Baird Jones

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Baird "Bucky" Campbell Jones[1] (February 3, 1955 – February 21, 2008)[2] was an American author, nightclub party promoter, photographer, curator, art critic, collector, and gossip reporter.[3]

Personal life[edit]

Baird Jones lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a child, where his father, Cranston Jones,[4] was the Time magazine bureau chief and, later, a founding editor of People magazine. He attended the Buckley School, the Groton School, NYU and Columbia University.[4] He earned master's degrees from New York University School of Law (JD, MSW)[5] and Columbia University (undergrad and two masters).[4] Jones was said to be a misunderstood genius.[3] According to Phoebe Legere "This was a man of very, very high intelligence and a very advanced understanding of modern art—the mechanics of it and also the way in which promotion is the blood and bone of modern art."[3] For a period, he dated Sukhreet Gabel.[6]

Club promotion[edit]

Jones was one of New York City's first club promoters.[7][8] In the early 1980s until his death, he promoted parties at Studio 54, The Underground, Webster Hall and other clubs. Created the "Permanent Pass" with which over a million people attended his parties for over three decades.[4] He was friendly with artists on the New York scene such as Andy Warhol, Mark Kostabi, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, frequently including them in shows he curated in galleries, museums, and nightclubs.[9] Baird Jones was known to mail out club passes in an effort to ensure that clubs that were on the downside were filled.[10] Baird catered to individuals from the outer boroughs to go to clubs in Manhattan.[10] His parties had a diverse group including the under-21, oldermen, lgbtq, and others.[10] Baird Jones celebrated the release of Dr. Kevorkian from prison at Webster Hall.[11]

Art collection[edit]

Baird Jones had an art collection from a number of celebrities. It ranged from Muhammad Ali to Jimi Hendrix to Princess Grace, from Mel Brooks to Jack Kevorkian, from Buddy Hackett to Marcel Marceau[12] They also included paintings by Adolf Hitler to Charles Manson.[13]

Interview[edit]

Baird appeared on The Howard Stern Show concerning his love life.[14] Baird at this interview claimed to be a 36 year old virgin in 1991.[14] Baird Jones interviewed playwright Arthur Miller and upset Miller with his pointed questions.[15]

Midget bowling controversy[edit]

Jones claims to have invented the sport of midget bowling[15] a form of dwarf-tossing which originated in Australia.[16] The sport according to Jones was an attempt to "performance art designed to satirize the values of mainstream America."[17] Jones famously employed Michael J. Anderson as a participant.[16] A bill was signed by former Governor of New York Mario Cuomo to ban the practice.[17]

Author[edit]

Baird Jones was the author of two books Mark Kostabi and the East Village Scene 1983-1987 and Sexual Humor.[18] Baird was a contributor to author at the New York Daily News[19] Page Six and Gawker.[20] He had a byline at the East Village Eye.[4] He was a staffer at Rush & Molloy gossip column.[21] He made news with the Village Voice after obtaining an interview with The Limelight Peter Gatien.[22] His articles included those about Donald Trump,[23] Lester Crown,[24] James Crown , Jason Beghe[23] and Neve Campbell.[25]

Films[edit]

Baird Jones appeared in a number of films including B.F.D. (1990), Con Artist (2009), and Behind the Music (1997).[2]

Death[edit]

Jones died at the age of 53 allegedly from an enlarged heart[26] resulting in a heart attack.[26] Initial reports though were inconclusive.[27] A memorial attended by Lindsay Lohan, was held at the Plumm.[3] Plumm ironically was attempted to be closed by a number of promoters including Jones and Ivy Supersonic[1] over a dispute about money with owner Noel Ashman.[28]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Baird Jones's Memorial Party to Be Held at Club He Secretly Tried to Close". Grub Street.
  2. ^ a b "Baird Jones". IMDb.
  3. ^ a b c d "Lindsay Lohan Pays Fitting Tribute to Baird Jones - Party Photos - Vulture". Intelligencer.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Baird Jones". The New York Times. February 26, 2008 – via Legacy.com.
  5. ^ American Legacy: The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy. Simon and Schuster. 2007. ISBN 9780743497398.
  6. ^ "Sad News: Another Death in Clubland. . . Baird Jones". The Village Voice. February 22, 2008.
  7. ^ Duka, John (1984-03-04). "THE NEW PARTY GIVERS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  8. ^ Widdicombe, Joanna Molloy, Ethan Rouen, Ben. "Gossip guru Baird Jones dead at 53". nydailynews.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Barron, James (February 23, 2008). "Man Departs a Life Lived on the Fringes of Fame". The New York Times.
  10. ^ a b c "The Deb of the Minute". New York. August 28, 1989 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "Katie Couric". Intelligencer.
  12. ^ "Pennsylvania Retiree Inherits Two Bizarre Art Collections". FOXBusiness. April 1, 2017.
  13. ^ "The Extraordinary Baird Jones Art Collection of Celebrity Artworks Goes on Sale | Widewalls". www.widewalls.ch.
  14. ^ a b "Howard Stern with Baird Jones (1991-11-12)". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via www.youtube.com.
  15. ^ a b "~Baird Jones/RIP « artloversnewyork.com".
  16. ^ a b America *~.*, Haoyan of (September 1, 2016). "Baird Jones, Party Invitations Featuring Mike Anderson, 1989". Gallery 98.
  17. ^ a b "New York Governor Signs Dwarf Tossing Ban". Associated Press. AP News.
  18. ^ "Baird Jones". Amazon.
  19. ^ "Paid Notice: Deaths Jones, Baird: Baird Jones". The New York Times.
  20. ^ Finch, Charlie (2008). "Dr. Strange". artnet Magazine. Archived from the original on March 8, 2008.
  21. ^ Rush & Molloy
  22. ^ "Baird Jones, 53, man on the nightlife and art scene". amNewYork. 26 February 2008.
  23. ^ a b "For Marla, Home is Where the Donald Ain't". New York Daily News. April 23, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-04-23.
  24. ^ Jones, George Rush, Joanna Molloy, Baird. "Plane Crash of Cohn Pal Has Rumors Flying". nydailynews.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Love Matches up 2 Tennis Couples". Archived from the original on 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
  26. ^ a b "Side Dish: Steroids, pot in gossiper's death". nydailynews.com.
  27. ^ Liddy, Tom (February 24, 2008). "Baird Still a Mystery".
  28. ^ Ramirez, Anthony (9 March 2008). "A Fitting Farewell to a Literate and Offbeat Character". The New York Times.
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