October 12, 2024 – Air Mail

THIS IS FILMMAKING. THERE ARE RULES!

White Russians! Nihilists! Bowling on Shabbos! Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, and others reflect on the making of The Big Lebowski …

THE HOME FRONT

As the Russo-Ukrainian war rages on, our woman in Moscow describes the daily life of citizens who fear their authoritarian government but are too focused on survival to rebel …

PAGE-BURNER

Is Melania Trump’s new memoir worth slogging through? Before hitting the bookstore, take Andy Borowitz’s all-things-Melania quiz …

REAL-ESTATE WARS

How an anonymous billionaire’s plans to tear down mansions along Chicago’s Winnetka waterfront turned into a public, personal, and seemingly endless conflict among the super-rich …

FRANK DISCUSSIONS

The postponement of Martin Scorsese’s Sinatra—set to star Leonardo DiCaprio—is just the latest in a series of hiccups that have prevented a blockbuster Frank Sinatra biopic from getting made …

WHEELY, WHEELY MESSY

Fast cars! Champagne! Love triangles! It’s all there in Formula 1, with influencer Estelle Ogilvy jumping from her latest driver boyfriend back to her old one …

BIG APPLES TO APPLES

Long before Eric Adams and his gang of hoodlums presided over New York City, there was Jimmy Walker, a much-beloved mayor who had his flaws but led with panache …

BUT, WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Transcripts from the Trump-Putin calls … a rollicking oral history of the New York Post … how Maria Bakalova became the right wing’s least favorite actress … Al Pacino revisits his troubled childhood … a metal detector that might actually make you rich … Cast your vote in this week’s Attention-Whore Index Poll!

Issue No. 274

The View from Here Moscow is fighting one war in Ukraine and another one within

By Katya V.

Read On

A Chicago Turf War When a flashy, young private-equity mogul sought to build a lavish compound on the shores of Lake Michigan, he didn’t count on pushback from the area’s old money

By Ben Ryder Howe

Read On

Frank Sinatra Gets Whacked Martin Scorsese’s gritty biopic of Frank Sinatra has been shelved. Was it the singer’s family, or Gen Z’s lack of interest, that killed it off?

By Alexander Larman

Read On

The Long Weekend

Is it already time for a first-semester mini-break? Pack up your family, your friends, or the new romantic interest secured for so-called cuffing season. Master the coast or the countryside with AIR SUPPLY’s guide to the idyllic three-day weekend

Shop

Photo: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty Images (Bardot and Terzieff)

Irene Neuwirth’s Favorite Things The California-based jeweler is known for her eye for colorful stones and playfully unpretentious designs. Her precious picks include Joanna Czech skin care, Gregory Parkinson napkins, and Casa Dragones tequila

Shop

Does It Be Best? Melania Trump’s book is the red Christmas tree of First Lady memoirs

By Andy Borowitz

Read On

The Sinner of City Hall There was a time when New Yorkers loved a fun-loving, hard-partying, bribe-taking, crony-rewarding mayor

By Sam Roberts

Read On

The Attention-Whore Index Elon Musk is jumping for Trump, Ron DeSantis is ghosting Kamala, and King Charles is shrieking with fear

Read On

A Lotta Ins, a Lotta Outs, a Lotta What-Have-Yous The origin—and immortality—of The Big Lebowski

By Josh Karp

Read On

Private Eyes A security-camera system that runs on solar power! The cheapest way to strike gold! A treasure trove of sound effects, courtesy of the BBC! And more …

By Jonathan Margolis

Read On

CARRY Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton’s Neverfull handbag has been slung on the shoulders of the style set for the past 17 years. Now the maison has launched…

SHOP Dede Johnston Photographer Dede Johnston has focused much of her energy on capturing the magic of alpine landscapes. Now her images have…

WATCH Scavengers Reign The creators of the Emmy-nominated animated series Scavengers Reign wisely dispense with the endless exposition that…

SIP Dom Pérignon Aficionados of champagne and contemporary art, listen up. Dom Pérignon’s latest special edition of its 2015 vintage is a tribute to…

WATCH Happy Clothes “I’m an exaggeration queen,” says Patricia Field, one of the most successful costume designers of our time. At 82, Field is known…

READ RE/Search #8/9: J.G. Ballard “At a time when nobody believes that the future will be ‘better,’ it’s definitely time to understand why…

CARRY Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton’s Neverfull handbag has been slung on the shoulders of the style set for the past 17 years. Now the maison has launched…

SHOP Dede Johnston Photographer Dede Johnston has focused much of her energy on capturing the magic of alpine landscapes. Now her images have…

WATCH Scavengers Reign The creators of the Emmy-nominated animated series Scavengers Reign wisely dispense with the endless exposition that…

SIP Dom Pérignon Aficionados of champagne and contemporary art, listen up. Dom Pérignon’s latest special edition of its 2015 vintage is a tribute to…

WATCH Happy Clothes “I’m an exaggeration queen,” says Patricia Field, one of the most successful costume designers of our time. At 82, Field is known…

READ RE/Search #8/9: J.G. Ballard “At a time when nobody believes that the future will be ‘better,’ it’s definitely time to understand why…

Moscow Hotline Selected excerpts from the phone conversations between former president Donald J. Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin

By John Ficarra

Illustration by Ross MacDonald

Read On

Fast & Loose A Formula 1 love triangle has erupted between two up-and-coming drivers and the glamorous Anglo-French influencer Estelle Ogilvy

By Kate Wills

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHOP CHOPPISH SHOP

Read On

Oops! They Diddy It Again A TikTok conspiracy theory shows how quickly wild—and completely unfounded—rumors can come to dominate social media

By Clara Molot

Read On

Ave Maria! She got Rudy Giuliani to fiddle with his crotch in the Borat sequel. Now Maria Bakalova steals the show as Ivana Trump in the new movie The Apprentice

By Graham Fuller

Read On

The Rudolph Revival A wunderkind who spent his later years in the wilderness, the visionary architect Paul Rudolph is finally getting the retrospective he deserves

By Paul Goldberger

Read On

Baby, It’s Warm Inside In gray England, choosing paint colors is both an art and a science. Now the search for the hottest shades is going global

By Daisy Dawnay

Read On

Rosario Candela’s New York The Jazz Age architect invented penthouse living, remaking the city’s skyline—and attracting buyers including Jackie O—along the way

By David Netto

Read On

The Living-Room M.F.A. As the cost of graduate writing programs goes up and the degree’s perceived value declines, alternatives are springing up far from campus

By Micah Cash

Read On

Bruce Handy On

Paper of Wreckage: The Rogues, Renegades, Wiseguys, Wankers, and Relentless Reporters Who Redefined American Media

by Susan Mulcahy and
Frank DiGiacomo

Read On

Inside the Strange World of Melania On this week’s podcast, Andy Borowitz takes us inside the new memoir by Mrs. Trump

Read On

Paul Ruschá in Life Mask, from his 1970s-postcard self-portrait series.

In 1949, when the artist and collector Paul Ruschá was six years old, his family motored from Oklahoma City along Route 66 to visit his grandparents in California. They made a pit stop in the dusty town of Winslow, Arizona, where the five of them—Paul, his parents, and his older siblings, sister Shelby and brother Ed—ate breakfast in a roadside café. That establishment went belly-up eons ago. But the building that housed it remains, and it happens to be a mere tumbleweed toss away from El Gran Garage, a hulking, 8,000-square-foot structure that the Los Angeles–based Ruschá bought in 2006. It’s his getaway home, studio, sometime exhibition space, and all-purpose man cave. READ ON

Read On

The Ives Conundrum Celebrating 150 years of Charles Ives, the masterful American composer we’re still quick to dismiss as a crank

By Matthew Gurewitsch

Read On

Party Animals From laughing seals to dancing monkeys to sexy hippos, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards use humor to raise environmental awareness

14

*Shake Ruffle Rattle and Roll,* photographed by Tapani Linnanmäki.

*Top, I’ll Tell You a Secret,* by Jan Piecha; *above,* *Holding On for a Ride,* by Alexander Fine.

*Alright Mate Back Off—This Is My Bird,* by Andy Rouse.

*Top, Nagging Is a Universal Concept,* by Scott Frier; *above, Saying My Prayers,* by Christine Haines.

*England Cricket’s Latest Secret Weapon!,* by Rouse.

*Top, Mafia Boss,* by Takashi Kubo; *above, Wait Which Zebra Is in Front,* by Sarosh Lodhi.

*Mantis Flamenca,* by Jose Miguel Gallego Molina.

*Top, I’m Too Sexy for My Love,* by Artur Stankiewicz; *above, Laughing Out Loud,* by Ingo Hamann.

*Top, Easy Fellas—Hajime!,* by Philippe Ricordel; *above, In Love,* by Andrea Rosado.

*Top, Hide and Seek,* by Leslie McLeod; *above, Stuck Squirrel,* by Milko Marchetti.

*You’re Not My Mother,* by Randy Herman.

Anna Weyant The art world darling, dubbed the “millennial Botticelli,” reveals her travel routine

Read On

*The Mysteries That Were Ours* is one of 18 works in (and the title of) my new exhibition, which showcases an imagined world where women thrive without societal boundaries. The women depicted in the paintings—such as the oil pastel on paper above—reclaim their sensuality by asserting control over their own narratives and representations. ”The Mysteries That Were Ours” runs through November 9 at Salon 21, in New York City.

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 Editors

Elena Clavarino Jensen Davis Clara Molot

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 Jeanne Malle Paulina Prosnitz Jack Sullivan

Art Director

Paloma Huerre

Senior Photo Editor

Emine Gözde Sevim

Designer

Zoé Gillette

International Editor

Isabelle Harvie-Watt

Communications Director

Harrison Vail

Columnists

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

Writers at Large

Lili Anolik Bridget Arsenault 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 Sam Wasson

Contributing Artists

Monica Ahanonu Barry Blitt André Carrilho Pip Carter Paul Davis David Downton Andrea Ferolla Josh Gosfield Cathy Graham Eric Hanson Angelica Hicks 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

OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER ARE

Bill Keenan and Emily Davis

Air Supply General Manager and Brand Partnerships

Anjali Lewis

Business Development Director

Catherine Scott

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

Jessica Iredale

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 Moscow is fighting one war in Ukraine and another one within

A Chicago Turf War When a flashy, young private-equity mogul sought to build a lavish compound on the shores of Lake Michigan, he didn’t count on pushback from the area’s old money

Frank Sinatra Gets Whacked Martin Scorsese’s gritty biopic of Frank Sinatra has been shelved. Was it the singer’s family, or Gen Z’s lack of interest, that killed it off?

Is it already time for a first-semester mini-break? Pack up your family, your friends, or the new romantic interest secured for so-called cuffing season. Master the coast or the countryside with AIR SUPPLY’s guide to the idyllic three-day weekend

Irene Neuwirth’s Favorite Things The California-based jeweler is known for her eye for colorful stones and playfully unpretentious designs. Her precious picks include Joanna Czech skin care, Gregory Parkinson napkins, and Casa Dragones tequila

Does It Be Best? Melania Trump’s book is the red Christmas tree of First Lady memoirs

The Sinner of City Hall There was a time when New Yorkers loved a fun-loving, hard-partying, bribe-taking, crony-rewarding mayor

The Attention-Whore Index Elon Musk is jumping for Trump, Ron DeSantis is ghosting Kamala, and King Charles is shrieking with fear

A Lotta Ins, a Lotta Outs, a Lotta What-Have-Yous The origin—and immortality—of The Big Lebowski

Private Eyes A security-camera system that runs on solar power! The cheapest way to strike gold! A treasure trove of sound effects, courtesy of the BBC! And more …

Moscow Hotline Selected excerpts from the phone conversations between former president Donald J. Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin

Fast & Loose A Formula 1 love triangle has erupted between two up-and-coming drivers and the glamorous Anglo-French influencer Estelle Ogilvy

Oops! They Diddy It Again A TikTok conspiracy theory shows how quickly wild—and completely unfounded—rumors can come to dominate social media

Ave Maria! She got Rudy Giuliani to fiddle with his crotch in the Borat sequel. Now Maria Bakalova steals the show as Ivana Trump in the new movie The Apprentice

The Rudolph Revival A wunderkind who spent his later years in the wilderness, the visionary architect Paul Rudolph is finally getting the retrospective he deserves

Baby, It’s Warm Inside In gray England, choosing paint colors is both an art and a science. Now the search for the hottest shades is going global

Rosario Candela’s New York The Jazz Age architect invented penthouse living, remaking the city’s skyline—and attracting buyers including Jackie O—along the way

The Living-Room M.F.A. As the cost of graduate writing programs goes up and the degree’s perceived value declines, alternatives are springing up far from campus

Inside the Strange World of Melania On this week’s podcast, Andy Borowitz takes us inside the new memoir by Mrs. Trump

The Ives Conundrum Celebrating 150 years of Charles Ives, the masterful American composer we’re still quick to dismiss as a crank

Party Animals From laughing seals to dancing monkeys to sexy hippos, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards use humor to raise environmental awareness

Anna Weyant The art world darling, dubbed the “millennial Botticelli,” reveals her travel routine

Is Edited By

Creative Director

Deputy Editors

Chief Technology Officer

Editor at Large

Books Editor

Arts Intel Report Editor

Senior Editors

Photo Director

Copy Editor

Research & Legal Editor

Production Editor

Associate Editors

Art Director

Senior Photo Editor

Designer

International 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

OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER ARE

Air Supply General Manager and Brand Partnerships

Business Development Director

European Sales Director

Financial & Business Operations

Account Manager

Chief Strategy Adviser

Chief Merchant

Shop Editor

E-Commerce Manager

E-commerce Associate

In Memoriam