The Impact of AIDS on the Artistic Community was first published September 13, 1987. In a 2016 interview with Francesco Clemente with Interview Magazine, Fran Lebowitz had this to say about the article:
“It was for The New York Times. I remember what year that was. It was ‘87. I remember it because when I started publishing, I got offers to write for big magazines. Interview, at the time, six people read it, believe me. But I would always say, “Well, it’s not that I don’t want to write for these big magazines, but you can’t edit it.” And they would always say, “What are you talking about?” And then they would name thousands of geniuses who willingly submitted to being edited. And I said, “Well, I don’t really care. You can’t do it.” So I remember I said, “Look, if you don’t like it, give it back to me. You don’t have to pay me.” She said, “It is out of the question that this is going to come in without needing editing.” And when I gave it in, she called to apologize. But a lot of people didn’t like that piece and were angry at me. People were pretty angry in general then. I don’t think I was still writing for Interview, but once you go outside your natural audience, there are tons of people that don’t like you. The New York Times, especially at that time, was gigantic. I remember it because they gave me the topic: What was the effect of AIDS on the culture? Which, in my opinion, was: What is culture without gay people? This is America, what is the culture? Not just New York. AIDS completely changed American culture. People always say “pop culture.” As if we have some high culture to distinguish it from. The effect of AIDS was like a war in a minute country. Like, in World War I, a whole generation of Englishmen died all at once. And with AIDS, a whole generation of gay men died practically all at once, within a couple of years. And especially the ones that I knew. The first people who died of AIDS were artists. They were also the most interesting people. I know I’ve said this before, but the audience for the arts—whether it was for writing or films …Or ballet. The knowing audience also died and no longer exists in a real way. So all the judgment left at the same time that all this creativity left. And it allowed people who would be fifth-rate artists to come to the front of the line. It decimated not just artists but knowledge. Knowledge of a culture. There’s a huge gap in what people know, and there’s no context for it anymore.”
