The Andy Warhol Diaries
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder | Pat Hackett (editor) |
| Products | Memoir book |
| Parent | Warner Books |
The Andy Warhol Diaries represents the spoken memoir of the American artist Andy Warhol, compiled and edited by his longtime associate Pat Hackett. Released posthumously by Warner Books in 1989, this 807-page volume condenses Warhol's original diary, which spanned 20,000 pages. The narrative captures events from November 1976 up until just five days before his passing in February 1987. The book achieved commercial acclaim, securing a spot on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Background
After undergoing an Internal Revenue Service audit in 1972, Warhol began dictating daily entries to his secretary Pat Hackett at The Factory as a method to record deductible expenses. This practice eventually transformed into what became known as The Andy Warhol Diaries.
Starting in 1976, Warhol and Hackett engaged in conversations every weekday morning, during which Warhol recounted the previous day's occurrences; notes for weekends were compiled on Mondays. While traveling, he would either call or provide Hackett with updates afterward. Hackett transcribed these spoken accounts onto legal pads before typing them up, resulting in an extensive collection of 20,000 double-spaced pages of raw material. Following Warhol’s death in 1987, Hackett condensed the content to approximately 1,600 pages for publication by Warner Books, who purchased the rights for $1.2 million. Hackett characterized much of the omitted text as trivial.
Content
The diary commences on November 24, 1976, with Warhol in Vancouver, concluding his visit to Seattle for the opening at the Seattle Art Museum. During his time on the West Coast, he attended the wedding of model Marisa Berenson in Los Angeles. He traveled alongside socialite Catherine Guinness and manager Fred Hughes from Vancouver to LaGuardia Airport in Queens. Upon returning to his Manhattan residence, he shared an early Thanksgiving dinner with his live-in partner Jed Johnson.
Throughout the ensuing eleven years, Warhol chronicled his social engagements and expenditures, providing a window into the personal and professional lives of numerous prominent individuals. In New York magazine, writer Michael Gross noted the variety of influential personalities Warhol encountered, including celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Martin Scorsese, Yves Saint Laurent, Sophia Loren, Steve Rubell, Liza Minnelli, Halston, Mick and Bianca Jagger, Lady Isabella Lambton, Margaret Trudeau, Patti Smith, Jerry Hall, Allan Carr, Truman Capote, Sue Mengers, Barbra Streisand, Rudolf Nureyev, Raquel Welch, Julian Schnabel, Marina Cicogna, former president Richard Nixon, Calvin and Kelly Klein, and Mercedes Kellogg.
The last diary entry is dated February 17, 1987. On that day, Warhol participated in a runway show alongside jazz legend Miles Davis at a Japanese fashion event held at the Tunnel nightclub in Chelsea. Davis provided Warhol with his contact information and agreed to perform music for ten minutes in exchange for a painted portrait. Later that evening, Warhol informed manager Fred Hughes that he felt too fatigued to attend a dinner hosted by Fendi. Before going to sleep, he was contacted by Hughes' assistant Sam Bolton as well as Interview fashion editor Wilfredo Rosado.
Release and reception
The Andy Warhol Diaries was released by Warner Books in May 1989, two years following Warhol's passing. The first print run did not include an index, a significant omission later acknowledged by publisher Steven Greenberg. In response, unauthorized indexes appeared in Spy and Fame magazines, while authorized indexes were incorporated in subsequent editions.
Commercially, the book performed well, maintaining a position on the New York Times Best Seller list for multiple months. It attracted considerable attention due to its "occasionally biting and frequently sensational revelations about celebrities, artists, and socialites."
Several individuals close to Warhol commended the work. Steve Rubell, co-owner of Studio 54 and the Palladium, recognized its frankness: "Everyone was aware he was documenting this. It’s the truth, so no one can dispute it." Paige Powell, who served as advertising director for Warhol's Interview, described the diaries as partially accurate with insightful commentary. Former editor of Interview, Bob Colacello, remarked that "some parts are factual while others are not." Warhol’s assistant Ronnie Cutrone highlighted the book’s authenticity, interpreting it as an inquisitive artist’s analysis rather than an act of cruelty.
Conversely, certain individuals mentioned in the diaries expressed displeasure. Fashion designer Halston reportedly reacted angrily and considered legal action before his death in 1989. Halston’s partner Victor Hugo denounced the book as the "Satanic Diaries" and threatened to sell Warhol pieces from his collection. Model Barbara Allen accused Warhol of exaggeration, feeling betrayed by the portrayal. Human rights advocate Bianca Jagger initiated a libel suit over her depiction but did not hold Warhol directly responsible, suggesting that the content was fabricated by someone lacking full knowledge of the circumstances.
In a 2008 conversation with Glenn O'Brien for Interview, Hackett commented: "People often ask 'What was Andy truly like?' The answer is in the Diaries. That reflects who he was." She observed that although early responses concentrated on gossip, the diaries will eventually be appreciated as a significant personal and historical record.
Adaptation
The book inspired a six-episode Netflix docuseries titled The Andy Warhol Diaries, scripted and directed by Andrew Rossi. The series debuted on March 9, 2022.