I joined the illustrious Paul Wharton, the self-described fashion, beauty, and lifestyle enthusiast and television personality, at his swanky condo in DC for an evening of luminous chatter and frivolity. With his cheerful entourage of Jessica, Miss Teen DC and Paul’s newest intern, and Emilia, the assistant, we popped champagne and let the good times roll.
qwp: Who’s your favorite designer?
PW: Roberto Cavalli, because when there was no recession and I could buy anything, I bought a ton of it, and if my weight is right, I can wear it. His clothes are the most eccentric with the most character, season after season. Everything else is faded, played, worn. My Cavalli turns heads every time.
I briefly digress to ask, “Do you watch Sex and the City?” Paul gives me a look as if to ask, “is the sky blue?” He reads my mind, and begins to quote the exact episode of which I am thinking: Aidan is pestering Carrie to clean out her closet, and quizzically holds up a bizarre but fabulous multicolored garment. “December ’99. Union Square, book signing,” she retorts. Clearly Paul shares Carrie’s sentiment that Cavalli can hang around long after its purchase date.
qwp: Where do you like to go out around DC?
PW: I love L2. I’m a member there, and I can be a little bit naughty and know that people won’t talk about it. L2 is like my Cheers.
L2, incidentally, is where I met Paul, and where I will be having a coming out party for LittleBlackBlog.net on September 9th!
qwp: Gobama or Nobama?
PW: Come again?
qwp: Go-Obama, or No-Obama?
PW: (with sass, emphaticailly) Honey if anyone says Nobama you should stop interviewing that person right away. Gobama all the way!
qwp: What most annoys you about DC?
PW: the fact that people say how tired it is. I love New York, I love LA, but in terms of susbstance, DC has it like no other town. Where else can you be face-to-face with decisionmakers, have them right in your backyard? I’ve got prestigious neighbors: (Alabama congressman) Bud Kramer lives right next to me, and there are lawyers and representatives all around.
qwp: What’s on your desktop background?
PW: Me and Oprah.
qwp: Who is the best dressed person in DC?
PW: Angel Elliott (producer at BET). During the launch of the W Hotel preparty, Angel was my date. She hopped out of the cab with the blue engagement shoes from Sex and the City. I was like, “oh no, you didn’t!” She’s always walking around with those kind of situations, all dressed up with a whole set of situations wherever she goes.
I’m not entirely sure what this means, but I lost him at “engagment shoes” as I begin fantasizing about the “Something Blue” Manolo Blahniks that Carrie rocks in the Sex and the City movie. I figure, if I take out a few loans, perhaps sell my right arm (I never cared for that one, anyway), and cancel my gym subscription, I can probably afford them.
qwp: What do you think is the most pressing political issue right now?
PW: I was in the hospital a while back with my niece, who has bad asthma. I was sitting in the waiting room with all these sick kids, just being thankful that we could afford care for her. The others may not have been so fortunate. This is why I think passing universal health care is the most important issue right now, because if you don’t have your health, you really don’t have anything. You could be a size 2 or a size 22, Kabbahlah Schmabbahlah, dressed in Gucci or OshKosh, but you have to have your health.
qwp: Name your poison.
PW: Well, I’m in slim down mode right now. I see a trainer twice a day, five times a week. But before then, I loved lemon drop martinis. Now, I stick to maybe some white wine, and Grey Goose and Ketel One.
qwp: Guilty pleasures? You may not have any, given the strictness of your diet and exercise routine! I’m impressed.
PW: Fried oysters and sugar rims.
qwp: Favorite restaurant?
PW: My friend asked the other day, “How come when people make sandwiches for you, they’re always better than the ones you make yourself?” I was like, “you eat bread?! Who can be eating bread these days?” I love Napoleon for the atmosphere, the cool vibe, the European je ne sais quoi.
qwp: Favorite international city?
PW: I want to move to Paris.
qwp: Ah, love Paris. What arrondisment?
PW: The 13th!
qwp: Who’s your favorite news anchor?
PW: I love me some Anderson Cooper.
I’m excited to relay that as a recent graduate from Vanderbilt University, I feel at least somewhat connected to Anderson Cooper. In retrospect, however, this makes no sense. Just because his mom was Gloria Vanderbilt and I went to her family’s namesake school does not make me at all bffs with Anderson.
qwp: What are your go-to drunchies?
PW: I try not to eat too late, but I love breakfasty stuff. Sump’in syrupy.
qwp: Looking forward, what’s the hottest fall trend?
PW: I’ll have to wait for the September Vogue. But I love structured shoulders.
We continue to talk for awhile, but my interview abuts another meeting he has with an industry executive. After perhaps an inadvisable amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and some eats, it’s time to leave Paul’s chandelier-lit condo.
As I’m leaving, it strikes me to ask a question that has been plaguing me for years, ever since Facebook came out with its photo tagging capabilities.
qwp: Is there another way to make your arm look skinny without putting it on your hip?
I hate my arms. I call them “tharms,” like thigh arms. Yet, I also hate the arm-on-hip maneuver that is ubiquitous in Internet pictures.
PW: Hmmm. He thinks for awhile. Let me get back to you on that.
