Forbes’ $5M birthday bash

Press, 21 August 1989, Page 8

Forbes’ $5M birthday bash

NZPA-AP Tangiers The magazine publisher, Malcolm Forbes, hosted a SUS 3 million (SNZS million) birthday bash for himself on Saturday night, flying in guests on the Concorde and treating them to Moroccan hospitality. In a Forbes clan kilt, Mr Forbes stood at the end of the receiving line, shaking hands with each guest. Guests lined up to pass security and draw lots for their assignments to one of several tents. At one point, the line grew to more than 140 m and took more than 40 minutes to pass through the gates of the Chateau Mendoub, Mr Forbes’ Tangiers residence.

Hundreds of Moroccan dancers and singers entertained the guests as they

wanea. King Hassan II did not attend the festivities but sent two of his sons as representatives. Others on the guest list were the former United States President, Jimmy Carter, former United States Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, two former Kings, Constantine of Greece, and Simeon of Bulgaria, and countless captains of industry. Most of the nearly 1000 guests were flown in from New York to Tangiers on three jets. Tangiers’ main thoroughfare was closed to all but partygoers hours before the affair began. Uniformed armed guards and plainclothes men were on duty early on the six-hectare garden of Mr Forbes’ mansion.

The chateau, purchased

in 1971 from a former royal governor of Tangier, stands on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean and the Straits of Gibraltar. On Saturday, midsummer heat obscured the view of the European

mainland. Mr Forbes took more than 100 journalists around the garden for a last-minute glimpse of the arrangements, including elaborately furnished tents where guests would be treated to Moroccan specialties, belly-dancing, fireworks, and dancing until dawn.

The actress, Elizabeth Taylor, who has been Mr Forbes’ companion since his 39-year marriage ended in divorce in 1985, appeared later.

Mr Forbes said his greatest birthday wish was “to live to be around to have many more of the things she gave me. The greatest of those is her passion for men.” Reporters asked Mr Forbes how he could justify giving himself such an opulent party, estim-

ated to cost more than SUS 3 million (about $5 million), amid the poverty of Morocco.

“You don’t defend it,” Mr Forbes replied. “We probably all do things in our lives that are not essential. I don’t feel guilty about it. I feel grateful we can do it." “The catering costs considerably less than it would in the West,” he said. The catering manager, Abdelkrim Timsamani, said the total catering bill would come to less than $U5750,000 (about $1,270,000). A total of 100 sheep, 600 chickens and 1500 eggs went into the dishes on the menu.

“Everything will be Moroccan,” Mr Forbes said. “Only the whisky and gin will come from elsewhere.”