Observer » 40/40 Club

Can Jay-Z and Beyoncé Top Anna Wintour in Obama Fundraising?

Drew Grant — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 12:25:52 -0400

Jay-Z and Beyonce (Getty Images)

Probably not, seeing as the Vogue editor in chief was just announced as being the fourth-biggest fund-raiser for Barack Obama's re-election campaign in a document released to The New York Times. But this was due in no small part to the $40,000-dollar-a-plate dinner she held over at Sarah Jessica Parker's house back in June: that event raised approximately $2,000,000 on that night alone.

Now the president and first lady of hip-hop want to give the editrix a run for her money.

On September 18, the duo will be holding a fundraiser for President Obama at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in the Flatiron District. The event will also charge $40,000 aplate, but the scoop from Page Six says that they will cap the number of guests at 100 ... meaning that they expect more than that to try and show up. If they reach their capacity, the duo could end up raising $4 million for the president's re-election campaign, putting him leagues ahead of Anna Wintour, or even Andrew Tobias for that matter.

W.i.P.’s Bottle Service Bash: The Fallout

Drew Grant — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:13:55 -0400

You won't be seeing this at Barclays' 40/40 Club (Patrick McMullan)

After last week's glass-shattering fracas between Drake and Chris Brown at SoHo's W.i.P., New York's nightclub scene might be seeing a dip in bottle service. Hey, we're not complaining.

Jay-Z in particular is taking a stand against bottles, which are used by gentleman to broadcast to anyone in the nearby vicinity that they are, in fact, ballers. Though his 40/40 clubs in in Chelsea and Atlantic City will still offer the service, the proposed location at Barclays Center--where the rapper holds a stake in the Brooklyn Nets--has put its foot down.

As a spokesperson for Forest Ratner, the developer for Barclays, told The New York Post:

“The 40/40 Club will have no bottle service,”...defining that as “bottles of hard liquor,” such as gin and vodka, “being sold at inflated prices of up to $600 . . . to be purchased and [drunk] all at once in a club setting.”

Since the Center is already having a tough time getting their license--thanks to outcry from community leaders who believe that offering drinks after sporting events will lead to trouble-- this move could be seen as a compromise for the more extreme forms of alcohol consumption on the premises.

Champagne and wine will still be available in bottle form, once the club gets its liquor license, that is.

‘This is Obviously More Serious,’ Says Nightclub Rep Ron Berkowitz of the Brother Jimmy’s Lawsuit

Irina Aleksander — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:55:31 -0400

According to The New York Post, a 31-year-old woman is suing Upper West Side nightclub Brother Jimmy's after suffering second- and third-degree burns at the bar in March when a bartender failed to execute a stunt with Bacardi 151. The bartender was reportedly prompted by the song Great Balls of Fire coming on the jukebox, at which point he poured the rum across the bar and set it on fire. The flames blew back into the bottle and into Lauren Sclafani's face. Ms. Sclafani was rushed to the hospital and treated for burns on her hands and face.

The spokesman for the bar chain happens to be Berk Communications President Ron Berkowitz. This is not the first time Mr. Berkowitz has had to deal with public litigations at the various nightlife spots he reps, which have included Crobar, Libation, Pink Elephant, PM and Jay Z's 40/40 Club. There was that $2.37 million lawsuit against PM in 2006, filed by a couple who complained about the noise. A number of lawsuits have been brought against the 40/40 Club, including Michael Jackson and R. Kelly suing over copyright infringement of their songs in June 2007, a former sales associate last October claiming she was fired for being pregnant, and a former waitress this July who claimed that club failed pay her overtime or even minimum wages.

"With respect to the lawsuit, we cannot comment at this time for legal reasons," said Mr. Berkowitz when the Daily Transom reached him on his cell phone this morning. "But I can say that we have tremendous compassion for the victim."

We wondered what the experienced nightlife rep with the lengthy list of high-profile clients had to say about having to deal with the uncomfortable lawsuits over the past few years.

Mr. Berkowitz clarified that he no longer reps the 40/40 Club as of about six months ago, and added, "Most of those lawsuits were B.S.--people trying to get money out of Jay. A lot of it had little merit. This is obviously more serious."

40/40 Club's Manager Will Lock You Up

Irina Aleksander — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:42:11 -0400

Last month, Celeste Williams, a former waitress at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club filed a class-action suit claiming that the Chelsea club failed to pay overtime or even minimum wage to its employees. And earlier this month, the New York Post reported that a Manhattan judge ordered the rapper to hand over records of all employees over the last three years to see just which of the clubs employees may have been mistreated.

But now, the Post is reporting that the club's general manager, Desiree Gonzalez is trying to cover up information, threatening several employees not to take part in the lawsuit or else.

Ms. Gonzalez reportedly told one employee that she would "fuck up his tax life" if he chose to participate in the suit. She allegedly threatened another by saying she would "lock him up" if he didn't sign a release from the suit, although it is not clear where exactly she planned to lock him up.

Whether she was acting out of her own to protect the club from bad press or she was encouraged to dispense threats is unclear.