Cory Booker vs Jeff Vanderbeek: No Tickets To Newark's Springsteen Concert

Newark Mayor Booker says he was denied Springsteen tickets after blasting N.J. Devils Executive

Call him a "high-class, highfalutin huckster and hustler?"

Well then, you can just forget about those Springsteen tickets.

A day after Newark Mayor Cory Booker lashed out at Devils managing partner Jeff Vanderbeek — accusing him of exploiting the city — the mayor said the team owner turned down his request for seats to next month’s sold-out Bruce Springsteen concert at the Prudential Center.

The growing animosity follows an arbitrators’ decision earlier this week that came down hard against the city over millions in rent and parking revenues at the downtown arena.

Booker resolved this week that he would not set foot inside the Prudential Center until the revenue dispute is settled.

The uneasy partnership between Vanderbeek and Booker has long been strained by the dispute over back rent and unpaid parking revenues.

That relationship flared anew on Tuesday, after an arbitrators panel found the city — which invested $210 million in the arena — was owed $14.7 million in back rent and relocation expenses. But the arbitrators also said the city owed the Devils $15.3 million in parking revenue, excess taxes and capital costs.

The decision infuriated Booker. Calling Vanderbeek "one of the most despicable owners" in the National Hockey League, the mayor labeled the Devils owner a "highfalutin, high-class huckster and hustler."

Vanderbeek declined to discuss the matter today. But after a reporter asked whether any elected officials had sought Springsteen tickets for the May 2 concert, arena officials immediately offered a copy of a March 22 private e-mail request from the mayor’s campaign staff for tickets — a communication that ordinarily would have likely been kept confidential.

Its release gave voice to the team owner’s obvious displeasure over the mayor’s name-calling.

In the e-mail, a staffer for the mayor’s "Booker Team" wrote that Booker "would like to attend the Bruce Springsteen concert with a group of his family. I completely understand this is on high demand and probably sold out. Do you know if there is at least 4 tickets?

Originally he asked for 10, if they are available which I doubt it, please let me know if you can get us those tickets for him.

I will get his credit card as soon as you let me know how many are available."

Though Booker agreed to pay for the tickets, the concert is sold out and fans can no longer get seats unless they go to a scalper.

Booker said today the Devils’ release of the e-mail was "petty," considering he played a crucial role in getting The Boss to Newark in the first place.

"They called me and asked me to lobby to get Bruce Springsteen to come to the arena," Booker said referring to conversations with the Devils. "I went through a lot of hoops to try to get him to come here."

Booker also noted that despite putting up the bulk of the money to build the arena, the city has no seats for big events.

"Usually when the government bodies put in a large amount of money, the officials have some tickets for community use," Booker said, adding that the tickets were not for his family. "This is something that Jeff never allowed for."

The mayor said the Devils informed him today that his ticket request had been denied, which is rendered moot by his refusal to set foot in the arena until the rent and parking dispute is resolved.

Asked if Prudential Center denied the mayor’s request, a spokesman for the arena said Booker’s statement "simply is not true."

Booker, a lifelong Springsteen fan, said he was going to see Bruce at Madison Square Garden Friday night.


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Sources: CBS, David Letterman Show, NJ.com, Youtube, Google Maps

Clarence & Bruce Perform "Glory Days" In Glastonbury 2009 (Video)

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Sources: Guardian.co.uk, Youtube, Google Maps

Clarence "Big Man" Clemons Dead At 69! Bruce & Clarence Forever! R.I.P. (Videos)

Bruce Springsteen on Clarence Clemons: 'His Loss is Immeasurable'

Bruce Springsteen has released this statement about Clarence Clemons' death:

Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage. His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years.

He was my great friend, my partner and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band.





E Street Band's Clarence Clemons Dies at 69

Clarence Clemons, the legendary saxophonist in the E Street Band who played alongside Bruce Springsteen for the past 40 years, died on June 18th. Clemons had suffered a massive stroke on June 12th. While initial signs had been hopeful after his hospitalization and two subsequent brain surgeries, he reportedly took a turn for the worse later in the week. He was 69.

Clemons – known affectionately to fan and friends as the Big Man – was the heart and soul of the E Street Band. His playing on tracks like "Born To Run," "Thunder Road," "Jungleland," "Dancing In The Dark" and countless more represent some of the most famous sax work in the history of rock & roll. "The story I have told throughout my work life I could not have told as well without Clarence," Springsteen wrote in the introduction to Clemons' 2009 memoir Big Man: Real Life and Tall Tales.

So much has been said and written about the stormy night in Asbury Park in 1971 when Clemons met Springsteen that it's hard to separate fact from myth. At the time, Springsteen was a struggling musician playing the New Jersey bar circuit and Clemons was a former college football player who spent his nights playing sax in clubs along the shore. "It was raining and thundering like a motherfucker," Clemons wrote in his memoir. "When I opened the door it blew off the hinges and flew down the street . . . Somebody introduced me to Bruce, everybody knew everybody, and he asked me if I wanted to sit in."

Clemons soon became part of Springsteen's backing band (not yet known as the E Street Band), and when Bruce recorded his debut LP Greetings From Asbury Park in the summer of 1972, Clemons was brought in for the sessions. Over the next two decades, Clemons became the most recognizable member of the E Street Band – for his massive size, equally huge personality and his onstage role as Springsteen's foil.

He's the only member of the band on the cover of Born To Run with Springsteen. "When you open it up and see Clarence and me together, the album begins to work its magic," Springsteen wrote in Clemons' memoir. "Who are these guys? Where did they come from? What is the joke they are sharing? A friendship and a narrative steeped in the complicated history of America begins to work and there is music already in the air."

In the 1980s, Clemons began a second career as an actor, appearing in TV shows like Diff'rent Strokes and movies such as Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. He also scored a solo hit in 1985 with "You're A Friend Of Mine," a duet with Jackson Browne. He was on tour with Ringo Starr's All Star Band in 1989 when Springsteen phoned him to say he was breaking up the band. "I didn't speak or even attempt to interject," Clemons wrote in his memoir. "I got very quiet and stopped smiling. In fact, it looked to Ringo like I was being told about somebody dying."

The E Street Band reformed in 1999 and has been incredibly active ever since. Clemons loved being back on the road, even as he battled incredible pain with his knees, back and hips. Earlier this year, he played sax on two tracks on Lady Gaga's new album Born This Way. He appears in the recently released video for "Edge of Glory," and his final live performance was with Gaga on the season finale of American Idol.



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Sources: AP, Rolling Stone, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

"Hope For Haiti" Program Highlights

Telethon Tries To Raise "Hope For Haiti"


Solemn music from the world's biggest stars served as the soundtrack to Friday night's telethon for Haiti relief, but the fundraiser ended with Wyclef Jean shouting "Enough of the moping, let's rebuild Haiti."

Organizers did not immediately say how much money was raised during the two-hour "Hope for Haiti Now" show, but donations will continue to flow in as the phone lines remained open and the night's musical performances are sold on iTunes.

A moving performance by Alicia Keys opened the telethon. Actor George Clooney, serving as the Los Angeles host for the event, made the first appeal for donations to raise money for relief efforts after last week's devastating earthquake.

"The Haitian people need our help," Clooney said. "They need to know they are not alone. They need to know that we still care."

The show was one of the most widely distributed prime-time televised benefits in history, appearing simultaneously on more than 25 networks -- including CNN, where Anderson Cooper reported live from Haiti during the event.

Children left homeless and orphaned by the earthquake were front and center.

"Hundreds and thousands of children in Haiti are lost and they're looking for their parents," actress Halle Berry said. "Please, look into your heart. Please, help these children of Haiti."

Cooper, in one of several live appearances, was joined by 5-year-old Monley, a Haitian boy who was pulled alive -- but severely dehydrated -- from the rubble nearly eight days after the quake. Ten members of his family, including both parents, were killed.

Actor Samuel L. Jackson, walking in front of a phone bank staffed by celebrities, assured viewers that "100 percent of your donations will go directly to organizations that are on the ground right now."

More than 100 actors, musicians and other celebrities answered phones in New York and Los Angeles -- after professional operators first talked to donors.

"Thank you so much for your donation," actress Reese Witherspoon told one caller. "You can't imagine how much love and great, wonderful energy is here today. People are doing everything they can to make a difference in these people's lives."

"I'm just calling to help out," the male donor said. "I couldn't donate a lot, but what I could I did donate."

Several other calls were aired live, including with Julia Roberts, Steven Spielberg, Taylor Swift and Stevie Wonder.

Boxing great Muhammed Ali appeared with comedian Chris Rock by his side.

Ali -- who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 25 years ago -- sat silently as Rock delivered a message he said was written by Ali.

"There's an old saying that charity begins at home, but it cannot end there," Rock said.

Jean -- a native of Haiti and the New York host for the event -- talked about his visit last week to Haiti.

"I was there to clear away concrete and pull away rubble," Jean said. "I carried bodies of my people to the cemetery."

Jean's "Yele Haiti Foundation" will receive some of the money raised.

"From the ashes we shall rise, so please give what you can," he said.

Bruce Springsteen performed "We Shall Overcome," a spiritual that became the anthem of the U.S civil rights movement.

"This is a small prayer for Haiti," Springsteen said as he began.

Other musical performers included Stevie Wonder, Shakira, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Coldplay, Christina Aguilera, Taylor Swift, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, Jennifer Hudson, Madonna, Dave Matthews and Neil Young.

Bono, The Edge, Jay-Z and Rihanna also joined for a song.

Haitian singer Emeline Michel performed "Many Rivers to Cross," a Jimmy Cliff song.

Other celebrities appearing on the telethon included John Stewart, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman, Ben Stiller, Clint Eastwood and Denzel Washington.

The show -- presented by MTV -- was carried on CNN.com/Live and the CNN iPhone application. Other networks airing "Hope for Haiti" included ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, BET, The CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT. The show was also aired on the Discovery's eco-lifestyle television network, Planet Green.

Proceeds from the telethon will benefit Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, UNICEF, the U.N. World Food Programme, Yele Haiti Foundation, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Foundation.

The event is not the first time the stars have come out to drum up donations in the aftermath of a catastrophe.

Celebrities stepped up to lend their names and voices to telethons after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in South Asia. The predecessor of them all was Live Aid, which raised millions for the continent of Africa and was broadcast around the world in 1985.

Judy McGrath, the CEO of MTV Networks, told People magazine that she received a phone call from Clooney two days after the earthquake. The actor wanted to help, she said.

"He jumped in with such incredible commitment," McGrath said. "And he had already spoken to Bono, Wyclef, Sting and Bruce."

That commitment became the foundation for "Hope for Haiti." Putting his money where his star power is, Clooney has donated $1 million.

Sandra Miniutti, vice president of the charity evaluation organization Charity Navigator, said the relationship between charities and stars is mutually beneficial.

"The celebrity looks more altruistic to the public. They are seen doing good things and it makes them more endearing," she said. "For the charity, it makes them more important that they are able to be affiliated with such a well-known person."

Charities wouldn't be able, financially, to pay for the type of publicity and exposure celebrities bring to a cause, Miniutti said. And the success of drives such as the "American Idol" campaign, "Idol Gives Back," show the public doesn't mind programming that both entertains and inspires generosity.

In the case of Haiti, Miniutti said she believes the devastating images and stories are having a profound effect on the public.

"We are just seeing such a tremendous outpouring of support," she said. "I think people really do want to help."

Musical performances from the telethon will be available for purchase and download from Apple's iTunes store. Apple, the record labels and the artists have pledged to donate their share of the proceeds to Haiti relief funds managed by the telethon charities.

Sources: CNN