Report: Aretha Franklin sings her way out of a ticket
(CBS) Aretha Franklin reportedly avoided a parking ticket through the power of song (and a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T).
The Queen of Soul was dining with 10 people on Monday night at Neely's Barbecue Parlor on the city's Upper East Side, the New York Post's Page Six reports, when she noticed a meter maid about to ticket one of her cars outside.
The officer reportedly recognized Franklin and, instead of writing a ticket, gave her an envelope to autograph.
The restaurant's owners, Food Network stars Pat and Gina Neely, also gave the 69-year-old diva one of their signed cookbooks, according to the paper. Franklin already had a copy, so she signed the book and gave it back to the couple as a thank you.
