Liz Smith is literally 92 years old. That means she ran out of fucks to give decades before you were even born. The celebrated celebrity columnist had that moxie on full display during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, in which she spilled the tea on everyone from Oprah to Liz Taylor to Marlon Brando and Madonna.
Interestingly enough, when Smith wrote rather vaguely about a celeb’s planned coming out way back in 1997 (she was referring to Rosie O’Donnell) Oprah grew “furious” at Smith thanks to the rumors swirling about her friendship with Gayle King. O issued a statement, Ro threw a tantrum and it was another five years before the former Queen of Nice proclaimed that she was a “dyke.”
At the end of the gay, however, Smith gives it to Oprah for sticking with her non-Steadman life partner:
Oprah went right on being friends with Gayle King, and I always admired her for that, because she easily could have just rejected Gayle when rumors about them started spiraling.
Check out 15 other great moments, quotes and reads from the goddess of gossip’s THR interview below.
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On Elizabeth Taylor
I loved her. She was just snarky and funny and crazy. Selfish and tremendously generous at the same time.
On Madonna
She’s an extremely talented, deeply complicated woman. We were close for a while, or as close as anyone can get to her.
On Donald Trump
I was just appalled by his treatment of Ivana!
On being outed
I didn’t care about being outed. But I wasn’t going to paint myself purple and walk down Fifth Avenue waving a sign. I was old enough that people could describe me any way they wanted. I feel the same way now.
On putting out
I was living in the Village in a tiny apartment with all sorts of people coming in and out. Marlon [Brando] was dating my friend Elaine Stritch at the time. One night, he called me at home and he said, “Liz, Elaine just keeps letting me kiss her but she won’t go any further.” I said, “Put her on the phone.” I said, “Elaine, you don’t understand about men. They aren’t satisfied with just kissing. So you have to stop being a prude or just end it.”
On coming out
I saw [Barry Diller] him after David Geffen came out and he said, “Liz, do you think I should come out, too?” And I said, “No, Barry, David Geffen needs to come out. He needs a big story or a scandal or a fight to push him in business and make people afraid of him.” But I said, “People are already afraid of you. So what will you gain? And also, you like women.”
On Bette Midler
She’s amazing, but she’s a volatile person.
On Barry Manilow
The funny guy with the grand piano?
On the comment that made her mortal enemies with Jackie O’s sister, Lee Radziwell
“Oh, Liz, what do we care; they’re just a couple of fags! They’re disgusting.” [referring to dueling queens Truman Capote and Gore Vidal]
On Barbara Walters
Well, it turns out Barbara Walters can do without me, though I still consider her a friend. She has done so much for me through the years. But when I lost my column and my power, she kind of lost interest in me.
On Rosie O’Donnell
[S]he’s crazy, that girl. She loses her temper at everything.
On Oprah
I know..to say hello and kiss her and genuflect.
On Hillary Clinton
Maybe it’s like the Republicans say — she lives in her own bubble.
On stars nowadays
Oh, I don’t even know who they are! Suddenly you have to remember a dozen Kardashians, and really, who has the time?…They arrive full-blown from the head of Zeus with not a shred of talent.
On love
The truth is, I had no luck with either sex…
Les Fabian Brathwaite — appalled by the treatment of Ivana!
Bob LaBlah
So help me I thought this woman died years ago. Thanks for letting me know she is still alive. I wonder why no mention of the feud between her and Cindy Adams?
Masc Pride
I totally thought she has passed too. lol
Masc Pride
*had
NateOcean
On stars today:
“… full-blown from the head of Zeus with not a shred of talent…”
So well said!
Maude
@Bob LaBlah:
There was no feud between cindy adams and Liz Smith, cindy could only envy Liz from afar, and Liz thought as much about cindy as she did about a pesky ant on the beach.
MarionPaige
When I first moved to NYC in the 80’s, the New York Post was absolutely fixated on certain people. The Post could not go a week (or a day sometimes) without writing about “Sid and Gayfryd” and the head of Seagrams. It got to the point once where I decided to finally figure out who the f was “Sid and Gayfryd” (because only their first names were used, like everyone in New York knew who Sid and Gayfryd were).
I didn’t realize that Liz Smith had “power” on the national stage. I always thought she was an NYC centric gossip. But, The New York Post (back in the day, seemingly more so than now) was a very obvious propaganda rag out to build up certain people and to tear down certain other people. The Post, in my opinion, started to now laughable attempt to paint Giuliani as “presidential” / America’s mayor
Jonathan26
Growing up in New York in the 1980’s, Liz Smith was a fixture on local t.v. & always stuck me a as super cool Texan you’d love to hang out with. She always had the juiciest gossip & as a closeted kid on Long Island, she offered along with Katie Couric & yes, even Bill Cosby, three leading t.v. personalities that felt very inclusive to me. I’m so glad she’s still going strong with every measure of her formidable wit & impeccable style still intact! I hope she writes another book!
MarionPaige
maybe it as “Saul and Gayfryd”
http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/features/3421/
mikespurts
“Liz Smith is literally 92 years old. That means she ran out of fucks to give decades before you were even born.” I would not be so sure of that Mr. Brathwaite. She’s a smart lady and she still looks good at 92. I hope you are as fortunate.
Bob LaBlah
@Maude: Back in the late 1980’s or early 90’s there was a fierce page six piece on a feud between those two. I remember it quite well.
jason smeds
Liz Smith lost me when she described Madonna as “extremely talented”. Extremely talented at what? Drawing attention to herself?
Thankfully, we gay guys have outgrown our misguided devotions to gossip columnists and pop tarts.
Evji108
That is not a current photo of Liz, I mean she now looks fairly good for 92, but not THAT good. http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/6-things-we-learned-from-thrs-interview-with-gossip-guru-liz-smith-2015104
Clark35
Who is she? The woman in the pics is NOT 92.
inbama
Opportunist Liz Smith, who only had nice things to say scummy Roger Ailes, head of FOX News.