Suruthi Bala

Elizabeth Taylor and all her mates and an army of gay porn stars all danced the night away and had the night of their lives.

Andy Warhol was less impressed, later writing in his diaries that, quote, Liz looked like a belly button.

So yeah, inside the studio, you didn't have to be famous to be a star.

Normal people made names for themselves as well.

On top of being the coolest place on the planet, Ian and Steve were making money hand over fist.

And naturally, everyone hated them for it.

The evil eye loomed large over Studio 54.

After a while, everyone started to have it in for Steve and Ian.

Yeah.

And the dynamic duo really didn't help themselves by being the poster boys for everything that was wrong with the economy.

Steve told New York Magazine that, quote, only the mafia does better than Studio 54.

Shut up, Steve.

Yeah, because that gave the IRS the key that they had been waiting for.

The studio was raided in December 1978.

The books were seized, along with a secret set of actual books kept in the ceiling and a whole load of quaaludes Steve had been saving for a rainy day.

And also, just like $600,000 had been lying around in bin bags...

Brilliant.

And don't write it down.

That's the point of skimming.

Oh, if it wasn't for those pesky brags.