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00:03Once upon a time, an English journalist came to New York.
00:16The question remains, is this really a company we want to own?
00:19Tim was 42, a well-liked and respected investment banker who made about 2 million a year.
00:28They met one evening, in typical New York fashion, at a gallery opening.
00:39Like it?
00:41Yes, actually, I think it's quite interesting.
00:45What?
00:46I feel like I know you from somewhere.
00:49Doubtful. I mean, just moved here from London.
00:51London? Really? That's my all-time favorite city.
00:54It is.
00:55Absolutely.
00:57It was love at first sight.
00:58You know, I think perhaps I have met you somewhere before.
01:07For two weeks, they snuggled, went to romantic restaurants, had wonderful sex, and shared the most intimate secrets.
01:24One warm spring day, he took her to a townhouse he saw in Sunday's New York Times.
01:29How about if we start at the top and work our way down?
01:31There are four bedrooms upstairs. Do you have any children?
01:34Not yet.
01:37That day, Tim popped the question.
01:39How'd you like to have dinner with my folks Tuesday night?
01:42I'd love to.
01:44On Tuesday, he called with some bad news.
01:47My mother's not feeling very well.
01:49Oh, gosh, I'm sorry.
01:51Can we take a rain check?
01:52Of course.
01:54Tell your mum I hope she feels better.
01:56When she hadn't heard from him for two weeks, she called.
01:59Tim!
02:00It's Elizabeth.
02:01It's an awfully long rain check.
02:03He said he was up to his ears and that he'd call her the next day.
02:08He never did call, of course.
02:10Bastard.
02:10She told me one day over coffee.
02:12I don't understand.
02:13In England, looking at houses together would have meant something.
02:17Then I realized no one had told her about the end of love in Manhattan.
02:23Welcome to the age of un-innocence.
02:26No one has breakfast at Tiffany's and no one has affairs to remember.
02:31Instead, we have breakfast at 7am and affairs we try to forget as quickly as possible.
02:37Self-protection and closing the deal are paramount.
02:41Cupid has flown the co-op.
02:46How the hell did we get into this mess?
02:49There are thousands, maybe tens of thousands of women like this in the city.
02:53We all know them and we all agree they're great.
02:57They travel.
02:58They pay taxes.
03:00They'll spend $400 on a pair of Manolo Blahnik strappy sandals.
03:04And they're alone.
03:10It's like the riddle of the Sphinx.
03:12Why are there so many great unmarried women and no great unmarried men?
03:17I explore these sorts of issues in my column and I have terrific sources, my friends.
03:22When you're a young guy in your 20s, women are controlling the relationships.
03:26By the time you're an eligible man in your 30s, you feel like you're being devoured by women.
03:30Suddenly, the guys are holding all the chips.
03:33I call it the mid-30s power flip.
03:41It's all about age and biology.
03:44I mean, if you want to get married just to have kids, right?
03:46And you don't want to do it with someone older than 35 because then you have to have kids right
03:49away and that's about it.
03:52I think these women should just forget about marriage and have a good time.
03:59I have a friend who'd always gone out with extremely sexy guys and just had a good time.
04:05One day she woke up and she was 41.
04:08She couldn't get any more days.
04:09She had a complete physical breakdown, couldn't hold onto her job and had to move back to Wisconsin to live
04:14with her mother.
04:18Trust me, this is not a story that makes men feel bad.
04:22Most men are threatened by successful women.
04:26If you want to get these guys, you have to keep your mouth shut and play by the rules.
04:34I totally believe that love conquers all.
04:36Sometimes you just have to give it a little space.
04:38And that's exactly what's missing in Manhattan.
04:41The space for romance.
04:45The problem is expectations.
04:48Older women don't want to settle for what's available.
04:52By the time you reach your mid-30s, you think, why should I settle?
04:58You know?
04:59It's like the older we get, the more we keep self-selecting down to a smaller and smaller group.
05:05What women really want is Alec Baldwin.
05:08There's not one woman in New York who hasn't turned down ten wonderful guys because they were too short or
05:14too fat or too poor.
05:16I have been out with some of those guys, the short, fat, poor ones.
05:19It makes absolutely no difference.
05:21They are just as self-centered and unappreciative as the good-looking ones.
05:24Why don't these women just marry a fat guy?
05:27Why don't they just marry a big fat tub of lard?
05:31Happy birthday, dear Miranda.
05:36Happy birthday to you.
05:40Another 30-something birthday with a group of unmarried female friends.
05:44We would all have preferred a nice celebratory conference call.
05:48Look, if you're a successful saleswoman in this city, you have two choices.
05:51You can bang your head against the wall and try and find a relationship, or you can say screw it
05:55and just go out and have sex like a man.
05:57You mean with dildos?
05:58No, I mean without feeling.
06:02Samantha Jones was a New York inspiration, a public relations executive.
06:06She routinely slept with good-looking guys in their 20s.
06:09Mm.
06:09Remember that guy that I was going out with?
06:11Oh, God, what was his name?
06:12Drew.
06:12Drew.
06:13The sex guy.
06:14Right.
06:14Well, afterwards, I didn't feel a thing.
06:16It was like, hey, babe, gotta go.
06:17Catch you later.
06:18And I completely forgot about him after that.
06:20But are you sure that that isn't just because he didn't call you?
06:23Sweetheart.
06:24This is the first time in the history of Manhattan that women have had as much money and power as
06:28men.
06:28Plus, the equal luxury of treating men like sex objects.
06:32Yeah, except men in this city fail on both counts.
06:34I mean, they don't want to be in a relationship with you, but as soon as you only want them
06:37for sex, they don't like it.
06:39All of a sudden, they can't perform the way they're supposed to.
06:41That's when you dump them.
06:42Oh, come on, ladies, are we really that cynical?
06:45What about romance?
06:46Yeah.
06:47It's like that guy Jeremiah the poet.
06:50I mean, the sex was incredible.
06:53But then he wanted to read me his poetry and go out to dinner and the whole chat bit.
06:57And I'm like, let's not even go there.
06:58What are you saying?
06:59Are you saying you're just gonna give up on love?
07:02That's sick.
07:02Oh, no, no, no.
07:03Believe me.
07:03If the right guy comes along and you two right here, this whole thing, right out the window.
07:07No, no, no.
07:08Listen to me.
07:08The right guy is an illusion.
07:09You understand that?
07:10You can start living your life.
07:12So you think it's really possible to pull off this whole, um, women having sex like men thing?
07:18You're forgetting the last seduction.
07:19You're obsessed with that movie.
07:21Okay.
07:22Linda Fiorentino.
07:23Fucking that guy.
07:24Yes.
07:25The chain link.
07:25I'm never having one of those, oh, my God, what have I done?
07:28Obiphany.
07:28I hated that movie.
07:32Was it true?
07:33Were women in New York really giving up on love and throttling up on power?
07:38What a tempting thought.
07:43You know, I'm beginning to think the only place where one can still find love and romance in New York
07:49is the gay community.
07:50It's straight love that's become closeted.
07:53Stanford Blatch was one of my closest friends.
07:55He was the owner of a talent agency who, at the moment, was down to a single client.
07:59So are you telling me that you're in love?
08:03How could I possibly sustain a relationship?
08:06You know Derek takes up, like, a thousand percent of my time.
08:09Don't you think that's a bit obsessive?
08:11Harry, I'm a passionate person.
08:13His career is all I care about.
08:14When that's under control, then I can concentrate on my personal life.
08:18Stanford?
08:19He's an underwear model.
08:20With a billboard in Times Square.
08:23Oh, my God, don't turn around.
08:26The loath of your life is at the bar.
08:29It was Kurt Harrington.
08:31A mistake I made when I was 26.
08:34And 29.
08:36And 31.
08:37Harry, don't even go there.
08:40What, do you think I'm a masochist?
08:41The man is scum.
08:43Good, because I don't have the patience to clean up this mess for the fourth time.
08:47Will you relax?
08:48I don't have a shred of feeling left.
08:50Thank God.
08:51Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to visit the ladies' room.
08:55Carrie?
08:56It was true.
08:57I no longer felt a thing for Kurt.
08:59After all these years, I finally saw him for what he was.
09:03A self-centered, withholding creep who was still the best sex I ever had in my life.
09:07However, I did have a little experiment in mind.
09:17Kurt!
09:19Wow, what are you doing here?
09:21Hey, babe.
09:24You look gorgeous.
09:26Thanks.
09:28So, how's life?
09:30Not bad.
09:31Can't complain.
09:32You?
09:33I don't know, just riding a car with the usual.
09:36So, have you seen anyone special?
09:39Not really.
09:41You?
09:42Well, just a couple guys.
09:45But you look good, though.
09:46So do you.
09:52What are you doing later?
09:56I thought you weren't talking to me for the rest of your life.
09:58Who said anything about talking?
10:03You stayed in my place at 3 o'clock.
10:06All right.
10:08Stay there.
10:19Are you out of your mind?
10:21What the hell do you think you're doing?
10:23Oh, calm down.
10:24It's research.
10:27Oh, God.
10:28Oh, Kurt.
10:29Kurt was just like I remembered.
10:31Yes.
10:32Better.
10:32Oh, Kurt.
10:33Because this time, there would be none of that messy emotional attachment.
10:37Oh.
10:40Oh.
10:42Oh.
10:46Oh.
10:46All righty.
10:47My turn.
10:49Oh, sorry.
10:50I have to go back to work.
10:53What are you kidding?
10:54Are you serious?
10:55Oh, yeah.
10:56Completely.
10:57But I'll give you a call.
10:58Maybe we can do it again sometime.
11:01What?
11:04As I began to get dressed, I realized that I'd done it.
11:08I just had sex like a man.
11:12I left feeling powerful, potent, and incredibly alive.
11:16I felt like I owned the city.
11:18Nothing and no one could get in my way.
11:30Number one, he's very handsome.
11:33Number two, he's not wearing a wedding ring.
11:35Number three, he knows I carry a personal supply of ultra-textured trojans with a reservoir tip.
11:40Thanks a lot.
11:42Anytime.
11:58Later that night, Skipper Johnston met me for coffee and confessed a shocking intimate secret.
12:05Do you know that it has been, like, a year?
12:09Really?
12:10I don't understand that.
12:11You're such a nice guy.
12:12That's the problem.
12:13You know, I'm too nice, you know?
12:15I'm a romantic.
12:17I just have so much feeling.
12:19Are you sure you're not gay?
12:20No.
12:22I'm sensitive.
12:23And I don't objectify women.
12:25You know, most guys, when they meet a girl, the first thing that they see is, um, you know...
12:33Posey?
12:34Oh, God!
12:36I hate that word.
12:38Don't you have any friends that you can hook me up with?
12:41No.
12:42They're too old for you.
12:43I like older women.
12:45Maybe.
12:48Maybe my friend Miranda.
12:50When?
12:51Tomorrow night.
12:52We're all going downtown to this club chaos.
12:54Great.
12:57Don't tell her I'm nice.
13:00Miranda was gonna hate Skipper.
13:03She'd think he was mocking her with his sweet nature and decide he was an asshole.
13:07The way she had decided all men were assholes.
13:16Hello?
13:17Hey, Carrie, it's Charlotte.
13:19Hey, sweetie.
13:20Hey.
13:20Look, I can't meet you guys for dinner tomorrow night because I have an amazing date.
13:24With who?
13:26Capote Duncan.
13:27He's supposedly some big shot in the publishing world.
13:29Do you know him?
13:29Did I know him?
13:30He was one of the city's most notoriously un-gettable bachelors.
13:33Wait, wait.
13:34Don't even answer that question because, frankly, I don't care.
13:37And another thing.
13:39I'm not buying into any of that women having sex like men crap.
13:43I didn't want to tell her about my afternoon of cheap and easy sex and how good it felt.
13:47All right, fine.
13:48Listen, have a good time and promise to tell me everything.
13:51Well, if you're lucky.
13:52Bye.
13:53All right, bye.
13:57Friday night at Chaos.
13:59It was just like that bar in Cheers where everybody knows your name.
14:03Except here, they were likely to forget it five minutes later.
14:09Still, it was the creme de la creme of New York, whipped into a frenzy.
14:14Sometimes you got a souffle.
14:17Sometimes cottage cheese.
14:19It is like a model bomb exploded in this room tonight.
14:22Is there a woman here aside from me that weighs more than a hundred pounds?
14:25I know.
14:25It's like Undereaters Anonymous.
14:28That's funny, Skippy.
14:30Skipper.
14:30I have this theory that men secretly hate pretty girls because they feel that they're
14:34the ones who rejected them in high school.
14:36Right.
14:37But if you're not part of the beauty Olympics, you can still become a very interesting person.
14:42Are you saying that I'm not pretty enough?
14:44No, no, no, no.
14:45Of course you are.
14:46So, ipso facto, I can't be interesting.
14:48Women either fall into one of two categories, beautiful and boring or homely and interesting.
14:52Is that what you're saying, Skippy?
14:53No, no, no.
14:53That's not what I meant.
14:55Excuse me, is this your hand on my knee?
14:58No.
14:59All right, let's just keep him where I can see him, all right?
15:02Well, I guess you must find me beautiful.
15:05Or interesting.
15:06I was about to rescue Skipper from an increasingly hopeless situation when suddenly...
15:10Hey.
15:11Hey.
15:12Lucky me.
15:12Twice in one week.
15:14Well, I don't know if you're going to be getting that lucky.
15:17You know, I was really pissed off the way you left me every day.
15:19You were?
15:20Yeah.
15:20And I thought, how great!
15:22You finally understand the kind of relationship I really want.
15:25Now we can have sex without commitment.
15:27Yeah.
15:28Right.
15:29Sure, I guess.
15:31So, whenever I feel like it, I'll give you a call.
15:33Yeah, please.
15:34I mean, whenever you feel like it.
15:35If I'm alone, I'm all yours.
15:37Right.
15:39I like this new you.
15:41Call me.
15:42Yeah.
15:45I didn't understand.
15:46Did all men secretly want their women promiscuous and emotionally detached?
15:50And if I was really having sex like a man, why didn't I feel more in control?
15:55You see that guy?
15:56He's the next Donald Trump.
15:58Except he's younger and much better looking.
16:02Hi.
16:03Do you know him?
16:05No.
16:05I've never seen him in my life.
16:07He usually dates models, but hey, I'm as good looking as a model.
16:10Plus, I own my own business.
16:13Samantha had the kind of deluded self-confidence that caused men like Ross Perot to run for president.
16:18And it usually got her what she wanted.
16:20Well, if you're not going to hit on him.
16:22I will.
16:23And there she went.
16:25Off to take her best shot with Mr. Big.
16:29Meanwhile, Charlotte York was passing the most splendid evening with Capote Duncan.
16:34Want to go back to my place and see the Ross Blechner?
16:37I'd love to, but it's really getting late.
16:39No problem.
16:42What year was it painted again?
16:4689.
16:47Though Charlotte was determined to play hard to get, she didn't want to end the evening too abruptly.
16:51Well, maybe just for a minute.
16:59This could easily go for a hundred grand.
17:02Ross is so hot right now.
17:06It's beautiful.
17:09No, you're beautiful.
17:16For tonight.
17:17I had a wonderful time.
17:19It was my pleasure.
17:35I have to get up really early tomorrow.
17:39I'll get you a cat.
17:45Charlotte told me later that she thought she had played the entire evening flawlessly.
17:54So, what are you doing next Saturday?
17:58I'm having dinner with you.
18:05Hey.
18:07Hey, you're going to the west side, right?
18:09Right. West 4th and Bank, please.
18:12I stood over there.
18:15Two stops.
18:17Port and Bank and West Broadway and Broome.
18:21You're going to Chaos?
18:23Oh, yeah.
18:25Why?
18:27Look, I understand where you're coming from.
18:29And I totally respect it.
18:31But I really need to have sex tonight.
18:39Back at Chaos, things were swinging into high gear, and Samantha was putting the moves on Mr. Big.
18:44I've been smoking cigars for years, back when they were terminally uncool.
18:48I've got this great source that sends me Honduras.
18:51Do you want to try one?
18:51No, thank you.
18:52Well, you can't find them anywhere.
18:55Cohibas.
18:56That's all I smoke.
19:04Look, I do the PR for this club.
19:07And I have a key to the private room downstairs.
19:11Really?
19:12You want a private tour?
19:17No thanks, but maybe another time.
19:27Meanwhile, Skipper Johnston was hopelessly smitten with Miranda Hobbs.
19:32So, uh, where are we going now?
19:33Listen, Skippy.
19:35You know, you really are a nice, sweet guy, but...
19:39Oh, I understand.
19:40Well, good night.
19:49Miranda told me later that she thought he was too nice, but that she was willing to overlook one flaw.
19:56And Capote Duncan found his fix for the night.
20:01Who is it? I want to see the Ross Kleckner.
20:04Later.
20:06Later.
20:16Oh, listen, I, uh...
20:18I gotta get up really early.
20:20I see you can't stay over.
20:22Cool?
20:24Sure, I have to get up really early, too.
20:26Yeah.
20:41Taxi! Taxi!
20:46And so another Friday night in Manhattan crept towards dawn.
20:49Taxi!
20:50Taxi!
20:53And just when I thought I would have to do the unspeakable.
20:57Walk home.
21:09Well, get in for Christ's sakes.
21:20Where can I drop you?
21:2272nd Street, 3rd Avenue.
21:24You got that, Al?
21:25Yes, sir.
21:28So what have you been doing lately?
21:30You mean besides going out every night?
21:33Yeah, I mean, what do you do for work?
21:35Well, this is my work.
21:36I'm sort of a sexual anthropologist.
21:40You mean like a hooker?
21:43No.
21:44I, um...
21:45I write a column called Sex the City.
21:47Right now I'm researching an article about women who have sex like men.
21:51You know, they have sex and then afterwards they feel nothing.
21:55But you're not like that.
21:57Well, aren't you?
21:58Not a drop.
22:00Not even half a drop.
22:03Wow.
22:04What's wrong with you?
22:08I get it.
22:10You've never been in love.
22:13Oh, yeah?
22:15Yeah.
22:18Suddenly I felt the wind knocked out of me.
22:21I wanted to crawl under the covers and go right to sleep.
22:33Thanks for the ride.
22:34Anytime.
22:39Wait a minute.
22:45Have you ever been in love?
22:48I don't wanna be safe and that's okay.
22:51Absolutely.
22:52Absolutely.
22:53That was fake.
22:54Just neverCome.
22:59That was in love last night.
23:00Meditationработ Futures wanna be there.
23:02But now you fight most of the allows.