Note to Howie Day: No still means no

Singer-songwriter Howie Day is scheduled to play at Mr. Small’s Funhouse tonight, despite… Singer-songwriter Howie Day is scheduled to play at Mr. Small’s Funhouse tonight, despite being charged for misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct for allegedly locking one woman in a bathroom and breaking another’s cell phone, according to a criminal complaint filed in Wisconsin.

According to the same complaint, the incident occurred after one of the women refused his sexual advances, causing him to lock her in the bathroom on his tour bus and break another woman’s phone when she tried to call the police. He was released on $850 bail.

Despite his relatively low bail and misdemeanor charges, these are serious accusations. Given the somewhat tolerant, somewhat castigatory attitude toward rock star behavior — see Michael Jackson, R. Kelly and George Michael — it’s important to remember that celebrities, even B-list ones, are people too. People with really big busses and a healthy sense of entitlement, that is.

Day all but admitted to breaking the woman’s cell phone. “That was probably wrong of me,” Day said. “But I felt violated,” the Associated Press reported.

He felt violated?

If this had been anyone else, if the bus had been a dark alley, and the women tried to escape, his excuses wouldn’t have been given press space. Instead, the only real recourse we have is incredulity and possibly not going to his concerts.

But how much do we, as potential concert attendees, take his personal life into account when making the decision whether or not to go to his show.

No matter how many times some artists are accused — or convicted — people will continue to adore them, buy their albums and go to their concerts. And really, bad behavior doesn’t change the music artists’ products — R. Kelly’s religious-tastic “Heaven, I Need a Hug” being the exception.

Moreover, all publicity is good publicity, as the saying goes, and if the media — The Pitt News included — criticizes Day, at least they’re talking.

But perhaps Day’s recent actions will act as a warning: that “no” means “no” means “no” means “don’t smash anyone’s phone, or lock anyone in a bathroom,” and following strangers, even famous strangers, into busses or alleyways, isn’t necessarily a good idea.