Excerpt from a Mother Jones very weird interview with an 89 year old Stuart Pivar about Epstein, his science parties, his “pathology,” and the industrial scale of it all.
Now, do you think there were parties at the Isle of babes, as you called it?
I’ve heard it called that. I was never invited there.
He insulated me. I was a very close friend, and he insulated me totally. And never let me know that until, to my horror, I realized, and then I had nothing whatever to do with him after that.
Right. So do you know anybody who did go to the island?
No.
No, nobody?
All I know—let’s put it this way. All I know is what I read in the papers.
I had no idea what the hell was going on. Jeffrey had, let us say, two separate worlds going. Do you think his financial friends knew? Of course they didn’t. Could you imagine having all kinds of financial dealings with people if they had any idea what he was doing? They wouldn’t have touched him with a hot potato. He insulated totally those two lives of his.
I see. So what I’m curious about is, we talked about how some people remained friends with him after that first allegation, and you didn’t. Were there any friends of yours who also cut ties with Jeffrey around that time? Or who stayed friends? Did you have any conflicts with people who decided to keep in touch with Jeffrey or go to his dinners, etc.?
No. Boy am I glad that nobody I know reads Mother Jones. I mean, I stopped reading that about 40 years ago.
I see.
Why did I pick up the phone? Listen, I’m going to be mad at you if you misquote me one iota.
I promise you I won’t. I have no interest.
Let’s put it this way: If you misquote me, I’ll raise hell with you. I am not a poor guy.
Okay.
And if you contort anything I told you in good faith—
I have no interest in doing so.
Do you know what I’m saying?
Yeah, you’ve been very clear in the things that you said.
You inveigled me, so to speak, into yapping pointlessly because I have nothing else to do for the moment, and I’m relying on you to understand what I say. If you misquote me or anything like that, I will sue your magazine until the end of the Earth.
I understand. You’ve been very clear in what you’ve said. I will absolutely not distort or misquote you.
Tell me your name again so I can start writing a complaint to sue you.
My name is Leland. But we can go ahead and end the conversation here. I appreciate you offering me your point of view.
Look, it’s been fun, but for heaven’s sakes, please don’t screw me over.
You have my word and you got—
I’ve done you a big favor by telling you a lot of stuff, and I don’t expect you to stab me in the back.
I absolutely have no intention of doing so. You also have—
Otherwise I will stab you in other places.
Okay, you also have my number. So if you feel the need—
Oh, I’ve got your number.
You’ve got it. I appreciate you giving me your perspective on this.
No, you don’t, you’re a journalist. Journalists don’t appreciate nothing. They’re like lawyers.
I’m insulted, but that’s okay. All right. Well, you have a great night.
Ok, have a nice evening. You’ve ruined mine.
