Livia
10-19-2005, 04:38 PM
http://www.teenpeople.com/teenpeople/article/0,22196,1119881,00.shtml
Usher's Surprise Party
Hollywood A-listers turn out to celebrate the R&B star's 27th birthday and TEEN PEOPLE was there
By Shirley Halperin
Oct 19, 2005 09:50AM EDT
Usher hit the red carpet at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Monday, Oct. 17, in his trademark style -- all smiles and all business. The occasion? The release of his three-disc DVD set, Behind the Truth: Live in Atlanta, to Best Buy stores around the country the next day. "I almost consider it a collector's item," he proudly told TEEN PEOPLE when he arrived. "Had Michael Jackson put out something like this when I was a kid, I would've loved to have gotten it in my Christmas stocking."
Little did Usher know that as he talked about gifts and slowly made his way down a line of reporters and photographers, there was another agenda to the party, which was organized by Best Buy. A secret 27th birthday celebration (three days late) courtesy of his mom, Jonnetta Patton, and several hundred of his closest friends, including Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Ryan Phillipe, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, The Pussycat Dolls, Fergie and Will.I.Am of The Black Eyed Peas and a rarely seen Mike Tyson.
And so, the man who constantly surprises us with his moves and grooves got a few surprises of his own when he walked into the hotel's grand lobby. First came the cake: a massive chocolate delight decorated in the shape of his silouette from Cake & Art. Then there were the ice sculptures and a pair of waterfalls, streaming on stage with images of the DVD projected onto them. Next came the traditional "Happy Birthday" song, delivered by none other than Hilton herself. She took the microphone and did her best Marilyn Monroe to rousing cheers from a packed crowd. Afterwards she was so happy with her rendition that she jumped up and down backstage and told people that she even impressed herself because she didn't rehearse beforehand.
The celebrity antics didn't stop there. In one corner, Lindsay Lohan sang along to Stevie Nicks's classic "Edge of Seventeen" at the top of her lungs, while on the other side of the VIP area, Mary Kate Olsen's ex, Stavros Niachros, struggled to keep up with his new girlfriend, Paris, and eventually gave up and plopped down on a couch next to Phillipe.
In the end, it was all about the birthday boy who spent most of the night hanging out with Chriqui, Jack Osborne, Hilton, Fergie, Will.I.Am and his number one girl: mom.
"We've made a lot of great successes together," he said. "She's my mother and I love her to death." As for his next major accomplishment: look for Usher, the actor, in the upcoming movie, In The Mix. And on the musical front? "Shakira and I talked about possibly doing a record together," he said, throwing us for a loop yet again.
Usher's Surprise Party
Hollywood A-listers turn out to celebrate the R&B star's 27th birthday and TEEN PEOPLE was there
By Shirley Halperin
Oct 19, 2005 09:50AM EDT
Usher hit the red carpet at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Monday, Oct. 17, in his trademark style -- all smiles and all business. The occasion? The release of his three-disc DVD set, Behind the Truth: Live in Atlanta, to Best Buy stores around the country the next day. "I almost consider it a collector's item," he proudly told TEEN PEOPLE when he arrived. "Had Michael Jackson put out something like this when I was a kid, I would've loved to have gotten it in my Christmas stocking."
Little did Usher know that as he talked about gifts and slowly made his way down a line of reporters and photographers, there was another agenda to the party, which was organized by Best Buy. A secret 27th birthday celebration (three days late) courtesy of his mom, Jonnetta Patton, and several hundred of his closest friends, including Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Ryan Phillipe, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, The Pussycat Dolls, Fergie and Will.I.Am of The Black Eyed Peas and a rarely seen Mike Tyson.
And so, the man who constantly surprises us with his moves and grooves got a few surprises of his own when he walked into the hotel's grand lobby. First came the cake: a massive chocolate delight decorated in the shape of his silouette from Cake & Art. Then there were the ice sculptures and a pair of waterfalls, streaming on stage with images of the DVD projected onto them. Next came the traditional "Happy Birthday" song, delivered by none other than Hilton herself. She took the microphone and did her best Marilyn Monroe to rousing cheers from a packed crowd. Afterwards she was so happy with her rendition that she jumped up and down backstage and told people that she even impressed herself because she didn't rehearse beforehand.
The celebrity antics didn't stop there. In one corner, Lindsay Lohan sang along to Stevie Nicks's classic "Edge of Seventeen" at the top of her lungs, while on the other side of the VIP area, Mary Kate Olsen's ex, Stavros Niachros, struggled to keep up with his new girlfriend, Paris, and eventually gave up and plopped down on a couch next to Phillipe.
In the end, it was all about the birthday boy who spent most of the night hanging out with Chriqui, Jack Osborne, Hilton, Fergie, Will.I.Am and his number one girl: mom.
"We've made a lot of great successes together," he said. "She's my mother and I love her to death." As for his next major accomplishment: look for Usher, the actor, in the upcoming movie, In The Mix. And on the musical front? "Shakira and I talked about possibly doing a record together," he said, throwing us for a loop yet again.