Bill Clinton's Birthday Bash Empty

JaJae · 10-29-2006, 01:21 PM

Americans snub invitation to pay $500,000 for Clinton birthday party | the Daily Mail

When America's liberal elite were offered the chance to pay up to $500,000 each (about £260,000) to attend Bill Clinton's 60th birthday extravaganza tonight - with the added promise of a private Rolling Stones concert - a packed house was expected.

Wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea sent out about 10,000 invitations to Hollywood tycoons, movie stars, captains of industry and Wall Street - with all proceeds to go to the former President's charitable foundation.

Those who pledged the top price were promised the 'Birthday Chair Package', with the best seating for the concert as well as a chance to have photographs taken with Mr Clinton during a round of golf and a three-day series of cocktail, brunch and dinner parties.

The minimum price, with inferior concert seats and no brunch, was set at $60,000 (£31,000). But with many rich Democrats sending their regrets, The Mail on Sunday can reveal that last Wednesday the Clintons drastically slashed prices to $12,500 (£6,500) for one reception and the concert, or $5,000 (£2,600) for just the Stones.

With the looming possibility of Bill and his long-suffering wife and daughter finding themselves amid a sea of empty chairs at the 2,900-seat Manhattan venue, tickets then went on sale to the public for as little as $1,710 (£900).

And there is a danger that the Clintons' plans may end in a total fiasco, after the Stones cancelled Friday's show in Atlantic City when Mick Jagger complained of a sore throat and was ordered to rest by a doctor.

The supergroup has flown to New York in preparation for today's concert but an insider said it was too soon to know whether Jagger will be fit enough to perform.

A friend of the Clintons said last night: "It is all highly embarrassing for Bill and Hillary. When they created the idea, they thought it would go like wildfire. What's not going to please some who did come up with $500,000 is finding regular Stones fans there who got last-minute tickets on the internet."

A spokesman for the Stones insisted it was always intended that the public could attend and that some seats were left unsold because director Martin Scorsese is making a film about the band. He said: "Scorsese didn't know where he wanted to put the cameras. It wasn't until that was decided that the unfilled seats could be put on sale."

Mr Clinton's Press spokesman declined to comment.

So basically Bill Clinton is having a birthday bash that nobody bought tickets to. He had to slash prices three times and he still hasn't been able to fill it. People paid $500,000 through special invitation to go to his party and some are paying $1000 and buying them on the internet now.

What's worse, his band the Rolling Stones may not even show up today. He had to cancel last night due to a sore throat.

Poor Billy. I think $500,000 was a bit absurd to begin with. And now it's too last minute.

motivez · 10-29-2006, 04:01 PM

500k is crazy. I mean, I could understand if the proceeds were going to a good cause like the foundation he's running.. but that seems incredibly excessive.