Confessions from the Velvet Ropes: 48 Hour Party People Part 2: More Jenna Jameson, Heatherette, Vivienne Westood, Anna Piaggi, freaks, fags, and hungover journalists at Life Ball 2007

Above: Jenna Jameson, ready for the world's longest outdoor runway

After the vast quantities of spirits I consumed the night before -- my friend Lee is a bad influence on me (see Part One) -- the only thing keeping me going at the Life Ball was the high energy backstage before the Heatherette show. It was fun seeing Jenna Jameson again. I interviewed her for a feature in ZOO magazine two years ago (which can be read here) and it was good to see her radiant and gorgeous despite all the unpleasant gossip about her personal life that one reads in the tabloids from day to day.

Above: When Richie met Vivienne

Vivienne Westwood magically appeared backstage, like the fairy godmother of the Life Ball that she is. Richie was ecstatic. Vivienne seemed a bit unsure of who and what was going on around her.

I couldn't help wondering what the Grande Dame of Punk Couture thought of the Heatherette collection. After all, this is a woman who told me during an interview for DUTCH magazine: "Alexander McQueen is completely talentless. Anyone who likes his clothing must have something wrong with their eyesight." Ouch!

"Wait Vivienne, where are you going?! Come baaaaaack!"

Anna Piaggi: the love child of Salvador Dali and Carmen Miranda

Sexy Omayra!

We love Miss Guy

Have some Amanda Lepore with those lips.

Meanwhile, back in the main ball area....

Dueling Donatellas!

Mr. Mickey of PAPER magazine and a mysterious Bolognese marchesa got dressed together

"Lee! Maybe we ARE in Mexico City!!"

The next morning we all dragged ourselves over to the airport for a (German) champagne breakfast in the VIP lounge. The 9-hour plane ride home seperated us into 3 groups: those who were unconscious, those who couldn't stop screaming (the hairdressers again), and those who were mile high and high and constantly on the prowl. The main culprit was a certain famous blond male model who's been around since the 90s and featured in Hugo Boss and Donna Karan campaigns (no kids, I'm not intentionally blind-iteming this one...I can't remember his name!). Looking whorish and high in a skimpy tank top, the catnipping catwalker was seen dragging a tall blonde woman (biologic or transsexual--not sure which) into one of the cabin's tiny bathrooms. A loud champagne party in the back of the plane --featuring Codie Ravioli and almost the entire flight crew -- ensued. I jammed the headsets in my ears and turned up Judi Dench in "Notes in a Scandal" to drown out the fall of the gay Roman Empire...

If you enjoyed my coverage of the Heatherette Life Ball show, you might want to check out my book, Confessions from the Velvet Ropes, in which I document an especially wild Heatherette fashion show in New York, art directed by party princess Susanne Bartsch.

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Glenn Belverio

PS - Here's a great video from the Life Ball from Hintmag.com