Miami highlife scene: Cocaine Cowboys

The “real” Miami Vice was much better than that garbage strung together by Michael Mann.

By Jon Warech

Everyone gets a good chuckle out of Don Johnson’s wardrobe in Miami Vice and can quote a line from Scarface on command, but the real story behind the drugs, money and murder capital of the late ’70s/early ’80s is far more interesting. With that in mind, Miami filmmakers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman produced Cocaine Cowboys, a documentary about the cocaine trade and drug wars that shaped the culture (and economy) of Miami during that period. Folks gathered at the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road Wednesday for the Gen Art-sponsored premiere of the film, which welcomed not only rapper Pitbull and the stars of the film/former drug traffickers Mickey Munday and Jon Roberts, but also many of South Beach’s nightlife groovers and shakers, who undoubtedly left the theater with plans to start their own tow truck-hauling-a-car-filled-with-drugs scam. Cocaine Cowboys was highly educational (enough to keep me away from Dadeland Mall for life) and surprisingly comical as well. You don’t expect drugs and murder to make you chuckle, but when you see how these guys were living, it’s hard to hold back. If you think The Forge is a cool place to hang out now, you should have checked out the back rooms then. Now, that’s a party! Needless to say, the “real” Miami Vice was much better than that garbage strung together by Michael Mann, and the Lincoln Road premiere — well, at least this time the stars of the film showed. The fun continued at Snatch for the Gen Art after-party, but Corben, Spellman and the cast and crew held their own private shindig at Mokai with a 42 Below open bar and ongoing chatter about the excellent film. If you haven’t seen it yet, Cocaine Cowboys comes to a Miami theater near you tomorrow, Oct. 27. Check it out.

‘INK’ STAR TATTOOS CELL PHONES

In case you weren’t quite sure how popular that Miami Ink show really is, on Tuesday night Motorola launched the Motorazr V3 Miami Ink cell phones designed by tattoo artist/reality TV star Ami James. The dragon and cherry blossom designs are laser-etched on the popular thin phone and, I’m told, after four shots of whisky the phones feel little to no pain during the tattoo process. At the launch party, held at Shore Club’s Skybar, folks downed booze and chatted with the tattoo artist, whose shop gets a lot of action these days. The Washington Ave. storefront is even, according to James, a stop on the Duck Tour. Now if that doesn’t scream celebrity, I don’t know what does. In an attempt to use his fame for good (and occasional evil), rumor has it that James is part of a team who purchased the bar currently known as SoFi Lounge. Like the phones, expect a new design on that as well before it is reopened.

Amy Sacco (left) Photo by Getty Images/Publicity

SACCO AND THE CITY?

The “Queen of New York Nightlife,” Amy Sacco, migrated south for the weekend to promote her new book, Cocktails, at a mix-and-mingle soiree inside the Epic sales center downtown. The Bungalow 8 owner signed copies of the book and chatted with the handful of Miamians who tried to use the book signing as their ticket to VIP entrance into her clubs. Sacco then moved her party to Suite for Jessica Rosenblum’s “Basic Thursdays” party and danced on the couches like a nightclub pro. Those not familiar with Sacco will get to know her much better when a Sarah Jessica Parker-produced TV show based on Sacco’s life begins on HBO. The show — still in early writing stages — will star 3rd Rock From the Sun’s Kristen Johnson, if Sacco has any say in the matter and, uh, I think she does.

MORE SUNDAY MADDNESS

Michael Madd, who started Soul Kitchen Sundays at The Forge and before that hosted Sundays at Privé, kicked off his new Sunday party, “The Country Club” at The Fifth, this past Sunday. The weekly soiree is a members-only event and party animals can buy gold, platinum or black cards to obtain membership at “The Country Club.” Gold members drop $60 per month, but a Black Card member pays $1,500 per month for complimentary valet, nonmember friend access, a bottle of premium champagne, hors d’oeuvres, personal VIP host, access to VIP areas, invites to private dinners and an occasional smooch on the buttocks. Madd and Abebe Lewis work the party along with Shining Star PR, who team up for the Wednesday night “Miami Live” party at Santo. Last week at the Heineken Red Star Soul Concert Series, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, Udonis Haslem, Jacki-O and Tego Calderon all partied hard, so you know that the VIP at The Fifth will be bumpin’.

AIR UP THERE

Friday night kicked off the opening of Air, the rooftop lounge above Cafeteria, and this time it’s for real. You regular 411 readers (yes, you mom) may remember Air opening briefly awhile back, but due to licenses and overhead costs and all that good stuff, the place closed shop. But now, our pal DJ Bill Kelly tells us, it’s for real. On Friday night at Kelly’s “The Happiest Hour” party, nightlifer Gary James celebrated his birthday and friends soaked up some fresh Air (and free Patron).

UPCOMING…

Halloween is here and other than the Miami Heat home opener, there are so many parties to attend that it’s spooky. Vizcaya’s 20th annual “Halloween Sundowner,” with a DJ and live music by ESQ, takes place Saturday from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. with free-flowing booze. Tickets are $150 at the door. Opium Garden transforms into a haunted jungle with sexy dancers dolled up as exotic animals on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while Privé becomes a haunted pirate ship with rusty anchors, frightening pirates and ghostly pirate ship décor throughout the weekend, and Mansion will be, duh, a haunted mansion for the three nights with Hed Kandi DJing on Saturday. On Halloween night, Mansion opens its doors to The Hustler Halloween Party hosted by Hustler Hollywood and Jenna Haze, AVN’s Starlet of The Year. DJ Pedro and E-Rok provide the tunes. Ticket and other info available at www.hustlerhalloween.com. Over at The Fifth, Oliver Geddes and Gerry Kelly host a “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” soiree on Friday and “Theater of Vampires” on Saturday night with sounds by Nikolas and complimentary Pama “Vampire” cocktails. DJ Irie, DJ Bruno and Mark Leventhal spin at Yage Bay Club’s second annual “Bash of the Bay” on Tuesday. The Ford models are throwing a Hitchcock “Birds”-themed bash at The Forge on Saturday night, while DJ Sean Drake spins at a “Hollywood Resurrected” party at Social Miami on Saturday with cabanas modeled to honor the ghosts of Hollywood past. Alan Roth and Tommy Pooch bring their third annual “Bathrobes and Babydolls” to Soiree Sundays at The Raleigh, and lingerie and/or jammies are a must. Paulo, Tatanka and Roy Alpert kick off their weekly Brazilian-themed “Favela Chic” party with DJ Ross One at Mokai on Tuesday night for a ghetto fabulous affair. Veuve Clicquot brings its Annual Yelloween party to the Moore Building in the Design District on Tuesday night with special live performance by Ciara. Empire Events, Mo Garcia and Antonio Misuraca host a Halloween Masquerade Ball at China Grill on Tuesday night. And of course, SushiSamba hosts Cosplay on Tuesday night, where it is Halloween every Tuesday.

SPOTTED…

• Former President Bill Clinton visiting Jorge Perez’s home in Coconut Grove for a Jim Davis fundraiser on Friday night.
• Heatherette’s Richie Rich and Traver Rains screaming out the window of their Audi RS4 at South Beach tourists.
• Jerry Bruckheimer, Venus Williams and former Heat star Brian Grant partying at Mokai (separately) on Friday night.
• Actress Britney Daniel dancing on the stage at Mansion for Navin Chatani’s birthday on Friday night.
• Venus Williams rockin’ out with a cast on her arm at Rok Bar on Saturday night.
• Singer/actress Brandy Norwood dining at Nobu on Sunday night.
• Danny DeVito checking out the construction site of his new restaurant DeVito South Beach with partners Michael Brauser and David Manero on Sunday before bolting to eat at neighboring competition Prime One Twelve.
• Axl Rose hanging with a hot model friend at Lucky Strike on Monday night. Sources say they bowled, drank Peroni beer and when DJ Irie put on Guns N’ Roses’ hit “Welcome to the Jungle,” Rose complained, “I came here to hear hip-hop.”

Got the 411? Send comments, questions, Cowboys paraphernalia and news items to Jon@miamisunpost.com