Last night I stayed at the Trump International Hotel & Tower at Columbus Circle. Never mind how or why. The building began its existence in 1969, and has been under Trump control since ’95. For roughly 26 years (’69 to ’95) it was all offices and known as the Paramount Gulf & Western building. Paramount publicity was on the 22nd or 23rd floor, or so I recall. I attended several screenings there in the ‘early ’80s, including an early showing of Warren Beattys’ Reds. This is a very uncool place to be staying in right now. Last night I was leaving the main lobby around 8:20 pm, and five or six people were sipping champagne and chuckling and having a gay old time. I glanced at them as I telepathically said the following: “Do you even get the symbolism of staying at this joint? This is a pig hotel. Do you understand that only clueless people would even think of staying here now? Especially since yesterday?”

View from 20th floor of Trump International Hotel & Tower, looking northwest.