the drama that erupted when Capote, a close friend and confidant of the glamorous New York socialities known as “the swans,” spilled the women’s darkest secrets to the press. In the feature, Andy Warhol and Bob Colacello pose the question “Is Truman Human?” as they follow Capote from his daily swim at a health club to his favorite restaurants, all while keeping up a running commentary on life, love, and decadent meals. The interview took place five years before the author’s death in 1984.
. By the time I’ve finished all three of those I’ve done about a half hour of exercises. Then I rinse my face and take a fast bath and go in there and start writing.CAPOTE: I don’t know because I practically always throw out all my mail. I flip through those letters that say, “Won’t you sign this?” or “I’ve got to write a school paper about blah blah” or “Why don’t you tell me the whole story of your life?”CAPOTE: I don’t send them anything. I just throw the letters away.
CAPOTE: That comes under the heading of greed. Jane Austen always said, “There are only two things to write about—love and money.” I don’t agree with her at all.CAPOTE: I’ve lived a lot in communist countries and they’re intensely interested in money. I think they are more interested in money than capitalists are. They’re the most materialistic people in the world. What they’re actually living for is material things. The irony of that is that in communist countries there isn’t anything to buy.
CAPOTE: I was just about to be in love with somebody. The next person in my life who I spent a long time with was a professor at Harvard. CAPOTE: No. I didn’t want to go to Switzerland in the winter anymore. I’d been going there for many years.CAPOTE: We didn’t break up at all. We’re still very very good friends. Can’t you get it through your head?CAPOTE: I just stopped sleeping with him, that’s all. That’s not breaking up with somebody.CAPOTE: I don’t know. I haven’t discussed it. He’s very attractive and he’s very charming.WARHOL: I read a wonderful article in Christopher Street. It was about two boys that met and had an affair.
COLACELLO: Well then, just die. Just think of all those nights at Studio 54 you’ll be missing if you die.COLACELLO: That’s what you tell me every morning when I don’t go.WARHOL: You’re going to love it. It’s the best.WARHOL: What’s a picture? CAPOTE: I went home and ate all of those chocolate truffles. They were fabulous. Then I went and took two tetracyclines so my face wouldn’t breakout. I take two a day because it’s marvelous for your skin.CAPOTE: I think I’m going to Guyana to have a cannibal feast.CAPOTE: I make a great vinaigrette sauce. Then I slice up a lot of zucchini and onions and put them in the sauce and I just leave it in the refrigerator in one of those plastic containers for a few days.