Another word for Miami Beach: Caligula
Author Steven Gaines, whose book Fool's Paradise, speaks volumes of our fair city in its title alone, describes Miami Beach as one big orgy, essentially. The following is from today's Page Six:
THOSE who associate Miami Beach with wrinkled retirees will find their jaws dropping when they read Steven Gaines' new exposé, "Fool's Paradise," out Jan. 27 from Crown. The book details the city's hedonistic decadence, which includes how threesomes have become the rage, how the population of bisexual women is exploding and how easy it is to score drugs - "You can buy a tab of Ecstasy as easy as a pack of gum," Gaines writes. Among the bigger-than-life characters he chronicles are Thomas Kramer, the kinky German playboy whose $60 million Star Island estate has video cameras in every room. He also bares new details on the seamy story of Chris Paciello, the mob-linked nightclub czar who dated Madonna. "Miami Beach is a rich city on a little sandbar whose primary business is sex," Gaines says. "Miami Beach is all about a 'dirty weekend' and mindless good fun."
seriously, $60 million estate... who does the fact checking on this? anything for publicity...
Posted by: gablesGirl | January 09, 2009 at 03:26 PM
I dunno, that was taken straight from Page Six as I said, so ask them!
Posted by: Lesley Abravanel | January 09, 2009 at 03:46 PM
Lesley, just curious? Is your full time job doing gossip columns?
Posted by: tom | January 09, 2009 at 08:42 PM
yawn, yawn. is anyone actually going to feed into this? Planting items in Page Six to help sell a luke warm book is soooo 90's. We have read this all before--in New Times cover stories and much better I might add. Mr. Gaines is obvioulsy trying to cash in on a topic that has been run into the ground. The world is crumbling. Surely we can donate to a cause instead of shelling out any money for this trashy third rate book.
Posted by: Amanda | January 10, 2009 at 09:20 AM
If I have to hear one more idiotic story, article, sports/news caster comment about how 'hot' south beach is, i'm will honestly barf and excrete. anyone who really partied and lived the real sobe and for that fact, miami scene, knows that it DIED at least 7 years ago. please what we have as a hot party scene is nothing more than very nice beaches, climate and some hot people..ok and a few restaurants, but please, if you're a local you know that all that hype is for yahoos and inland american tourists who haven't seen a threesome and good blow, even in a movie theatre. travel the globe people and see whats really out there...it ain't south beach. breathe in ommmmmmmmm
Posted by: 305 rigger | January 10, 2009 at 11:26 AM
well.... DUH
Posted by: dskz12 | January 10, 2009 at 12:13 PM
I guess I'm alone is saying that I like reading about Miami excess... the book seems interesting. Miami scene died 7 years ago? Real negative view there buddy.. how old are you, 84 and grumpy?
Miami scene is alive and well, just need to know where to look.
Posted by: Mike | January 10, 2009 at 12:13 PM
How is this a column since Leslie merely quotes stuff written by others?
Posted by: Jay | January 10, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Mr. Gaines' book will be on the "SALE" rack at Borders and Barnes & Noble this summer. And that will be just to get rid of the initial shipment the stores got.
Posted by: Jose | January 10, 2009 at 02:43 PM
Someone needs to tell my wife that threesome's are the cool thing to do :)
Posted by: JB | January 10, 2009 at 03:46 PM
Re: Jay
For your information Einstein, Blogs are a collective format not an original one. The biggest blooger in America Perez Hilton uses and shares information on his popular blog--and as Miss Abravanel did--properly credited the source. Some times blogs are original and sometimes they are just other interesting information. Obvioulsy, it was enough for you to be here. Maybe she is doing something you wish you were? (Instead of doing what you are doing "Jay" which is nothing)
Posted by: Warren | January 10, 2009 at 04:56 PM
Hmmm. I seem to remember this column breaking a few juicy scoops of it's own...And who cares anyway? Jay sounds like he is very jealous of Lesley.
Posted by: Beth | January 10, 2009 at 05:05 PM
I can only dream of popping extacy with two beautiful bi girls in a 60 million dollar mansion.
Where is all this happening in South Beach? Obviously not where I'm hanging out at. :(
Posted by: mrbluelouboyle | January 12, 2009 at 01:07 PM
i guess we have to wait for the book to come out but I have some ideas as to where this all goes down....pun intended..
Posted by: Lesley | January 12, 2009 at 04:31 PM
Lesley, guess you missed my question or you are ignorning me???
Is writing gossip your full time job?
Posted by: tom | January 12, 2009 at 09:52 PM
Tom--I did miss it! No it's not my full time job...You can google my name and see what I really do :)
Posted by: Lesley | January 13, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Wow, Lesley, you go girl.
I'm impressed.
Posted by: tom | January 13, 2009 at 04:26 PM
Thanks Tom. Gotta keep myself grounded somehow. :)No Caligula expose from this end..yet!
Posted by: Lesley | January 13, 2009 at 05:26 PM
I hear that Gaines got paid half a million bucks to write this piece of junk and I bet he's laughing all the way to the bank.
Posted by: Happy Bystander | January 19, 2009 at 10:57 AM