What's the Deal with Lindsay Lohan?

September 01, 2007

Headlines lately have been full of tales of celebrity drivers gone bad. First it was Paris, and now it's Lindsay Lohan making the news. Apparently Lohan has reached a plea on her misdemeanor drunken driving and cocaine charges. Her arrangement requires her to spend one day in jail, serve 10 days of community service, and complete a drug-treatment program.

In addition to hundreds of dollars of fines, she was also placed on 36 months probation, and will be required to complete an 18-month alcohol education program as well a three-day county coroner program in which she'll visit a morgue and talk to victims of drunken drivers. Some might say she got off easy.

According to an article at KNX1070.com, Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers said ''she's getting what everyone else would get.'' Meyers also noted that if Lohan were to be convicted of another DUI, she would receive a mandatory 120-day jail sentence.

Lohan has been arrested twice for drunk driving, first in May and more recently on July 24. Each of Lohan's arrests were followed by trips to rehab. Supposedly she wears an ankle bracelet to monitor her blood alcohol levels and show the world she is making an attempt to remain sober.

Look, it's easy to be a hater here. As a mother of two children, I want to keep the streets as safe as possible when I am out driving with my kids. Lohan is extremely fortunate that nobody was injured as a result of her poor choices. But it's especially maddening when such behavior is exhibited by somebody with the means to hire a personal driver to transport her safely when she goes out partying. Not to mention the fact that, at the age of 20, she is still under age. Who served her? And was that establishment cited for serving alcohol to a minor?

Lohan issued a statement afterwards, saying ''It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs. Recently, I relapsed and did things for which I am ashamed. I broke the law, and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case.''

I say talk is cheap and apologies are easy when you're beautiful and rich.

As far as being famous goes, John L. Ramey of KNX1070 gave the actress some frank advice in his online article "The Public Stoning Of Lindsay Lohan" saying, "you should really start partying 'in' rather than 'out,' because you're well on the way to being a public punchline." After scolding her, Ramey asks his readers to have some compassion on the impulsive starlet.

Honestly, I think she should hire herself a babysitter to make sure she stays a good girl, and use this opportunity to reach out to those young people who look up to her. Lindsay: Go beyond the community service required, get yourself clean, and educate others who can learn from your experience. Then don't ever drink and drive again. You might not serve the entire 120 days (heck, Paris got out in less than a month) if you get caught again, but you can bet the example they make of you next time will be much more painful than simply becoming a public punchline.

By Brandy Schaffels
Contributing Editor