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A Question of Whose Ox Is Being by Sally Quinn

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A Question of Whose Ox Is Being by Sally Quinn Pe 1111161*ton m T People / I _la -114 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1974 A Question of Whose Ox Is Being By Sally Quinn Washington, of course, is Vidal's Mike Wallace and the crew of hometown. His mother, Nina Gore, "60 Minutes have been follow- was the daughter of Senator T. P. ing Gore Vidal around for the past Gore. She divorced Vidal's father, few weeks in order to do a film Eugene Vidal, when Gore was 10 and piece on him. They even filmed him married Hugh D. Auchincloss, a mil- in the rug department of Macy's lionaire investment banker. hawking books with Dick Cavett. "I The family moved to Merrywood, would say that was the d e epest the Virginia estate overlooking the trough of my humiliation," says Potomac, where they stayed until Vidal. Then, upon reflection, "but that marriage broke up six years my dear, there are two things you later and Gore was replaced in his always do. Sex and television. Any upstairs bedroom by Jacqueline time you get the chance." Bouvier, whose mother Janet became Vidal is here this week pushinc, Hugh Auchincloss's third wife. "Myron," his latest novel, featuring Anyway, that's how Gore Vidal is the return of the transexual protago- related to Jackie Kennedy Onassis. nist of "Myra Breckenridge," as well They both had the same stepfather. as the paperback version of "Burr." But they didn't meet right away. "About every 18 months I erupt," Vidal, now 49, went into the Army, he said. "I go barnstorming across then began traveling and writing the country doing television and lec- novels. tures, hawking my books. Then I go It wasn't r e a 11 y until Jackie back to Rome, settle down to a nice Bouvier married Jack Kennedy that "Myron," Vidal's latest book. quiet life and write." they really became friends. Jackie The Arts Fashion B1 Gored loved Gore VidaL He is—and was— handsome, witty, sexy, bisexual, bril- liant, talented, successful, charming, courtly, well mannered, and perhaps the most bitchy gossip of his time. Vidal liked the Kennedys, their glittering circle of friends, their talked-about salons. There was only one problem. Many of the men in the Kennedy adminis- tration weren't too crazy about Gore Vidal. He bad, after all, written that book "The City and the Pillar," es- pousing bisexuality. It was con- sidered a bit much. The late Robert Kennedy liked Vidal least of all. So one night at a White House party, Gore and Jackie were dancing very close together, so the story goes, when Bobby came over to them, pushed Gore away from Jackie, and told him never to dance with his sister-in-law that way again. By Douglas novoIler—The Washington Post See VIDAL, B3, Col. I Gore Vidal: "I suppose I am combative?' VIDAL, From B1 everything," he said. "Ex- things about. He does it hu- nection with Jackie. In fact " Well, Vidal, not one to cept myself. Sometimes I morously, purposefully, mis- it was the reverse. When take this sort of thing lying do get bored talking about chievously, inviting reaction. Jackie first started out as a myself." The insults he hurls are down, wrote a devastating reporter she went around piece about Bobby in Es-. He answers questions more detached than per- quire, which started the about his personal life in sonal, more stylized than se- claiming to be my sister and whole Ruthless Bobby either a flip, detached way rious. "I suppose I am com- I hadn't even met her. She image, and that was the end or with evasive one-liners. bative," he admits. got all kinds of interviews of Vidal's friendship with The impression he gives is Here are a few of his ob- with people by telling them the Kennedys. Jackie stayed one of a very professional, servations for public that. She profited a lot more loyal to Bobby, and she and smooth, cynical, brilliant, consumption: from our relationship than I Vidal have not seen each world'- weary, unemotional Jack Kennedy: "Jack was ctkl." other since. That was in man. Which is, of course, the most wonderful gossip. Lee Radziwill: "Deeply 1962, recalls 'Vidal. the image he intends to pro- Much better than Jackie, boring. But being from a fa- It didn't seem to bother ject altogether. probably because he had mous family is a bore. And Gore Vidal one bit. He just Nevertheless, he insists, "I greater resources. But he it doesn't help for long. Lee kept on writing his best- am what I seem." was a marvelous repository. found that out. If you have selling novels, being outrag- He was not disappointing We would have long ram- no talent it shows. eous, and provocative, get- on this visit to Washington. bles about girls in Holly- "We all did have one ting into vicious fights with He knows what people want wood. He knew everything. thing in common. We had no people on television and in to hear, what is commercial, He was such fun. But his money, contrary to what print, and living quietly in what will titillate and what was a continuing search for people think. Mr. Auchin- Rome. will sell. He glides through attractive women. That 'al- class was very rich and our But back in Washington, television interviews, his ways came first with Jack." step brothers and sisters this time, he seemed, to patter down to perfection. Jackie: "I never really were rather well looked af- some of his friends, a bit He carefully-times his con- knew Jackie that well. I en- ter. But we were not, and we mellow. To others who bad versation to.permit an inter- joyed her though. She was had to survive out there in not known him before, viewer to take copious quite bright. She knows who the world. That's why I had though, he still had that notes. He understands the she is. to work and Jackie and Lee famous tart tongue. media and how to manipu- "Very few people do. had to marry well. But Mers And he says be doesn't late its members. That's,why she's done very rywood was so remote from ever get bored talking He knows -What he says well. She wanted a lot of the depression that the girls about the same things. "I'm will outrage, annoy and pro- money. She got it. But 1 never knew what real life fascinated talking about voke the people he says never profited by my con- was like." Ethel Kennedy: !'Ethel in- good friends for a long time yourself very early on. •I'm cold water. There is no vented tacky." particularly when he wanted not capable of a long deep warm wonderful person un- Arthur Schlesinger: some help from me. I re- sustained relationship with derneath. I am exactly what "Arthur is the little boy member him saying we were another human being. It's ' I seem. People sometimes always running after the the two writers people dis- important not to have sex fight with me. It usually crowd saying, 'Hey let me liked the most." with friends. You lose the starts out political and ends play too.' Arthur was thrilled Washington: "They're such friend in the end and you up personal. Mailer and Ca- to be part of the Kennedy hicks here. And this is also lose the sex." pote for instance are always crowd." the most pompous boring so- Women: "I prefer women. attacking me. They want to The Kennedy era: "The ciety in the world. If you're I have almoSt no men be numero uric,. But I'm Kennedys were great cor- interested in power this is friends. Men are generally number one. rupters. And I don't see any- the place to be. But you. - uneasy around me." "I am a highly moral per- thing wrong with that. They have to have a courtier men- . -Ponography: "Of course, I son. Purely moralistic. That never had to buy anybody. tality and I'm much too have a great 'problem with doesn't, however, apply to One chic dinner at the dependent for that." pornography. Dirty words sex. not only make me blush, White House and you could Vidal ran unsucessfully "I've never been envious have any journalist in for a New York Congres- they sicken me. That's why I have devised a new vocabu- of anyone in my life. But I town." sional seat in 1900. do go into black despair if Henry Kissinger: "I Sex: "The sexual brain- lary. I've substituted for dirty words the names of someone thinks Norman is a haven't the slightest interest washing in this country is so greater writer than I am." in Henry at all. He's simply virulent that it is not taken the justices who concurred an apparatchik. He'll work into account that everyone in the Supreme Court !deci- "Everything I say is so ob- for anybody. He's just is bisexual. This makes for a sion that each community vious. I say absolutely plain brighter than most. very sick society. Not to has the right to decide what things and it blows people's President Ford: "A right mention overpopulated, The is pornography...." ' minds." wing loon. average American male is more than anything. I am When it was suggested to Norman Mailer: "Norman soft and weak and passive. only happiest writing. 'Myra Gore Vidal that he might be really has become total bad That's why he goes in for Breckinridge' is my best portrayed in an interview as news.
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