QUEEN LATIFAH - LATIFAH SPENDS BIRTHDAY GAMBLING

QUEEN LATIFAH celebrated her 35th birthday in style on Friday (18MAR05), when her friends bought her a motorcycle and then threw her a surprise gambling party.

The rapper-turned-actress was thrilled when her pals rented a plush house for the event, which turned out to be a much bigger affair than she'd anticipated.

She says, "My friends threw me a nice little shindig. A little house party - roulette tables and blackjack table and spades table. It was rocking... it was cool. I sort of just wanted a get-together but I didn't know it was gonna be all of that going on, so that was a surprise.

"I got some really nice gifts. I can't even believe my good fortune. I got a chopper... I have the best friends. I was riding it today. They told me they were taking me to breakfast and then they pulled into the parking lot of a chopper shop, walked me in and said, 'Pick one.' I'm like, 'That is what I'm talkin' about!'"