George Michael: candidly crazy

Posted December 15th, 2009 by eric

Reading this interview between The Guardian and George Michael, one comes away with the impression that Michael is kind of a paranoid loon. And not just your typically famous, crazy-person-musician-type loon, either. This goes beyond most self-absorbed celebrities and their notoriously dysfunctional behavior. I mean, I knew Michael was a bit off, having repeatedly seen tabloid shots of him slumped over in his car, not to mention his myriad run-ins with the law, but this guy just doesn’t seem to have a handle on how to function in the world. He does an inordinate amount of drugs for someone who claims he’s 100% A-ok, but that’s not even the crux of it. He just comes across as sort of creepy and, well, not right. The author of the piece, Simon Hattenstone, is vividly aware of Michael’s foibles and seems to point out the inconsistencies with a healthy dose of cynicism.

Despite, Michael’s flagrant delusions about his lifestyle, he does have a sense of humor, particularly in regards to other people’s impressions of his personal life. On Elton John’s much-publicized concern for his health: “He will not be happy until I bang on his door in the middle of the night saying, ‘Please, please, help me, Elton. Take me to rehab.’ It’s not going to happen.” On Bono’s supposed concern: “As if Bono gives a shit what I do with my private life…”

Even though he is more than candid about his lifestyle choices, Michael is strangely secretive about his future musical endeavors, refusing to comment on even what style it might be. My best guess after reading this interview is stoner rock.

Tags: interview · link

2 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Brian // Dec 16, 2009 at 1:51 am

    I don’t see why you say George “doesn’t have a handle on how to function” or is a “loon.” He’s clearly functional, as he just completed a sellout world tour spanning 40+ countries.

    Compare that to someone like Whitney, or even your average rapper… and see that George is doing just fine.

    Nor is he a loon, as he continues to take on political causes and write hits that keep him wealthy. Being aware of his lifestyle and choosing to keep it does not make him crazy; the two are not mutually exclusive.

    While you may not agree with the way he lives his life, the two descriptors you picked are pretty clearly off the mark.

  • 2 Eric Greenwood // Dec 16, 2009 at 11:04 am

    i agree that he’s not nearly at britney or whitney levels. perhaps, by comparison, my descriptors do sound extreme, but he just came off extremely weird in that piece. he functions, when he’s not slumped over in his car. i mean, how does that happen to a non-crazy person that many times?