William Norwich: When The Phone Stops Ringing

William Norwich went from washing dishes to working alongside Anna Wintour at Vogue. He was one of the first journalists publicly outed in America, survived the shame spirals of gay life in the 1970s, and learned the hard way that your job isn't your identity when the New York Daily News went on strike and his phone stopped ringing.In this conversation, William shares stories from Studio 54 to the hallways of Vogue, why he changed his name from Goldberg to Norwich, and what it means to have "no more f*cks to give" in your seventies. He talks about the brutal Publishers Weekly review that almost ended his writing career, the Fire Island moment that shaped decades of self-loathing, and why his doctor's reminder that "you're going to die someday" was actually the best health advice he ever received.This is about transformation, survival, and discovering that the lustfulness and freedom of older years might be life's greatest gift.What We Talk About:The Fire Island moment: "I wish you looked like that" and decades of self-loathingBeing publicly outed in Outweek magazine over the Malcolm Forbes coverageWorking with Anna Wintour and her exceptional management styleWhen the phone stopped ringing during the Daily News strikeGetting sober in 1996 and deciding "f*ck shame"Having no more f*cks to give at seventyWhy his doctor telling him "you're going to die someday" was liberatingAbout William Norwich:William Norwich is a writer, editor, and novelist whose career has spanned decades at Vogue, The New York Times, and Town & Country. He currently serves as commissioning editor for fashion and interior design at Phaidon Press. His novels include Learning to Drive and he has been a fixture in New York media since the Studio 54 era. He lives in New York City.Connect with William: Instagram: @WilliamNorwichResources Mentioned:Learning to Drive (novel by William Norwich)Own It by Diane von Furstenberg (Phaidon)Outweek magazinePublishers WeeklyThe Devil Wears PradaFiorucciStudio 54New York Daily NewsVogueConnect With Us:Website: https://www.thenewmaturity.com Instagram: @thenewmaturity Newsletter: https://thenewmaturity.substack.comEmail: [email protected] episodes drop every other Wednesday. Subscribe now so you never miss a conversation that might just change how you see growing older.