“Bar Mitzvah Disco” is a funny book featuring pics and stories of the wildest, most extravagant Jewish coming-of-age raves from the ’60s to the ’90s. And we were happy to come across one Denver bat mitzvah, the Jungle Fever-themed party for Donald and Diane Huttner’s daughter Stephanie.
It came down Feb. 28, 1987, at the Fairmont Hotel (now the Grand Hyatt). Stephanie’s safari brought in elephants from the Denver Zoo, snakes and tigers from California, actors playing monkeys for the 500 guests. And there’s a wonderful picture in the book of the entire Huttner family posing in safari gear with Baby Mac the Elephant.
“This Bat Mitzvah is legendary in Denver,” says the book, “even after the sad demise of Baby Mac the Elephant.”
Well, a lot has changed since the party. The Huttners are no longer married. Stephanie is a married mom living in Arkansas. And Baby Mac did not die at the party – not even of embarrassment.
It was some shindig. Even I was invited, writing about society in those days for the Rocky.
“Yes, it was very unusual,” says Donald, noting that the fete cost the family about about $250,000.
“People still come up and talk to me about it,” says Diane. “It was a fun time in a fun era.”
Since ’87, there have been bigger bat and bar mitzvahs in Denver, most notably Iris and Michael Smith’s party for daughter Kaily Smith in ’96. But it didn’t make the book.
A B’way revue-sical is in the works for “Bar Mitzvah Disco” by three Denver producers, including Lisa Gilford. But who’s gonna play Diane and Donald?
Tower of power
A full house filled Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret for it’s debut Friday night – and ripped it up with Lannie Garrett’s classic
Patsy DeCline Show.
The room is something to see – a wild clock-filled explosion from artist Lonnie Hanzon. Spotted in the crowd: Thom Wise, Cliff Young (just back from a swank party at the Little Nell in Aspen, where Daniel Boulud cooked the grub), Cynthia Madden, Denver Councilwoman Judy Montero, outgoing Denver librarian Rick Ashton, Lisa Herzlich, Sylvia Atencio, Bruce Ducker, Erica Brown – getting drinks from former Emogene GM Ginger Strong. On Saturday night, it was
J Madden, Dee Chirafisi and Sharon Linhart.
Racing
“The Amazing Race 9” debuts on CBS on Feb. 28 – and one of the 11 teams is from Silverthorne – Barry Lazarus, 63, and Fran Lazarus, 61. They’ve been married 40 years.
CBS won’t let us talk to the couple until they get kicked off or win. And the network won’t confirm that the race started here in Denver in November. But it did, at Red Rocks – and then the contestants raced to and through DIA, followed by a camera crew.
City spirit
“The Smell of the Kill” opens on Valentine’s Day, of all days, at the Avenue Theater. It’s about three wives deliberating the murders of their husbands. Ah, love … A kinder, gentler Valentine’s Day celebration comes down Feb. 13 at Dazzle with Joe Bonner (piano) and Barbara Paris (vocals) performing one love song after another … Tix to “Mamma Mia” went on sale Sunday; the show’s at the Buell March 14-26 … Sez who: “It’s always darkest before it goes pitch black.” Connie Winkler
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Husted also appears on Fox 31 News. You can reach him at 303-820-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com.
