Posted by: Stephen Saban contact

Remembering Claire O'Connor

Wowlebrity and former New York nightlife impresario, Gabriel Rotello, remembers our mutual friend Claire O'Connor. 

Claire O’Connor, whose trailblazing work at the Limelight nightclub in the 1980s transformed a derelict former church into the white-hot center of New York’s downtown scene, died on Thursday, July 28, after a battle with cancer. She was 51.

Claire was officially the Limelight’s publicist, but she was actually far more. When I first met her shortly after the Limelight opened in 1983, she and owner Peter Gatien were jointly presiding over the most exciting and innovative club since the legendary Studio 54. And most of Limelight’s best ideas and most memorable moments came from Claire. Unfortunately, today the Limelight is probably best remembered for its druggy decline in the '90s as the haunt of the clubkids and Michael Alig. But for several years in the mid '80s, Limelight was simply the hottest and most talked-about nightclub in America.

Few outsiders were aware of how pivotal Claire’s role in that success really was. She eschewed publicity for herself, kept a low profile, and worked in the shadow of Gatien. But Claire O’Connor ran the Limelight in all the ways that really mattered. It was Claire who booked its nightly fashion shows and art exhibitions and concerts and events. It was she who kept her ear to the ground and made sure Limelight was ahead of every curve and on top of every trend. It was Claire who nurtured Limelight’s unique aura of uptown chic and downtown cool. And, in partnership with celebrity wrangler Fred Rothbell-Mista, it was she who kept the glitterati pouring through its doors. For a few years you could barely open "Page 6" without wishing you had been at Limelight the night before.

On a personal note, it was Claire who encouraged me to produce the now-legendary music revues known as the "Downtown Divas and Dukes." In the process, she helped breathe much-needed life into New York’s faltering music scene in the '80s. One Limelight high point was Claire’s own wedding reception when she married rocker Adam Bomb. It’s a bit of a blur, but I seem to recall Billy Idol serenading the newlyweds from the stage with "White Wedding." Claire and Adam eventually raised two daughters, Darian, a student at Rhode Island School of Design, and Blaise, 13.

In later years Claire struggled to control the damage as Peter Gatien slid into an epic decline and the Limelight imploded in a series of lurid scandals. She eventually left, struck out on her own and founded a highly successful PR firm. Her clients included the Halloween extravaganza Blood Manor, which she launched; the annual HOWL! Festival; the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; and the Friedman Diabetes Institute. She was a board member of both HOWL! and the HOWL! Emergency Life Project (H.E.L.P).

Today the Limelight is an urban shopping mall. I checked it out last year and I was so freaked I immediately called Claire on my cell. "Claire Bear," I yelled, “have you seen this? People are selling knickknacks on our dance floor, hawking chocolate on our stage. It’s bizzaro.” She just laughed. “Limelight was a long time ago,” she said. “I’ve got a good life, I’ve moved on. You should get out of there.” At that point she hadn’t even been to see it. I kind of hope she never did. But for those who have fond memories of better days, and even better nights, it will always be hard to pass the former Limelight without thinking of Claire O’Connor. She was godmother to a scene that epitomized the high water mark of New York nightlife, a magic moment that will continue to live on in many memories and imaginations, mine included. She was an essential person, and she will be sadly missed. (Photo by Wolfgang Wesener/WOWE)

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