Daily Front Row

2011 May 2

FFawning over Mary J.

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Mary J. Blige
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(NEW YORK) A mob scene gathered on the sidewalks outside the Hammerstein Ballroom last night for Mary J. Blige's 2nd Annual Honors Concert to benefit FFAWN's Scholarship Fund. On the tapis rouge, Mary J divulged her own college aspirations. "If I had finished high school and gotten a scholarship, I would have majored in accounting. I always want to know what they know--about my money," the songstress admitted. Last year, Mary J completed her high school GED exam, proving to her young FFAWN candidates the importance of school. "I learned the hard way that education is power," she added. Inside, co-hosts Robbie Myers and Queen Latifah joined Donna Karan, Taraji P. Henson, Evan Rachel Wood, Kerry Washington, Dianna Agron, Russell Simmons, Brad Goreski and more on cushy lounge sofas during the award ceremony, sipping Belvedere specials like the FFoenix Sparkler and the MintDiva FFizz and polishing off bite-sized bacon cheeseburgers, tator tots, lobster mac 'n' cheese, and dainty lemon tarts. "I can start to feel the energy--hear the cha-ching running around," laughed Queen Latifah onstage, urging guests to drink up and dig deep into their Gucci-clad ensembles to donate to the scholarship fund.

Myers, who met Mary J at a private Gucci dinner a couple years ago, is no stranger to college scholarships. The Elle EIC once nabbed a diving scholarship to Colorado State. Vraiment? "Yes, I was on the team. Divers are like baseball players. We're deeply superstitious, because when you're dripping wet and half-naked in your bathing suit in front of everyone, it can be pretty embarrassing when you screw up," said Myers. Where does the pool-bound editrix like to practice these days? "In my own penthouse pool," she mused. "Someday!" 

After the awards ceremony, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Corinne Bailey Rae, Mary J, and Anita Baker brought the house down with soulful tunes like Aguilera's "Beautiful" and Rae's "Just Like a Star." But! No one got the fash gang to their feet like Mary J. To everyone's delight, the Grammy award winner whipped up a rousing rendition of "No More Drama," that had even Myers and Karan waving their arms and shimming to the beat. 
MARIA DENARDO