Now that Jay-Z is a daddy, the hip-hop mogul may not be watching as much sports as he used to. But he’s sure got the digs to do so when he’s ready.
The entrepreneur will unveil his revamped nightclub/sports bar 40/40 on Wednesday with a slew of celebs including A-Rod.
Jay-Z and his partner in the “luxury sports club,” Juan Perez, opened 40/40 back in 2003. They’ve just spent $10 million to transform it, including more than a million in audio and video installations.
The sound system is a small arena system like the Hammerstein Ballroom, and the lead designer, J
effrey Beers, said he has drawn on the “energy, grandeur and opulence of NYC night life.”
What’s new? Custom-illuminated amber resin bar tops, illuminated bottle-display towers, leather wall upholstery, plush lounge banquettes and giant television screens, as well as a second floor catwalk so guests can ogle each other.
The club’s four VIP rooms also got a make-over, with custom chandeliers, oak paneling with silver leaf molding, oak-wood floors, custom billiard tables and bespoke lounge seating; an extra VIP room was also added.
Jay-Z’s private room is the biggest of the five VIP rooms by far at 950 square feet compared with the other rooms, that are a paltry 250 square feet each. “In Jay-Z’s room you can be in your own club, with 100 guests,” said a spokeswoman.
Guests can order from a new menu by Jay-Z’s personal chef, Mike Shand, who is amping up the sports-bar menu and taking typical sports food like wings and tacos “to the next level.” Julie Earle-Levine
Shame game
Fox Searchlight’s “Shame” is becoming a hit at the box office as well as on the awards circuit despite its seemingly problematic NC-17 rating.
Although a handful of theater chains refused to show the film about a Manhattan man dealing with sex addiction, “Shame” has been a steady ticket performer, grossing $2.5 million in the US since its release last month. Figuring in international ticket sales, the $6.5 million film has made $4.3 million worldwide.
Lead actor Michael Fassbender has also received acclaim for his revealing performance opposite Carey Mulligan, including a Best Actor nomination at tonight’s Golden Globes.
We caught up with Fassbender at last week’s National Board of Review Awards, where he was recognized for his work in four films. He told us that he finds “Shame’s” success “really encouraging,” suggesting that some audiences aren’t dissuaded by the movie’s risqué subject matter.
“I’ve always felt that there are intelligent audiences out there that like to be challenged and actually come to the cinema and do a little bit of work themselves,” Fassbender said. “And I think this sort of proves that theory: Audiences aren’t stupid; they don’t need to be spoon-fed.” Hilary Lewis
Stein’s way
Ben Stein claims in a suit that you can’t take my money. The former Nixon speechwriter alleges he’s a victim of political discrimination by Kyocera Corp. and New York ad agency Seiter & Miller Advertising, in Los Angeles Superior Court this week.
The conservative spokesman says in the suit that his position on climate change had him frozen out of a $300,000 acting gig, only to be replaced by a look-alike.
He’s charging breach of contract, wrongful discharge and emotional distress over his contract being canceled because of his stated views that the cause of global warming is still to be determined and may not be man-made. Post staff
Retail recap
Where are all the wunderkinder in retail, those plucky upstarts that have seen big growth spurts despite the economy’s tough tests? Tomorrow, a few — including top execs from Gilt Groupe, Under Armour and Whole Foods — will be hashing through their successes and failures at Financo’s annual retail seminar.
“This year, we looked for new, exciting companies that weren’t around 10 years ago, or that have seen significant growth in last 10 years,” Financo Chairman Gilbert Harrison told OTM.
Featured trailblazers will include Christopher Burch who, having co-founded the wildly successful Tory Burch label with its namesake designer — his ex-wife — is now courting controversy with a new venture.
Above all, the cocktail gathering serves as a warm-up for deal-makers in the fashion and consumer niches. “People are trying to find brands with international potential and growth,” says Financo CEO Colin Welch, adding that he’s particularly optimistic there will be a rash of deals in the health and beauty niches. “Absent any shocks to the system, the markets appear to be cooperating.” James Covert