lot more fun.
1283
01:07:23,066 --> 01:07:24,858
Ah, what can I say?
1284
01:07:24,900 --> 01:07:26,318
Oh, just say "thank you."
1285
01:07:26,360 --> 01:07:28,318
Plead guilty
to charges of flattery.
1286
01:07:28,360 --> 01:07:30,941
I don't plead guilty
to any charges.
1287
01:07:33,191 --> 01:07:34,691
Two owners
1288
01:07:34,733 --> 01:07:37,691
of the trendy Manhattan
discotheque Studio 54
1289
01:07:37,733 --> 01:07:39,858
pleaded guilty today
of defrauding the government
1290
01:07:39,900 --> 01:07:42,733
of more than $400,000
in taxes.
1291
01:07:42,775 --> 01:07:45,483
Today, Rubell
and his partner Ian Schrager
1292
01:07:45,525 --> 01:07:47,900
were charged with skimming
$2 1/2 million
1293
01:07:47,941 --> 01:07:49,650
from the receipts
of Studio 54
1294
01:07:49,691 --> 01:07:51,066
and lying about it.
1295
01:07:51,108 --> 01:07:52,733
12 counts in all.
1296
01:07:52,775 --> 01:07:55,108
They admitted
to two counts of tax evasion.
1297
01:07:55,150 --> 01:07:57,858
The government
dropped the rest.
1298
01:07:57,900 --> 01:08:00,483
We didn't want to plead
guilty to a felony
1299
01:08:00,525 --> 01:08:02,733
because you can't have
a liquor license
1300
01:08:02,775 --> 01:08:04,691
if you're convicted
of a felony.
1301
01:08:04,733 --> 01:08:07,150
So this whole thing
was to protect Studio,
1302
01:08:07,191 --> 01:08:10,108
but it just got
out of control.
1303
01:08:10,150 --> 01:08:11,816
We were out of our league,
1304
01:08:11,858 --> 01:08:14,691
and we were forced
to plea to a felony.
1305
01:08:14,733 --> 01:08:17,691
-Come on down a little bit.
1306
01:08:17,733 --> 01:08:19,525
Well, Roy,
did anything go wrong
1307
01:08:19,566 --> 01:08:21,983
with the plea bargaining?
1308
01:08:22,025 --> 01:08:25,066
Listen, when you have
about 37 lawyers
1309
01:08:25,108 --> 01:08:26,691
involved in anything,
1310
01:08:26,733 --> 01:08:30,318
uh, something's always
gonna go wrong.
1311
01:08:30,360 --> 01:08:32,276
-Steven...
-What made you do it?
1312
01:08:32,318 --> 01:08:34,025
Was it greed?
1313
01:08:34,066 --> 01:08:35,775
-Too much money too fast?
-No.
1314
01:08:35,816 --> 01:08:37,483
I made a mistake.
Did you ever make a mistake?
1315
01:08:37,525 --> 01:08:39,108
Why did you make
that kind of mistake?
1316
01:08:39,150 --> 01:08:40,941
Are you and Schrager
still friendly after this?
1317
01:08:40,983 --> 01:08:44,191
He's my best friend.
I love him dearly.
1318
01:08:47,691 --> 01:08:49,150
When we got in trouble,
1319
01:08:49,191 --> 01:08:50,441
the press,
1320
01:08:50,483 --> 01:08:52,108
you know, turned on us.
1321
01:08:53,691 --> 01:08:55,400
It was the first time,
1322
01:08:55,441 --> 01:08:56,983
you know, in my life
and in Steve's life,
1323
01:08:57,025 --> 01:08:58,733
we couldn't talk
our way out of it.
1324
01:08:58,775 --> 01:09:00,276
It was like
we couldn't shake it.
1325
01:09:02,276 --> 01:09:04,858
Things seemed to be
closing in on us.
1326
01:09:07,233 --> 01:09:08,941
When you go through
something like that,
1327
01:09:08,983 --> 01:09:13,400
uh, it either makes you
closer and stronger,
1328
01:09:13,441 --> 01:09:15,400
or it tears you apart.
1329
01:09:15,441 --> 01:09:17,816
In our case,
it made us stronger.
1330
01:09:20,108 --> 01:09:22,733
We rose and fell together.
1331
01:09:26,691 --> 01:09:28,233
A federal judge today
1332
01:09:28,276 --> 01:09:30,691
sentenced Steven Rubell
and Ian Schrager,
1333
01:09:30,733 --> 01:09:33,775
owners of the New York
discotheque Studio 54,
1334
01:09:33,816 --> 01:09:35,775
to three and a half
years in prison
1335
01:09:35,816 --> 01:09:38,608
for evading almost half a million
dollars in income taxes.
1336
01:09:38,650 --> 01:09:42,900
He also fined
each man $20,000.
1337
01:09:42,941 --> 01:09:46,441
It didn't hit me. You know?
1338
01:09:46,483 --> 01:09:50,858
There was a complete
emotional detachment.
1339
01:09:50,900 --> 01:09:53,276
I was numb.
1340
01:09:53,318 --> 01:09:55,441
Our life was over,
1341
01:09:55,483 --> 01:09:56,900
and we didn't even know.
1342
01:10:03,858 --> 01:10:07,108
The party, the night
before they went to jail,
1343
01:10:07,150 --> 01:10:10,608
was probably as exciting
1344
01:10:10,650 --> 01:10:13,318
and as much fun
as the opening party,
1345
01:10:13,360 --> 01:10:16,233
-It may have been more fun.
1346
01:10:19,608 --> 01:10:21,566
Andy Warhol as there,
1347
01:10:21,608 --> 01:10:23,191
Calvin Klein.
1348
01:10:23,233 --> 01:10:25,025
Diana Ross sang.
1349
01:10:25,066 --> 01:10:27,108
Liza Minnelli sang, too.
1350
01:10:30,566 --> 01:10:33,318
What I distinctly remember,
Steve was wearing, like,
1351
01:10:33,360 --> 01:10:35,400
a Frank Sinatra hat,
1352
01:10:35,441 --> 01:10:37,483
and they played
"I Did it My Way."
1353
01:10:37,525 --> 01:10:39,108
"My Way"...
1354
01:10:39,150 --> 01:10:41,360
What does that mean,
"my way"?
1355
01:10:41,400 --> 01:10:45,318
When I look back at it now,
it is so preposterous.
1356
01:10:45,360 --> 01:10:49,400
-What were we thinking?
♪ Don't leave me this way ♪
1357
01:10:49,441 --> 01:10:51,276
♪ Ahh ♪
1358
01:10:51,318 --> 01:10:53,191
♪ Baby ♪
1359
01:10:53,233 --> 01:10:57,233
♪ My heart is full of love
and desire for you ♪
1360
01:10:57,276 --> 01:11:00,858
♪ Now come on down
and do what you gotta do ♪
1361
01:11:00,900 --> 01:11:04,733
That night, the music
was still intense,
1362
01:11:04,775 --> 01:11:06,858
the dancing
was still intense,
1363
01:11:06,900 --> 01:11:09,276
and it was fabulous.
1364
01:11:09,318 --> 01:11:11,191
♪ Come on, satisfy
the need in me ♪
1365
01:11:11,233 --> 01:11:13,191
Partying that night,
I remember
1366
01:11:13,233 --> 01:11:14,733
all I wanted to do was dance.
1367
01:11:14,775 --> 01:11:16,650
And I was so high on drugs,
1368
01:11:16,691 --> 01:11:19,360
I really didn't realize
what was going on.
1369
01:11:19,400 --> 01:11:21,941
I mean, I didn't think
the party was gonna end.
1370
01:11:21,983 --> 01:11:24,441
♪ Ohh, baby ♪
1371
01:11:24,483 --> 01:11:26,108
That feeling of invincibility
1372
01:11:26,150 --> 01:11:28,108
permeated the whole process.
1373
01:11:28,150 --> 01:11:30,566
♪ Don't leave me this way ♪
1374
01:11:30,608 --> 01:11:32,360
♪ Don't leave me this way, no ♪
1375
01:11:32,400 --> 01:11:34,318
♪ Don't leave me
this way, no ♪
1376
01:11:34,360 --> 01:11:36,191
♪ Don't leave me
this way, baby ♪
1377
01:11:36,233 --> 01:11:38,066
♪ Don't leave me ♪
1378
01:11:38,108 --> 01:11:40,066
♪ Don't leave me
this way, baby ♪
1379
01:11:40,108 --> 01:11:42,066
It was enormous denial,
1380
01:11:42,108 --> 01:11:43,525
you know,
from beginning to end.
1381
01:11:45,608 --> 01:11:47,360
I'm not sure
I would've made a party
1382
01:11:47,400 --> 01:11:50,983
to celebrate the fact I'm
going to jail the next day.
1383
01:11:51,025 --> 01:11:53,483
I don't think
they prepared at all,
1384
01:11:53,525 --> 01:11:56,318
and I think it was
the actual going to jail
1385
01:11:56,360 --> 01:11:59,608
was just a terrific
shock for them.
1386
01:11:59,650 --> 01:12:01,483
Stand right there.
Thank you.
1387
01:12:01,525 --> 01:12:02,775
The owners of New York's
1388
01:12:02,816 --> 01:12:04,691
flashy discotheque
Studio 54
1389
01:12:04,733 --> 01:12:06,816
surrendered to federal
authorities today.
1390
01:12:06,858 --> 01:12:08,608
They reported this morning
1391
01:12:08,650 --> 01:12:10,900
at the Federal Metropolitan
Correctional Center.
1392
01:12:10,941 --> 01:12:12,650
Meanwhile,
the State Liquor Authority
1393
01:12:12,691 --> 01:12:14,983
has filed seven charges
against the disco.
1394
01:12:25,566 --> 01:12:27,733
What was that first night like
1395
01:12:27,775 --> 01:12:29,566
at the Metropolitan
House of Corrections
1396
01:12:29,608 --> 01:12:30,983
here in New York City?
1397
01:12:31,025 --> 01:12:33,733
Well, uh, the doors closed,
1398
01:12:33,775 --> 01:12:35,900
and when those doors close,
1399
01:12:35,941 --> 01:12:37,983
it's amazing how quickly
1400
01:12:38,025 --> 01:12:42,941
you, um, just realize
you lost your freedom.
1401
01:12:42,983 --> 01:12:45,400
There's nothing
worse in the world.
1402
01:12:45,441 --> 01:12:46,775
We didn't share a cell.
1403
01:12:46,816 --> 01:12:48,983
We were in the same jail.
1404
01:12:49,025 --> 01:12:52,400
And that's something
that we both wanted, obviously.
1405
01:12:52,441 --> 01:12:55,108
We couldn't guarantee that.
1406
01:12:55,150 --> 01:12:57,691
I don't know what it would've been if
I didn't have the benefit of having Steve there.
1407
01:12:57,733 --> 01:13:00,400
We were treated just
like everybody else, not unfairly.
1408
01:13:00,441 --> 01:13:02,318
-They didn't care
that you were with Liza... -No.
1409
01:13:02,360 --> 01:13:04,733
...and Bianca and all those stars?
-Oh, that's another world.
1410
01:13:04,775 --> 01:13:06,566
It's how it is.
You just have to learn
1411
01:13:06,608 --> 01:13:08,816
to keep your mouth shut
and not say a world.
1412
01:13:08,858 --> 01:13:12,150
If you say a word,
you're, uh... you're dead.
1413
01:13:12,191 --> 01:13:17,525
There was a guy that lived
across the hall from me
1414
01:13:17,566 --> 01:13:21,566
and who had killed somebody
with a bowling ball.
1415
01:13:21,608 --> 01:13:23,608
Um, and so
I right away thought
1416
01:13:23,650 --> 01:13:26,066
that was a good guy
to get friendly with.
1417
01:13:26,108 --> 01:13:28,233
I made a deal with him
1418
01:13:28,276 --> 01:13:31,900
that we would give his wife
money on the outside
1419
01:13:31,941 --> 01:13:33,816
and he would protect us.
1420
01:13:35,858 --> 01:13:38,691
You know,
it was just a base instinct
1421
01:13:38,733 --> 01:13:40,816
to survive in... in there.
1422
01:13:45,108 --> 01:13:46,941
After they went to jail,
1423
01:13:46,983 --> 01:13:48,441
we had another
couple of months.
1424
01:13:48,483 --> 01:13:50,150
But it was never the same
after, you know...
1425
01:13:50,191 --> 01:13:51,816
without Steve and Ian.
1426
01:13:51,858 --> 01:13:53,691
And then, when we lost
the liquor license,
1427
01:13:53,733 --> 01:13:56,525
there wasn't much
we could do.
1428
01:13:56,566 --> 01:13:58,941
It was in prison
1429
01:13:58,983 --> 01:14:02,233
that, uh, you know,
we sold Studio 54.
1430
01:14:02,276 --> 01:14:06,441
And I was negotiating
the contract,
1431
01:14:06,483 --> 01:14:08,816
and that kept my sanity.
1432
01:14:10,400 --> 01:14:12,900
But selling Studio
1433
01:14:12,941 --> 01:14:15,318
was the hardest thing
I ever had to do.
1434
01:14:49,066 --> 01:14:50,525
The whole thing,
1435
01:14:50,566 --> 01:14:52,858
it was like a vortex
of, you know...
1436
01:14:52,900 --> 01:14:55,983
It was all just
going down the tubes,
1437
01:14:56,025 --> 01:14:58,025
and everybody just faded back
1438
01:14:58,066 --> 01:14:59,525
to where they came from.
1439
01:15:01,441 --> 01:15:03,483
You really feel
like all these people
1440
01:15:03,525 --> 01:15:05,360
are really gonna be
your friends for life.
1441
01:15:05,400 --> 01:15:07,900
They love you. And then
you really find out,
1442
01:15:07,941 --> 01:15:09,191
well, that's really
not the case
1443
01:15:09,233 --> 01:15:10,360
at all, you know?
1444
01:15:10,400 --> 01:15:11,608
The phone calls stop coming.
1445
01:15:11,650 --> 01:15:13,108
The, you know, the, uh,
1446
01:15:13,150 --> 01:15:16,108
the invitations
to great parties stop coming.
1447
01:15:16,150 --> 01:15:18,566
All those things just stop,
and that was, uh,
1448
01:15:18,608 --> 01:15:22,066
that was, uh, that was
a rude awakening for me.
1449
01:15:25,108 --> 01:15:27,108
The disco era was over.
1450
01:15:28,941 --> 01:15:30,441
Disco music became a joke.
1451
01:15:32,983 --> 01:15:36,108
It was billed as Teen Night
at Comiskey Park.
1452
01:15:36,150 --> 01:15:39,318
The feature attraction was a disc
demolition between games.
1453
01:15:39,360 --> 01:15:41,483
Local radio morning man
Steve Dahl
1454
01:15:41,525 --> 01:15:42,983
is to lead
the crowd in song,
1455
01:15:43,025 --> 01:15:44,566
and then finish
by blowing up a box
1456
01:15:44,608 --> 01:15:45,941
full of disco records
1457
01:15:45,983 --> 01:15:47,441
which the fans
were to bring with them
1458
01:15:47,483 --> 01:15:49,025
to the ballpark.
1459
01:15:52,858 --> 01:15:55,360
"Disco Sucks"
was almost a backlash
1460
01:15:55,400 --> 01:15:57,191
against Studio 54, in a way.
1461
01:15:57,233 --> 01:16:01,941
You think about the economic
situation in America.
1462
01:16:01,983 --> 01:16:04,775
It was the worst
financial recession
1463
01:16:04,816 --> 01:16:06,816
since the Great Depression.
1464
01:16:06,858 --> 01:16:09,066
And you think
about what Studio 54
1465
01:16:09,108 --> 01:16:11,191
and what disco life
looked like
1466
01:16:11,233 --> 01:16:13,775
to somebody
working in the Midwest
1467
01:16:13,816 --> 01:16:16,900
who had now lost their job
and is never coming back.
1468
01:16:16,941 --> 01:16:19,276
You know, you blame it
on all these people.
1469
01:16:19,318 --> 01:16:20,941
You blame it on gay people,
1470
01:16:20,983 --> 01:16:22,858
you blame it on black people,
you blame it on women.
1471
01:16:24,816 --> 01:16:29,691
There was this
ground-swelling resentment.
1472
01:16:29,733 --> 01:16:31,525
People, you know,
1473
01:16:31,566 --> 01:16:32,900
were pissed off.
1474
01:16:34,276 --> 01:16:36,233
We upset the status quo.
1475
01:16:36,276 --> 01:16:38,691
We knew Rubell and Schrager
could help us
1476
01:16:49,066 --> 01:16:52,150
and could give us
more income tax evasion cases
1477
01:16:52,191 --> 01:16:54,816
against other people
that they knew
1478
01:16:54,858 --> 01:16:56,441
who were doing the same thing.
1479
01:16:58,691 --> 01:17:03,650
So we devised the great
Chinese food scenario.
1480
01:17:06,608 --> 01:17:09,483
The U.S. Attorney's office is
on the border of Chinatown,
1481
01:17:09,525 --> 01:17:12,733
and the IRS agents know
all the good places to eat, trust me.
1482
01:17:12,775 --> 01:17:18,108
So they ordered a slew
of different Chinese dishes,
1483
01:17:18,150 --> 01:17:20,816
and I had Steve and Ian
brought over,
1484
01:17:20,858 --> 01:17:23,733
and I had two chairs set out
just outside my office
1485
01:17:23,775 --> 01:17:27,400
so that the smell was kind of wafting
out into the hall.
1486
01:17:27,441 --> 01:17:30,191
And they're looking at it,
and they're...
1487
01:17:30,233 --> 01:17:31,733
you know, they're hungry.
1488
01:17:31,775 --> 01:17:34,318
We really tried everything.
1489
01:17:38,775 --> 01:17:41,650
We were under
all kinds of pressure.
1490
01:17:41,691 --> 01:17:44,900
The government
had all our records.
1491
01:17:44,941 --> 01:17:48,108
It isn't as if, you know,
we named names,
1492
01:17:48,150 --> 01:17:51,108
but we would've
had to perjure ourselves
1493
01:17:51,150 --> 01:17:54,566
if we didn't answer questions
about the nightclub owners
1494
01:17:54,608 --> 01:17:58,066
of Bonds, Infinity,
1495
01:17:58,108 --> 01:18:00,566
and New York-New York
at the time.
1496
01:18:00,608 --> 01:18:02,566
They were, like,
kind of our enemies.
1497
01:18:02,608 --> 01:18:05,191
You know, we, uh,
1498
01:18:05,233 --> 01:18:06,525
always suspected
1499
01:18:06,566 --> 01:18:09,360
that those guys were out
to hurt us anyways,
1500
01:18:09,400 --> 01:18:12,775
so it was a kind of...
1501
01:18:12,816 --> 01:18:15,233
easy way to rationalize that,
I suppose.
1502
01:18:15,276 --> 01:18:18,608
But my father
wouldn't have, uh...
1503
01:18:18,650 --> 01:18:21,360
have liked this.
-Why?
1504
01:18:21,400 --> 01:18:25,318
You know, because just,
that's not something you do.
1505
01:18:25,360 --> 01:18:30,816
You know, um,
do your time like a man.
1506
01:18:30,858 --> 01:18:33,150
Wouldn't be something
that he would, uh,
1507
01:18:33,191 --> 01:18:35,483
you know, want...
want... want me to do.
1508
01:18:37,983 --> 01:18:40,983
-And did that weigh upon you?
-Of course.
1509
01:18:41,025 --> 01:18:43,650
I had problems.
I still have problems,
1510
01:18:43,691 --> 01:18:45,318
and I'm still embarrassed
about it.
1511
01:18:45,360 --> 01:18:46,733
It's one of the things,
1512
01:18:46,775 --> 01:18:49,233
uh, I was hoping
you wouldn't get into.
1513
01:18:49,276 --> 01:18:51,400
But I, you know...
1514
01:18:51,441 --> 01:18:52,775
I, um...
1515
01:18:54,650 --> 01:18:58,608
It's, uh, just part
of the story, I suppose.
1516
01:19:06,191 --> 01:19:09,150
We couldn't stay in prison
for three and a half years,
1517
01:19:09,191 --> 01:19:12,108
so we did what we had to do
1518
01:19:12,150 --> 01:19:13,650
and got a reduced sentence.
1519
01:19:23,941 --> 01:19:27,441
When we got out of prison
in 1981,
1520
01:19:27,483 --> 01:19:29,066
it was
a whole different world.
1521
01:19:52,941 --> 01:19:55,691
Governor Reagan,
we just wanted to show you
1522
01:19:55,733 --> 01:19:57,525
what the map of
the United States looks like
1523
01:19:57,566 --> 01:19:59,108
as of 8:00 tonight.
1524
01:19:59,150 --> 01:20:00,941
-Hey!
-All yours!
1525
01:20:07,276 --> 01:20:09,691
You had a different
administration in the early '80s,
1526
01:20:09,733 --> 01:20:11,566
and suddenly it was
all about making money.
1527
01:20:11,608 --> 01:20:14,066
It wasn't about abandon,
it wasn't about equalization,
1528
01:20:14,108 --> 01:20:18,191
it was about massive,
obvious success,
1529
01:20:18,233 --> 01:20:20,025
and a dollar über alles.
1530
01:20:22,233 --> 01:20:24,816
Downtown became more downtown.
1531
01:20:24,858 --> 01:20:26,816
The Mudd Club
really became dominant
1532
01:20:26,858 --> 01:20:32,025
in protest against the yuppies
and the Reagan administration.
1533
01:20:36,691 --> 01:20:38,566
Getting out of jail,
1534
01:20:38,608 --> 01:20:41,233
we were both really,
really, really sensitive,
1535
01:20:41,276 --> 01:20:44,191
both unsure of ourselves.
1536
01:20:44,233 --> 01:20:48,233
You know, that's a devastation
that's hard to explain.
1537
01:20:48,276 --> 01:20:50,483
You lose everything.
1538
01:20:50,525 --> 01:20:53,360
You know,
I lost my law license.
1539
01:20:53,400 --> 01:20:55,191
I couldn't vote.
1540
01:20:55,233 --> 01:20:59,360
Even a driver's license,
your credit card...
1541
01:20:59,400 --> 01:21:01,066
So I'm disenfranchised.
1542
01:21:01,108 --> 01:21:03,108
It's... You know,
you don't realize,
1543
01:21:03,150 --> 01:21:05,941
till you can't,
what it means to you.
1544
01:21:05,983 --> 01:21:09,150
And the shame of it.
That was the real thing.
1545
01:21:09,191 --> 01:21:11,191
One of the things, I guess,
that's a little bothersome
1546
01:21:11,233 --> 01:21:12,816
is that there is no stigma
1547
01:21:12,858 --> 01:21:14,650
attached to the fact
that you did jail time.
1548
01:21:14,691 --> 01:21:16,650
Oh, but there is a st...
There isn't a day that goes by
1549
01:21:16,691 --> 01:21:18,025
when I don't think about it.
1550
01:21:18,066 --> 01:21:19,525
-Okay.
An emotional stigma.
1551
01:21:19,566 --> 01:21:21,858
It's emotional.
Until about a year ago,
1552
01:21:21,900 --> 01:21:25,318
I had dreams that I was on an island
and I couldn't get off.
1553
01:21:25,360 --> 01:21:27,483
And the nightmares...
I would wake up soaked.
1554
01:21:27,525 --> 01:21:30,068
-And, uh, it's something
you don't get over.
1555
01:21:30,230 --> 01:21:30,983
-Fair enough.
1556
01:21:31,025 --> 01:21:34,276
Steve was kind of tentative,
because he didn't know
1557
01:21:34,318 --> 01:21:37,108
the way people were gonna
be reacting to him.
1558
01:21:37,150 --> 01:21:38,483
Just that they didn't know
1559
01:21:38,525 --> 01:21:40,066
if they could trust him
1560
01:21:40,108 --> 01:21:42,483
after the Hamilton Jordan
and everything.
1561
01:21:42,525 --> 01:21:46,066
Yeah, the price of being
a success, you know, uh...
1562
01:21:46,108 --> 01:21:47,483
you know, is easy.
1563
01:21:47,525 --> 01:21:49,400
Price of being a failure
is difficult.
1564
01:21:49,441 --> 01:21:50,566
I went through both.
1565
01:21:50,608 --> 01:21:51,983
That was probably
1566
01:21:52,025 --> 01:21:53,733
the most difficult
moment of their life,
1567
01:21:53,775 --> 01:21:55,983
wondering if they
would ever emerge.
1568
01:21:56,025 --> 01:21:58,066
In a sense, they had
nothing to lose early on.
1569
01:21:58,108 --> 01:21:59,525
They had nothing.
1570
01:21:59,566 --> 01:22:00,983
Everything
was an improvement.
1571
01:22:01,025 --> 01:22:02,400
It was fine.
1572
01:22:02,441 --> 01:22:05,566
Coming back,
that was courage.
1573
01:22:05,608 --> 01:22:08,525
Ian's not gonna give up.
1574
01:22:08,566 --> 01:22:10,733
Stevie, in his own way,
isn't gonna give up.
1575
01:22:10,775 --> 01:22:13,525
They both had the same DNA
1576
01:22:13,566 --> 01:22:16,566
when they went in
and when they got out.
1577
01:22:16,608 --> 01:22:18,608
They'll take on
any challenge.
1578
01:22:18,650 --> 01:22:20,858
-And they did.
-I mean, I believe
1579
01:22:20,900 --> 01:22:23,566
they were plotting
a comeback in prison.
1580
01:22:23,608 --> 01:22:25,400
Of course.
The day they got in,
1581
01:22:25,441 --> 01:22:27,733
they were thinking about what
we're gonna do when we get out.
1582
01:22:27,775 --> 01:22:29,400
Despite Rubell's plans,
1583
01:22:29,441 --> 01:22:31,525
post-prison reality
was harsh.
1584
01:22:31,566 --> 01:22:33,025
It took three years
1585
01:22:33,066 --> 01:22:34,691
before the two could
find the capital
1586
01:22:34,733 --> 01:22:36,360
to finance
their next venture.
1587
01:22:36,400 --> 01:22:38,191
A string of luxury hotels
that cater
1588
01:22:38,233 --> 01:22:40,566
to the same
kind of eclectic crowd
1589
01:22:40,608 --> 01:22:42,233
that used to hang out
at Studio 54.
1590
01:22:42,276 --> 01:22:43,858
They immediately began
1591
01:22:43,900 --> 01:22:45,360
channeling their efforts
1592
01:22:45,400 --> 01:22:47,525
into purchasing
prime Manhattan real estate,
1593
01:22:47,566 --> 01:22:50,276
becoming part owners
in several chic hotels,
1594
01:22:50,318 --> 01:22:51,733
including the Royalton
1595
01:22:51,775 --> 01:22:53,983
and Morgan's Hotel
on Madison Avenue.
1596
01:22:54,025 --> 01:22:57,318
We wanted to be in
the hotel business.
1597
01:22:57,360 --> 01:22:59,650
But we had to prove
to the banks
1598
01:22:59,691 --> 01:23:02,608
that we could borrow
$14 million and pay it back.
1599
01:23:02,650 --> 01:23:04,233
So that was the reason
1600
01:23:04,276 --> 01:23:07,400
why we opened up
Palladium nightclub.
1601
01:23:07,441 --> 01:23:09,733
The bald, the brave,
1602
01:23:09,775 --> 01:23:12,150
and the beautiful
came out tonight
1603
01:23:12,191 --> 01:23:14,318
for the opening
of the Palladium.
1604
01:23:14,360 --> 01:23:16,233
It's an incredible thing
that with Steve and Ian
1605
01:23:16,276 --> 01:23:18,400
out of the picture
for six or seven years,
1606
01:23:18,441 --> 01:23:19,525
really nothing's
1607
01:23:19,566 --> 01:23:21,066
come along to replace them.
1608
01:23:21,108 --> 01:23:22,483
And now they're back
1609
01:23:22,525 --> 01:23:24,108
and bigger and better
than ever.
1610
01:23:24,150 --> 01:23:26,483
I had hesitations
about everything I did
1611
01:23:26,525 --> 01:23:27,941
because I had made a mistake,
1612
01:23:27,983 --> 01:23:29,858
and I had not felt
so great about myself
1613
01:23:29,900 --> 01:23:30,983
for a while.
1614
01:23:31,025 --> 01:23:32,483
I got a second chance,
1615
01:23:32,525 --> 01:23:34,525
and you couldn't
ask for anything more.
1616
01:23:37,775 --> 01:23:40,066
When we did the Palladium,
1617
01:23:40,108 --> 01:23:42,733
this was the first
press piece we got,
1618
01:23:42,775 --> 01:23:44,150
called "The Comeback Kids,"
1619
01:23:44,191 --> 01:23:46,150
where I came out
from the shadows.
1620
01:23:46,191 --> 01:23:50,858
The story was, uh...
as much on me
1621
01:23:50,900 --> 01:23:52,900
as it was on Steve.
1622
01:23:52,941 --> 01:23:54,983
Steve was a little bit
upset about it,
1623
01:23:55,025 --> 01:23:58,276
and the story
disrupted that balance
1624
01:23:58,318 --> 01:24:02,441
that existed between Steve
and I all those years
1625
01:24:02,483 --> 01:24:04,566
in terms of him
being out there
1626
01:24:04,608 --> 01:24:06,775
getting all...
all of the attention
1627
01:24:06,816 --> 01:24:09,900
and me being in the background
and not getting any.
1628
01:24:09,941 --> 01:24:11,566
It was a new dynamic.
1629
01:24:11,608 --> 01:24:13,941
I remember it took him
a little while
1630
01:24:13,983 --> 01:24:15,691
to... to... to get over it.
1631
01:24:19,858 --> 01:24:21,816
We should point out,
for better or for worse,
1632
01:24:21,858 --> 01:24:23,276
Studio 54 is no longer.
1633
01:24:23,318 --> 01:24:24,900
Yeah. I read in the paper
the other day
1634
01:24:24,941 --> 01:24:26,276
it was just closed, but...
1635
01:24:26,318 --> 01:24:29,400
-How'd you feel about that?
-Um, I...
1636
01:24:29,441 --> 01:24:31,483
You know,
I'm almost a little...
1637
01:24:31,525 --> 01:24:32,941
It's something of the past,
1638
01:24:32,983 --> 01:24:34,983
and I so do not want
to dwell on the past.
1639
01:24:35,025 --> 01:24:36,608
-Sure.
-The good or the bad.
1640
01:24:36,650 --> 01:24:38,858
I'm always futuristic
in what I can do next
1641
01:24:38,900 --> 01:24:40,276
and what opportunities
we can...
1642
01:24:40,318 --> 01:24:42,941
you know, that Ian and I
can come up with, and...
1643
01:24:42,983 --> 01:24:45,025
You know,
life is so exciting.
1644
01:25:00,775 --> 01:25:02,566
So how did you find out
1645
01:25:02,608 --> 01:25:05,525
that Steve
had contracted HIV?
1646
01:25:05,566 --> 01:25:07,108
I did a blood test.
1647
01:25:09,191 --> 01:25:14,066
Did you suspect that he
was becoming ill with that?
1648
01:25:14,108 --> 01:25:15,733
He had some symptoms.
1649
01:25:15,775 --> 01:25:20,066
Not of HIV, but there
were vague symptoms.
1650
01:25:20,108 --> 01:25:22,483
And I was the one
that told him he had AIDS, yeah.
1651
01:25:24,900 --> 01:25:26,733
You have to remember,
AIDS, at that time...
1652
01:25:26,775 --> 01:25:28,150
it wasn't a disease.
1653
01:25:29,566 --> 01:25:31,650
It was a condemnation.
1654
01:25:31,691 --> 01:25:35,816
And so he wouldn't let me
tell our parents.
1655
01:25:35,858 --> 01:25:38,483
He held it together, and...
1656
01:25:38,525 --> 01:25:41,650
I'm sure he didn't hold it
together after I left,
1657
01:25:41,691 --> 01:25:42,858
but he held it together.
1658
01:25:45,441 --> 01:25:48,233
Everybody was getting sick.
1659
01:25:48,276 --> 01:25:51,983
It was frightening, and...
1660
01:25:52,025 --> 01:25:56,650
if I'm still emotionally
affected by it,
1661
01:25:56,691 --> 01:25:58,900
the loss was profound.
1662
01:26:02,608 --> 01:26:05,983
All these young guys
were just fading away.
1663
01:26:12,900 --> 01:26:14,400
Half the bartenders...
1664
01:26:16,066 --> 01:26:19,150
you know, half the people
that did the sets...
1665
01:26:19,191 --> 01:26:21,858
the kids that painted,
1666
01:26:21,900 --> 01:26:23,400
they're not with us
anymore.
1667
01:26:25,566 --> 01:26:26,900
It was devastating.
1668
01:26:29,566 --> 01:26:34,650
The impact that these people
had on the community,
1669
01:26:34,691 --> 01:26:38,775
on the culture,
on New York City...
1670
01:26:38,816 --> 01:26:40,983
such an incredible loss.
1671
01:26:41,025 --> 01:26:44,150
Culturally,
it changed everything.
1672
01:26:48,400 --> 01:26:50,360
Steve was the kind of guy
that, you know,
1673
01:26:50,400 --> 01:26:52,858
if he did something
the night before
1674
01:26:52,900 --> 01:26:54,900
that might've been
a little embarrassing,
1675
01:26:54,941 --> 01:26:57,066
you would see him
the next morning,
1676
01:26:57,108 --> 01:26:58,608
and he would act
like nothing happened,
1677
01:26:58,650 --> 01:27:00,566
and get away with it, and that
would be the end of it,
1678
01:27:00,608 --> 01:27:01,941
whereas somebody
might come into the room
1679
01:27:01,983 --> 01:27:03,276
with their tail
between their legs,
1680
01:27:03,318 --> 01:27:04,816
terribly embarrassed.
1681
01:27:04,858 --> 01:27:07,150
So Steve was always able
to get away with it.
1682
01:27:07,191 --> 01:27:09,858
This one thing
he didn't get away with.
1683
01:27:19,691 --> 01:27:21,858
Steve Rubell
changed the look, the feel,
1684
01:27:21,900 --> 01:27:23,608
and the pace
of New York's nightlife
1685
01:27:23,650 --> 01:27:26,318
when he opened up Studio 54
some years ago.
1686
01:27:26,360 --> 01:27:28,733
Well, Rubell died this morning
here in Manhattan
1687
01:27:28,775 --> 01:27:30,441
from complications
of hepatitis.
1688
01:27:30,483 --> 01:27:32,400
Steve Rubell
died of complications
1689
01:27:32,441 --> 01:27:34,983
resulting from hepatitis
and septic shock.
1690
01:27:35,025 --> 01:27:36,360
Steve Rubell,
1691
01:27:36,400 --> 01:27:38,066
who died yesterday
of liver failure...
1692
01:27:38,108 --> 01:27:39,900
There were rumors
that Rubell succumbed to AIDS,
1693
01:27:39,941 --> 01:27:41,691
but the official word
is that he died
1694
01:27:41,733 --> 01:27:43,233
of hepatitis
and septic shock.
1695
01:27:43,276 --> 01:27:45,025
He didn't want the press
1696
01:27:45,066 --> 01:27:47,691
to put in the obit
1697
01:27:47,733 --> 01:27:51,066
that he died
of complications of AIDS.
1698
01:27:51,108 --> 01:27:53,858
That was kept out.
1699
01:27:53,900 --> 01:27:56,108
I wanted to,
you know, make sure
1700
01:27:56,150 --> 01:27:58,150
everybody came to the funeral
1701
01:27:58,191 --> 01:28:00,108
because that's what
Steve would've wanted
1702
01:28:00,150 --> 01:28:01,733
was, like, a big send-off.
1703
01:28:01,775 --> 01:28:04,441
So I was on the phone
making calls
1704
01:28:04,483 --> 01:28:06,566
to make sure everybody
would, you know, would come.
1705
01:28:06,608 --> 01:28:08,566
The funeral
for that people person
1706
01:28:08,608 --> 01:28:11,400
turned out the chic
of New York City society.
1707
01:28:11,441 --> 01:28:13,816
From Calvin Klein
to Bianca Jagger
1708
01:28:13,858 --> 01:28:15,483
to his partner Ian Schrager,
1709
01:28:15,525 --> 01:28:17,566
who, at times, looked shaken.
1710
01:28:17,608 --> 01:28:19,983
Losing Steve was like
losing a family member.
1711
01:28:22,191 --> 01:28:24,108
So it was
a very difficult day,
1712
01:28:24,150 --> 01:28:26,025
and a very difficult time.
I think it hit...
1713
01:28:26,066 --> 01:28:28,025
Every one
of our Studio family
1714
01:28:28,066 --> 01:28:30,108
who knew him
felt the same way.
1715
01:28:32,858 --> 01:28:34,483
After the brief service,
1716
01:28:34,525 --> 01:28:36,650
some from Rubell's past
said they saw his death
1717
01:28:36,691 --> 01:28:39,318
as emblematic
of the passing of an era.
1718
01:28:39,360 --> 01:28:42,191
He gave a magic
to the city,
1719
01:28:42,233 --> 01:28:45,276
and the city
always needs magic.
1720
01:28:45,318 --> 01:28:48,233
And it always finds
its, uh, marker,
1721
01:28:48,276 --> 01:28:50,691
and Steve was it
for an awful lot of years.
1722
01:28:52,276 --> 01:28:53,858
Steve Rubell dead
1723
01:28:53,900 --> 01:28:55,233
at 45.
1724
01:28:59,360 --> 01:29:01,360
Ann... Mrs. Rubell...
said to me,
1725
01:29:01,400 --> 01:29:03,525
"Why didn't Steve
ever get married?"
1726
01:29:03,566 --> 01:29:05,566
And I realized then
that I'm not sure
1727
01:29:05,608 --> 01:29:08,608
that she really knew
that he was gay.
1728
01:29:08,650 --> 01:29:11,608
That was part of that time,
1729
01:29:11,650 --> 01:29:13,318
that time
of maybe your mother
1730
01:29:13,360 --> 01:29:14,733
was the last to know.
1731
01:29:16,108 --> 01:29:19,318
Steve's death and his illness
1732
01:29:19,360 --> 01:29:23,816
had a huge impact on, um, Ian.
1733
01:29:23,858 --> 01:29:29,108
Their love for each other
and their bond was so strong,
1734
01:29:29,150 --> 01:29:31,775
um, that I think it...
1735
01:29:31,816 --> 01:29:35,360
it made an impact
for quite some time.
1736
01:29:53,608 --> 01:29:57,566
I met Steve...
I think I was 18 or 19...
1737
01:29:57,608 --> 01:29:59,733
and the friendship
blossomed right away,
1738
01:29:59,775 --> 01:30:01,400
and I was friendly with him
1739
01:30:01,441 --> 01:30:03,066
for all that time
right up to 1989.
1740
01:30:04,775 --> 01:30:07,858
I'm lucky that I had
one of those friendships.
1741
01:30:07,900 --> 01:30:09,983
Not many people,
you know, do.
1742
01:30:12,191 --> 01:30:16,025
Steve and I
bought this house in 1985.
1743
01:30:16,066 --> 01:30:17,983
Has a lot of history,
this house.
1744
01:30:20,066 --> 01:30:23,276
It's like a family heirloom.
1745
01:30:23,318 --> 01:30:25,483
For that,
it's quite beautiful.
1746
01:30:36,360 --> 01:30:38,360
How did
the death of your partner,
1747
01:30:38,400 --> 01:30:41,025
your best friend, affect you?
1748
01:30:41,066 --> 01:30:43,858
It was devastating.
It was a personal loss.
1749
01:30:43,900 --> 01:30:47,816
Steve and I were really
like husband and wife.
1750
01:30:47,858 --> 01:30:49,691
I'm not sure
1751
01:30:49,733 --> 01:30:52,025
which one was the husband
and which one was the wife.
1752
01:30:54,276 --> 01:30:55,566
We vacationed together.
1753
01:30:55,608 --> 01:30:57,025
We shared a house
on Long Island together.
1754
01:30:57,066 --> 01:30:58,733
We worked together. We...
1755
01:30:58,775 --> 01:31:00,191
He was the last person
I talked to
1756
01:31:00,233 --> 01:31:01,483
when I went to sleep.
1757
01:31:01,525 --> 01:31:04,150
And so it was a personal loss,
1758
01:31:04,191 --> 01:31:06,983
uh, uh, uh,
more than anything else.
1759
01:31:07,025 --> 01:31:09,733
On the business end of it,
the same passion
1760
01:31:09,775 --> 01:31:13,191
that drove me while Steve was alive
still drove me.
1761
01:31:13,233 --> 01:31:14,608
I had the same hunger.
1762
01:31:14,650 --> 01:31:16,066
I still have
that same hunger now.
1763
01:31:16,108 --> 01:31:19,025
And so we just continued on.
1764
01:31:19,066 --> 01:31:21,816
It's not as much fun.
It's not as exhilarating.
1765
01:31:21,858 --> 01:31:23,691
I don't have someone
to share it with.
1766
01:31:23,733 --> 01:31:25,566
But we just...
you know, you go on.
1767
01:31:25,608 --> 01:31:27,318
Did you ever doubt
that you could do it?
1768
01:31:27,360 --> 01:31:29,525
Of course. I still doubt it.
I think that's what drives me.
1769
01:31:42,233 --> 01:31:44,191
It's not a surprise to me
1770
01:31:44,233 --> 01:31:46,775
that through all these years,
1771
01:31:46,816 --> 01:31:48,816
Ian has evolved
1772
01:31:48,858 --> 01:31:50,233
and reinvented himself
1773
01:31:50,276 --> 01:31:53,233
and taken that core
of who he is
1774
01:31:53,276 --> 01:31:55,400
to where he is today.
1775
01:31:59,566 --> 01:32:03,983
I was trying to capture
energy in the hotels
1776
01:32:04,025 --> 01:32:06,360
in the same way
you might capture energy
1777
01:32:06,400 --> 01:32:08,150
on the streets of a city.
1778
01:32:08,191 --> 01:32:09,900
You know, there's an energy
1779
01:32:09,941 --> 01:32:12,318
that lifts everything,
1780
01:32:12,360 --> 01:32:14,318
a high tide that comes in.
1781
01:32:23,691 --> 01:32:26,150
That was the same thing
with Studio.
1782
01:32:33,608 --> 01:32:36,108
Studio just meant
everything to us,
1783
01:32:36,150 --> 01:32:38,108
what we had gone
through together.
1784
01:32:38,150 --> 01:32:39,941
Both of us ingrained
1785
01:32:39,983 --> 01:32:42,858
with that desire
to be successful.
1786
01:32:42,900 --> 01:32:44,858
I didn't get it as a lawyer,
1787
01:32:44,900 --> 01:32:48,150
and he didn't get it
as a steak restaurateur,
1788
01:32:48,191 --> 01:32:50,900
but we both got it
together with Studio.
1789
01:32:59,983 --> 01:33:01,775
What they created,
1790
01:33:01,816 --> 01:33:05,150
nobody has come near
since then.
1791
01:33:06,733 --> 01:33:08,691
You know,
there was a brevity to it.
1792
01:33:08,733 --> 01:33:11,900
There was a sense
of something lost.
1793
01:33:11,941 --> 01:33:13,650
Paradise lost.
1794
01:33:16,941 --> 01:33:20,608
I don't think they had any
idea what it would become,
1795
01:33:20,650 --> 01:33:24,150
that it would become
this world famous,
1796
01:33:24,191 --> 01:33:27,318
that it would be
important in our culture
1797
01:33:27,360 --> 01:33:30,025
and the history
of New York City
1798
01:33:30,066 --> 01:33:32,150
and maybe significant
in the history
1799
01:33:32,191 --> 01:33:34,775
of what was going on
all around the world.
1800
01:33:41,483 --> 01:33:43,566
Studio wasn't a nightclub.
1801
01:33:43,608 --> 01:33:48,233
It was like a kind
of social experiment.
1802
01:33:48,276 --> 01:33:51,566
And that's why it's never
been able to be recreated.
1803
01:33:53,441 --> 01:33:56,650
It was fun... holding on
to a lightning bolt.
1804
01:35:02,150 --> 01:35:05,775
♪ What's the sense in sharing
this one and only life ♪
1805
01:35:05,816 --> 01:35:09,941
♪ Ending up just another
lost and lonely wife ♪
1806
01:35:09,983 --> 01:35:11,941
♪ You count up the years ♪
1807
01:35:11,983 --> 01:35:16,108
♪ And they will be
filled with tears ♪
1808
01:35:18,941 --> 01:35:22,525
♪ Love only breaks up
to start over again ♪
1809
01:35:22,566 --> 01:35:26,691
♪ You'll get the babies,
but you won't have your man ♪
1810
01:35:26,733 --> 01:35:32,900
♪ While he's busy loving
every woman that he can ♪
1811
01:35:32,941 --> 01:35:34,900
♪ Uh-huh ♪
1812
01:35:34,941 --> 01:35:39,150
♪ Say I'm gonna leave
a hundred times a day ♪
1813
01:35:39,191 --> 01:35:41,150
♪ It's easier
said than done ♪
1814
01:35:41,191 --> 01:35:43,276
♪ When you just
can't break away ♪
1815
01:35:43,318 --> 01:35:45,483
♪ When you just
can't break away ♪
1816
01:35:45,525 --> 01:35:49,983
♪ Oh, young hearts run free ♪
1817
01:35:50,025 --> 01:35:52,276
♪ They'll never be hung up ♪
1818
01:35:52,318 --> 01:35:55,983
♪ Hung up like my man and me ♪
1819
01:35:57,900 --> 01:36:00,191
♪ My man and me ♪
1820
01:36:02,150 --> 01:36:04,733
♪ Ooh, young hearts ♪
1821
01:36:04,775 --> 01:36:07,025
♪ To yourself be true ♪
1822
01:36:07,066 --> 01:36:12,941
♪ Don't be no fool when love
really don't love you ♪
1823
01:36:15,191 --> 01:36:16,775
♪ Don't love you ♪
1824
01:36:19,816 --> 01:36:23,566
♪ It's high time now,
just one crack at life ♪
1825
01:36:23,608 --> 01:36:27,566
♪ Who wants to live it
in trouble and strife? ♪
1826
01:36:27,608 --> 01:36:29,650
♪ My mind must be free ♪
1827
01:36:29,691 --> 01:36:33,733
♪ To learn all I can
about me ♪
1828
01:36:33,775 --> 01:36:36,150
♪ Mm-hmm ♪
1829
01:36:36,191 --> 01:36:40,108
♪ I'm gonna love me
for the rest of my days ♪
1830
01:36:40,150 --> 01:36:44,441
♪ Encourage the babies
every time they say ♪
1831
01:36:44,483 --> 01:36:50,108
♪ Self-preservation is what's
really going on today ♪
1832
01:36:52,816 --> 01:36:56,650
♪ Say I'm gonna turn loose
a thousand times a day ♪
1833
01:36:56,691 --> 01:36:58,733
♪ But how can I turn loose ♪
1834
01:36:58,775 --> 01:37:00,900
♪ When I just can't
break away? ♪
1835
01:37:00,941 --> 01:37:02,441
♪ When I just
can't break away ♪
1836
01:37:02,483 --> 01:37:07,025
♪ Oh, young hearts run free ♪
1837
01:37:07,066 --> 01:37:09,318
♪ They'll never be hung up ♪
1838
01:37:09,360 --> 01:37:13,525
♪ Hung up
like my man and me ♪
1839
01:37:15,650 --> 01:37:17,691
♪ You and me ♪
1840
01:37:17,733 --> 01:37:19,191
♪ Ohh ♪
1841
01:37:19,233 --> 01:37:21,608
♪ Ooh, young hearts ♪
1842
01:37:21,650 --> 01:37:23,858
♪ To yourself be true ♪
1843
01:37:23,900 --> 01:37:29,858
♪ Don't be no fool when love
really don't love you ♪
1844
01:37:32,025 --> 01:37:34,025
♪ Don't love you ♪
1845
01:37:43,066 --> 01:37:44,608
♪ Ohh ♪
1846
01:37:44,650 --> 01:37:48,360
♪ Young hearts run free ♪
1847
01:37:48,400 --> 01:37:50,733
♪ They'll never be hung up ♪
1848
01:37:50,775 --> 01:37:54,233
♪ Hung up
like my man and me ♪
1849
01:37:56,650 --> 01:37:59,066
♪ My man and me ♪
1850
01:37:59,108 --> 01:38:02,941
♪ Ohh
Ohh, young hearts ♪
1851
01:38:02,983 --> 01:38:05,233
♪ To yourself be true ♪
1852
01:38:05,276 --> 01:38:10,525
♪ Don't be no fool when love
really don't love you ♪
1853
01:38:13,108 --> 01:38:15,233
♪ It don't love you ♪
1854
01:38:15,276 --> 01:38:16,816
♪ Ohh ♪
1855
01:38:16,858 --> 01:38:21,318
♪ Ooh, young hearts run free ♪
1856
01:38:21,360 --> 01:38:23,691
♪ They'll never be hung up ♪
1857
01:38:23,733 --> 01:38:27,360
♪ Hung up
like my man and me ♪
1858
01:38:29,733 --> 01:38:32,066
♪ My man and me ♪
1859
01:38:32,108 --> 01:38:33,400
♪ Ohh ♪
1860
01:38:33,441 --> 01:38:35,858
♪ Oh, young hearts ♪
1861
01:38:35,900 --> 01:38:38,150
♪ To yourself be true ♪
1862
01:38:38,191 --> 01:38:43,483
♪ Don't be no fool when love
really don't love you ♪
1863
01:38:46,318 --> 01:38:48,025
♪ Don't love you ♪
134643
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