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Bennett CerfBennett Cerf
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Session:         Page of 1029

Paley loves him too. He certainly is closer to Babe Paley and my wife than he is to Bill and me, but we both love him. When Truman comes to the house, I am always delighted to see him although he sometimes annoys me by his throwing his arms around me and calling me “Great White Father” and “Big Daddy” and all of that stuff. I say, “For Pete's sake, cut that out.” But I rather like it anyhow when Truman does it. I love him.

Q:

You would think that a man might be repulsed by him a bit or that a woman might.

Cerf:

Not when you know him.

Well, some time In Cold Blood came out, Truman brought the whole Garden City contingent to New York City. Being Truman, he arranged a series of parties for them. Truman is now at the point where he can call up Phyllis and say, “You're giving a party on Wednesday, December 19 and these are the people that you're going to have.” Then he'll call up Babe Paley and say, “You're giving the party on the thirteenth and these are the people that you are going to have. This is the seating arrangement.” It's the great Mr. Capote talking: They religiously obey him. We had this party for the Deweys, and he dictated who came and who sat with whom. Everybody gave parties when Truman ordered them, and that's when he gave his famous ball at the Plaza himself. At this time he was still living in a house in Brooklyn Heights and





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