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| Ten Thousand Motels |
Boy George scolded for ducking NY community service
Mon Jun 26, 2006
Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Singer Boy George was threatened with jail by a New York judge on Monday for failing to complete a community service requirement because he wanted to do something less humiliating than raking leaves.
Criminal Court Judge Anthony Ferrara gave George until August 28 to complete the five days of community service, which was imposed in March when he admitted to falsely reporting a burglary, escaping more serious charges of drug possession.
Defense lawyer Louis Freeman had argued in court earlier this month that the singer, whose real name is George O'Dowd, was hoping to avoid the humiliation of dragging a rake around a city park and wanted to work with an AIDS charity.
Freeman said if the singer was forced to sweep streets or a park, "It would turn into a media circus."
Ferrara appeared angry and insisted that George, who did not speak during the court appearance, would be treated the same as any other offender.
"This is a simple matter," Ferrara told the 45-year-old singer. "Five days of community service. It's up to you as to whether it will be an exercise in humiliation or an exercise in humility. Your choice.
"If you do community service you go out that door," he said pointing to the exit. "But I'm going to make you a promise. If you don't do this community service, you go through the back door," he said, threatening the singer with jail.
The charges against Boy George, who made his name as the cross-dressing front man for the 1980s chart-topping British pop band Culture Club, resulted from an October 7 incident when police responded to his call reporting a burglary and found 13 bags of cocaine in his apartment.
If convicted on the drug charges, the singer could have been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Instead, was ordered to attend a drug rehabilitation program and was fined $1,000, which he has paid.
George rose from supermarket shelf stocker to international pop star in 1982 with the song "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?," which topped the charts in 18 countries. Culture Club went on to sell almost 20 million albums.
In 1995, George recounted his drug-induced fall from grace and how he had finally kicked his heroin habit in the autobiography "Take It Like a Man." Later, he made a new career as a disc jockey and record producer.
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
What's wrong with raking leaves???? I don't see anything degrading about that...."superstar" or not. WTF? George's value system is really screwed up as far as I'm concerned. |
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| jb |
I love parades!!! |
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| Honky Tonk Man |
According to one of today’s tabloids, Georges comment when faced with the realisation that he's going to have to go through with the leaf raking was... "I've always being a scrubber" Charming.  |
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| Saint Sway |
what leaves???????
I live in Manhattan. I cant find a fucking leaf anywhere!
[Edited by Saint Sway] |
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| Bingo |
quote:
Saint Sway wrote:
what leaves???????
I live in Manhattan. I cant find a fucking leaf anywhere!
[Edited by Saint Sway]
Really? Look around, you'll see them. There are numerous parks in Manhattan, as well as trees on the streets.
You sure you live in Manhattan?  |
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| Saint Sway |
sure we've got a smattering of trees but not much leaves.
certainly not enough that its such a problem that we need convicts to sweep them up!
garbage yes. Leaves no.
and if it is that big of a deal, then I say we give the work to NYers with clean records that want jobs.
since when is raking leaves punishment? |
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| Some Guy |
I enjoy Seinfeld reruns. |
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| Black and Blue |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
...because he wanted to do something less humiliating than raking leaves.
This coming from the guy(?) who wrote carma chameleon? |
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| GotToRollMe |
I thought that guy sweeping up in front of my friendly neighborhood methadone clinic this morning looked familiar... |
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| jb |
Scrubber!!!! |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
He's been assigned to the Department of Sanitaion. |
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| jb |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
He's been assigned to the Department of Sanitaion.
He was very popular in the early 80's with the MTV crowd. He had a song with a band name culture club about a csmelion. no? |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
jb wrote:
He was very popular in the early 80's with the MTV crowd. He had a song with a band name culture club about a csmelion. no?
I bought a pair of sneakers in Walmart about an hour ago and that song was playing in the store. I had visions of Boy George walking behind a garbage truck....wearing those big gloves.... |
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| jb |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
I bought a pair of sneakers in Walmart about an hour ago and that song was playing in the store. I had visions of Boy George walking behind a garbage truck....wearing those big gloves....
I have a good friend in Maine!!! |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
jb wrote:
I have a good friend in Maine!!!
OH. Cool. What town? Maine's pretty big. |
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| Bingo |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
I had visions of Boy George walking behind a garbage truck....wearing those big gloves....
He won't be behind a garbage truck, he'll be in the streets of Manhattan with a broom and a garbage pail with wheels, wearing and orange vest. He'll be sweeping the streets or somewhere in a park.
I would think somewhere in the East Village/Alphabet City? |
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| jb |
What were his greatest moments? Live Aid? Band Aid? |
