Marcel Proust born 10, July 1871... died 18, November 1922 is probably best known for his seven volume masterpiece 'In Search Of Lost Time' earlier rendered as 'Remembrance Of Things Past' based on his own life ( I have a confession to make--- when I was about 14 I quoted from it and carried a copy around school thinking it gave me a patina of sophistication and worldliness)--- I finally got around to actually reading it when I was about seventeen.
What has become known as the Proust Questionnaire was actually a 19th century French parlor game that is said to have been penned by Antoinette Faure... it consisted of 35 questions... that we will revisit shortly.
Vanity Fair magazine was first published in 1913 and was titled 'Dress & Vanity Fair' the 'Dress was dropped from the title after six months and was the top magazine (based on advertising sales) within it's first year and within a few years the masthead included Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley among other notables... there was about a 47 year period from 1936 when it was not published until relaunching in 1983... I've been a devoted subscriber since. VF has always had top writers, artists and photographers to chronicle the top celebrities, artists. musicians, politicians, fashion designers and news makers of the last 34 years. I doubt that I have ever boarded a flight without the latest copy tucked in my carry on bag.
Starting in 1993 the last editorial page was dedicated to 'The Proust Questionnaire' and answered by the most relevant celebrities and movers and shakers of the time... from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Bette Midler and Arthur Miller to Howard Stern... it was really one of my favorite features because it gave some insight into the people answering the questions. I remember doing it at a cocktail party in the 90's and I was thinking about it recently how some of my answers have changed and others have remained the same. I always thought it would have been interesting to have some of the celebrities revisit the questions as several have had life changing milestones and changes since... Like Arnold Schwarzenegger he became governor of California four months after his was published in 2003... with other changes that followed in his personal life... or perhaps Yoko Ono's first published in 1995... So what are you waiting for?...
What has become known as the Proust Questionnaire was actually a 19th century French parlor game that is said to have been penned by Antoinette Faure... it consisted of 35 questions... that we will revisit shortly.
Starting in 1993 the last editorial page was dedicated to 'The Proust Questionnaire' and answered by the most relevant celebrities and movers and shakers of the time... from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Bette Midler and Arthur Miller to Howard Stern... it was really one of my favorite features because it gave some insight into the people answering the questions. I remember doing it at a cocktail party in the 90's and I was thinking about it recently how some of my answers have changed and others have remained the same. I always thought it would have been interesting to have some of the celebrities revisit the questions as several have had life changing milestones and changes since... Like Arnold Schwarzenegger he became governor of California four months after his was published in 2003... with other changes that followed in his personal life... or perhaps Yoko Ono's first published in 1995... So what are you waiting for?...
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
2. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
5. Which living person do you most admire?
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
7. What is your current state of mind?
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
9. On what occasion do you lie?
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
11. Which living person do you most despise?
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
16. When and where were you happiest?
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
21. Where would you most like to live?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
24. What is your favorite occupation?
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
26. What do you most value in your friends?
27. Who are your favorite writers?
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
31. What are your favorite names?
32. What is it that you most dislike?
33. What is your greatest regret?
34. How would you like to die?
35. What is your motto?
The major thing that did not change for my answers is that I only lie when the truth would deeply hurt someone (and it is not so much lying as not referencing certain sets of facts)...and my greatest fears have always been drowning in deep dark water...
thus my dislike of cruises... and being struck and killed by lightening...
And my idea of perfect happiness would be to be stranded on a deserted island with the love of my life (but not forever)
And when and where am I happiest...
on a stage with an enthralled audience...
Many things have changed as I've evolved and gotten older but probably most notably my motto used to be "Je ne regrette rien"... the fact is Je regrette beaucoup... but my motto now is... "Don't Judge"...
Along with the changes in my life there have been many changes at Vanity Fair... if you have been reading... I was on the consideration list for 'Best Dressed' twice... I've been to the Oscar Party six times... I was at another VF party seated at table one with Natalie Cole and I almost met Dominick Dunne at another but could not attend because of an over zealous appendicitis in the middle of the night... more changes are on the horizon at VF with a new staff and editor... So without judgement I'll use one of my most important life lessons of... "We will see what we see when we see it!"
See you next week... we are going on a trip to...Mallorca Spain. Have a great week!
