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“American Pie” singer Don McLeanannounced on Monday that he had been tapped to receive a Lifetime Achievement — and hours later the honor was rescinded.
A student group at the UCLA were set to honor McLean with the George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement on May 17 at a ceremony in Los Angeles. The award, bestowed for “many contributions to the music industry,” has previously been given to luminaries including Brian Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles andAlanis Morissette.
However,according to thePortland Press Herald, the honor was revoked after presenters learned that McLean, 73, hadpled guilty to domestic violence charges. The disturbance occurred in 2016 during an incident with his then-wife, Patrisha Shnier. The couple is now divorced.
REALTED: ‘American Pie’ Singer Don McLean Pleads Guilty to Domestic Violence Charges Against Estranged Wife
McLean publicly responded to their decision with a message to UCLA shared to his social media platforms.
“Dear UCLA, you awarded me your George and Ira Gershwin life time achievement award and then took it back because you found out about my squabble with my ex wife,” he began the note. “This has been all over the internet for 3 years. Are you people morons? This is settled law. Maybe I need to give you some bribe money to grease the college wheels. Don’t ever come near me again unless you offer me an apology for the damage you have done me.”
In January 2016, McLean was arrested at his home in Maine for domestic violence against Shnier.In a statementsoon after the incident, Shnier claimed that the singer “terrorized” her for hours the night of his arrest. The statement added, “For the first 10 years or so, his rage was unfathomably deep and very scary.”
That JuneMcLean pleaded guiltyto misdemeanor counts of domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, criminal mischief, and criminal restraint as part of a “deferred disposition” — meaning the charges would be dismissed if he complied with the court’s orders over the next year. The charges were dismissed in July 2017.
In a statement to PEOPLE, McLean made it clear that he was seeking reparations from the institution.
Morse continued, “Don McLean entered his pleas not because he was in fact guilty of anything, but to provide closure for his family and to keep the whole process as private as possible.”
source: people.com
