Baird "Bucky" Campbell Jones (February 3, 1955 – February 21, 2008) was an American author, nightclub party promoter, photographer, curator, art critic, collector, and gossip reporter.
Personal life
Baird Jones lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a child, where his father, Cranston Jones, was the Time magazine bureau chief and, later, a founding editor of People magazine. He attended the Buckley School, the Groton School, NYU, and Columbia University. He earned master's degrees from New York University School of Law (JD, MSW) and Columbia University (undergrad and two masters). Jones was said to be a misunderstood genius. According to Phoebe Legere "This was a man of very, very high intelligence and a very advanced understanding of modern art—the mechanics of it and also the way in which promotion is the blood and bone of modern art." For a period, he dated Sukhreet Gabel.
Club promotion
Jones was one of New York City's first club promoters. In the early 1980s until his death, he promoted parties at Studio 54, The Underground, Webster Hall and other clubs. Created the "Permanent Pass" with which over a million people attended his parties for over three decades. He was friendly with artists on the New York scene such as Andy Warhol, Mark Kostabi, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, frequently including them in shows he curated in galleries, museums, and nightclubs. Baird Jones was known to mail out club passes in an effort to ensure that clubs that were on the downside were filled. Baird catered to individuals from the outer boroughs to go to clubs in Manhattan. His parties had a diverse group including the under-21, oldermen, lgbtq, and others. Baird Jones celebrated the release of Dr. Kevorkian from prison at Webster Hall.
Art collection
Baird Jones had an art collection from a number of celebrities. It ranged from Muhammad Ali to Jimi Hendrix to Princess Grace, from Mel Brooks to Jack Kevorkian, from Buddy Hackett to Marcel Marceau They also included paintings by Adolf Hitler to Charles Manson.
Interview
Baird appeared on The Howard Stern Show concerning his love life. Baird at this interview claimed to be a 36 year old virgin in 1991. Baird Jones interviewed playwright Arthur Miller and upset Miller with his pointed questions.
Midget bowling controversy
Jones claims to have invented the sport of midget bowling a form of dwarf-tossing which originated in Australia. The sport according to Jones was an attempt to "performance art designed to satirize the values of mainstream America." Jones famously employed Michael J. Anderson as a participant. A bill was signed by former Governor of New York Mario Cuomo to ban the practice.
Author
Baird Jones was the author of two books Mark Kostabi and the East Village Scene 1983-1987 and Sexual Humor. Baird was a contributor to author at the New York Daily News Page Six and Gawker. He had a byline at the East Village Eye. He was a staffer at Rush & Molloy gossip column. He made news with the Village Voice after obtaining an interview with The Limelight Peter Gatien. His articles included those about Donald Trump, Lester Crown, James Crown, Jason Beghe and Neve Campbell.
Films
Baird Jones appeared in a number of films including B.F.D. (1990), Con Artist (2009), and Behind the Music (1997).
Death
Jones died at the age of 53 allegedly from an enlarged heart resulting in a heart attack. Initial reports though were inconclusive. A memorial attended by Lindsay Lohan, was held at the Plumm. Plumm ironically was attempted to be closed by a number of promoters including Jones and Ivy Supersonic over a dispute about money with owner Noel Ashman.
References
- ^ "Baird Jones's Memorial Party to Be Held at Club He Secretly Tried to Close". Grub Street.
- ^ "Baird Jones". IMDb.
- ^ "Lindsay Lohan Pays Fitting Tribute to Baird Jones - Party Photos - Vulture". Intelligencer.
- ^ "Baird Jones". The New York Times. February 26, 2008 – via Legacy.com.
- American Legacy: The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy. Simon and Schuster. 2007. ISBN 9780743497398.
- "Sad News: Another Death in Clubland. . . Baird Jones". The Village Voice. February 22, 2008.
- Duka, John (1984-03-04). "THE NEW PARTY GIVERS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
- Widdicombe, Joanna Molloy, Ethan Rouen, Ben. "Gossip guru Baird Jones dead at 53". nydailynews.com.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Barron, James (February 23, 2008). "Man Departs a Life Lived on the Fringes of Fame". The New York Times.
- ^ "The Deb of the Minute". New York. August 28, 1989 – via Google Books.
- "Katie Couric". Intelligencer.
- "Pennsylvania Retiree Inherits Two Bizarre Art Collections". FOXBusiness. April 1, 2017.
- "The Extraordinary Baird Jones Art Collection of Celebrity Artworks Goes on Sale | Widewalls". www.widewalls.ch.
- ^ "Howard Stern with Baird Jones (1991-11-12)". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "~Baird Jones/RIP « artloversnewyork.com".
- ^ America *~.*, Haoyan of (September 1, 2016). "Baird Jones, Party Invitations Featuring Mike Anderson, 1989". Gallery 98.
- ^ "New York Governor Signs Dwarf Tossing Ban". Associated Press. AP News.
- "Baird Jones". Amazon.
- "Paid Notice: Deaths Jones, Baird: Baird Jones". The New York Times.
- Finch, Charlie (2008). "Dr. Strange". artnet Magazine. Archived from the original on March 8, 2008.
- Rush & Molloy
- "Baird Jones, 53, man on the nightlife and art scene". amNewYork. 26 February 2008.
- ^ "For Marla, Home is Where the Donald Ain't". New York Daily News. April 23, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-04-23.
- Jones, George Rush, Joanna Molloy, Baird. "Plane Crash of Cohn Pal Has Rumors Flying". nydailynews.com.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - "Love Matches up 2 Tennis Couples". Archived from the original on 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
- ^ "Side Dish: Steroids, pot in gossiper's death". nydailynews.com.
- Liddy, Tom (February 24, 2008). "Baird Still a Mystery".
- Ramirez, Anthony (9 March 2008). "A Fitting Farewell to a Literate and Offbeat Character". The New York Times.