A Chaotic Evening at Tony’s on the Upper East Side
In a surprising turn of events, what was intended to be a prestigious press dinner to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign transformed into a volatile exchange of words and a highly unseemly display of behavior on Tuesday night.
The esteemed candidate, hopeful of impressing the prominent members of the Fourth Estate at the event held in Tony’s, Upper East Side, aimed to convey his suitability for the Oval Office, following in the footsteps of his late uncle.
However, amidst the gathering, a heated argument regarding climate change erupted between two boisterous elderly individuals, completely derailing the evening’s intended purpose.
The exchange of words, accompanied by an unexpected flatulence episode witnessed by several sources, commenced when a guest inquired about the environment, directing the question towards Kennedy, known as the founder of the renowned environmental organization, Waterkeeper Alliance.
This seemingly innocent query triggered an outrage from Doug Dechert, a former gossip columnist turned public relations representative and host of the event, who, appearing to be under the influence, vehemently yelled, “The climate hoax!”
To the surprise of many, Anthony Haden-Guest, an octogenarian art critic who had seemingly been peacefully dozing off for most of the dinner, suddenly awoke and passionately berated his longtime acquaintance, Dechert, labeling him a “miserable blob.”
“Please be quiet!” implored Haden-Guest.
Dechert, continuing his wild outburst against the “scam” of climate change, was met with a barrage of verbal attacks from Haden-Guest across the table, who referred to him as both “insane” and “insignificant.”
Meanwhile, RFK Jr., maintaining his composure despite the chaos, silently observed the unfolding spectacle.
At this juncture, Dechert seemingly realized the necessity for a new rhetorical approach and punctuated his point by audibly and rather embarrassingly releasing a loud and extended flatulence, exclaiming, “I’m farting!”
The room, consisting of a small group of journalists and RFK Jr.’s campaign manager, former Representative Dennis Kucinich, fell into a state of shock, unsure whether Dechert’s flatulence was directed personally at Haden-Guest or intended as a broader statement against the concept of global warming.
(Regrettably, we can confirm that there was no ambiguity in the immediate vicinity of the dinner table regarding the change in climate.)
Despite the crisis unfolding before him, the potential future president of the United States, RFK Jr., remained composed.
In an optimistic attempt to steer the conversation away from the chaos, another attendee expressed admiration for Kennedy’s father, the late Robert F. Kennedy, who tragically served as the Attorney General.
However, in an inexplicable turn of events, another guest redirected the discussion back to climate change, reigniting another round of heated exchanges.
It has been revealed that Dechert and Haden-Guest have known each other for over three decades.
When asked about his disruptive behavior the following day, Dechert offered an apology, stating, “I deeply regret using my flatulence as a means of public commentary in your presence.”
(In addition, he requested to be referred to as either a “gallivanting boulevardier” or a “beer-fueled sex rocket.”)
Nevertheless, Dechert, who hosted the evening’s gathering and paid for the expenses, remained unapologetic regarding his beliefs. He adamantly expressed his “zero tolerance for the climate hoax scam nonsense” in any environment that he personally supports.
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Dechert has a history of engaging in confrontations, sometimes even physical, with the press and, more specifically, with reporters from various sources.
British-born Haden-Guest, who has written for esteemed publications such as Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, and authored books like “Studio 54, Disco and the Culture of the Night,” shared his perspective, stating, “I have known Doug for many years. While we have previously disagreed on certain matters, our differing political opinions have never affected our relationship in the UK. However, I found this incident to be incredibly absurd.”
He continued, “Doug claims it’s all a hoax and a scam. But who benefits from such deception? This is not merely a political issue; it is a matter concerning the existence of humanity.”
Haden-Guest emphasized that engaging in such a public confrontation was highly unusual for him. However, when faced with the disregard for the seriousness of the planet’s life-or-death issues, he considered it foolish to treat them as mere political theatrics.
During the course of their verbal clash, Haden-Guest made it clear to Dechert, “I want nothing more to do with you.”
Fortunately, the following day saw the dissipating of tensions, leaving behind a lingering memory of an evening marred by controversy and discord.