Former NBC honcho Jeff Zucker threw a lavish bar mitzvah at the Four Seasons last night for his son Andrew, with no expense spared — except Kanye West‘s staggering $1 million demand to perform.
The bash, costing well over an estimated $250,000, included a performance by rapper Drake, “tremendous” food and fine wines — and customized Converse sneakers handed out as gifts to guests.
“They went all out for this bash,” a source told Page Six of the splashy shindig at the restaurant, which is a haunt of the city’s power crowd.
Sources said the Zucker family at first wanted West to perform at the party — but the hotheaded rapper demanded $1 million for the gig. Our sources said organizers balked at West’s price and briefly considered offering him $800,000, but instead went with the more reasonably priced Drake.
Fifty of Andrew’s friends dined on sushi, smoked salmon, macaroni and cheese and a raw bar in the restaurant’s Grill Room, usually filled with titans of business during normal lunch hours. (We’re assuming Andrew got one of the power banquettes along the wall reserved for the Four Seasons’ top VIPs.)
Grown-up guests, including Katie Couric, dined on rack of lamb, roast chicken, steak, asparagus and “every type of pasta you could think of,” during the rocking event.
The kids also enjoyed a photo booth, an iPad station where they could, say, update their Facebook statuses, a bracelet-making lounge and a customized-phone-cover station.
Aside from the music, the Zuckers also roped in top-tier talent to construct the bash: Event planner Colin Cowie created customized cocktails, “Cake Boss” chef Buddy Valastro, from Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, dished out desserts, and lighting expert Bentley Meeker electrified the room.
Zucker, who left NBC last year with an exit package worth up to $40 million following the Comcast takeover and is now working on a syndicated talk show with Couric, did not return calls and e-mails. West’s rep didn’t get back to us, and Drake’s people declined to comment.