THE HISTORY OF
- A Legendary Cultural Icon -
So, what exactly was -- and is -- Studio 54? Well, Studio 54 will forever reign as the hottest, most elite and outrageous, one-of-a-kind "mother of all nightclubs". During its early reign, Studio 54 was like real-life theatre, with a fascinating cast of characters being selected for each night's grand cabaret performance party from the multitudes clamouring to get past the famed velvet ropes. Celebrities galore made the VIP guest list, posed for the paparazzi, often disappearing from sight into the notoriously infamous basement of the club. Many others were turned away, dubbed by co-owner Steve Rubell as the "gray people", and gaining entry into Studio 54 became an almost spiritual quest for many hungering to be a part of the "beautiful crowd". Recording artist Cher was once shocked after being turned away from the glittering nightspot. She exclaimed, "But I'm CHER!" The sharp reply being, "I KNOW who you are!" Celebrity status itself did not guarantee entry into the exclusive '70s party palace or inclusion in the inner circle of Studio's VIP list.
During its first 33 months, Studio 54 was the universal epicenter of '70s hedonism -- a thundering disco hothouse of beautiful people, endless cocaine, and every brand of sex...the scent of it subtly lingering in the air, a sensuous nuance of the distinctive atmosphere of the 54. As stated in VH1's Behind the Music documentary about Studio 54, "The public displays of affection at Studio 54 were the stuff of urban legend. In this pre-AIDS, birth-controlled, promiscuous era of sexual and social excesses, about the only political incorrectness was restraint. In other words, everything you've heard is true."
Photo at Right: Doing Laughing Gas at Studio 54
