New York Notebook | 19 November 2011

When Keith Richards stepped up onto the stage at the Norman Mailer Gala at the Mandarin Oriental in New York last Tuesday, to collect the Autobiography Award from a bumptious Bill Clinton, he appeared to be almost speechless. Words eventually came, though, if a little tentatively: ‘I’m not usually fazed by stuff,’ said Keith, almost humbly, glancing at the ex-president, ‘but I’m fazed by this.’ It was difficult to tell who had the most star-power; the great and the good took out their mobiles to take snaps of Clinton, while Keef charmed everyone with his unintentional impression of Bill Deedes. Two months ago, when we honoured Keith at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards at the Opera House in London, the room was equally dumbstruck, and as he was given his award by Johnny Depp and Tom Stoppard, 500 people stood up as one. However, one thing I know for sure, having spent a year organising for Keith to attend the Mailer Gala, I can honestly say that it’s a lot easier to host a party in London than it is one happening 3,500 miles away.