NEW YORK — Kanye West was a difficult boss who made outrageous demands, according to a former bodyguard whose documentary, “15 Days with Kanye” is debuting at the NYC International Film Festival this week at the Dolby Theater.
Steve Stanulis, a former NYPD cop and Chippendale dancer, said the first day he worked for West in 2016 they got into an elevator at a music studio.
“He’s waiting for me to press a button, and starts having a tantrum,” Stanulis said.
“I told him there are three options. You can tell me which button to press. You can press the button yourself. Or we can sit here all night and you can tell me how important you are.”
They worked it out.
But a couple days later as they were walking on the street, “I see a big 6-foot-5 guy approaching,” said Stanulis. “I put my hand on Kanye’s shoulder. He said, ‘Don’t you ever get in my shot again. You have to stay 10 paces behind me.’”
Stanulis also had trouble hiring body guards. “Kanye didn’t like guys to wear patterned shirts. He would fire them,” Stanulis said.
West finally fired Stanulis after he caught the ex-cop talking to his then-wife Kim Kardashian.
“I was owed $3800. I told him, ‘If you don’t pay me, There’s a ton of people who want to talk to me.’”
Stanulis sold interviews to tabloid TV shows. “A hundred grand later, I didn’t give a damn. The very next day I got paid.”
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The late Woodstock-singing legend Joe Cocker will be lionized by Mark Bego in a biography for Yorkshire Publishing to be published next year.
“I first saw Joe singing at the site of the famed Woodstock festival in the 1994, and I was riveted by his performance,” Bego said.
“I am happy to be under contract to tell his fascinating, and often tragic life story.”
Bego is also celebrating because his most recent rock-bio release, “Band Of Gold,” written with Freda Payne, has been honored at the 2022 Paris Book Festival.
Adds Bego, “I have known the multi-talented Freda for years, and it was a dream come true to work with her.”
Within the last month Bego has had six books on various Amazon best-seller lists, including his biographies on Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and two books with Mary Wilson of The Supremes.
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Actor Burton Gilliam agrees with Whoopi Goldberg.
Whoopi insists that Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” (1974) could be made today despite being replete with racially and sexually offensive jokes.
Dallas-based Gilliam, who appeared in the movie’s infamous “bean” scene, says, “Good comedy is good comedy. The movie offends everyone, and it would work today. In ‘Blazing Saddles’ I was the first actor to ever fart onscreen.”
Mindy Kaling ignited the debate after saying on “Good Morning America” that NBC’s “The Office” could not get made today because it’s “so inappropriate now.”
The comment inspired “The View” hosts to discuss other problematic properties.
Whoopi Goldberg staunchly defended “Blazing Saddles” against the claim that its satire is too offensive to be accepted today.
Gilliam, 84, who also appeared in “Back To The Future III” and “Paper Moon,” said, “I have fans 8 to 80 coming up and praising the movie. Age is just a number.”
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Supermodel Kate Upton hit Rob Toma’s Teksupport Rave at Brooklyn Navy Yard with her girlfriends in tow.
The model was in a great mood since her husband, Justin Verlander, signed an $86.7 million two-year deal with the Mets that will bring her back to the Big Apple.
The curvy model danced all night to DJ Michael Vivi. Nearby were Adrian Grenier and Lenny Kravitz, dressed like a ninja all in black.
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It is better to give than receive, says philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, who keeps giving to the Met Museum.
Arsht donated $10 million for the MetLiveArts performance program, in addition to $5 million she gave last spring to fund paid internships, resulting in applications surging over 200 percent.
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The winner and runner-up on Netflix’s new show “Snack Vs. Chef” are culinary luminaries Lauryn Bodden and Sandy Dee Hall, the chef at Sesamo in Hell’s Kitchen.
The enterprising duo have launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for S’noods, a crunchy snack noodle with sustainably sourced ingredients and eco-friendly packaging.
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Mayor Eric Adams, Attorney General Letitia James and Geraldo Rivera led the applause when legal eagle Arthur Aidala received the President’s Award from the Brooklyn Bar Association before 700 guests at El Caribe.
All three noted that Aidala, who hosts a weekly radio show called the Power Hour on AM970 and is the Dean of the Friars Club, is a “quintessential New Yorker.”
The schmooze-fest had politicos glad-handing while exchanging war stories about the litigator who has represented Harvey Weinstein, Rudolph Giuliani, Lawrence Taylor, and Anthony Wiener.
The organization raised over $100K for local charities.
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