Gay singer gets sweeping

By Dave McElhill • August 15, 2006 - 0:00

Boy George has begun his five days of community service

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Boy George has begun his five days of community service in New York saying "I just want to do my job."

The former Culture Club frontman appeared decked out in street sweepers orange vest to report for the first of five days work with the city's Department of Sanitation to undergo an "exercise in humiliation or in humility."

This "exercise" was ordered by the Judge followed his guilty please to false reporting of an incident in March. At the time he had joked that "I'm going to be teaching basketball in Harlem."

"You think you're better than me?" he yelled. "Go home. Let me do my community service. This is supposed to be making me humble. Let me do this," he said. "I just want to do my job." His attempt at a calm exterior did not last as he was followed by reporters throughout the day.

Shortly before that, his manager, Jeremy Pearce, told the Press Association, "He doesn't show any kind of emotion about these things. He takes it in his stride."

"He doesn't need to be humiliated. He's a humble person," he added.

The gay star's workday began at 7am, as a vehicle pulled up at a Lower East Side sanitation depot. Boy George, who wore dark trousers, shoes without socks, a black sweat shirt and black wraparound sunglasses, walked inside without speaking to reporters.

Later he emerged from the building, flanked by camera crews, and got into a sanitation van. With about seven cars following the van, he was driven several blocks and went into a small building with a sticker on the door that read, "NYC Recycles."

He came out again wearing the bright orange vest with yellow stripes, bearing the words New York City Department of Sanitation.

The artist was last month warned he must keep to the terms of his sentence, which also involved him pleading guilty to wasting police time and paying a fine.

He also avoided charges of cocaine possession by promising to enter a drug rehabilitation scheme.

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