Boy George 'Devastated' After Being Denied Entry Into America

Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse and Boy George have a few things in common. There's the obvious: they're all Brits. And there's the reported: they've each had documented affairs with mind-altering substances. Add another to this list: Visa troubles. What Allen and Winehouse have experienced before him, U.S. officials are refusing to allow Boy George to enter the country for a summer tour. According to his management, "this is not in respect to anything he has done in the past but because he is facing a trial in November in London for something that happened in April last year."

Curious, Spinner spoke with Boy George who said he was "truly devastated and really surprised" by the decision.

It was to be Boy George's first U.S. tour in a decade, although two years ago he could be seen sweeping trash off the streets of New York City following a strange encounter with the NYPD: In 2005, he was charged with possession of an eight ball of coke after calling the cops himself, convinced his Manhattan home was being burglarized.

One of the shows that will now have to be canceled was a concert for the New York Department of Sanitation's Family Day to thank and repay them for their kindness during his community service. Asked by Spinner, half-jokingly, if he would consider performing for U.S. Customs if it would help reverse their decision, George says that he would happily play for them. "They are just ordinary people doing their job and they do a fantastic job at that," he says. "I am just sad that they decided not to let me in."



In England, he is currently accused of falsely imprisoning a male escort who, on his end, claims that he's not a male escort. It's not the first bizarre episode in George's history, but in the States, we have a little thing called innocent until proven guilty.

"I am getting my life together and was really looking forward to performing in concert for all my loyal fans," George says. "I love America and I am really sad that it appears that I am not allowed to visit a place I have called home at various times in my life."