The Coaster Correspondence

VANITIES

More of the very expensive words of Edwin John Coaster, contributing editor

WDWIN COASTER

February 2, 2002

Dear Graydon:

So no.: you've sicced Sour henchwoxnan and managing editrix, Chris Garrett, on me. She writes to me in a letter dated January 29 that Vanit~ Fair is exercising its right to cease making payments to me under Article 14 oi my contract, "Ii Freelancer breaches this agreement or lails to luijill Freelancer's responsibilities hereunder..."

Nice, Gray-leave it to a broad to do the dirty work.

Now listen good: The reason said Freelancer has iailed to iuliill his responsibilities hereunder is because no one lets him iul~ill them! All 0± my story ideas get rejected, while you give Nick Dunne an entire column each month to air every last bali-truth about Saira/Chandra/Skakel that's been revealed to him by some nut job at a book signing: "Oh, kr. Dunne, I am the ex-milliner to Dede Brooks and Lily Safra, and I've hair samples 0±' both; meet me `neath the railroad trestle at nightiall and I'll spill you the gooth~." I mean, Christ-at my book signings, I get propositioned by beautitul young girls who want to take me back to their dorm rooms! I should think V.P. readers'd much rather read about that kind oi action than what some leathery old trout at 3~:iltj `a told Nick about the vagaries ci Lionte iriggin' Carlo. Be a man, Gray-dump Nick and €ive me his column. Or else I might have to take matters into my own hands.

Best

VANITY FAIR

WAYNE LAWSON EXECUTIVI LITEVAEY EDITOR

Feb. 6, 2002

Graydon:

Nick has asked if his diaiy can conic in late this month-he says he's got an intriguing new lead on Safra. At his most recent book signing, he was approached by a mysterious older man who wore a balaclava to obscure his face and spoke with a fake-sounding Scandinavian accent. The man said that he was an ex-Safra employee with a "bombshell" revelation to share, and that he would reveal all at midnight tonight at the Journal Square PATI-! train station in Jersey City! Verrry mysterious. Will keep you posted.

Dominick Dunne

February 8, 2002

Dear Graydon:

I must tell you that Ed Coaster's most recent escapade is the last straw as far as I'm concerned. If Wayne hasn't already told you, Coaster snookered me into a Jersey Cit~ PATH station under the pretense of being a Safra source. I arrived at the appointed spot at the appointed hour, and proceeded to shiver in subzero temperitures for three hours, No ofle showed up. Finally, a nearby pay phone rang, and I sprang to answer it. The same mysterious voice as from the book signing came through the line, saying, "How's the view in another city, not your own? Enjoy your season in purgatory-SUCKAAA!" Keeping my wits about me, I immediately star.69'd and got a number with a 207 area code. 207. Maine. Coaster!

I now have a vicious head cold for my troubk's. And that jerk's drunken behavior has already damn near ruined two of my book parties-we all remember when he called Charlie Rose "Burden's white nan" at Patroon and mistook Reinaldo Ijerrera for a waiter. And he till has the nerve to ask me to blurb his books! I've never been one for iltimatums, but either Coaster gets help or gets lost-or I have to start pondering my next magazine job.

Regards,

cc: Wayne Lawson