Over-The- 1op
Bar And Bat

Mitzva S

Steven Tyler and Joe Perry

from Aerosmith moved aside

to allow David Brooks' nephew
a turn at the drums during his
0 cousin's bat mitzvah.

A chocolate factory, a $27,000 gown
and `Mitzvahpalooza:

Alma Dain Sharon I JointMedia News Service

right out of the water.
Here are the top five most
ridiculous bar/bat mitzvahs in
recent years:

5. Doompity Doe
For a child that was particularly
stage at a bat mitzvah
into Charlie and the Chocolate
that made all others
Factory, a re-creation of the
pale in comparison.
factory itself is what he got. Pat
James, a New York City event
planner, recalled in a 2005
Washington Post interview, "We
had a purple suit made for him,
oung Benjamin Fiedler just
and we hired these people to be Oompa
returned from a lavish Titanic-
Loompas, and they came out and danced.
themed party held logically,
We had these trees with candy all over
though maybe with a note of morbidity, on a
them, with signs that said 'Do not eat: It
cruise ship. This was simply the bar mitzvah
was fantastic."
of his friend Arnie Stein. As Benjamin also
prepares to turn 13, he can barely read his
4.A bar mitzvah on Iockdown
haftorah while trying to figure out what it
Financial scam artist Tuvia Stern hosted a
means to become a man. Meanwhile, his
bar mitzvah party for his son — get this —
parents nearly drive themselves crazy in an
from behind bars. He used his own kosher
attempt to outdo Stein's event by renting
caterer to feed 60 guests and entertained
Dodger Stadium for Benjamin's party. The
them in the jailhouse gym. "It's outrageous
ensuing events result in hilarity.
what transpired," said at least one object-
If this sounds familiar, it is either because
ing official, according to the New York Post.
it's the plot of the 2006 film Keeping Up
And yet corrections officers were actually
With the Steins, or it rings all too true
paid overtime for the extra hours it took to
with your personal observations. Simple
"supervise" this party.
synagogue gatherings or house parties with
bubble as the caterer are now a thing of the
3. Mixing business with bat mitzvah
past. Most bar/bat mitzvahs fit more com-
Consider the Ridinger family. Bat mitz-
fortably in the "extravaganza" category, but
vah girl Amber wore a $27,000 Dolce &
in recent years, some have blown the rest

recently graced the

C 62

celebrate! I

March 2012

Gabbana gown and $100,000 crystals at
her party at the Miami Beach club, The
Forge, reported MTV. The guests walked into
the venue on a pink carpet and partied
to musical entertainment by Ja Rule and
Ashanti. The club's cellar was transformed
into a "candy land" with chocolate-colored
drapes.
"Well, diamonds are a girl's best friend,"
Amber Ridinger said. Let's not forget that
every party can be a business opportunity.
The eighth-grader took care to debut her
line of club clothes, Gossip, and her com-
mercial perfume, Amber No. 13.

2. Bar mitzvah tweets
Jeff Zucker, former CEO of NBCUniversal, got
Drake to sing at his son's bar mitzvah for a
relatively "reasonable" price in comparison
to the $1 million Zucker almost shelled out
for a performance by Kanye West. Clearly,
everyone has limits. From sushi and rack
of lamb to asparagus and smoked salmon,
this feast was a culinary heaven, the New
York Post reported. Zucker entertained
his guests with a photo booth, a bracelet-
making lounge and an iPad station where
everyone could tweet to the world about the
greatest party on earth in real time. It's an
event guests will remember every time they
trot out in the pair of customized Converse
sneakers they received as gifts.

1. Mitzvahpalooza
In an event that had jaws dropping across

the country, multimillionaire Long Island
defense contractor David H. Brooks booked
two floors of a banquet facility for the more-
than-lavish bat mitzvah of his daughter in
2005, the New York Post reported. Dubbed,
"Mitzvahpalooza," Brooks had a stage built,
brought in Jumbotrons and installed special
carpeting for a concert most people would
die for.
Names in the lineup included Steven Tyler
and Joe Perry from Aerosmith, The Eagles'
Don Henley and Joe Walsh, Fleetwood
Mac's Steve Nicks, Tom Petty, and — so the
younger crowd could recognize a few names
too — DJ AM, Ciara and 50 Cent. Kenny G
serenaded the guests on sax during cocktail
hour. Apparently, Tyler and Perry even tried
to humor Brooks when he jumped on stage
and demanded to let his nephew play the
drums. Guests left the event with iPods and
digital cameras in goodie bags.
The total cost for the blowout? A cool
$10 million. Five years later, Brooks was
found guilty of insider trading and commit-
ting $185 million fraud — using his com-
pany, DHB Industries, to pay for his personal
expenses. At least his daughter reaped
some of the benefits?

Whatever kind of bar or bat mitzvah
suits your style, one thing is for sure: It is
definitely fun to see how it's (occasionally)
done. ❑