Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong Sent To Rehab, Is Not ‘F**king Justin Bieber’


Basket case, American idiot and the lead singer and guitarist of pop punk band Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, has been sent to rehab for treatment of substance abuse after the kohl-rimmed frontman suffered a meltdown of sorts on stage at the iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas over the weekend.

After the band’s set was cut short by twenty minutes to allow more time for an extended Usher set (“Yeah!” Usher, 2004), Armstrong put his diploma from Jack Black’s School of Rock to good use by re-enacting his graduate performance piece, a stirring monologue for which he received critical acclaim that involved his best punk rock impersonation. There was a whole lot of cussing, some smashing of his guitar and an insistence that “I’m not fucking Justin Bieber, you motherfuckers.” Here’s an extract, and below is the real rock and roll deal:

Let me fucking tell you something, let me tell you something, I’ve been around since fucking 198-fucking-8. And you’re gonna give me one fucking minute? You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me! You’re fucking kidding me. What the fuck!

That’s a pretty dick move on the festival’s part, but wouldn’t it have been more ‘punk rock’ (‘Yeah!’ Billy Joe, 2011) to have kept playing – even when the autocue (The Man) tells you to stop – instead of just reminding everyone how old you are?

In a statement to The Associated Press, Billie Joe (via Green Day) apologized “to those they offended at the iHeartRadio Festival,” including their corporate sponsor and the heavily lacquered tweens and chequered Vans fans in their audience. It’s still unclear exactly what Armstrong is receiving treatment for; he’s previously been pinged for a DUI and, as a good punk rocker is wont to do, he was once kicked off a plane for wearing baggy pants. Fuck the Man! Look at all the fucks he gives! (None)

Photos by Isaac Brekken for Getty Images

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