03/26/2007
Elton John Celebrates 60th Birthday with Lavish NYC Fete
Elton John celebrated his 60th birthday over the weekend in New York, with a cocktail gathering and dinner at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Saturday night for 400 guests, followed by a Sunday night concert at Madison Square Garden for 20,000, where Bill Clinton took the stage to introduce him. Clinton congratulated Elton, telling the crowd, "Thank you for coming tonight to help celebrate Elton joining my favourite club, the 60-year-olds’ club. I love it every time he plays. He reminds me we’ve all got a little bit of juice left. Elton has given us enough just from his music — there’s nothing quite like it."
A few details about the events: Elton wore a tux embroidered with the words 'Eltono Es Bueno'. Mary J Blige, the Scissors Sisters and Tony Bennett entertained guests at the dinner. £50,000 worth of flowers decorated the tables. Donatella Versace, defying the black and white dress code in a lavender number, took a spill up the stairs as she arrived. And Sunday night was Elton's 60th performance at Madison Square Garden, a record for a single artist at the venue. Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg toasted him on stage there, where Williams called him "a man who used to make Liberace look Amish."
Made in Brazil has a few clips of the event.
Not forgotten was Elton's longtime songwriting partner: "The evening's biggest guest was a non-performer: Bernie Taupin, Sir Elton's lyricist and creative partner of 40 years. Emerging on the heels of Mr. Williams – and upstaging him in the only possible setting where he could – Mr. Taupin led the audience in singing 'Happy Birthday.' Sir Elton reciprocated by giving credit where it's due: 'Without Bernie Taupin none of us would be here tonight. Because the words have always come first.'"
British tabloid The Sun took the opportunity to celebrate Elton's words with a collection of 60 of his bitchiest quotes, including this claim: "I am the most well-known homosexual in the world." At least it may have seemed that way on Sunday night.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 10:25 AM EST by Andy in Elton John, Music, New York, News | Permalink
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"I am the most well-known homosexual in the world."
But for the Pope, that might be true.
Posted by: Michael | Mar 26, 2007 12:00:18 PM
Elton successfully sued Murdoch's tabloid for libel in 1987 so they rarely miss an opportunity to bitch at him themselves.
Posted by: John C | Mar 26, 2007 12:46:35 PM
Hmmm. Nowhere could I find the words, "profits from the event went to fight AIDS/support gay youth/support marriage equality in the US/Fill In the Blank."
Posted by: Leland | Mar 26, 2007 1:07:53 PM
"Happy Birthday to meeeeeeeeee!!"
Isn't the money being donated to charity??
Posted by: anon | Mar 26, 2007 1:25:22 PM
It was an amazing party. I saw some clips on TV. Elton knows how to go all out. Congrats Elton!
Posted by: Jack! | Mar 26, 2007 1:29:09 PM
It's weird, cause everyday I find myself loving this man a little more.
Happy birthday Elton!!
Posted by: Da | Mar 26, 2007 6:37:01 PM
It's all very pathetic. He hasn't had a decent album in decades and he grasps onto a gay icon-hood that many people probably feel is undeserved. One only has to recall his years of silence after admitting to being "bi". He broke no new ground and has been a hack performer for ages. Andy's complicity in this pathetic show is just as bad.
Posted by: Rich | Mar 26, 2007 10:20:10 PM
and when was the last time your charities gave food, homes, and medicines to AIDS victims Rich? In fact, when was the last time you personally gave 2 million pounds of your own money to fight AIDS?
While I don't think a whole lot of Elton's style of music, I can admit that the man has done a whole lot of good for others, gay or str8.
Oh....and where are all the commentors ragging on Elton for hiding his gayness for over 20 years, partaking of a sham marriage and all the rest? You sure can come out of the woodwork to pile on a young man from Aussieland who has been in the public eye for just a couple years and just now has come out.....but your nowhere to be seen on this thread. Hypocrites
Posted by: joshua | Mar 26, 2007 11:03:47 PM
We've all got our own "war stories" vis-a-vis, coming out. Yet several people here chastize Elton for doing it in his time.
And if you don't care for his music, that's fine (I happen to think he and Bernie Taupin are a brilliant duo), but I think we can all acknowledge and say 'Thank you, Elton!' for the money and time he's given toward fighting AIDS/HIV.
Posted by: Stephen | Mar 27, 2007 9:18:16 AM
lol From the weekly brief: "Elton John becomes a sexagenarian". Sex idol? no, no, a sexagenarian.
Posted by: Aviel | Mar 31, 2007 5:19:16 PM
I don't get people who bitch about the likes of Elton John by either complaining that he's not devoting his life to charity or by observing that most of his greatest hits were recorded years ago or that he "only" came out as bi-sexual more than 30 years ago.
Get over yourselves and give the man some credit. His life has been a train wreck and an inspiration at the same time.
If the only thing he'd ever done was record "Your Song," I'd still be grateful.
Posted by: alan | Apr 2, 2007 12:49:36 AM