September 23, 2023

Laws of Nature

From Sacramento, Alessandra Stanley suggests that the only way to really stop global warming is through litigation … and lots of it!

Fighting Words

From New York, Tom Wolfe’s daughter remembers her father as being gentle and amicable, except when it came to literary battles with his “Three Stooges”: John Updike, John Irving, and Norman Mailer … …

Writing Wrongs

From Vermont, Kat Rosenfield reveals how Bennington College—the alma mater of Bret Easton Ellis and Donna Tartt—is being torn apart by a spat in its legendary writing program … …

Brand On The Run

From London, Stuart Heritage charts the decline and disgrace of Russell Brand, as the comedian turned conspiracy theorist is accused of rape and sexual assault …

School, Interrupted

From Los Angeles, J. Clara Chan reports on the student suicides plaguing Harvard-Westlake, the prestigious prep school whose alumni include the children of Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Denzel Washington …

The Gold Standard

From 1983, Stephen Armstrong revisits the famed Brink’s-Mat heist, now the basis for The Gold, a smart, six-part thriller from Paramount+, with Hugh Bonneville and Jack Lowden …

We’ll Always Have Casablanca

From the archives, Robert Matzen recalls the unlikely cast of characters who came up with the film’s most quotable lines …

The Cat In The Hat

From the West Village, Nathan King offers an inside look at AIR MAIL’s book party for Gay Talese, in celebration of his new memoir …

BUT, WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Ashton Kutcher’s gaffe factory … Errol Morris talks love … a half-finished Sondheim musical sees the light … Dresden rises from the ashes … Riccardo Muti and Philip Glass make sweet music together … there’s a new chef at the Ritz Paris … in the car wars, hybrids still lead the pack … the world’s most expensive—and judgmental—bathroom scale … And vote now for the Attention Whore of the week!

Issue No. 219

The View from Here Everybody hates lawyers, but what if they turn out to be the ones who actually save the planet?

By Alessandra Stanley

Read On

Out with the Old Let go after a quarter-century of teaching at Bennington College’s cultish M.F.A. program, Susan Cheever sues for discrimination

By Kat Rosenfield

Read On

This Brand Is Evil Amid accusations of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse, Russell Brand’s descent from mainstream fame to the fringes of the Internet looks eerily deliberate

By Stuart Heritage

Read On

The Fall Refresh

Make the transition from vacation to the office all the smoother with AIR SUPPLY’s favorite fall-friendly updates for your wardrobe, workplace, wellness cabinet, and beyond. Here’s to hitting the ground running—in seamless style

Shop

Photo: Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto/Getty Images (Bieber)

My Favorite Things Isabel Wilkinson Schor, the New York–based fashion editor turned designer behind Attersee, shares her favorite global finds, from Japanese pens to an antique Roman ring

By Isabel Wilkinson Schor

Shop

Photo: Stefano Ortega (Wilkinson Schor)

The Kids Aren’t All Right At Harvard-Westlake, a prestigious Los Angeles prep school that costs more than the average college, three student suicides in six months have parents worried, students grieving, and administrators scrambling

By J. Clara Chan

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHOP CHOPPISH SHOP

Read On

The Attention-Whore Index Donald Trump and Elon Musk are aggressively seeking out the spotlight again. If only Xi Jinping would disappear them too

Read On

A Wolfe in Chic Clothing My father, Tom Wolfe, was a perfect Southern gentleman who always seemed to be butting heads with the literary establishment

By Alexandra Wolfe

Read On

Measures of Success Get a full medical workup through the soles of your feet! The stereo receiver that will take you back to the 70s! The lightest carry-on luggage you can buy! And more …

By Jonathan Margolis

Read On

“I didn’t know this was a formal event.”

The Power of Compromise In a world where internal-combustion engines are becoming untenable, and battery electric vehicles are not yet entirely practical, makers such as Toyota, Volvo, and BMW are embracing a hybrid approach

By Jamie Kitman

Read On

Lunch with Mindy Kaling On this week’s episode of Table for Two, Mindy Kaling talks with host Bruce Bozzi about getting sick of partying, the challenges that come with co-writing Legally Blonde 3, and much more …

Read On

A Night Celebrating Gay Talese Judy Collins, Tony Danza, David Remnick, and others gathered at the Waverly Inn to celebrate the writer’s new memoir

By Nathan King

Photographs by Daniel Paik

15

Graydon Carter, Gay Talese, and Anna Carter at the Waverly Inn, in Manhattan, for a party in honor of Talese’s new memoir, *Bartleby and Me.*

*Top,* Anna Carter, Sandra Bernhard, and Gay Talese; *above,* Tony Danza.

*Top,* Mark Rozzo and Jim Goodale; *above,* Sheila Wolfe and Nan Talese.

*Top,* Toni Bentley and Gay Talese; *above,* Susan and Chip Fisher.

*Top,* Shawn McCreesh and Nathan King; *above,* Judy Collins and Nan Talese.

*Top,* Neil Leifer, Nick Pileggi, and Gay Talese; *above,* Nick Pileggi, Catherine Talese, Nan Talese, and Lynn Nesbit.

*Top,* Carolyn Ryan, Sadie Stein, and Pamela Paul; *above,* Michael Grynbaum, Juli Weiner, and George Kalogerakis.

*Top,* Emanuele Della Valle and Terry McDonell; *above,* Casey Gerald and Lynn Nesbit.

*Top,* Nick Pileggi and Morgan Entrekin; *above,* the scene at the Waverly Inn.

*Top,* Nan and Gay Talese; *above,* David Haskell, Ash Carter, and Shawn McCreesh.

*Top,* Toni Bentley, Nan Talese, and Joel Grey; *above,* David Margolick and Neil Leifer.

*Top,* Dana Brown and Michael Grynbaum; *above,* Lynn Goldner.

*Top,* Lynn Nesbit; *above,* James Barron and Clyde Haberman.

*Top,* Lynn Nesbit, Sheila Wolfe, Gay Talese, and Louise Grunwald; *above,* David Remnick, Gay Talese, and Susan Morrison.

*Top,* Gay Talese and Peter Hubbard; *above,* Graydon Carter greets guests.

Read On

Thick as Thieves The Gold, a new British heist series, tells the true story of the Brink’s-Mat robbers, who accidentally re-invented modern crime

By Stephen Armstrong

Read On

Read Archive Sofia Coppola is certainly having a renaissance as we all eagerly await the October premiere of Priscilla, her antidote to last year’s migraine…

Shop Áwet The Eritrean-born, New York–based designer Áwet Woldegebriel started his eponymous line two years ago. Since the brand’s conception…

Brew Bialetti In typical New York fashion, my oven doubles as a closet, my cupboards hold everything but food, and I wouldn’t dare allow a microwave to…

Listen The Russian Banker Meet Sergei Leontiev, the banker who had dreams of becoming a Russian Warren Buffett—until he was persecuted by Moscow…

Read Ralph Lauren: A Way of Living The clothes have almost always been secondary at Ralph Lauren. Synonymous with American style…

Look Lisa Edelstein: The Den During the pandemic, some of us made sourdough; others aimed higher. The award-winning actress Lisa Edelstein…

Read Archive Sofia Coppola is certainly having a renaissance as we all eagerly await the October premiere of Priscilla, her antidote to last year’s migraine…

Shop Áwet The Eritrean-born, New York–based designer Áwet Woldegebriel started his eponymous line two years ago. Since the brand’s conception…

Brew Bialetti In typical New York fashion, my oven doubles as a closet, my cupboards hold everything but food, and I wouldn’t dare allow a microwave to…

Listen The Russian Banker Meet Sergei Leontiev, the banker who had dreams of becoming a Russian Warren Buffett—until he was persecuted by Moscow…

Read Ralph Lauren: A Way of Living The clothes have almost always been secondary at Ralph Lauren. Synonymous with American style…

Look Lisa Edelstein: The Den During the pandemic, some of us made sourdough; others aimed higher. The award-winning actress Lisa Edelstein…

The Wit and Wisdom of Ashton Kutcher The sitcom actor turned Punk’d host turned tech investor has never been one to bite his tongue. His latest offense: defending his That ’70s Show co-star who was found guilty of rape

By Jack Sullivan

Read On

Unusual Suspects The behind-the-scenes story of the making of Casablanca, which hit theaters 80 years ago

By Robert Matzen

Read On

Putting It Together How do you complete a Stephen Sondheim musical without Stephen Sondheim? Call for Jonathan Tunick

By Michael Riedel

Read On

What Is Love? Whether on Hitler’s evil, Shakespeare’s genius, or the nature of love, Ron Rosenbaum resists the lure of easy answers

By Errol Morris

Photo Illustration by Chop Choppish Shop

Read On

The New Dresden More than 75 years after W.W. II reduced 90 percent of the city center to rubble, a sprawling art collection is spearheading Dresden’s rise from the ashes

By Robin Catalano

Read On

By the Board Melbourne-based filmmaker and artist Daniel Agdag’s medium of choice is cardboard, and his sculptures are sure to shock and delight

7

Daniel Agdag’s 2014 sculpture *The Birdhouse.*

Agdag built *The Latitudinal,* a replica of a hot-air balloon, in 2019.

*The Siren* (2023) will be part of Agdag’s upcoming exhibition, “Tide Houses,” at Messums Wiltshire.

*The Royce* (2023), one of Agdag’s latest sculptures.

Brooklyn’s Finest After nearly 25 years in Williamsburg, Andrew Tarlow’s Diner is more than a restaurant—it’s a happening

By Christine Muhlke

Read On

Tom Wolfe: Master of the Universe of Literary Feuds On this week’s podcast, the writer’s daughter reveals why no one was better at settling the score

Read On

Tobias Grey On

One Fine Day: Britain’s Empire on the Brink

by Matthew Parker

Read On

Magdalene Taylor On

Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution

by Cat Bohannon

Read On

Tolkien-esque Elfin Queen The best-selling children’s author and John Donne biographer Katherine Rundell rivals J. K. Rowling and enjoys the thrill of a flying trapeze

By Johanna Thomas-Corr

Read On

At the Musée de l’Orangerie, more than 100 paintings by Amedeo Modigliani go on display, including Portrait of a Woman (1917–18).

Can Amedeo Modigliani save Johnny Depp? Having emerged damaged but technically victorious from his legal dispute with Amber Heard—his former wife—Depp now finds himself essentially excluded from the kind of mainstream Hollywood cinema from which he derived his considerable wealth and legions of fans. With far fewer options on the table, he has now opted to direct Modi, a movie about the Italian painter who was a key figure—if largely unsuccessful during his lifetime—in the Parisian avant-garde before and during W.W. I. In a grace note, Depp’s film finds a small role for Al Pacino, who back in the 80s had tried and failed to get his own Modigliani film off the ground. READ ON

Read On

Where Ballet and Fashion Collide Ahead of the New York City Ballet Fall Fashion Gala, a new book pays homage to the fabulous collaborations between choreographers and designers including Carolina Herrera, Virgil Abloh, and Anna Sui, with photographs by Pari Dukovic

8

*Top,* Christopher Grant in Alejandro Gómez Palomo for Palomo Spain; *above,* Mimi Staker in Olivier Theyskens.

*Top,* Grant and Mira Nadon in Virgil Abloh, of Off-White; *above,* Jovani Furlan and India Bradley in Rosie Assoulin.

Staker in Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

Alec Knight and Gonzalo Garcia in Thom Browne.

Where Have You Been All My Life? In their 80s, Riccardo Muti and Philip Glass have just started making music together

By Matthew Gurewitsch

Read On

The Grande Dame and the Ingénue Espadon, at the Hôtel Ritz, used to be one of the most exciting restaurants in France. Will the talented young chef Eugénie Béziat recapture the magic?

By Alexander Lobrano

Read On

Tom Wright After opening a shop in the East Village, fashion’s favorite juice purveyor is taking his ginger-lime shots to delis and grocery stores around Manhattan

By Elena Clavarino

Read On

Serene and Not Herd On an island better known for beer-swilling tourists, the Grand Hotel Son Net offers sumptuous solitude, even during the high season

By Ashley Baker

Read On

Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo

The writers and executive producers of Dumb Money answer 37 of life’s most pressing questions

Read On

Special delivery—and for your little dog, too.

Is Edited By

Graydon Carter and Alessandra Stanley

Creative Director

Angela Panichi

Deputy Editors

Ashley Baker Ash Carter Chris Garrett Nathan King Julia Vitale

Chief Technology Officer

John Tornow

Editor at Large

George Pendle

Books Editor

Jim Kelly

Arts Intel Report Editor

Laura Jacobs

Senior Editor

Elena Clavarino

Junior Editor

Jensen Davis

Photo Director

Ann Schneider

Copy Editor

Adam Nadler

Research & Legal Editor

Matt Kapp

Production Editor

H. Scott Jolley

Associate Editors

Carolina de Armas Lucy Horowitz Clara Molot Paulina Prosnitz Jack Sullivan

Art Director

Paloma Huerre

Photo Editor

Emine Gözde Sevim

Designer

Zoé Gillette

International Editor

Isabelle Harvie-Watt

London Editor

Bridget Arsenault

Communications Director

Harrison Vail

Columnists

Cazzie David Lisa Henricksson Walter Isaacson
Pico Iyer Rachel Johnson John Lahr
Jonathan Margolis Linda Wells James Wolcott

Writers at Large

Lili Anolik Johanna Berkman Joseph Bullmore Vassi Chamberlain William D. Cohan Rich Cohen Michael Hainey Stuart Heritage George Kalogerakis Sam Kashner James Kirchick Alexander Lobrano Alexandra Marshall Daphne Merkin

Contributing Artists

Monica Ahanonu Barry Blitt André Carrilho Paul Davis David Downton Andrea Ferolla Josh Gosfield Cathy Graham Eric Hanson Angelica Hicks Pip Johnson Hilary Knight Danielle Kosann Michael Lindsay-Hogg Ross MacDonald Joe McKendry James McMullan Donald Robertson Charles Dare Scheips Grant Shaffer Ed Sorel Ralph Steadman

Contributing Photographers

Jonathan Becker Justin Bishop Alex Board James Emmerman Marcos Fecchino Daniel Paik Art Streiber Sharon Suh Justin Weiner

Architectural Consultant

Basil Walter

Head of Audience Development

Rachel LeSage

Audience Growth Manager

Merritt Johnson

Cartoon Editor

Bob Mankoff

Music Supervisor

Randall Poster

Technology

Brooks Oakley Justin Rubaloff Sade Singleton

Intern

Gasper Tringale-White

OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER ARE

Bill Keenan and Emily Davis

Air Supply General Manager and Brand Partnerships

Anjali Lewis

Advertising Director

Michael Pescuma

European Sales Director

Selim Mataraci

Financial & Business Operations

Marc Leyer

Account Manager

Dillon Freeman

Chief Strategy Adviser

Adam Mendelsohn

AIR SUPPLY

Chief Merchant

Jennifer Noyes

Shop Editor

Zoe Ruffner

E-Commerce Manager

Isaac Metlitsky

E-commerce Associate

Lilly Schoenbaum

In Memoriam

Peter Bogdanovich Duncan Hannah Douglas McGrath Richard David Story André Leon Talley

The View from Here Everybody hates lawyers, but what if they turn out to be the ones who actually save the planet?

Out with the Old Let go after a quarter-century of teaching at Bennington College’s cultish M.F.A. program, Susan Cheever sues for discrimination

This Brand Is Evil Amid accusations of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse, Russell Brand’s descent from mainstream fame to the fringes of the Internet looks eerily deliberate

Make the transition from vacation to the office all the smoother with AIR SUPPLY’s favorite fall-friendly updates for your wardrobe, workplace, wellness cabinet, and beyond. Here’s to hitting the ground running—in seamless style

My Favorite Things Isabel Wilkinson Schor, the New York–based fashion editor turned designer behind Attersee, shares her favorite global finds, from Japanese pens to an antique Roman ring

The Kids Aren’t All Right At Harvard-Westlake, a prestigious Los Angeles prep school that costs more than the average college, three student suicides in six months have parents worried, students grieving, and administrators scrambling

The Attention-Whore Index Donald Trump and Elon Musk are aggressively seeking out the spotlight again. If only Xi Jinping would disappear them too

A Wolfe in Chic Clothing My father, Tom Wolfe, was a perfect Southern gentleman who always seemed to be butting heads with the literary establishment

Measures of Success Get a full medical workup through the soles of your feet! The stereo receiver that will take you back to the 70s! The lightest carry-on luggage you can buy! And more …

The Power of Compromise In a world where internal-combustion engines are becoming untenable, and battery electric vehicles are not yet entirely practical, makers such as Toyota, Volvo, and BMW are embracing a hybrid approach

Lunch with Mindy Kaling On this week’s episode of Table for Two, Mindy Kaling talks with host Bruce Bozzi about getting sick of partying, the challenges that come with co-writing Legally Blonde 3, and much more …

A Night Celebrating Gay Talese Judy Collins, Tony Danza, David Remnick, and others gathered at the Waverly Inn to celebrate the writer’s new memoir

Thick as Thieves The Gold, a new British heist series, tells the true story of the Brink’s-Mat robbers, who accidentally re-invented modern crime

The Wit and Wisdom of Ashton Kutcher The sitcom actor turned Punk’d host turned tech investor has never been one to bite his tongue. His latest offense: defending his That ’70s Show co-star who was found guilty of rape

Unusual Suspects The behind-the-scenes story of the making of Casablanca, which hit theaters 80 years ago

Putting It Together How do you complete a Stephen Sondheim musical without Stephen Sondheim? Call for Jonathan Tunick

What Is Love? Whether on Hitler’s evil, Shakespeare’s genius, or the nature of love, Ron Rosenbaum resists the lure of easy answers

The New Dresden More than 75 years after W.W. II reduced 90 percent of the city center to rubble, a sprawling art collection is spearheading Dresden’s rise from the ashes

By the Board Melbourne-based filmmaker and artist Daniel Agdag’s medium of choice is cardboard, and his sculptures are sure to shock and delight

Brooklyn’s Finest After nearly 25 years in Williamsburg, Andrew Tarlow’s Diner is more than a restaurant—it’s a happening

Tom Wolfe: Master of the Universe of Literary Feuds On this week’s podcast, the writer’s daughter reveals why no one was better at settling the score

Tolkien-esque Elfin Queen The best-selling children’s author and John Donne biographer Katherine Rundell rivals J. K. Rowling and enjoys the thrill of a flying trapeze

Where Ballet and Fashion Collide Ahead of the New York City Ballet Fall Fashion Gala, a new book pays homage to the fabulous collaborations between choreographers and designers including Carolina Herrera, Virgil Abloh, and Anna Sui, with photographs by Pari Dukovic

Where Have You Been All My Life? In their 80s, Riccardo Muti and Philip Glass have just started making music together

The Grande Dame and the Ingénue Espadon, at the Hôtel Ritz, used to be one of the most exciting restaurants in France. Will the talented young chef Eugénie Béziat recapture the magic?

Tom Wright After opening a shop in the East Village, fashion’s favorite juice purveyor is taking his ginger-lime shots to delis and grocery stores around Manhattan

Serene and Not Herd On an island better known for beer-swilling tourists, the Grand Hotel Son Net offers sumptuous solitude, even during the high season

The writers and executive producers of Dumb Money answer 37 of life’s most pressing questions

Is Edited By

Creative Director

Deputy Editors

Chief Technology Officer

Editor at Large

Books Editor

Arts Intel Report Editor

Senior Editor

Junior Editor

Photo Director

Copy Editor

Research & Legal Editor

Production Editor

Associate Editors

Art Director

Photo Editor

Designer

International Editor

London Editor

Communications Director

Columnists

Writers at Large

Contributing Artists

Contributing Photographers

Architectural Consultant

Social Media Manager

Head of Audience Development

Audience Growth Manager

Cartoon Editor

Music Supervisor

Technology

Intern

OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER ARE

Air Supply General Manager and Brand Partnerships

Advertising Director

European Sales Director

Financial & Business Operations

Account Manager

Chief Strategy Adviser

Chief Merchant

Shop Editor

E-Commerce Manager

E-commerce Associate

In Memoriam