Posted on 11/30/2005 1:14:12 PM PST by NYer
History will forever record Elizabeth Brooks' bat mitzvah as "Mitzvahpalooza."
For his daughter's coming-of-age celebration last weekend, multimillionaire Long Island defense contractor David H. Brooks booked two floors of the Rainbow Room, hauled in concert-ready equipment, built a stage, installed special carpeting, outfitted the space with Jumbotrons and arranged command performances by everyone from 50 Cent to Tom Petty to Aerosmith.
I hear it was garish display of rock 'n' roll idol worship for which the famously irascible CEO of DHB Industries, a Westbury-based manufacturer of bulletproof vests, sent his company jet to retrieve Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry from their Saturday gig in Pittsburgh.
I'm also told that in honor of Aerosmith (and the $2 million fee I hear he paid for their appearance), the 50-year-old Brooks changed from a black-leather, metal-studded suit - accessorized with biker-chic necklace chains and diamonds from Chrome Hearts jewelers - into a hot-pink suede version of the same lovely outfit.
The party cost an estimated $10 million, including the price of corporate jets to ferry the performers to and from. Also on the bill were The Eagles' Don Henley and Joe Walsh performing with Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks; DJ AM (Nicole Richie's fiance); rap diva Ciara and, sadly perhaps (except that he received an estimated $250,000 for the job), Kenny G blowing on his soprano sax as more than 300 guests strolled and chatted into their pre-dinner cocktails.
"Hey, that guy looks like Kenny G," a disbelieving grownup was overheard remarking - though the 150 kids in attendance seemed more impressed by their $1,000 gift bags, complete with digital cameras and the latest video iPod.
For his estimated $500,000, I hear that 50 Cent performed only four or five songs - and badly - though he did manage to work in the lyric, "Go shorty, it's your bat miztvah, we gonna party like it's your bat mitzvah."
At one point, I'm told, one of Fitty's beefy bodyguards blocked shots of his boss performing and batted down the kids' cameras, shouting "No pictures! No pictures!" - even preventing Brooks' personal videographers and photographers from capturing 50 Cent's bat-miztvah moment.
"Fitty and his posse smelled like an open bottle of Hennessy," a witness told told me, adding that when the departing rapper prepared to enter his limo in the loading dock, a naked woman was spotted inside.
I'm told that Petty's performance - on acoustic guitar - was fabulous, as was the 45-minute set by Perry and Tyler, who was virtuosic on drums when they took the stage at 2:45 a.m. Sunday.
Henley, I hear, was grumpy at the realization that he'd agreed to play a kids' party.
I'm told that at one point Brooks leapt on the stage with Tyler and Perry, who responded with good grace when their paymaster demanded that his teenage nephew be permitted to sit in on drums. At another point, I'm told, Tyler theatrically wiped sweat off Brooks' forehead - and then dried his hand with a flourish.
Yesterday, Brooks disputed many details provided to me by Lowdown spies at the affair and by other informed sources, scrawling on a fax to me: "All dollar figures vastly exaggerated."
He added: "This was a private event and we do not wish to comment on details of the party."
LOL
How to f- up your kid at an early age....
HE'S RUINED IT FOR ALL THE OTHER FATHERS!
Wretched excess. JMO.
If Dad's still around, can you just imagine the wedding he'll throw?
Can you imagine his little princess as someone's wife?
No matter how much money was involved or how beautiful she turns out to be, I would not want to be the husband, or really, have any association at all with a family whose priorities are so distorted.
Well, some do. Based on everything I've read, that depends on whether the individual is a 'red stater' or a 'blue stater'.
It's good you're not an investor:
Huge Insider Trading Alleged: Scott + Scott, LLC Files First Securities Fraud Case Against DHB Industries, Inc.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-12-2005/0004105355&EDATE=
Uh...
What key did you want me to play that in, sir?
I may be crazy, but can I throw a party.
"I don't suppose that his daughter used the occasion to announce that in two years she will be enlisting"
at 15?
You could say the same about Heidi Fleeces, The Hollywierd Madmadam.
Or Lucy Loo(se).
Doesn't mean we NEED yet another very visible rich skank running loose & amuck.
Why do some people get so warped out as to how someone spends their own money.
You nailed it right there!
That sounds like one hell of a great time for all...Wish I could do that for my kids but I have to get the flat fixed on the truck instead!! Maybe in my next life... :0 )
Huge Insider Trading Alleged: Scott + Scott, LLC Files First Securities Fraud Case Against DHB Industries, Inc.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-12-2005/0004105355&EDATE=
"DHB and certain individual defendants including
CEO David Brooks, violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by making false
statements or failing to disclose adverse facts known to them about DHB.
Defendants' fraudulent scheme, it is alleged, (a) deceived the investing
public regarding DHB's prospects and business; (b) artificially inflated the
prices of DHB's publicly traded securities; (c) allowed defendants to sell
approximately $195.4 million of their own shares at inflated prices; and (d)
caused members of the Class to purchase DHB's publicly traded securities at
inflated prices."
This, as well as use of the corporate jet(s) may call into question whether it was really his to spend.
He may have figured that if he spends it, at least he'll have had fun with it, rather than having something tangible to give back as restitution.
You said: "It would have been great to be able to shout "You suck!" at Kenny G at the top of my lungs in such an intimate setting."
I would rather wait for Henley, so I could whip out one of my favorite Dennis Leary quotes:
"I got two words for Don Henley...Joe F***in'Walsh, OKAY?! How long is you pony tail now, Don?"
"this dog" is still just a 13 year old girl who never asked for a rich father. show a little restraint.
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