The Uncanny Valley

OCTOBER 30, 1985: ANDY WARHOL FLIPS HIS WIG.

While signing copies of his newly published America book at a Rizzoli bookstore in the Soho area of Manhattan, Andy Warhol’s wig was pulled off his head by a woman who threw it to a friend who escaped from the store. The woman was held until the police were called, but no charges were pressed. Fortunately, the Calvin Klein coat that Warhol was wearing had a hood which he used to cover his head while he continued to sign books.

Andy Warhol:

“I guess I can’t put off talking about it any longer. Okay, let’s get it over with. Wednesday. The day my biggest nightmare came true… I’d been signing America books for an hour or so when this girl in line handed me hers to sign and then she - did what she did… I don’t know what held me back from pushing her over the balcony. She was so pretty and well-dressed. I guess I called her a bitch or something and asked how she could do it. But it’s okay, I don’t care - if a picture gets published, it does. There were so many people with cameras. Maybe it’ll be on the cover of Details, I don’t know… It was so shocking. It hurt. Physically… And I had just gotten another magic crystal which is supposed to protect me and keep things like this from happening…”