I always surprised myself with my naiveté (though I prefer the term “innocence”) by how disappointed I am with celebrities that I considered “nice” or “good” (i.e. “wholesome”) when they get in trouble for doing something really bad (i.e. arrested for soliciting prostitutes… or something of that nature). On Friday night Barenaked Ladies singer/guitarist Steven Page was arrested for drug possession. I assumed it was the good ‘ol pot, or maybe mushrooms. Some kind of wholesome drug, if you will. Turns out it was for cocaine (i.e. “crack”).
It’s a Barenaked shame. Barenaked Ladies’ singer and guitarist Steven Page was arrested Friday in upstate New York and charged with possession of cocaine, a police spokesman confirmed. According to the Manilus Police Department, the 38-year-old musician and two women were holed up in an apartment in Fayetteville, just outside of Syracuse, at approximately 2 a.m. Friday, when a patrol unit arrived on scene to inspect a nearby car with its driver’s side door left open.
While investigating the “suspicious vehicle,” officers noticed Page and 25-year-old companion Stephanie Ford seated in an apartment kitchen with “an unknown white capsule in front of them.” After confronting the pair, police performed a field test and determined the substance was cocaine.
The two were taken into custody and booked on felony criminal possession of a controlled substance. Ford was also charged with marijuana posession [sic]. The third woman who resided in the apartment, 27-year-old Christine Benedicto, was not present at the time of the others’ arrest. She was booked a few hours later on a misdemeanor pot-posession [sic] count.
[From E! News]
The singer was released after ponying up a $10,000 bond. The band’s website is making it sound like Page is just an completely innocent bystander or something, noting “Steven has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and the validity of the charges against Steven will be strongly contested.” I hate when I’m just chilling in someone’s apartment at two in the morning and there happens to be cocaine there. Come on, who hasn’t had that happen to them a few times? Sounds like a simple case of someone being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Alright enough with the sarcasm. But you know they’re going to write a really, really funny song about this.
Here’s Steven Page with the rest of the Barenaked Ladies performing from their new kids CD “Snack Time” on May 10 at the Borders Books In Oak Brook, IL. Images thanks to PR Photos.
He was on the coke diet. All that media attention had made him self concious. He would have lost ten pounds in his first week too…. if it wasn’t for those meddling officers!
I despise this band. His voice is like nails on a chalkboard (to me).
i love their kids stuff, so does my son, Fortunately, he’s a bit young to read the headlines 🙂
If I had a million dollars…I wouldn’t have to eat prison food.
Oh well, guess that apartment is “where you used to live”.
So Jack Black is blond now ??!
Cocaine and crack are very different. I know, I know, drugs are bad but at but at least it was the “hey, I’m a rich douchebag drug” and not the “I’ll give you a bj for a hit” kind of drug.
I’ve never done any drug harder than pot and I don’t drink and I have been at people’s houses at 2 in the morning when they’ve pulled out the coke, even after telling me earlier there would be no such activity. It certainly is possible even if not plausible (since it was right in front of him) that he was just an “innocent” bystander. He has a song about Kraft Dinner, the man deserves the benefit of the doubt.
The silliness and futility of the war on drugs continues. Apprehending peaceful citizens one by one!
I live in Syracuse and I can tell you the village of Manlius is a tiny town and there were probably only 3 or 4 police cars if that, patrolling that night. They have nothing else to do but drive around and look for stuff to keep them busy. However the street where the car was parked with the door open is the main street through town. I have no doubt there was a significant amount of weed and blow being done for someone to be so stupid as to park their car on a well traveled thoroughfare with the door open.
Idiots.
I thought according to BNL that “alcohol was the party time necessity”…. hmmmm
Yay! Canada is finally catching up with the good old USA!
Cocaine is not necessarily ‘crack’. I don’t do drugs but I think vilification of those who do is silly.
Ahhh, the spam filter got me! The Syracuse Post Standard has additional details on the story. Go to syracuse dot com
I just do not understand why doing something – anything – to your own body on private property should be illegal. Assuming any others present are consenting adults…I just don’t see the harm.
Doesn’t society have real problems to deal with, like the economy, the environment, war, real crime (the violent kind, or the kind where you’re exploiting other people) and so on?
“If I had a million dollars…i’d be a dick…”
The mug shots went up today. I feel bad for the dude after reading the story. Apparently the girl friend shat all over him and then took his car. She’s the dope who left her car in the driveway, blocking the sidewalk and leaving the door open.
Page should run in the different direction from this chick, as quickly as possible.
what’s the big woof?
srsly? over a pill capsule tooter? which might not even be his?! this is ludicrous. 🙄
that’s not even enough for a wake up rail.
Steven Page is not the innocent he likes people to believe he is.