November 12, 2001

11:05 PM

Fall on Me? Just Fall Everywhere."At one stage it was alleged that he managed to cover himself and the cabin services manager with a tub of yoghurt. " Gotta love those crazy midlife crisis/aging rockstar hijinks!
posted by nobody_knose (17 comments total)

It wasn't me.
posted by spilon at 11:55 PM on November 12, 2001

If they were Ambien he has a great case. I've mixed it with alcohol before and got into my first and only blacked-out state. Usually no matter how much I drink I remember everything.
posted by skallas at 12:20 AM on November 13, 2001

Surely most sleeping pills have 'don't drink you fool' warnings on them? I certaintly wouldn't..
posted by boneybaloney at 12:47 AM on November 13, 2001

This is the detail I like:

When the captain finally presented him with a written warning that the flight could be diverted, he promptly tore it up.


The guy is whacked off his gourd and the captain gives him a note?
posted by rdr at 1:10 AM on November 13, 2001

I'm having a hard time imagining Peter Buck, of all people, behaving this way, but the mixture of sleeping pills and booze can do weird things to people. What you have to love, though, is the way the article enumerated the charges against him, which include "one charge of damaging British Airways crockery." Not damage of property, but damage of BA crockery!

The last time we flew BA, my daughter dropped a cup and the handle broke off when it hit the leg of a seat. We got such stern looks from the flight attendant over the accident that my husband made a comment to the service supervisor over it -- but now I know why, damage to the sacred crockery is a criminal offense! (No doubt punishable by a lifetime of being forced to ride only in the BA "World Traveller" -- coach -- class in the last row before the flight attendant rest area.)
posted by Dreama at 5:24 AM on November 13, 2001

rock stars you gotta love 'em.

I met a guy a few months back who said he had been offered two grand (sterling) to blow coke up Elton John's ass.

This was bad enough, but some people we were with said they would have done it if given the offer.
posted by Frasermoo at 5:31 AM on November 13, 2001

"I am REM". Reality Enhanced Madcaps.
posted by mmarcos at 6:17 AM on November 13, 2001

LOL, Dreama!
posted by MiguelCardoso at 6:28 AM on November 13, 2001

after drinking 15 glasses of wine on a transatlantic flight.

C'mon, they gave him 15 frickin' glasses of wine! How irresponsible is that?
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 6:39 AM on November 13, 2001

The next REM single: "Losing My Probation"
posted by Perigee at 6:47 AM on November 13, 2001

hotdoughnutsnow: C'mon, they gave him 15 frickin' glasses of wine! How irresponsible is that?

Why is it that someone gets drunk then it must be someone else's fault? The guy is 44 years old, HE is the one responsible for getting drunk. It's his fault and his fault alone.
posted by Option1 at 8:49 AM on November 13, 2001

Unless he brought his own wine on board, which should not have been allowed, there is certainly shared liability -- who in hell claims no responsibility when they've served someone fifteen glasses of wine in the span of a six hour flight? It's reckless at the very least. Very least.

In many localities, there is liability which attaches to any bartender who serves a patron who is already visibly intoxicated. Why shouldn't a flight attendant, who has -- thanks to the close proximity to the "patrons" -- even more opportunity to notice whether or not someone has had enough, have similar responsibility? Moreover, who in their right minds thinks that there is anyone capable of handling 75 oz. of alcohol in such a short time span?

Yes, if it's true (and I question that, because I know that BA, like many airlines, is supposed to limit the amount of alcohol served to any individual passenger) Buck did drink the wine. But if it hadn't been given to him, he couldn't have gotten into that state. The person doling out the booze absolutely holds some moral responsibility, if not a legal one.
posted by Dreama at 9:19 AM on November 13, 2001

A few years ago a pilot friend of mine flew Buck and his wife on a private jet and he was nothing but polite and friendly. Got an autographed New Adventures in Hi Fi out of the deal, but this mis-adventure makes me reconsider whether I will vote my appreciation with any more dollars.
posted by scottfree at 9:47 AM on November 13, 2001

The yellow card thing *is* rather amusing, as if it was football (soccer). Why don't we apply this to all areas of conflict: Mr. Bin Laden I'm going to have to give you this red card and ask you to remove yourself from the playing field.

The Brit concept of banning is amusing as well. "You there! Yes, you several thousand hooligans destroying the stadium and beating up the nerdy guy in glasses...stop that at once....or you'll be banned! I may even give you a red card!"

Here in the US (and in my current state of residence, Colorado), we have the "tear gas at the first sign of a crowd of 3 or more gathering with intent to shout, march, litter or celebrate" and "ask questions and hand out colored bits of paper later" policy. It's worked rather well and the attorneys seem to think it's a great source of income.
posted by m@ at 9:50 AM on November 13, 2001

REM: Rapidly Excitable Man!
posted by mmarcos at 4:02 PM on November 13, 2001

Dreama that still does not remove the initial source of responsibility from the culprit - Buck.

This "it's not my fault, it's somebody else's, it's not my fault, it's somebody else's" attitude has gotten very old, particularly when applied to crime.
posted by Option1 at 9:31 PM on November 13, 2001

REM guitarist jury discharged. A retrial will be arranged for later in the year. ..."Matters have arisen which necessitate that this trial cannot proceed at the moment," said Judge John Crocker.
posted by Carol Anne at 4:54 AM on November 14, 2001