Meet the Swans—Truman Capote's Keys to NYC High Society
The long-awaited second season of Feud delves into Truman Capote’s dramatic fallout with New York City's high society ladies.
To all the Gossip Girl and Great Gatsby fans, there’s no doubt you’ll love the dramatic details of Feud’s second installment. After all, it is about New York’s elite. This season dishes on the scandal between Truman Capote and one of New York City’s most prominent group of socialites of the 20th century, known as the Swans. While Gossip Girl had Dan Humphrey, 1970s Manhattan had Capote.
Based on the bestselling book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era written by Laurence Leamer in 2021, this season centers on writer Truman Capote, best known for his iconic novel Breakfast at Tiffany's, and how he destroyed his friendship with the Swans by writing a roman à clef story about their personal lives and scandals. Sound familiar? Needless to say, the Swans made their displeasure
Capote's rise and fall has been the subject of multiple books. After all, his betrayal was unexpected. People questioned how he could betray the very group that welcomed him and put him on the social map. At one point, Capote even reached a high enough social status to host one of the most lavish parties of the century—the Black and White Ball—at the Plaza Hotel. Yet, as some might sympathize with the “outsider betraying the rich” trope, there are always two sides to every story.
So, who were the Swans? Interestingly enough, “swans” was the nickname Capote affectionately gave his glamorous friends who took him to all the coveted parties, vacations, and yachts. They were known for their beauty, wealth, impeccable style, and social status. Among the notable swans were Babe Paley, Slim Keith, C.Z. Guest, and Lee Radziwill. Everyone wanted to be them.
Babe Paley was an editor at Vogue, the wife of CBS co-founder William S. Paley, and was said to be Capote's favorite swan. Slim Keith, who was close friends with Paley, was a socialite and fashion icon credited for contributing to the classic Americana style. On the other hand, C.Z. Guest was born into a family of Boston Brahmins—members of Boston's elite—and married into a prominent wealthy British family heavily involved in politics and business. Guest had multiple occupations throughout her life; she was an actress, fashion designer, and writer, to name a few. Last but not least, Lee Radziwill, sister of Jackie Kennedy, was a PR executive and interior designer who was once married to a Polish noble, Stash Radziwiłł.
Together, the Swans dominated the New York spotlight and were sometimes said to be among the last of a dying breed of wealthy women: elegant, sophisticated, and gracious.
You might wonder how a nobody penetrates such a wealthy and well-connected group of women. For one, Capote had a successful career as a writer in his own right; the success of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and his true-crime novel In Cold Blood brought him name recognition. Soon, Capote successfully integrated himself into the world of the jet set he so desperately adored.
But it wasn’t just a friendship he developed with the Swams—he became their confidante, yet exposed their most intimate and darkest secrets, including affairs, financial troubles, and family drama. It’s no wonder that his actions cut deeply. Was it worth it? In short, it wasn’t. His social exile is said to have ultimately worsened his alcohol and drug addictions. Moreover, the manuscript for his tell-all, entitled Answered Prayers, was never finished, and it remains an incomplete and unpublished work.
If you can’t wait to get into the juiciest details of '70s New York’s most scandalous feud, the wait is over—the first two episodes of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans air tonight on FX.
