Boy George Wraps Up Community Service

Sporting a sunburn and blisters on his fingers, Boy George wrapped up his court-ordered community service sweeping the streets for the sanitation department.

And while the experience got off to a bumpy start — he yelled at the media hounding him on his first day on the job Monday — the former Culture Club frontman had only good things to say about his bosses when he finished his five-day stint Friday.

"They treated us with kindness, and they treated us with respect," he said.

Boy George may return the favor: He said he's considering a concert to benefit the city's street cleaners.

The 45-year-old singer, born George O'Dowd, was ordered to work for the department after pleading guilty in March to falsely reporting a burglary at his lower Manhattan apartment. The officers who responded found cocaine instead.

In June, a judge issued a warrant for his arrest after Boy George initially failed to complete the requirements of his plea deal. When he appeared in court 10 days later, the judge called off the warrant but warned the singer he could not escape his community service commitment.

After five days pushing a broom, Boy George said it was time for a taste of the good life.

"I'm going to go off and have a glass of champagne," he said.

As he went about his duties Monday, the singer was swarmed by reporters and photographers while he stood on the median of a Lower East Side Street. He used his broom to sweep dust and leaves into the lens of a video camera.

"You think you're better than me?" he yelled. "Go home. Let me do my community service."

"This is supposed to be making me humble. Let me do this," he said. "I just want to do my job."

O'Dowd, 45, initially envisioned a service project more in line with his status as an '80s icon.

He petitioned to spend the time helping teenagers make a public service announcement. Among his other proposals to the court: holding a fashion and makeup workshop, serving as a D.J. at an HIV/AIDS benefit or doing telephone outreach.