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R. Couri Hay
R. Couri Hay
R. Couri Hay
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Robert Couri Hay (born April 1949) is an American publicist and gossip columnist.[1] Initially working for Andy Warhol among the original contributing editors to Interview magazine, his reporting subsequently appeared in People, Town & Country, and CNN Films documentary Hamptons, with contributions to Women's Wear Daily and New York newspapers.[2] Recent appearances in documentary retrospectives include Halston (2019)[3] and The Andy Warhol Diaries (2022) on Netflix.

Key Information

Hay has represented notable media events, including the centennial anniversary of the Juilliard School, 10th anniversary of the Broadway show Chicago, galas for Lincoln Center, the American Ballet Theatre, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, and the Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.[3] His list of clients has included Harry Winston, Bergdorf Goodman, Prada, Chopard, Escada, and Bulgari, and Veuve Clicquot.[4][5] Hay was honored by the New York State Assembly for his exceptional contributions to the world of printed press and the promotion of arts. Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright presented the citation to Hay on December 22, 2023.[6][7]

Hay was honored with the Leadership Award at the 2023 NYC TV festival for his contribution in film and media.[8]

Early life and education

[edit]

Hay was born and raised in Portland, Maine. He attended American University in Washington, D.C.[9] According to Hay in an interview with Flatt magazine, he was named after his uncle, A. Robert Couri, a World War II veteran. He studied under Larry McMurtry and had his initial learning from Charles James and Timothy Leary.[10] Hay also did coursework at Georgetown University in 1970.[10]

Marilyn Couri Hay (Couri's mother), was a sportswoman, socialite and philanthropist. She was also the chairperson of Red Cross for the greater Portland area. Hay's cousin Ralph Hay, founded the NFL. R Couri Hay is a member of Mayflower Society and is a descendant from passengers of the mayflower ship including Stephan Hopkins. One of his ancestors, John Hay, was a personal secretary to President Abraham Lincoln.[11]

Career

[edit]

Publicist

[edit]

Hay is a publicist based in Manhattan and the Hamptons. He has been the publicist of notable personalities working with Cornelia Guest, Lydia Hearst, Ivanka Trump[12] Amanda Hearst[13] Peter Max[14][15][16] Lauren Bush,[17] Jean Shafiroff[18][19][20] and Suzanne Somers.[21] He has worked with luxury brands such as Harry Winston, Bergdorf Goodman, Prada, Chopard, Escada, and Bulgari, and organized philanthropic events for the Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, Henry Street Settlement, the Central Park Conservancy, and the Lighthouse International; his work with New Yorkers for Children resulted in the first benefit event after 9/11.[4] The New York Times, in October 2014, noted career milestones of Hay as a publicist and quoted the writer Jay McInerney who called Hay "irrepressible."[22]

Gossip columnist

[edit]

He was an editor for Andy Warhol's Interview magazine.[23][when?] Hay starred in Anton Perich's public access television show[24] and interviewed artists like Louise Nevelson and John Cage.[25] Hay appeared on the cover of New York Magazine in August 1979 talking about "The Weird World of Cable TV," and was also on the cover of Cable TV World. The Los Angeles Times labeled Hay one of the interviewers who had the "skill and subtlety to draw... flashes of devilish wit and astute observation, as well as delicious gossip."[26] He was quoted about gossip in Newsweek Magazine. In January 1979, Hay and Zandra Rhodes shared fact-findings on their trip to China with the New Yorker,[27] and in 1970, Hay reported on his trip to Cuba.[28] Hay also began to write for Town & Country and People. The same year, Hay started his own company: R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations.[4]

Until it was sold late in 2018, Hay wrote a monthly society column for Avenue Magazine (New York) covering the "Hamptons chicest galas and posh private parties[29] to "Happenings in Manhattan and the South Fork."[30] He was the society editor for Hamptons Magazine[31] and a columnist for Gotham Magazine.[32] Currently, he is the Co-Founder & Creative Director for Park magazine and writes a quarterly column titled Social Safari.[33] In the summer of 2013 and 2014 he wrote weekly Hampton's Magazine profiles on cultural icons. He also wrote "Corner Office" profiles in Gotham Magazine.

He has appeared as a gossip columnist on The Today Show, Fox,[34] MSNBC, Extra, PBS, Thicke of the Night starring Alan Thicke,[35] New York City's The Morning Show with Regis Philbin[36], ABC's Primetime Live, CNN Headline News, Showbiz Tonight, E! News Live, E! True Hollywood Story, ABC World News Now and VH1's The Fabulous Life.[37]

Other ventures

[edit]

Hay took on the role of drawing a younger crowd to the American Ballet Theatre and organized a "Junior Council" that acted as co-chairs for the ballet theater's annual gala with Anne Hearst, Cornelia Guest and Count Erik Wachtmeister.[when?] By the 1980s, Hay began planning parties at Studio 54 and hosted celebrity parties at his New York City townhouse; one party was Boy George's 24th birthday party.[38] Hay became a partner in the now closed supper club Tatou in New York.[citation needed]

In May 2014, Hay was referenced in the Charles James' book by Harold Koda titled "Beyond Fashion" for a 24-hour "video project" both Hay and filmmaker Anton Perich created.[39] Interview Magazine revisited Hay's interview with Charles James.[40] In the fall of 2014, New York Magazine announced that Hay's collection of Charles James' sketches would be displayed at The National Arts Club.[41] The New York Times art critic Roberta Smith reviewed the exhibition, "Charles James Beneath the Dress," at The National Arts Club saying: "Nothing reflects the complex, sometimes fraught sensibility of the great fashion designer Charles James as completely as his drawings...this exhibition presents 93 drawings from the 1960s and '70s. All come from the collection of R. Couri Hay, a writer who works in public relations and was a confidant of James's late in his life."[42] In 2015, Hay appeared weekly on The Charles James Story, a documentary series on the designer by Anton Perich that aired on cable television every Monday night.[43] Hay's novel Secret Lives was excerpted in Michael Musto’s Village Voice column.[44] Hay served as the president of the jury governing the 15th Anniversary of the New York International Film Festival; he first assumed the role in 2015[8][45] Hay has visited the White House under five presidents: Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Obama, and Trump.[11]

Personal life and family

[edit]

Hay currently lives in New York City.[46]

Hay's family has an extensive historical background, with The Mayflower Society citing him as a descendant of Stephen Hopkins, one of the 41 signatories of the Mayflower Compact.[47] Hay is a direct descendant of US Secretary of State John Hay.[48] His grandmother Alice White was a concert pianist who attended the New England Conservatory of Music and Juilliard School and performed for American troops in Europe during World War II as a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.[49]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

R. Couri Hay

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from Grokipedia
R. Couri Hay (born April 1949) is an American , writer, editor, and former gossip columnist renowned for his influential career in , luxury brand promotion, and spanning over five decades. Born in , to a family with deep roots—including a cousin who co-founded the —Hay grew up in a privileged environment that fostered his early interest in social circles and publicity. His mother, an accomplished equestrian and former Champion of Maine, inspired a flair for , while his father's business background provided stability. Hay's professional journey began in the 1970s as a gossip columnist, contributing to outlets such as Interview, the National Enquirer (from 1976 to 1983), and People magazine, where he honed skills in crafting compelling narratives under mentors like Earl Wilson, Aileen Mehle, and James Brady. Notable exploits from this era include orchestrating publicity stunts, such as detaining Andy Warhol for an interview and fabricating a photo op between John Gotti and Imelda Marcos to generate headlines like "Two Mob Bosses." Transitioning to public relations, Hay founded R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations, a firm ranked among the top 10 New York City PR agencies by Expertise for seven consecutive years, specializing in representing luxury brands like Harry Winston, Prada, and BVLGARI, as well as celebrities including Suzanne Somers and Julia Haart. He also collaborated with figures like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis on high-profile galas and maintained connections to cultural icons such as Timothy Leary and Andy Warhol. As an editor and writer, Hay serves as co-founder and editorial director of Park Magazine, where he has curated covers featuring prominent personalities, and contributes columns on , , and to publications like Resident Magazine, Travel Squire, and Town & Country. His cultural contributions include donating over 300 drawings by fashion designer Charles James to the in 2014. Hay's impact extends to media appearances, such as in the 2022 documentary , and accolades like the Leadership Award at the 2023 NYC TV Festival, cementing his status as a key figure in New York's social and publicity scenes.

Early life and education

Family background

R. Couri Hay, born Robert Couri Hay in 1949 in , was raised in a privileged environment that shaped his early exposure to social prominence. His paternal lineage traced back to established New England roots, with his father involved in business and born in Boston during his grandfather's tenure at Harvard Medical School; Dr. Walter F. W. Hay served as a physician there. Hay is related to Ralph Hay, an early owner of the Canton Bulldogs who helped organize the National Football League's inaugural meeting in 1920, serving as its first president. The Hay family name held prominence in the region, characterized by well-educated and business-oriented members across generations. On his maternal side, Hay's mother, Marilyn Couri Hay, was a notable Maine socialite and sportswoman, renowned as an accomplished equestrian who earned the title of Champion of . This "blueblood" upbringing in Maine fostered Hay's innate affinity for from a young age. Hay later transitioned to the Washington, D.C. area during his formative years.

Schooling and early influences

R. Couri Hay was born and raised in , where he attended private schools during his early education. Defying a family tradition of attending —where multiple generations of his relatives had studied—Hay instead enrolled at in Washington, D.C., in the early 1970s. He also took classes at through an inter-university consortium program, focusing on , but ultimately did not obtain a degree from either institution. A pivotal early influence was his writing instructor, - and Academy Award-winning author , who recognized Hay's potential and offered him college credit for journalism assignments. This mentorship encouraged Hay's burgeoning interest in writing, shaped by his family's business and equestrian heritage, which instilled a sense of social observation and narrative flair. Motivated by these opportunities, Hay left university prematurely to relocate to and pursue professional writing prospects.

Professional career

Beginnings in journalism

After departing in , where he studied writing under novelist —who granted him college credit for journalistic pursuits—R. Couri Hay moved to in 1970 at age 20 to launch his media career. His grandmother facilitated the transition by providing an apartment on , allowing him to immerse himself in the city's vibrant cultural scene without financial constraints. Hay quickly secured a position as one of the original contributing editors and a for Interview magazine, Andy Warhol's influential publication that blended art, fashion, and celebrity culture. In this role, he conducted high-profile interviews with figures such as , , , , and , honing his skills in capturing the essence of . A pivotal aspect of Hay's early tenure at was his evolving personal friendship with Warhol, who served as a mentor and gateway to New York's elite circles. This relationship not only shaped Hay's approach to storytelling—emphasizing bold, unfiltered insights—but also granted him unparalleled access to celebrities and social events, accelerating his rise in the media landscape. From the outset, Hay's contributions focused on and reporting, establishing his reputation for incisive, no-holds-barred commentary that earned him the moniker of "ruthless," with the initial "" in his deliberately symbolizing this edgy persona. This style, cultivated amid the 1970s New York scene, set the foundation for his distinctive voice in journalism.

Gossip column work

R. Couri Hay served as a gossip columnist for the National Enquirer from 1976 to 1983, a period that marked the height of his tabloid journalism career. His early connections to Andy Warhol's Interview magazine provided initial access to celebrity circles, facilitating his entry into high-profile reporting. During this time, Hay's column focused on celebrity scandals, high-society events, and exclusive scoops that cemented his status as an insider among entertainment and aristocratic figures. Notable examples include his sourcing of a story alleging comedian Carol Burnett's drunken outburst at a restaurant involving Henry Kissinger, which became a landmark libel case against the Enquirer, and his role in securing the infamous coffin photo of Elvis Presley, a front-page exclusive that highlighted the tabloid's sensational approach. Hay's reporting style was characterized by bold, unfiltered , often employing checkbook and selective truths to amplify stories about the . This approach drew both acclaim for and , as seen in a 1979 incident at the premiere where publicly confronted Hay over unflattering coverage of him and his wife Alana. His exclusives on scandals involving high-society personalities and entertainers, such as rumored affairs and public missteps, built a for unapologetic intrusion into , contributing to the Enquirer's circulation dominance in the era. In 1983, Hay transitioned away from the Enquirer to pursue freelance opportunities, ending his full-time tabloid phase while maintaining his influence in circles. This shift allowed him to leverage his established network for broader media contributions, though it marked the close of his dedicated column work at the publication.

Public relations and firm establishment

In the early 1980s, R. Couri Hay transitioned from to , leveraging his background in gossip column writing to secure media placements for high-profile clients and events. This shift marked the beginning of his work as a press agent for celebrities in and circles. His experience navigating media landscapes during his reporting years provided a foundation for crafting compelling narratives that enhanced client visibility. In 1983, Hay founded R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations, a full-service firm headquartered in that specializes in media coverage, strategies, and branding for luxury, entertainment, and society sectors. The agency has represented prominent clients including , , , , and Krug, as well as celebrities such as and , and organizations such as the and . RCHCPR emphasizes strategic media placements to build and sustain client reputations across print, digital, and broadcast outlets. In 2018, Hay was approached by to manage his amid criminal allegations but declined the retainer due to Epstein's lack of transparency. Among its notable achievements, RCHCPR orchestrated press for major events, including the centennial anniversary of the in 2005 and the 10th anniversary of Broadway's revival in 2006. The firm has earned consistent recognition as one of 's top PR agencies, named one of the best PR firms in by Expertise.com annually from 2017 through 2025. This accolade underscores RCHCPR's impact in delivering measurable media exposure and fostering long-term client partnerships up to the present.

Writing and media contributions

R. Couri Hay has contributed articles to several prominent publications, including Town & Country, , and Total Food Service, where he has covered topics such as society events, profiles, and dining experiences. His pieces in Total Food Service, for instance, explore memorable dining trends and al fresco culinary scenes, reflecting his expertise in . Hay is the co-founder and editorial director of Park Magazine, where he has curated covers featuring prominent personalities, and serves as a contributing for Resident Magazine and Travel Squire, producing content on luxury travel, cultural events, and high-society insights. These contributions emphasize sophisticated narratives around global destinations and elite gatherings, aligning with his longstanding focus on art, leisure, and hospitality. Hay launched his personal featuring "Couri's Column," which delivers exclusive commentary on , dining recommendations, and adventures. The column, hosted on his official website, offers insider perspectives on cultural figures, galas, and lifestyle trends, such as profiles of entertainers and explorations of upscale eateries. Hay maintains an active social media presence on (@rcourihay), (@outwithcouri), and X (formerly , @couri_r), where he shares updates on society trends, events, and personal escapades as of 2025. His posts often highlight high-profile parties, fashion moments, and highlights, engaging followers with real-time glimpses into New York and international social scenes. Hay has appeared in media productions, including the 2022 documentary series Ghislaine: Partner in Crime, where he provided insights as a New York society on Ghislaine Maxwell's social connections.

Personal life

Family and relationships

R. Couri Hay maintains a notably private , with limited publicly available information regarding his immediate family and romantic relationships. As of 2025, there are no widely reported accounts of marriages, long-term partners, or children in his life. Hay hails from a prominent family in , where extended familial ties have influenced his worldview. His father was involved in business, contributing to the family's established presence in society. His mother, an accomplished equestrian and once Champion of , aspired to become an illustrator in after college but pursued other paths that shaped the family's legacy. The broader Hay family background includes bankers, politicians, developers, and philanthropists, with his great-grandfather, Harry F. G. Hay, owning significant local properties. Hay's personal relationships occasionally surface in society columns due to his high-profile social circles, but details remain sparse and unconfirmed, reflecting his preference for discretion in matters beyond his professional persona. There is no documented evidence of familial members directly involved in his professional or social endeavors.

Lifestyle and philanthropy

R. Couri Hay embodies a lavish bon vivant lifestyle, characterized by his penchant for wearing , frequent private jet travel, and at renowned global resorts. His personal habits reflect a commitment to luxury and exclusivity, often blending high-society pursuits with an adventurous spirit. Hay has likened himself to a "real-life " for the serendipitous, high-profile encounters that punctuate his experiences. Hay's travels frequently feature in his columns, highlighting luxury destinations such as Aspen, Palm Beach, and European hotspots, alongside attendance at elite society events like galas and cultural gatherings. These journeys underscore his role as a chronicler of upscale social scenes, from ski retreats to international soirees. In philanthropy, Hay supports causes focused on and pediatric through active participation in events. He has attended numerous Hope for Depression Research Foundation luncheons and kick-off parties, including those honoring advocates like . His involvement extends to the foundation's 2025 Hope Luncheon Seminar, where was recognized for advocacy. Hay also engages with the Children's Oncology Support Fund, participating in galas such as the Aspen Snow Ball, which raised $3.5 million in 2025 for pediatric at . He attended the third annual event at the St. Regis Aspen Resort, joining luminaries in support of the cause. These efforts highlight his dedication to high-impact charitable initiatives within elite social circles.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2982616/bio/
  2. https://parkmagazineny.com/r-couri-hay-pr-guru-r-couri-hay-creative-public-relations/
  3. http://flattmag.com/features/r-couri-hay/
  4. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/nyregion/r-is-for-ruthless.html
  5. https://www.danspapers.com/2022/01/high-profile-r-couri-hay-publicist/
  6. https://rcourihay.com/blog/the-gossip-guy/
  7. https://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/sunshine-and-rainbows-in-the-land-of-couri/
  8. https://nypost.com/2010/02/28/mr-toadys-wild-ride/
  9. https://medium.com/authority-magazine/publicist-rockstars-if-you-have-just-one-meaningful-conversation-with-someone-you-know-or-someone-f9e4bb1affc1
  10. https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a28378863/jeffrey-epstein-publicist-couri-hay/
  11. https://www.metv.com/stories/carol-burnett-henry-kissinger-and-a-landmark-libel-suit
  12. https://time.com/archive/6697337/press-enquirer-belted/
  13. https://www.zoominfo.com/c/r-couri-hay-creative-public-relations/428532725
  14. https://rcourihay.com/about/
  15. https://rcourihay.com/
  16. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2982616/
  17. https://totalfood.com/memorable-dining-experiences/
  18. https://rcourihay.com/r-couri-hay-gossip-art-lifestyle/
  19. https://rcourihay.com/category/columns/
  20. https://rcourihay.com/couris-columns/
  21. https://www.instagram.com/rcourihay/
  22. https://x.com/couri_r
  23. https://www.instagram.com/p/DQP7VAAEhb4/
  24. https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/ghislaine-maxwell-partner-in-crime-itv-review-jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-b1057678.html
  25. https://rcourihay.com/travels-with-couri/
  26. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Hope-For-Depression-Research-Foundation-To-Honor-Audra-McDonald-At-19th-Annual-Hope-Luncheon-Seminar-20251027
  27. https://www.aspentimes.com/news/aspen-snow-ball-gala-raises-3-5-million/
  28. https://rcourihay.com/blog/aspen-snow-ball-raising-funds-for-pediatric-cancer-research/
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