TruffleGate, Part Dieux



Above: Would you purchase or ingest "foodstuffs" associated with this man?

The Corsair went all Woodward and Bernstein on TruffleGate, interviewing via email Gersh Kuntzman of the New York Post (his cool site) about his dealings with indie director /model Vincent Gallo and his truffles:

The Corsair: Vincent Gallo never seemed to be interested in the truffles. Is that what came across in your phone calls with him?

GERSH KUNTZMAN: I found that Vincent Gallo was not only completely uninterested in the truffles that bear his name, but downright hostile to the idea that another artist would dare to take inspiration from him. Gallo's response was that of the classically self-centered jerk.

Markoff offered Gallo a rare tribute, but he responded with scorn (initally) and then silence. In my conversation with him, he portrayed himself as simply too busy to be bothered to care about the truffles that would bear his name.

The Corsair: Vosges owner Katrina Markoff was apologetic about Gallo's lack of interest. What did she say to you about that?

GERSH KUNTZMAN: I got the sense that Markoff was still trying to protect Gallo, probably out of some loyalty or a sense that she shouldn't haveinvolved him in the first place because the whole incident ended upreflecting so badly on Gallo.

I repeatedly told her that the reason itreflected badly on Gallo is because, at bottom, he is an ungenerous person (a crime for an artist, if you ask me). Simply put, Gallo revealed himselfto be a bad person -- and Markoff is still sad about that.

The Corsair: How would you describe the truffles? And do they make you think of Gallo? Of his film projects?

GERSH KUNTZMAN: The truffles are magnificent (with the possible exception of the white chocolate one). They remind me of Vincent Gallo in only one way: One of them resembles a big prick, which Gallo clearly is. But Markoff has shown that she is a master chocolatier -- another reason why Gallo shouldhave taken her seriously. He fobbed her off, as if she was some groupie,when in fact, she's an artist just like him.