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The twentieth century's "hostess with
the mostest" was a D.C. socialite named
Perle Mesta - and it was the spirit of
Madame Mesta that NYC nightlife doyenne
Michael Musto summoned for his most
recent book party. While Mesta was the
U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, Musto is
certifiably NYC's nightlife ambassador
to the world, as evidenced by the
cluster of nightowls and celebrity
fireflies that flickered at the
Copacabana in celebration of Musto's
latest book, "Knife on the Left, Fork in
the Back." The 26-year veteran of the
foibles of NYC (and his employer, the
Voice) has seen it all - and yet, Musto
retains a boyishly contagious enthusiasm
for the playground shenanigans of his
fellow New Yorkers, which is detailed in
his collection of wickedly incisive
essays.
The two-level, conga club on 47th Street
was a petting zoo of Manhattan's most
lovable and flamboyant creatures,
including Murray Hill, Jackie Hoffman,
Dirty Martini, Kenny Kenny, Andrew
Andrew, Robin Byrd, Dallas DuBois, Dandy
Wellington, Basil Twist, and scores of
other aptly-named specimens from the NYC
menagerie. Nearly everyone wielded a
camera, which burst in an explosion of
flashes when Anna Musto arrived. A crowd
favorite, Musto's mother seems
invariably bemused by her son's
collection of friends, several of whom
gave performances that might have made
your own mother blanch.
Thanks to New York impresario Chip
Duckett's flawless orchestration (as
well as an open bar serving Bacardi and
a "Tony-and-Tina's Wedding" buffet), the
Copa was as animated as Peewee's
Playhouse and Romper Room, with squeals
of delight and genuine horror when
recognition kicked in. Jerry Springer
was there, along with "Sarah Palin," and
also Nick Adams, Countess LuAnn de
Lesseps, Lisa Lampanelli, Michael Ellis,
Tony Fornabaio, and Daniel Nardicio.
Bridget Everett sang "Purple Haze" with
a ferocity befitting the lovechild of
Mama Cass and Janis Joplin, while Murray
Hill made mincemeat of the fact that
Musto was the last man to write a book,
"a real book, with pages you turn."
Ah, but Musto had the last laugh,
leaping onto the stage with the
nimbleness of Pan and showering everyone
with his fairy dust. Perle Mesta, Auntie
Mame - he's ours for life. And no doubt
we'll still be reading Musto in the
Golden Gays Retirement Home.
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