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."
Well put.
G-d bless his daughter, indeed and he doesn't sound like a bad guy, just kind of...well...out of touch with reality. The idea of what he's doing for his daughter is wonderful, but 10 million is a little over the top, don't you think?
Fine and dandy Lauralee but if my old man made me listen to his music at my birthday party, I'd be ticked.
Anyway, that's like one percent of what Aerosmith got.
This truly is disgusting, I agree. What a blatant anti-Jewish waste of wealth. A bat Mitzvah should be a day in which family and friends congratulate the little one as she graduates from being a girl to a (very) young woman. She is now in charge of her own behavior, on her own in choosing the right things to do, and she should learn from her parents how to stay on a more holy path. Feasting and enjoying oneself is OK, but this gross conspicuous display is sinful. A far better mitzvah would have been to donate that $$.
About the time my daughter was preparing for her confirmation her Jewish friends were being Bat and Bar Mitvah-ed. After about the 3rd weekend of parties she asked her father and me, what will I get when I'm confirmed? Our reply...a gold cross on a chain and a prayerbook.
We did have a tea for her when she turned 16.
Some of her Jewish friends did have elaborate parties, but nothing as outlandish as this.
There are plenty of worthy causes were the money could be put to much better use. There are people made homeless and destitute by the disengagement, and by Hurricane Katrina.
In Russia, my son is in charge of soup kitchens, Hebrew schools, orphanages, yeshivot, all of which could use more donation.
Do what? And what is the 11th commandment you refer to? I know the 10 commandments, but who added one more? I don't care what that guy does with his own money, or for that matter, I don't care what anyone does with their money, do you think I should? I just figure he got a lot of folks some work and he paid them for it. Hoorah for him!! And hoorah for them. I think if that is what he wants to do for his daughter then that is his business. I wish I could do the same.(only I would have better singers and bands!)
F-ck the 11th Commandment! ;-)
"And what is the 11th commandment you refer to? I know the 10 commandments, but who added one more?"
Ronald Reagan.
"Thou shall not attack a fellow Republican" (or somesuch).
Well, what do I know? If Reagan said it, I'll agree with it. I'm thinking she thought I attacked the dude with the big bucks and his party. I don't think I did, as I really don't care what anyone does with their cash, nor should anyone else care. Wish I had it to blow like he did, and I probably would do the same thing if I had that kind of jack to spend on my kids.
Attacking someone for being rich is wrong.
Attacking someone for turning his kid into a spoiled brat is not.
I could set my kids up for life (not to exactly to this extent, mind you), but at age 10, the eldest will get her first taste of mending barbed-wire fences. That will be her easiest job.
Funny tagline.
:)
I have that same philosophy. All my children learned from personal experiances the value of a dollar, the real value of hard work, and what an exciting thing it is to make it on your own. We kept them so busy they didn't have too much time to find trouble, and I must say, I have some of the greatest children in the world.
$10 million just boggles the mind. We have to save up for dentist appointments. We couldn't afford even a small "bar Mitzvah" party for our son. It's just sick that he doesn't use his money, G-d bless him for earning it, for Good in this world.
I read this story aloud to my bf last night. His nephew's bar mitzvah was a couple of weeks ago, and he and I speculated how much the reception cost. Lol!
Yes, this particular display was disgusting. You realize the party was more for him, than for his daughter.
Mazel tov!
LMFAO
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