As Orson duly noted, the Derby brings together a wide array of celebrities from all points on the spectrum of fame. Popularity & attendance has really shot up over the last 10 years, and much of this has to do with a concerted effort by organizers to get as many celebrities involved as possible and change the perception of the event from a stuffy, uncool affair for rich goobers and the octagenarian set, to something that is cool because the rich, famous, and beautiful people of the world love it. Well, it has worked. There are several big celebrity parties during the week and weekend, and the celebs that come always rave about it. As a result, attendance and money spent at the track has risen each of the last ten years, and Derby is now seen in a much different way by young people than it was through the mid-90s.
Tommy: "Forget Pam. Somebody get me
a mint julep and a chicken sandwich."
Pamela Anderson boycotted this year to protest KFC owners Yum! Brands sponsorship of the event - if only they slaughtered chickens in a more humane way. OK Pam - just be consistent: I expect not to see a leather couch the next time I am over at your house. Ex-hubby and chicken lover Tommy Lee made it again this year, as did Michael Jordan, Dave Chappelle, Jermaine Dupree, Warrick Dunn, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ludacris, Travis Tritt, Serena Williams, Miss America Jennifer Berry, Dennis Hopper, Gabrielle Union, Dusty Hill from ZZ Top, and many many more. $26 million in cash was spent just at the betting windows Saturday, so even Bill Frist turned up to try to get his grubby hands on some of it. John Daly and Charles Barkley were suprisingly absent.
Supermodel/Tsunami survivor
Petra Nemcova
Superhottietennisplayer Serena Williams
Even O.J. goes to the Derby. I remember him walking past our group in 2004 and it was one of the more surreal things I have seen in my life. He kept it really classy this year by picking Lawyer Ron to win and saying, "I love lawyers, I know all about lawyers. If there was a Lawyer Johnnie, Lord knows, I'd put my house on it." That is pretty classless, even for this guy. That quote makes me think we aren't too far away from him walking around in a T-shirt that says "Hell yeah I killed that bitch.". You stay classy, San Diego.
JD texting his homies that Derby is "So So Def".
He hit a $500 trifecta earlier in the day,
but went down with A.P. Warrior in the Derby.
Jennifer Love Hewitt
More celebrity and Derby Day pics here and here.
2 comments:
Serena is welcome to ride us down the stretch with a riding crop ANY DAY. We mean that literally, as in with a saddle and bridle.
Get in line dude. I've been camping out near that stadium waiting for the ticket office to open for several years.
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