If I ever get arrested for drunk driving (which will never happen), I would like prosecutors and defense attorneys to come to an agreement where I can split my 48 days in jail into two different blocks of time, so I can blog all day long and watch a lot of TV shows I might otherwise miss.
That's what's going to happen to 24 star Kiefer Sutherland. He's going to jail for DUI for 48 days (not the 30 we reported the other day), but those days will be split up so it doesn't interfere with the production of the FOX show. He'll serve 18 days, then go back to filming the show, then serve the remaining days after production is over (he has to complete the 48 days by July 1).
So, readers, I ask: is this going overboard to accomodate a celebrity? Or is it actually OK because there's no sense in screwing up an expensive show that employs a lot of people and as long as he serves the time who cares when it is?
The Cheers episode Ken Levine's still writing in his head
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Giveaway Monday: The X-Files: Revelations on DVD
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-11-2007 @ 4:24PM
AJ said...
celebrity treatment. I wonder if Fox News will make a big deal out of this like they did Paris Hilton. I don't see the big deal with pushing the show back 18 days
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10-11-2007 @ 4:33PM
DougE said...
I had a friend that had to serve time for a DUI and probation violation. He was assigned 20 days, 10 for his DUI and 10 for his Probation violation. They weren't served at the same time either, he did 10 days then went back several months later to complete the other 10 days. I don't see this as being overly accomodating for a celebrity. He's owning up to the mistake & serving the time. As long as he has served the time by the court appointed deadline, I think he's paid his debt to soceity.
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10-11-2007 @ 4:39PM
gwangi said...
I think it would have made more sense to split up his days served evenly so that they would have been 24 days each. Well I guess that wouldn't necessarily make sense, but it would be funny.
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10-11-2007 @ 4:56PM
Lenny said...
I think if he serves the entire 48, then splitting it up isn't really special treatment because he's a celebrity. That kind of arrangement is made all the time for people with obligations.
Now, if he spends 48 hours and then gets out because he can't stop crying about how he misses his pet kinkajou and Hello Kitty slippers, then he's getting special treatment.
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10-11-2007 @ 6:04PM
Brent McKee said...
Not sure why Sutherland doing his sentence in two blocks of days is any different from some guys who does his time only on the weekends so he can go to work and support his family. Which does happen by the way. As long as he completes his sentence, or what the normal amount of time served under these circumstances I'm fine with however they set it up. (Remember, it has been fairly conclusively proven that Paris Hilton was treated differently because she was a celebrity - she was treated worse than the ordinary person with the same sentence).
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10-11-2007 @ 6:09PM
Samantha said...
I don't see it as special treatment. I knew someone that had to serve time for DUI and they split it up to accomodate his job. He did his time on various weekends over several months.
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10-11-2007 @ 6:14PM
iamhoff said...
If it's a common thing to split the time to accommodate various commitments (never had one, so I don't know), then it's not going overboard. I suppose I should be happy that he's actually going to serve time.
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10-11-2007 @ 6:15PM
iamhoff said...
Supposed to be a link in my last comment.
http://therantingsofthedude.wordpress.com/2007/08/28
/celebrity-justice-what-a-bunch-of-crap/
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10-11-2007 @ 6:16PM
iamhoff said...
One more time (with feeling!)
http://therantingsofthedude.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/celebrity-justice-what-a-bunch-of-crap/
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10-11-2007 @ 6:17PM
Judy said...
I'm glad that he is doing his time like a man, sure good that he didn't kill someone that faithful day, also glad that he is getting the help he needs as what he has is a disease, good luck to you and happy future.
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10-11-2007 @ 6:52PM
ac said...
#1. Kiefer is on 24. FoxNews LOVES that show. They aren't going to make a big deal about this.
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10-12-2007 @ 10:23AM
Michael said...
Hey I appreciate the fact that he's apparently going to go do his time without much protest. That was likely a factor in him getting the courts to agree to the split in the first place. As long as he does the time, I have no problem with them factoring in some allowances. Doing the time in the first place shows at least some contrition on his part and that's all part of the redemption process of why he's going to jail in the first place.
Now, if he goes rogue, changes his identity and has to save the president from nuclear holocaust during the break in his sentence... that might just change my opinion of things...
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10-12-2007 @ 3:01PM
Joseph said...
Actually, I'm surprised he's doing any time at all. Usually the courts are bending over backwards to accomodate no-talent assclowns. And Sutherland's decision to plead no contest is something I find somewhat admirable. At least he's owning up to what he did.
He could have tried to just do the Paris Hilton thing or found a high-profile attorney who would then more likely than not get him off on a mere technicality. We accomodate ordinary Joes so that they don't lose their jobs sometimes. I don't see why we shouldn't do the same for a celebrity. It's not really special treatment when everybody else gets the same opportunity.
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10-15-2007 @ 4:08PM
larrikin1 said...
As an avid viewer of "24" When "Jack" gets out of jail, would he please have the writers move headquarters to So. Florida and have terrorist blow up Miami, and West Palm Beach. I think LA has about run the gammit. They would be doing me a tremendous favor-traffic and crime here is awful-LOL
Thanks
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