1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: Hey, we all like to party, and we all like 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: to see how other people party, right, especially celebrities and 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: other big shots. But how about a royal party where 4 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: you eat until you're stuffed and then you're forced to 5 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: vomit so you can eat some more, or being carried 6 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: to the countryside with a queen mikes you do farm work. 7 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: Then there's the New York City dinner party where formally 8 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: dressed guests had to climb on horseback to eat their meal. 9 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: I'm Patty Steele. Spending a fortune to entertain yourself at 10 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: your guest's expense. Next on the backstory. The backstory is back. 11 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: Don't you like to peek into other people's lives and 12 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 1: see how they spend their time, especially when it comes 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: to celebrities and other folks with money to blow. It's 14 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: pretty clear that money makes entertainment showier. But for thousands 15 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: of years, free time was mostly all about physical or 16 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: artistic activities, as well as the occasional crazy feast. Head 17 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: back ten thousand years to Mesopotamia, where they invented the 18 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: wheel in their spare time, by the way, and it 19 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: seems they also spent free time doing things like hunting, boxing, wrestling, 20 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: and gardening, and they created art, lots of music, and 21 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: even played board games. Yeah, ten thousand year old board games. 22 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: All of those things were also popular in civilizations around 23 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: the world, Greek, Roman, Mayan, Asian, and throughout European cultures, 24 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: but a whole lot of people with more money and 25 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: power than necessary liked to show it off by coming 26 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: up with something even more outrageous than foot races or 27 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: mile in recitals. Now, this guy was infamous for his 28 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: insane parties. The Roman emperor Nero held feasts in his 29 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: rotating dining room. No really, the round room fifty feet across, 30 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: rested on a huge pillar and four spheres that rotated 31 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: the room using flowing water. What went on above was 32 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: even wilder. Nero would stuff his guests with elaborate, gluttonous feasts, 33 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: but the lucky partiers were only allowed to leave, and 34 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: then only temporarily for two reasons, if they were going 35 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: to make themselves vomit so they could come back for 36 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: more food or to go have sex. And get this, 37 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: Nero would cover himself with the skins of wild animals 38 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: and have some of the men and women tied to 39 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: posts so that he could ravage them pretending to be 40 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: a wild beast. A party only ended when he said so, 41 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: and the doors were unlocked. How do you send regrets 42 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: for that kind of RSVP? Then there's the Ball of 43 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: the Burning Men in Paris in thirteen ninety three. This 44 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: is not the Burning Man festival. This is completely different, 45 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: it seems. The very young French King Charles the sixth 46 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 1: was known for having lots of psychotic episodes throughout his life. 47 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: In order to calm him down, there were a lot 48 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: of parties, but in this case it led to total pandemonium. 49 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: At this ball, six nights, including the twenty four year 50 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: old insane King Charles, dressed as wild men. Their linen 51 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: costumes were soaked in dark resin and covered in flax, 52 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: so they looked hairy and scary. The object was that 53 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: the rest of the guests had to take turns guessing 54 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: who was underneath the crazy disguise. Candles and torches, of course, 55 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: had been banned from the room because the resin was 56 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: highly flammable, But the King's brother, It's always adobe brother, 57 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: showed up drunk with a friend carrying a torch. One 58 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: of the dancers caught fire and the blaze quickly spread 59 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: to all six dancers, only the young king was saved. 60 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: A monk in attendance wrote that men were burned alive. 61 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: They're flaming genitals, dropping to the floor with blood everywhere 62 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: some party. After that, King Charles Uncles took over running France. 63 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: He was not considered capable, but he wasn't the only 64 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: out of control partier among the French. The kings and 65 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: queens there were famous for their ridiculously lavish parties, some 66 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: of which lasted for days or even weeks, and cost 67 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: in today's money, hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars. 68 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: Take Marie Antoinette, who of course eventually lost her head 69 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: partly due to the extravagance of the royals. She desperately 70 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 1: wanted some escape from the rigid life she had to 71 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: lead in the Palace of Versailles since marrying the future 72 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: king at the age of fourteen. Even before she met him, 73 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: everything she did was watched over by dozens of people 74 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: in the French court. There were members of the aristocracy 75 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,799 Speaker 1: in her room from the moment she woke up until 76 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: the moment she went to bed, who did everything from 77 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: watching her go to the bathroom to getting her dressed 78 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: and undressed. Didn't that make you crazy? Well? Yeah, and 79 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: she needed an escape, so she had a little hamlet 80 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: or peasant village built about a half mile from the palace, 81 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: but still on palace grounds. She'd go there with her 82 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 1: closest friends and a bunch of servants and dressed like 83 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: a peasant straw hats, muslin dresses. She had about a 84 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: dozen cottages built there, stables and barns for animals, a 85 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: small stream, a lake, extensive gardens. Her friends would also 86 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,479 Speaker 1: dress down, and they would help in the gardens and 87 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: barns and enjoy dinner, music and lots of chat when 88 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: they were done with their back to nature activities. Of course, 89 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: and then there's this crazy high end dinner party. Now 90 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: it's March of nineteen oh three and New York millionaire CKG. 91 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: Billings you got to love that name, decided to throw 92 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: a dinner party. He was a huge horse racing fanatic, 93 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: and he wanted to celebrate his newly completed exquisite stables, 94 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: which included two lavish entertainment suites on the upper level 95 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: at a training ring for his show horses on the lower. 96 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: You need a full on banquet to celebrate that right, 97 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: so why not have that banquet at your own private stable. 98 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: Nah York Times called Billings the American horse king. He'd 99 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: inherited a gas company, had had so much money to spend. 100 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: He told the press as well as his guests, that 101 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: the party would be formal and take place in the 102 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: ballroom at a restaurant that was the social hot spot, 103 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: Sherry's on Fifth Avenue. On that cool March night, Billings 104 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: guests arrived at Cherri's and went up to the ballroom 105 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 1: in their black and white evening where, of course, big surprise, 106 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: the room was decorated with fake turf plants and painted 107 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: scenery that resembled the English countryside, and guess what, no tables. Instead, 108 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: the guests were asked to mount live horses, which had 109 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: ridden the freight elevator up to the ballroom. The waiters 110 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: were in riding gear, and they brought oats for the horses. 111 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: The guests, again all on horseback in those tuxes, had 112 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: trays mounted on their horse's saddle, and the waiters brought 113 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: dish after dish after dish. The food included high end 114 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 1: delicacies popular at the time, including caviare and turtle soup. 115 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: Fresh trout dyed blue with vinegar, rack of lamb with 116 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: glazed vegetables, guinea hens with lettuce, heart salad, and asparagus 117 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: with hollandaise sauce. For dessert, plumbayed peaches and ice cream, 118 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: all that while sitting in an unexpected saddle. Great Now 119 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,679 Speaker 1: to wash it all down, there was plenty of Scotch wine, 120 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: including crude champagne and bottled ginger ale for Billings, who 121 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: never drank on horseback. Apparently, when dinner was over, the 122 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: guests dismounted to watch a variety show, probably very relieved, 123 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: while the horses took the freight elevator back down. I'm 124 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: sure they were relieved too. As a parting gift, each 125 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: guest got a sterling silver horseshoe inscribed with the menu 126 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: for the evening. And yes, there are photographs of CKG. 127 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: Billings dinner on horseback on the internet if you want 128 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: to take a peek. What's interesting is, as technology has advanced, 129 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: less and less of what we do to entertain ourselves 130 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: centers around in person socializing, even with less lavish events 131 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: where we could share good times with family, friends and 132 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: even strangers. Although I think I'd have to take a 133 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: pass on flaming genitals and maybe even the eight course 134 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: meal on horseback. Hope you're enjoying The Backstory with Patty Steele. 135 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: Follow or subscribe for free to get new episodes delivered automatically, 136 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: and feel free to dm me if you have a 137 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,439 Speaker 1: story you'd like me to cover. On Facebook, It's Patty 138 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele. I'm Patty Steele. 139 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: The Backstories a production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, the Elvis 140 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: Durand Group, and Steel Trap Productions. Our producer is Doug Fraser. 141 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: Our writer Jake Kushner. We have new episodes every Tuesday 142 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: and Friday. Feel free to reach out to me with 143 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: comments and even story suggestions on Instagram at Real Patty 144 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: Steele and on Facebook at Patty Steele. Thanks for listening 145 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: to the back Story with Patty Steele. The pieces of 146 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: history you didn't know you needed to know.