54

It was the late seventies,

and everybody was in the middle of it.

The recession, the mile-Iong lines to the station.

The hostage crisis in Iran.

When I look back at it now,

it is amazing I can remeber any of it.

It feels like snap-shots from someone else's life,

all connected by one man...

A guy named Steve Rubell,

...had a dream...

to throw the best damn party the world had ever seen.

And to make it last forever.

He built a world that was offered up as reality,

where an eighty year old Disco Queen could play until dawn,

where models mingled with mechanics,

...plumbers danced with princes.

It was a place where all labels were left behind.

A place where there were no rules.

In 1979 I was nineteen years old

and I had nothing.

Now my Dad would say I had more than he did at my age,

but you know what?

To me,

filling gas tanks at a Jersey City station...

going to the same dingy bar, with the same guys

trying to pick-up on the same chicks,

...was not tons of fun.

I can't believe you came already!

Sorry.

I'm sorry.

It was just an...

Look at you! You're so...

Oh yeah...you want to go out tomorrow?

Look, I know this place where the pizza is dynamite.

What?

I'm from Montana, right?

And you are from Jersey City?

Yeah.

So...I don't go out with guys from Jersey City.

I knew the real escape was right across the river...

But I didn't even have a car.

Even though New York was three miles away,

...it seemed like another world.

I had been there before with my Mom.

She did makeup for this television show,

...and took me to work a few times.

It was incredible.

Everyone wanted to be around the stars.

My mother always told me I could be anything I wanted to be,

and I believed her.

Mom died when I was twelve.

This was dad...

...his idea of the good life was,

a can of "Schlitz" and a "Jack Benny Special" on the tube.

I had to break out.

I knew I had to make a change.

Alright, alright, alright.

What!

What you laughing at?

What is with the hair?

Look at this guy!

Where is my hair?

Look at this guy!

What are you talking about?

You look like Vidal Sassoon.

If YOU don't look good, we don't look good!

Shit, I should have borrowed my brother's platforms.

Do I look short?

Hey you guys, you guys...

Before we go in. Check it out.

Oh take me home baby!

That is Julie Black from "All of my Children".

She is my fucking dream girl.

Julie Black, she is from Alpine.

My aunt does her ma's hair.

Saw her once too,

...hanging out at the Alpine Inn.

Alpine Inn?

Yeah.

We should stake her out.

Where was this taken anyway?

You know Studio 54.

Have you never heard of it?

That place is full of freaks...

And girls...

And fags...

Come on you guys.

Listen, you know who was there last night?

Jacqueline Bissette.

You know who she is?

Yeah I fucked her.

Alright, you turkeys can stay here,

and rot for all I care.

But I'm going to go see if I can get a look at Olivia.

Olivia Newton-John?

We aren't there yet?

Fuck you Jersey!

We will save you a place in line!

You mothers!

You are going to leave me with these freaks!

Hey! Hey!

A lot of people thought the door was a better show than inside.

People would try anything to get in.

Mark was the doorman,

but it was Steve Rubell's club,

and his door.

I can't let you in here.

You are wearing an ascot.

You look like an asshole.

He was out in front, every night, making sure only the right people got in.

Go home.

No. No...

Hey come on!

Over there. Yeah.

Excuse me! He just pointed at me!

Just you.

Say what?

Just you, not him.

Hey man, these are my friends,

you can't...

Girls...Stand back, please.

Oh my God...

Don't be a spaz man, go for it.

Alright, don't wait for me.

I will find my own way home.

Okay you guys, come on.

Get your fucking hands off me, you jive-ass turkey!

Sorry guy...

What?

Not with that shirt.

Hey!

I said...not with that shirt.

Welcome to my party, handsome!

He choose me.

I had never been chosen for anything before.

You want to check that body, sugar?

Mirror, mirror, on the wall Who is the fairest of them all?

Truman? Truman Capote, Where are you?

Here sugar!

There you are.

In honor of your fantastic new face lift...

I thought I would get you a couple of things.

And to make sure, the lift sticks.

I thought we should all... "Knock on Wood".

Oh Yeah!

I don't want to lose, this good thing ...that I have got.

Because if I do...I would surely... surely lose a lot...

Because your love...is better... than anything I know!

It's like thunder! Lightning! The way you love me is frightening.

knock...on wood! I said I better knock, knock on...oh baby...yes.

Like thunder! Lightning!

The way you love me is frightening!

Knock, knock on wood! Yeah baby! I better knock on wood.

The thing about stars is, they are short.

Did you talk to any of them?

Kind of...

Who?

Well, like...I don't know...

But you should have seen the photographers.

I will bet you I even got in one of their pictures.

Do you think Farrah ever goes there?

Maybe.

And Lee Majors?

Probably.

What about Princess Grace?

Sure, I bet she goes all the time.

Really?

Maybe we can touch her when she goes by.

I told her mom named us after her.

Hey kids.

Hey dad.

Hey squirt.

Hey dad, can I borrow the keys tonight?

What for?

Shane was in city last night,

and he wants to go back.

The City?

Yeah Shane was just telling us how he went to Studio 54 last night.

Studio 54?

That is that big disco everybody is talking about.

Where all the stars go...

Yeah Dad, you should have seen it.

Hey I saw a star once, Bob Hope!

You see him there?

Thanks for the memories Dad, but it wasn't a Korean war show.

What else, Shane?

Well I went up into the balcony.

It was pretty...

It was pretty dark.

The girl who cut my hair,

had this boyfriend, whose sister did the books for Steve Rubell...

...and got me an interview.

Steve Rubell...a regular Booklyn kid

who got his start by running a few steak houses,

...and now on top of the world.

He's gorgeous.

Gorgeous, see for yourself.

I was warned that Steve didn't hire any dummies...

And I should be on my toes

because he could ask some really tricky questions.