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Philadelphia Daily News Howard Gensler Column: George Michael Arrested on a Drug Charge

Posted on: Monday, 27 February 2006, 12:01 CST

By Howard Gensler, Philadelphia Daily News

Feb. 27--IN THE late 1980s, George Michael reinvigorated pop music with a set of hook-laden, danceable, monster hits like "Faith,""Freedom" and "Father Figure."

Last night, he reinvigorated a gossip-free weekend by getting arrested on a drug charge.

Just when it looks like we've gone 48 hours without a celebrity doing something stupid...

WHAM!

Various British news sources reported that Michael (aka Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, if you were ever curious why he changed his name) was found slumped over the wheel of a car and taken into custody in London, after police received a phone tip.

"An ambulance attended," a Metropolitan Police spokesman said in Brit-speak, "but the man was not suffering from any injuries so was not conveyed to hospital...

"A search of the man revealed what was believed to be controlled substances."

Michael, 42, was to be arrested for being unfit to drive, but after a doctor's exam he was "de-arrested" on that charge and ended up being held on suspicion of possessing a Class C drug (in the UK that can mean marijuana, tranquilizers, valium and anabolic steroids).

For some reason, Michael doesn't seem the steroids type.

"He has been released on bail to return to a central London police station on a date in late March pending analysis of the substances recovered," the spokesman said.

Michael is semi-retired from the music business, but clearly not from the ways of the music business.

Never mind the bollocks...

For years, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame didn't deem the Sex Pistols worthy of inclusion into its little club of noisemakers.

Now that the Sex Pistols have gained entry, they've decided the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame isn't worthy of their presence at the induction ceremonies March 13 in New York.

In a crude letter posted Friday on thefilthandthefury.co.uk, the Sex Pistols made it clear that they would not be attending.

Comparing the rock hall to "urine in wine," the handwritten letter said: "Were [sic] not coming. Were [sic] not your monkeys and so what?

"Fame at $25,000 if we paid for a table, or $15,000 to squeak up in the gallery, goes to a nonprofit organization selling us a load of old famous," the letter read, apparently referring to the cost of attending the dinner, although a representative for the hall said each inductee gets two free tickets, and other tickets are $2,500.

When informed of the group's statement,Susan Evans, the executive director of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said: "They are being the outrageous punksters they are, and that's rock and roll."

Glen Matlock, the group's original bassist, told Newsday, "I thought the whole thing was kind of cool at first. But I wanted to take my kids. And when I found out they charged two-and-a-half thousand dollars for an extra ticket, the whole thing went right down in my estimation."

March 11: G'day to take a mate

The Sun of London reports that Nicole Kidman will head back to Australia after Sunday's Oscars telecast and marry country-music star Keith Urban the following Saturday in Sydney.

"She's only invited close friends and family and she wants it to be as private as possible," a source told The Sun.

To insure privacy, the entire area around the church will be closed off to the public.

Every day is a winding road

Sheryl Crow had breast-cancer surgery last Wednesday in Los Angeles and doctors have assured her she should make a full recovery.

In a statement posted on her Web site, Crow called the surgery "minimally invasive" and said she will be undergoing radiation treatment as a precaution. She said she benefited from early detection, and urged other women to have themselves checked.

"I am inspired by the brave women who have faced this battle before me and grateful for the support of family and friends," Crow, 44, said.

Crow's former fiance, cycling champ Lance Armstrong, said in a statement Friday night he was "devastated" by her illness.

"Once again I'm reminded of just how pervasive this illness is, as it has now touched someone I love deeply," said Armstrong, a survivor of testicular cancer.

On her Web site, Crow urged people with questions about cancer to contact the LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare group that Armstrong founded.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Philadelphia Daily News

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Source: The Philadelphia Daily News

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