300
PARTISAN REVIEW
Int.:
What is it that makes them so attractive?
Williams:
1 don't find men funny; they don't amuse me much. Why is
that? 1 don't understand why!
Int.:
Maybe because we're men.
Williams:
They just don't make me laugh, they just don't amuse me as
much. Women are closer to life really, they're more naked, more like
naked life.
Int.:
You mean they are not afraid? as men are?
Williams:
They are closer to life, it seems to me. 1 may be mistaken, it
seems to me that men bury themselves in businesses and moneymak–
ing, competition and that sort of thing; women seem
LO
me organi–
cally closer to love which is where life is, where it began, where it is.
Int.:
You're not pessimistic about death are you?
Williams:
B~by,
I'm not scared of death, 1 don't think so. 1 have that
normal, you know, apprehension, but I'm accustomed to the fact
that my heart skips beats, especially when 1 drop my Nembutal at
night. I know in about 10 minutes it's gonna stop palpitating. But, it
don't alarm me like it used to. There's been a lot of talk about me
having cancer-I ain't got cancer! Because 1 have taken every
possible test. And if doctors want you to know you have cancer,
they'll tell you; and I've got a doctor in New York who's older than
me and I've pounded my fist on the table and I said, "I know I must
have cancer!" and he said, "Mr. Williams, you are making me angry,
1 can't say you've got cancer, you 've abused your liver, yes, but you
haven't got cancer."
Int.:
Did you go to China once to an acupuncturist?
Williams:
No, I went
LO
Bangkok because I had a swelling under my
left tit here.
Int.:
You thought you had breast cancer?
Williams:
Yes, and this cardiologist in New Orleans, I came back from
Europe and on the trip back by boat, I discovered this little swelling
here, and he said, "Well , breast cancer is very unusual in men" and
he said, "but, rare, unusual things can happen." I said "Well, you
don't have to tell me
that!"
He said, "I would advise you to postpone
this trip to the Orient and have an immediate operation on this
swelling." I was with Professor Evans and he said, "Oh, it's not
necessary at all , 1 know the King's surgeon in Thailand." He wanted
LO
get back there, and he said, "He can certainly perform an
operation on Mr. Williams if it is really necessary," so we went there.
Well he knew a
military
surgeon who had never met any member of
the royal family and he operated on my left breast. He operated
