Kanye Sweetens 16th Birthday Party
By Julene McCoy in News on May 15, 2006 7:17PM
Coming of age is important in every culture from quincenaras to bar mitzvahs to the now uber-popular Sweet Sixteen bash (Thanks, MTV). Parents now flaunt the love and affection for their children with hugely expensive parties that honor the special achievement of turning sixteen.
As we were sitting in our apartment covered in blankets Saturday, because we were not turning the heat back on, the biggest party in Chicago was Peoples Energy’s president’s daughter’s Sweet 16. Celebrating with a private party at Park West that featured none other than Kanye West, the Rogers family proved that the Second City can hold its own when it comes to throwing a party that would keep every Paris Hilton wannabe happy.
Clearly not worried about how it might look spending the rumored $100,000 plus price tag of securing an appearance by Mr. West after the company Rogers' heads was accused of entering into a one-sided gas purchasing agreement with Enron that bilked us, the natural gas customers, out of over $100 million. But, since we get $100 out of the deal reached with Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the City of Chicago, and CUB, we guess we should just thank our lucky stars and bite our tongues. Chicagoist is sure that even armed with that $100 credit in real money, we couldn’t have afforded the proper shoes to wear to the Sweet 16 bash where it was overheard, “A lot of these 16-year-olds are dressed better than me!”
We admit to having a sick fascination with watching these little divas-in-the-making demand everything from one-of-a-kind invites to entrances on the backs of himbos that prove how popular and important they are to their peers, but we question the need to flaunt that your family is so well-off with a one-time party costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. We imagine daddy’s little girl, sporting all the necessary bling, rode off into the sunset in a fabulous new convertible, chatting away on her Swarovski crystal decorated cell phone about what horrible service the wait staff provided, but how cute Kanye was when he sang “Diamonds” just for her.