Man tried to hire FM for his son's bar mitzvah

[Livia]

Oy! But, it would be interesting to hear their version of "Hava Nagila."

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Bat mitzvah dad aiming for the stars

Sunday, November 6th, 2005

I hear that music-biz folks are joking that they'll need bulletproof vests after dealing with Long Island body-armor mogul David H. Brooks and his relentless quest to book major-name rock bands for his daughter's Nov. 26 bat mitzvah.
The 50-year-old Brooks, chairman of the Westbury-based defense contractor DHB Industries Inc., has let it be known he's willing to spend millions of dollars - virtually an unlimited budget - on a party so lavish it will require two floors of the Rainbow Room.

But so far - despite flashing cash at Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Don Henley, Neil Young and Fleetwood Mac (acts that might appeal more to a middle-aged man than to a 13-year-old girl) - I'm told that Brooks has managed to nail down only hip-hop diva Ciara.

One source close to the situation told me Brooks also has booked an unidentified "A-level act." I'm told Henley is considering the gig, as long as his seven-figure fee is paid directly to his Walden Woods Foundation. Presumably, some of the bigger-name artists will eventually come around - that is, if Brooks can keep the big checks coming and his hot temper in check.

I hear that Brooks - who in 2004 made $72.6 million in salary and exercised stock options, the highest pay of any exec on Long Island - has been given to angry rants and colorful threats in his dealings with agents, promoters and other rock-group functionaries.

In one widely circulated story, I'm told that Brooks - who, according to published reports, is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding his compensation and stock sales - is said to have threatened a William Morris agent with career-ending trouble from his "friend," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

But I hear the agent claimed ignorance about the alleged incident, describing Brooks as "a perfect gentleman."

Brooks, whose company boasts multimillion-dollar contracts with the U.S. military and has also supplied the New York Police Department, didn't respond to my detailed messages.


http://www.nydailynews.com/front/v-p...p-309201c.html