On Paul McCartney's
marijuana arrest in 1980 at the Tokyo airport:On January 16, 1980, McCartney was arrested on the spot and whisked away to the Tokyo Narcotics Detention Center. For nine days, McCartney lived as “Inmate No. 22,” sharing meals and daily chores with Japanese prisoners.
“He just looked like any other prisoner,” said one former detention officer who spoke anonymously years later. “He followed the rules, spoke politely, and didn’t complain.”
Despite his compliance, McCartney’s celebrity status created a media frenzy outside the detention center. Thousands of fans camped out near the facility, holding vigils, singing Beatles songs, and pleading for his release. Japanese tabloids splashed his mugshot across their covers, while the Western press treated the incident like a Shakespearean tragedy, relishing the dramatic fall of an idol.
Macca in jail for 9 days? Interacting with normal people on such a primal basis, the conversation of which I'm sure had to have been seen to be believed? And was almost a year before John Lennon's murder so people were panicking if THIS was the REAL final death knell of The Beatles, their chances of ever even thinking about reuniting officially dead now thanks to Paul's carelessness PLUS the fact that as insane as it is think now, there really was a glimmer of worry that it was certainly possible he'd never be allowed out; I can't believe I've never brought this up before but how has this never been turned into a movie or short Netflix series? The comedy, the pathos, the international drama, the "responsible" Beatle's recklessness, this could have it all, people!!!
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