These Are The Most Common Crimes Among Hollywood Stars
The men and women who work in the more visible side of the entertainment industry and attain celebrity status are, surprise surprise, regular people who put their pants on one leg at a time. Though they may have a high public profile, the adoration of fans worldwide, and millions of dollars, they’re also prone to the same human failings that can bedevil any and all of us.
This is particularly true when it comes to brushes with the law. The history of the entertainment industry is littered with the stories of people who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law. Their crimes have ranged from grisly murders and other felonies to mundane and, some might even say, noble “crimes,” like public protests.
The record shows that the three crimes that tend to be committed the most by celebrities generally tend less towards the violent and grisly and more towards the more mild side of things. Here are the most common crimes committed by Hollywood stars.
Celebrities tend to get busted pretty routinely for driving under the influence
Some celebrities, like some regular people, sometimes enjoy a tall, cold one — or several tall, cold ones. And regretfully, some celebrities, like some regular people, sometimes fail to abide by the adage “don’t drink and drive,” and make the unfortunate decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated, whether by alcohol or other substances.
Writing in Casino, author Brooke Keaton crunched the numbers and determined that the humble DUI (which goes by different names depending on jurisdiction) is the crime that tends to snare the most celebrities. Keaton noted 34 different occasions in which a celebrity has been accused of being intoxicated while behind the wheel in the century since the first recorded crime involving a public entertainment figure (that being a minor assault committed in 1906).
For example, Justin Bieber has been busted for DUI, according to TMZ, as has Bruce Springsteen (also via TMZ).
Several celebrities have been repeat offenders when it comes to DUI. David Cassidy, for example, was busted at least three times for the offense, according to TMZ.
Celebrities have frequently been arrested for marijuana possession
Coming in second place among the list of crimes most likely to be committed by celebrities is possession of marijuana, according to Casino. Specifically, 20 celebrities have been busted for possession of the sticky icky over the years, including Paul McCartney, according to Ultimate Classic Rock, and David Bowie, among multiple others.
Rap performers, many of whom openly consume kind bud and mention their fondness for it in their works, are particularly likely to get busted for possession. Snoop Dogg, who makes no secret about his love for the Devil’s Lettuce, is a frequent flier, so to speak, when it comes to getting busted for possession of marijuana (he’s also been arrested for multiple other crimes).
However, the days of celebrities getting arrested for weed may be coming to an end, as more states are either legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana possession and-or cultivation. So unless someone is carrying an exceptionally large amount of it, or is in a jurisdiction with draconian pot laws, they’re unlikely to get busted for it these days.
Celebrities tend to get arrested at protests, too
Coming in third on the list of crimes that celebrities are most likely to get busted for is protesting. It bears noting that protesting is, itself, not necessarily a crime, but how one protests can be, depending on various circumstances such as violating a curfew, trespassing, or committing some other criminal offense while protesting.
The clear winner when it comes to being arrested for protesting is actor and activist Martin Sheen, who has protested everything from war to climate change and everything in between. And as The Telegraph reported in 2009, as of that year he’d been arrested at least 66 times for his activism. As that was over a decade ago, he’s likely been arrested several times since then.
Other celebrities have been busted for protesting as well. In the 1960s, comedian Dick Gregory was arrested thrice for various protests against segregation and racial inequality, according to Casino. Similarly, by way of recent examples, Cole Sprouse and Jaime King, among multiple other celebrities, were arrested during George Floyd protests in the summer of 2020, as Hollywood Life reported.
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