Baird Jones Explained

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Death

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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Baird Jones's Memorial Party to Be Held at Club He Secretly Tried to Close. Grub Street.
  2. Web site: Baird Jones. IMDb.
  3. Web site: Lindsay Lohan Pays Fitting Tribute to Baird Jones - Party Photos - Vulture. Intelligencer.
  4. News: Baird Jones . . February 26, 2008 . Legacy.com.
  5. Book: American Legacy: The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy. 9780743497398. 2007. Simon and Schuster.
  6. Web site: Sad News: Another Death in Clubland. . . Baird Jones. February 22, 2008. The Village Voice.
  7. News: Duka . John . 1984-03-04 . THE NEW PARTY GIVERS . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-02-10 . 0362-4331.
  8. Web site: Gossip guru Baird Jones dead at 53. Joanna Molloy, Ethan Rouen, Ben. Widdicombe. nydailynews.com.
  9. Web site: Man Departs a Life Lived on the Fringes of Fame. James. Barron. February 23, 2008. The New York Times.
  10. Web site: The Deb of the Minute. New York. August 28, 1989. Google Books.
  11. Web site: Katie Couric. Intelligencer.
  12. Web site: Pennsylvania Retiree Inherits Two Bizarre Art Collections. April 1, 2017. FOXBusiness.
  13. Web site: The Extraordinary Baird Jones Art Collection of Celebrity Artworks Goes on Sale | Widewalls. www.widewalls.ch.
  14. Web site: Howard Stern with Baird Jones (1991-11-12). https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/pnzPhfdhOSM . 2021-12-21 . live. www.youtube.com.
  15. Web site: ~Baird Jones/RIP « artloversnewyork.com.
  16. Web site: Baird Jones, Party Invitations Featuring Mike Anderson, 1989. Haoyan of. America *~.*. September 1, 2016. Gallery 98.
  17. Web site: New York Governor Signs Dwarf Tossing Ban. Associated Press. AP News.
  18. Web site: Baird Jones . Amazon .
  19. Web site: Paid Notice: Deaths Jones, Baird: Baird Jones. The New York Times.
  20. Web site: Charlie . Finch . 2008 . Dr. Strange . . https://web.archive.org/web/20080308235630/http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/features/finch/finch2-22-08.asp . March 8, 2008.
  21. Rush & Molloy
  22. Web site: Baird Jones, 53, man on the nightlife and art scene. amNewYork. 26 February 2008 .
  23. Web site: For Marla, Home is Where the Donald Ain't. New York Daily News. April 23, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080423035831/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1997/05/07/1997-05-07_for_marla__home_is_where_the.html. 2008-04-23.
  24. Web site: Plane Crash of Cohn Pal Has Rumors Flying. George Rush, Joanna Molloy, Baird. Jones. nydailynews.com.
  25. Web site: Love Matches up 2 Tennis Couples . 2021-03-20 . 2012-11-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121106160927/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/516065561.html?dids=516065561:516065561&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+29,+2003&author=Robert+Kahn.+STAFF+WRITER&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=Love+Matches+Up+2+Tennis+Couples&pqatl=google . dead .
  26. Web site: Side Dish: Steroids, pot in gossiper's death. nydailynews.com.
  27. Web site: Baird Still a Mystery. Tom. Liddy. February 24, 2008.
  28. News: A Fitting Farewell to a Literate and Offbeat Character. The New York Times. 9 March 2008. Ramirez. Anthony.