Graydon Carter Lightning Round

Graydon Carter, former editor-in-chief of *Vanity Fair* and author of *When the Going Was Good*, reflects on his storied career and personal tastes during a rapid-fire lightning round. Arriving in New York in 1978 remains his most cherished memory, a time defined by youthful ambition and the city's overwhelming scale. His aesthetic preferences lean toward the classic, favoring lace-up shoes, Leica cameras, and the timeless beauty of actress Myrna Loy. Carter recounts the social complexities of high-society hosting, specifically a "hostage situation" at a dinner party where Princess Margaret’s refusal to leave until 12:30 AM trapped guests like Barry Diller. From the sensory appeal of the South of France to a mortifying teenage mishap involving a jockstrap in a Montreal subway, these anecdotes illustrate a life deeply connected to the "golden age" of magazines and the nuances of social protocol.