Tabloid Baby's Mitzvahpalooza photos help convict war profiteer in fraud case

Tabloid Baby has aided in the conviction of body armour mogul and Iraq war profiteer David H. Brooks on 17 counts, including insider trading and securities fraud, stemming from what prosecutors described as corporate looting and stock-trading schemes that made him more than $190 million.

The multimillionaire from Long Island was found guilty yesterday of looting his business to fuel a lavish lifestyle-- including the infamous "Mitzvahpalooza": the $10 million Rainbow Room bat mitzvah where stars inclusing 50 Cent, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Don Henley, Kenny G, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and Ciara serenaded his coming-of-age daughter.

The New York Daily News reports that:

"As proof, prosecutors showed the federal jury damning photos of Brooks holding court at the staggeringly opulent 2005 bat mitzvah for daughter Elizabeth."

The photos of that bat mitzvah, an embarrassment and shame to the rap and rock legends who were exposed as sellouts for making themselves available like balloon artists or party clowns, were first tracked down and published here on TabloidBaby.com- in November 2005- then republished and broadcast-- with credit-- to this news organization.

(See our original posts and exclusive photos here, here, here, here, and here.)

Brooks was indicted in 2007. Tabloid Baby was not called to testify in the case, nor were our photos ever subpoenaed.

photos © Tabloidbaby.com

Money talks: Steven Tyler rejoins Aerosmith

Aerosmith announced on their website that after months hints that he'd quit, a stint in rehab and threats to replace him, Steven Tyler is back with the band and ready to tour.

The band is heading out with their "Cocked, Locked and Ready to Rock" European tour this summer.


Tyler's been acting strange since he fell off a stage and broke his leg back in August. For a time, he huddled with Tabloid Baby pal Mark Hudson to work on his autobiography before being convinced to clean up his act. He and Joe Perry, meanwhile, rarely spend time in the same room, and they managed to get four of the five members together for the reunion announcement video on the website.


Most striking in the video is the obvious toll throat cancer has taken on bassist Tom Hamilton, who's been replaced on tour periodically in recent years by longtime Aerosmith and Tabloid Baby pal David Hull.


He is, however, still rockin'.

Good news for David Hull

It took most of the mainstream media about three days to catch up with our report on Friday that Joe Perry was claiming that Steven Tyler had quit Aerosmith, but as soon as they did catch up, Steven Tyler came out and denied it.

Tyler walked onstage at the Fillmore in New York where The Joe Perry Project (with bassist and Aerosmith fill-in player David Hull) was performing last night and announced:

"I just want New York to know, I am not leaving Aerosmith! And Joe Perry, you are a man of many colours but I, motherfucker, am the rainbow!"

Then they played 'Walk This Way.' Tyler ended the song with his arm around Perry.

First Oasis, now Aerosmith

Joe Perry says Steven Tyler has quit Aerosmith.

Just this morning, we were watching a CNN clip about Aerosmith's performance in Abu Dhabi and noticed that Perry and Tyler were interviewed separately, Tyler alongside his new partner in crime, Tabloid Baby pal Mark Hudson. Perry says the Abu Dhabi show was the band's last, and that he learned of Tyler's decision "online" but hasn't been able to confirm it because Tyler doesn't return his calls. He denied guitarist Brad Whitford's claim that the band would look for a new frontman.

Tyler didn't look all that steady in the Abu Dhabi interview. Then again, he fell off a stage and broke things not to long ago.

Aerosmith is cited as an influence in the book, Tabloid Baby. We've also been following the story of hometown rock 'n' roll hero David Hull, who's been filling in now and then for Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton, and most recently been holding down the bottom for the reunited Joe Perry Project.

David Hull is on the road with Joe Perry

We've written extensively in the past few years about the rock 'n' roll star resurgence of Seventies hometown hero David Hull as he's filled in for the ailing bass player Tom Hamilton on various Aeorsmith tours. Now that injuries and other maladies have led to an Aerosmith hiatus, guitarist Joe Perry has resurrected his Joe Perry Project. David Hull was the bassist with the the Project the first time around in 1979.

See the tour schedule here.