Alice Mason - Vintage NYC Real Estate Queen

I read several of Lawrence Otis Graham's books and found them quite fascinating. Thanks for posting this, OP.

Fascinating story...pretty lady.

Love this. Thanks OP.

From NYT comments, one post:

"I attended one of Ms. Mason’s soirées either in 1998 or 1999. I was the plus one of Judy Green who was a friend of Ms. Mason. Mingling in that whirl was always a memorable challenge for both me and all the other invitees, press agents, writers and other hopefuls - either real or imagined. Woody Allen was a staple and acted as Alice’s celebrity mascot. Underplaying his demi-monde, neurotic wit and post litigation insanity he was the harsh sobriety of pre-Covid fame."

"The next day I sent Ms. Mason a bouquet of roses as a thank you for the dinner. I had achieved a NY milestone - long forgotten in our post election fright! She called Judy to get my number to thank me. Later that day Judy called me and asked rather wryly - why I didn’t send her flowers too! The flowers with tax and delivery cost $298! I don’t remember the main course or the desert - and no one cared about race!"

"She was a terrific woman, a great agent and a true New Yorker who managed to achieve importance on her terms."

She did what she had to do, fascinating story.

Fascinating story! But as someone who grew up among black people, of all shades, only white people who didn’t know black people would not have clocked her as some sort of black admixture.

It was a different time, admittedly, and it was a dirty deed that the writer who outed her did. He knew what he was doing and I call bullshit on any claims that he didn’t. Rabble rouser and fame chaser, absolutely.

Good call, R6. I know Graham because he ran for congress from Westchester Cty. Struck me as an opportunist who’d do anything to enhance his status and resume. He lost, btw.