How come 'stars' get to smoke in public places?

[Hazell B]

It's starting to irk me that certain famous folk get to bypass the anti-smoking law and those of us sensible enough to stay out of the limelight don't.

The Rolling Stones, etc, are allowed to smoke on stage yet their fans, who've paid how much? :crazy: for their tickets get a fine if they light up :mark:

If it's part of the story on stage I don't mind so much, but somebody just plain singing (or strumming a guitar) simply isn't fair. They don't get to drive drunk or do anything bad like that, but the government promised a tight law and it's not very tight from what I've seen. In fact, it's rubbish.

How come some musicians are above the law? They're no better than you or I :s

[BDunnell]

There have been cases in which dispensations have been given for stage performances; there have also been cases, if I remember correctly, in which it was forgotten to ask for permission and the cast didn't smoke. I don't know about the likes of the Rolling Stones, though. I'd assume they just do it with the (presumably correct) belief that no-one will report them. If it was to be reported, would any of us like to be the policeman tasked with going up and asking them to stub it out?

I agree, though — it does seem rather unfair, especially given how high-profile the new regulations have been.

[BDunnell]

EDIT — double post.

[BeansBeansBeans]

Aye, there's a rule where you're allowed to smoke onstage, if it's crucial to the performance, or something. Obviously, this means there's a massive grey area which the Strolling Bones are exploiting to their advantage. I'm in a band myself, and I've heard other bands on the bill arguing with venue staff that they should be allowed to smoke on stage as it's part of their performance. They tend to get refused as Timmy & The Toenails from South Shields don't hold as much sway as Mick, Keef and Co.

[BDunnell]

Link here from BBC News — http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6960076.stm

[tinchote]

It's a sad fact of today's society that the rich and mostly the famous get a different treatment than the average Joe :mark:

[leopard]

Slash Rose used to slip Marlboro between his lips while playing melody of the guitar, and Axel lighted it up.

[Rudy Tamasz]

Are you guys envious or what? Live and let live.

[ShiftingGears]

Celebrity justice for you!

[Hondo]

It's starting to irk me that certain famous folk get to bypass the anti-smoking law and those of us sensible enough to stay out of the limelight don't.

The Rolling Stones, etc, are allowed to smoke on stage yet their fans, who've paid how much? :crazy: for their tickets get a fine if they light up :mark:

If it's part of the story on stage I don't mind so much, but somebody just plain singing (or strumming a guitar) simply isn't fair. They don't get to drive drunk or do anything bad like that, but the government promised a tight law and it's not very tight from what I've seen. In fact, it's rubbish.

How come some musicians are above the law? They're no better than you or I :s

I have to admit this one is a surprise coming from a realist such as yourself.

Back when I did go to concerts, as soon as the lights went off you couldn't even smell a regular cigarette through all the pot smoke in the air. But to answer your question, yes some musicians are above the law. They may not be better human beings than you or I, but they are substantially wealthier. If you or I had been busted for drugs near as many times as Keith Richards, we'd both be in jail for life by now. Is it fair? No, it's reality. I suggest you buy a guitar.

[leopard]

Are you guys envious or what? Live and let live.
You would be better check the title ;)

[Flat.tyres]

Anyone can smoke at a Rock Gig as long as they pay the fine. I don't know if the Stones pay a fine or get away with it but probably nobody can be bothered to follow it up.

[leopard]

Smoking if not drinking is also method to celebrate a victory, I bet theugsquirrel has celebrated race of Spa with smoking. ;)

[Rudy Tamasz]

Celebrities do get away with stuff we ordinary people would never get away with. But they are celebrities for a reason, at least some of them including the Rolling Stoned. They make awsome music and we pay ridiculous prices to come hear it live. It is their choice to stimulate themselves with whatever they want and they've been doing it all their life. Look at Keith Richard and his face. Do you seriously believe he should be banned from smoking on stage? Okay, confine his smoking to his house and I think the number of gigs he plays will be next to zero. Will you be happy?

I'm puzzled why people are so obsessed with sqeezing others.

[leopard]

I have no intention at all to squeeze others, my post referred to GNR song entitled Live and let die, similar to Live and let live, thought you knew that song, sorry if I was wrong. :)

[Rudy Tamasz]

It's actually a Paul McCartney song written for a James Bond movie in mid-seventies. GNR covered it later.

[leopard]

You are right, from any decade I would rather consider eighties generation was the most colorful, any stuffs released in the period of 80 and early 90 like GNR era were great.

That's good that I was wrong again. :)

[Mark in Oshawa]

When the Toronto Film Festival is on every Fall, it is a game to watch all the stars trying to smoke during the press conferences the way they do in Cannes or some other jurisdiction where the anti-smoking bylaws are not around. Sean Penn made a deliberate act of chain smoking 2 years ago, and much was said and done. He left town and the city fined the hotel for letting him do it. It was so childish and retarded by Sean, but that is ok, childish and annoying seems to be his stock in trade. The stars were told not to light up indoors any more and it meant nothing to them.

Now when you go to concerts, it seems no one seems to pay any attention, but alas, that is a concert, the cops know if they started writing up tickets with fines, they would either get killed or get nailed for "selective prosecution" which would mean everyone would be excused. How do you write up citations in a venue with 17000 fans? They don't even bother busting people for Pot any more at concerts.....

[Hazell B]

I have to admit this one is a surprise coming from a realist such as yourself.


Um, you're right. It wouldn't normally bother me one bit, in fact I'd applaud their slapping down a law that isn't popular in certain places. However, the only mention of some concert tours here in the media that I read is about the artist smoking and being let off, so they're getting publicity for being unfairly well treated.



.... as soon as the lights went off you couldn't even smell a regular cigarette through all the pot smoke in the air.

Happy days :p :
Actually, too happy at times - especially when you had to stand outside for an hour in the rain breathing clean air before driving home :laugh:


I suggest you buy a guitar.

With my tin ear and utter lack of rhythm?
It would only end in tears :p :

[Drew]

If they didn't break the rules everybody would be saying how rock stars nowaday have just been watered down and so on. Either way it makes little difference to me