Tom Jones International

Check out Herman Matthew’s journal entry about Elton John’s party. And at right is a photo of Tom with Elton John and over John’s right shoulder there’s our favorite drummer.

As he does with his annual Oscar party in the US every year, Elton John throws a huge annual fundraiser for his Elton John AIDS Foundation in the UK.

This year the party had a Las Vegas theme and was held on June 29 at John’s 37-acre estate. A boatload of famous people was in attendance and the entertainment was courtesy of Sir Elton, Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Tom.

The event was sponsored by several corporations, including the publishers of OK! magazine (which got the exclusive and that explains why this report is far after the fact — the UK edition of OK! takes awhile to get to the US ) and Chopard, the very luxe jeweler. All the guests glittered in Chopard accoutrements, including Tom who, according to the magazine, wore a “diamond-encrusted Chopard Strada watch.” (But, we believe, the magazine was wrong, as that seems to be a woman’s model and we’d bet he was most likely wearing a special Elton John AIDS Foundation timepiece like the gold and diamond one at right. “Call For Price,” the website says.)

But we digress. The point is that lots of money was raised in an unusual auction.





In fact, this auction — for such items as a trip to South Africa with Sir Elton to see the Foundation’s work in person (£800,000), a Rolls Royce Phantom drophead coupe (£800,000), a tennis lesson with (now five-time) Wimbledon champion Roger Federer (£300,000) — raised £3.5 million (that’s $7,128,388.59) for the AIDS Foundation.

When John introduced Tom he said, “I remember singing backing vocals for this man. We played together in Vegas and he’s still got the same voice. Ladies, if you throw your knickers at him you will have to donate £5,000 to the Elton John AIDS Foundation! The incredible Tom Jones!”

Dressed in what appears in this very poor photo to be a purple-y/brown pinstripe suit with brown shirt and what looks to be an ascot (!), Tom performed I Bet You Look Good… (this event served Tom as the well-publicized “dress rehearsal” for the Diana Concert two days later) and a medley of his hits. For his last number, he was joined by Sir Elton for what the magazine gushed (as it seems to do a great deal) was a “roof-raising finale of Delilah.”

Vegas regular Dita Von Teese, a very interesting woman; a burlesque queen and the ex-wife of Marilyn Manson who was on a TV show with Tom last year, told the magazine “she loved seeing Tom Jones perform…..to see Tom Jones perform was really special.” She’s got that right.