Trivia

Much of New York's social scene was (and still is) run by women. Many husbands were uninterested in attending endless dinners, operas and ballets; these women sought solo men to attend and charm. It wasn't proper for a lady in society to be without an escort. And it wasn't a regular occurrence for gay men to show up at galas together, so arriving with a woman on their arms was an acceptable alternative. Escorts also gained access to clients, if they had something to sell, from bespoke gowns to financial services.

Albert and David Maysles, who are chronicled in this episode, are best known for Grey Gardens (1975), a 1975 documentary film. It depicts Edith Bouvier Beale ("Big Edie"), and her daughter, Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale ("Little Edie"), the aunt and first cousin, respectively, of former U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Onassis. Calista Flockhart's character in Feud is Lee Radziwill, the younger sister of Jacqueline Kennedy. Lee Radziwill originally suggested to the Maysles that they make a documentary about her and Jacqueline's childhood, but after meeting the eccentric relatives Big and Little Edie, they decided to make the film that became Grey Gardens.

In this episode, Capote mentions a man named Jerry Zipkin, whom he describes as having "a face like a bidet." Zipkin was a real person, a real estate heir and prominent society figure who often appeared in the gossip pages. Zipkin filled much the same space in high society as Capote; both were gay men who frequently escorted married socialites to parties and other occasions when their powerful husbands preferred not to attend (Zipkin's frequent "dates" included Betsy Bloomingdale and Nancy Reagan). This similarity may have led to the rivalry that lasted until Capote's 1984 death; in addition to the "bidet" comment, Zipkin and Capote once had what Vanity Fair characterized as a "public slapping match in the parking lot of the Bistro, a Beverly Hills restaurant." When Zipkin learned that he had not been invited to Capote's Black and White Ball, he claimed that he had always had plans to be in Monte Carlo that weekend. Zipkin was purported to be the subject of one of several "lost" chapters of Capote's incomplete book Answered Prayers. He was also the basis for the escort character played by Woody Harrelson in the 2007 Paul Schrader movie The Walker (2007).

Personalities mentioned:

• Carson McCullers - Southern writer known for the novel, "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter"
• Walter Hoving - Chairman of Tiffany Jewelry Company
• Yul Brynner - actor, known for The Ten Commandments (1956), The King and I (1956), The Magnificent Seven (1960), and Westworld (1973)
• Danny Kaye - actor, comedian, and singer
• Jerry Zipkin - he served as a "Walker" for society's fashionable ladies. He was also a confidante of the first lady, Nancy Reagan (President Ronald Reagan 1980-1988)

Others who have attended the Ball: Gloria Guinness, Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild, Maharani de Baroda, Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow, Andy Warhol, Norman Mailer, Henry Fonda and 19-year-old Candice Bergen.