An uptown crowd gathered at a pre-party for the upcoming 80th birthday bash for the Apollo Theater. Apollo board chairman Dick Parsons christened host John Demsey, the CEO of Estée Lauder-owned MAC Cosmetics, the “MAC Daddy of Harlem.”
He added of Demsey’s art-filled town house, “I don’t know if we’re in a museum, a gallery or emporium.”
Apollo CEO Jonelle Procope mingled Thursday with Ronald and William Lauder, Amanda Hearst, Stephen Petronio, Marcus Samuelsson and Cornelia Guest.
The Apollo’s main event, on June 10, is produced by Bronson van Wyck with performances by Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, the Human League and Natalie Cole.