25 years ago, George Michael was arrested at Will Rogers Park in Los Angeles (CA) during a police operation
On April 7, 1998, George Michaelthen 34, was arrested in Will Rogers Park in Beverly Hills after being accused of indecent exposure by a police officer in a public restroom.
The author of the hit “Careless Whisper” was spotted by an undercover police officer who was taking part in the operation that began after reports of “lewd acts” in parks frequented by children and families.
A “Crime Repression Unit” was monitoring the park when one of the police officers caught the musician in the bathroom area and observed Michael’s obscene conduct, which he presented as Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou. Michael fined $810 and required to do 80 hours of community service, released three hours after his arrest, which was deemed disorderly conduct.
Still, the situation became a scandal in the media and after the incident, Michael talked about sexual orientation and the relationship with an American businessman Kenny Goss to the CNNfrom whom he separated in 2009, after 13 years of marriage.
I had my first relationship at 27 because I didn’t really accept my sexuality until I was 24. I lost my partner to HIV and then it took me about three years to recover from the grief; after that, I lost my mother. I almost felt cursed”
However, the revelation served as ammunition for a good-natured revenge on the part of the musician. In October 1998, George took advantage of the launch of a compilation containing his career’s greatest hits to launch “Outside”a song talking about the episode.
Dressed in a uniform similar to that of the Los Angeles Police Department, the place transforms into a dance club. In the other clips of the music video, cameras focus on people scattered across Hollywood in intimate moments. Watch the clip of ‘Outside’ in full below:
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Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
