Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Washington Blade - June 28, 2006
Phil LaPadula
Care Resource, the South Florida AIDS group, signed a contract June 6, 2005, with Red Parrot, Boy George's booking company, for him to serve as celebrity guest D.J. at the annual White Party, the AIDS agency's largest fundraiser, said Terry DeCarlo, a spokesperson for the agency. The total cost for the appearance was $12,000, DeCarlo said.
On Aug. 4, 2005, Care Resource wired $8,400 to Red Parrot as a deposit for George's DJ services, DeCarlo said.
Boy George, whose real name is George O'Dowd, was arrested in New York City on Oct. 7, 2005, and charged with suspicion of drug possession and filing a false police report. He canceled the White Party engagement three weeks before the event was held in November 2005, DeCarlo said. But the $8,400 deposit money still has not been returned, DeCarlo said.
In November, shortly after the cancellation, DeCarlo said he spoke with George's booking agent, Johnston Pearce Walker, and was told the company was working on a refund.
"Back then, he told us it would be about 14 days," DeCarlo said. "We've tried our best to get in touch with them but haven't gotten any reply," DeCarlo said, explaining why the agency has decided to file a lawsuit.
Representatives of Red Parrot could not be reached for comment. Repeated phone calls to the company's phone number resulted in a busy signal. Several e-mails sent to the company were returned as undeliverable. The e-mail addresses were obtained from the company's website.
An e-mail sent to Andrea Law, owner of Red Parrot, remained unanswered by press time. An e-mail sent to Boy George was also returned as "undeliverable."
The criminal charges against George stemmed from a 911 call that he made claiming that his New York City apartment was being burglarized. When police arrived they found 13 bags of cocaine, according to media reports.
In March, George pleaded guilty to filing a false police report. He was ordered to pay a fine, enroll in drug rehab and sentenced to five days of community service.
'The final straw'
"What really got us was when he asked the judge to let him play at an HIV/AIDS benefit instead of raking leaves for his community service," said DeCarlo. "It's so ironic. That was the final straw for us."
DeCarlo noted that the $8,400 that went to George's booking company could have paid for primary medical care for nine of Care Resource's patients for a year.
Another gay organization, meanwhile, also is planning to sue George for allegedly not returning a deposit after canceling a different engagement.
Chris Harris, president of Chris Harris Presents, said he wired a $10,000 deposit to Red Parrot for George to provide D.J. services at a fundraiser for Rhode Island Pride's HIV and AIDS programs.
The fundraiser, held at Club Diesel in Providence, was scheduled for Oct. 9, two days after George's arrest. Harris said that on Oct. 7 he talked with Walker, George's booking agent, and was told that George still planned to be at the event.
"He told me, 'Don't worry. He's being released and is still coming to Providence,'" Harris recalled.
After George canceled, Harris said he ended up refunding 90 percent of the tickets.
"It was the most advanced tickets we had ever sold," he said.
Harris said he had spent $11,000 on advertising. He said he lost about $40,000 on the event. Harris said he plans to fly to London next week to file a lawsuit against George and Red Parrot seeking $80,000, which includes damage to the company's reputation and funds that would have been raised from the charity, Harris said.
Harris has even launched a website called BoyGeorgeSucks.com.
"I'm very disappointed in Boy George," Harris said. "He and his management have blatantly ignored this matter."
DeCarlo of Care Resource said the ordeal has not soured him on celebrities.
"Usually the celebrities are very good about keeping their commitments because they know it's a charity event," DeCarlo said. "Besides Boy George, we have never even had a problem with a celebrity not showing up. We go after the celebs because they attract people to the events."
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