Entertainment

Green Day Singer Kicked Off Flight for His Saggy Pants

Green Day Singer Billie Joe Armstrong Kicked Off Flight for His Saggy Pants

Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong was kicked off a flight for having pants that sagged too low.

OAKLAND, Calif. (The Blaze/AP) — Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong says his sagging pants cost him a seat on a Southwest Airlines flight.

The singer-guitarist for the San Francisco Bay area band sent a message to his Twitter followers on Thursday expressing his indignation at being tossed from an Oakland-to-Burbank flight for wearing his trousers too low.

“Just got kicked off a southwest flight because my pants sagged too low! What the f***? No joke!” he wrote.

An ABC7 news producer who was on the same flight told the station that a flight attendant approached the “American Idiot” singer as the plane was getting ready to take off and asked him to hike his pants higher. The producer, Cindy Qiu, says Armstrong initially responded by asking the attendant if there weren’t “better things to do than worry about that?”

But the attendant persisted and told Armstrong he could be ejected for his refusal to comply. When Armstrong insisted he was just trying to get to his seat, he and a traveling companion were taken off the plane.

Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins released a statement saying Armstrong was allowed onto the next flight to Burbank and had told a customer relations agent who contacted him he had no further complaints.

“As soon as we became aware of what had happened, we reached out to apologize for this Customer’s experience,” the statement read. “He elected to take the next flight. We followed up with this Customer and involved Employees to get more details and, in our latest conversations, understand from the Customer the situation was resolved to his satisfaction.”

A University of New Mexico football player was arrested at San Francisco International Airport in June when he allegedly refused a U.S. Airways attendant request for him to pull up his low-riding pants and, later, the captain’s order to leave the plane.

The player, Deshon Marman, was held on suspicion of trespassing, battery of a police officer and obstruction of a police investigation when he allegedly resisted the officer who escorted him from the plane. But the San Mateo County district attorney refused to bring charges.

The incident sparked allegations of racial profiling after a photo surfaced of a man who flew aboard a US Airways flight wearing skimpy women’s panties and mid-thigh stockings days before Marman’s arrest. That man was white. Marman is African-American.

Comments (170)

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  • AmericanWarrior
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:55am

    Some look like a fool with thier pants on the grount… this freak looks like a fool regardless!

    Report Post »  
    • Roberto G. Vasquez
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:08am

      Do dat mean dat homeboys wearin dere pants street gang style can’t fly no mo on SW?

      Report Post »  
  • Virginia Rebel
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:37am

    If a plane crashes and the passengers are not killed instantly in the crash, they have 90 seconds to exit the plane before it is filled with smoke. 90 seconds. Somebody wearing pants like that endangers other people. if those pants fall down and trip him or get caught on something, he could block the aisle trapping other people behind him. It is the same for those people who grab a bag. That bag could cost lives. I do look forward to the day when these guys (I don’t want to call them men) realize that they literally look stupid in pants like that because it really seems no one with half a brain would even want to wear their pants that way,. In the meantime, I see it like a billboard advertising who they are – clear sign to others that intelligent people should give those bozos a wide berth.

    Report Post »  
    • Nick84
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:46am

      Couldn’t the same be said about people with physical impairments (even minor ones)? Do you feel they shouldn’t be allowed to fly either or do you just not think before you post?

      Report Post »  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:46am

      oh shut up…

      Report Post » swampbuck  
    • LIBSALWAYSLIE
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:57am

      NICK84, saggy pants is a choice, physical impairments are not. Why dont YOU THINK before you post.

      Report Post » LIBSALWAYSLIE  
    • MontanaRob
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:22am

      Folks with impairments are usually(not always) seated near exits so the can be helped off easier.

      Report Post » MontanaRob  
    • Nick84
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:28am

      LIBSALWAYSLIE

      Oh, I thought the issue here was that he was a safety precaution, but I see now that it is only because he was doing something you don’t like. “He shouldn’t be allowed on the plane in case the plane crashes and everyone lives and the off chance that he might trip and fall due to his pants!” Or, if it was really an issue and he felt like he could trip, he could just pull his pants up and fix the issue. But someone who has a permanent disability that cannot be corrected and has a 100% chance of getting in the way in an emergency should be able to fly, in your opinion? My mistake for expecting consistency on this site. Or how about neither group should be banned because that is a ridiculous scenario that probably won’t happen?

      You people on here supporting him being kicked off rare probably the same type of people that pass anti pants sagging laws. It’s so ironic that people on here constantly talk about small government, but you literally want fashion police…

      Report Post »  
    • Aron
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:56am

      I totally agree, in fact, after getting raped by the TSA, they should start forcing airline passengers into special, tight-fitting latex uniforms. A safe flight, is a happy flight.

      Report Post » Aron  
    • SpitFU
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 11:40am

      @Nick84. I suppose you’d be ok with my public display of worship in the office space by your argument? Wearing a cross around my neck or wearing my “Real Men Love Jesus” t-shirt on casual fridays?

      Report Post »  
    • Nick84
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 12:53pm

      SpitFU-

      What does any of that have to do with this? I know tons of people who wear crosses to work. If their employer wants to let them wear shirts like that, that is their call, since their employees represent their company.

      http://www.whydontyou.org.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/christian.gif

      However, it is completely ridiculous to give a reason why it is acceptable to kick someone off a plane (sagging pants=hazardous) but to make excuses for why other people that would be considered hazardous by the same standard (handicapped) should be allowed to fly. It shows a clear bias against this style of dress. Why not just be honest: “I don’t like seeing sagging pants, so I don’t think they should be able to fly/it should be against the law”? What I’m criticizing is the lack of consistency from people who comment on this site. Many people here claim to want smaller government, but they are all for laws against trivial things, such as sagging pants.

      Report Post »  
    • PerfectBrunoise
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 2:40pm

      Personal responsibility?

      Report Post »  
    • SpitFU
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 4:20pm

      Nick84

      I didn’t say anything about making a government law disallowing anyone to wear their pants low and exposing undergarments. And I don‘t see anything in the article or Virginia Rebel’s reply stating a request for that. You are the one who brought up legislation. In this instance here we are talking about private property, private companies conducting business. Last I checked South West Airlines may be regulated by the federal government but they are not owned by the federal government and allowed the to make decisions like this on their own. I agree with their decision, its good for business. Very similar to amusement parks decision to not permit entry to patrons who wear lewd or lascivious clothing or sagging pants into their park because of the fact they like to keep their family oriented patrons coming back. Its a good business decision.

      This is not a legal matter to conclude it is entirely moral. Morally, a person who wears that kind of clothing in some cases is involved with gang behavior or more frequently is making a derogatory statement which offends and turns off people with traditional morals. Fortunately, in our society, traditional morals are accepted by the majority which will always win the interest of business.

      Herein lies the similarity to what I previously asked if in a business do you agree or disagree denying employee’s religious garb based on safety reasons or otherwise?

      Report Post »  
    • Bowmaster
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 4:45pm

      I always sit by the emergency exit.
      I do not need a hysterical screaming overweight woman between myself and an exit.
      If I am trapped it limits my options to help others….if there are any!

      Report Post » Bowmaster  
    • MilesF
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 6:04pm

      A friend who went to New York this summer got the impression that droopy drawers are out of style now. Hope she’s right.

      Report Post »  
  • paulusmaximus
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:24am

    These guys with the low rider pants are just a sorry looking bunch of losers on any other day. The problem with them on a plane is if there were to be a emergency they tripping over their pants trying to exit the plane and maybe you not getting out because of it.The airline should never have apologized to this airhead PC at all cost even your life!

    Report Post » paulusmaximus  
    • BenInNY
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:40am

      You‘d think they’d be tripping over them, but I can testify otherwise due to hanging out with all the skateboarders in high school. Some of the most coordinated people I’ve ever seen. Extremely loose pants allow them to move freely in order to perform tricks more easily.

      Report Post » BenInNY  
    • Banned on the Blaze
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:46am

      Racist, they were being racist, all of those air/jet/hot air balloon people are racist. Pull you pants up = racist, move your bag over = racist, that guy wearing a towel on his head, has a bomb = racist.

      Just shut up and stop flying, or follow the rules!

      Report Post »  
    • steve-o-con
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:46am

      you can pull your pants up and run. but, anyway, your argument is a slippery-slope and is ridiculous. I guess they should ban women from wearing high-heels for the same reason.

      Report Post » steve-o-con  
    • El Pistoffo
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:11am

      @Beninny
      “Extremely loose pants allow them to move freely in order to perform tricks more easily.”

      Dude, we’re not talking about loose fitting pants, we’re talking about pants hanging down practically around ones ankles, while showing the crack if thier a$$ that no one wants to see.

      Report Post » El Pistoffo  
  • wethepeoplepress
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:23am

    Bahahwahwahwahwahwa. I hope loser boy billie enjoyed his lay over. To bad they let him fly on the next bird.

    Report Post » wethepeoplepress  
  • MandM52
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:19am

    To all of you people who think it was a good idea for Southwest to act as the fashion police. You may want to get a clue and focus on what real problems are. Baggy pants may look silly, but they certainly do not constitute a threat to anyone. How about focusing instead on who presents a real threat to the U.S. instead of this nonsense for kicking people off planes for their fashion sense or lack thereof.

    Report Post » MandM52  
    • gotta light
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:31am

      LMAO BILLIE IS 39 YEARS OLD!!!!!

      I don’t care if Billie IS from Oakland a Thirty Nine years old WHITE GUY dressing like a black teenager is hysterically pathetic! I don’t car who you are, how much money you have or what you do Billie Joe isn’t a teenager, he isn‘t a 20 something lol by today’s standards he‘s a old man and yet he’s taken in by & surccombs to today’s urban teenage trends! HOW PATHETIC!

      LMAO Turning 40 next month will probably kill him next year LOL

      Hey bud gotta light?

      Report Post » gotta light  
    • LIBSALWAYSLIE
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:58am

      I DONT want to see this morons underwear, end of discussion.

      Report Post » LIBSALWAYSLIE  
  • swampbuck
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:18am

    But on another note I remember with people used to get dress up to travel.. Take a walk through an airport terminal now 75% of the travelers look slobs..

    Report Post » swampbuck  
    • Pokerjoe
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:44am

      Your are so right. 50s 60s and 70, people dressed up tp fly and very smart I may add. It all started in the mid 80s and has gone down hill from there. First was shorts then tank tops now low pants and no showers, flow mouth, tats, steel out of any hole they can find. If I fly I try and do so very early, they dont seem to be able to get get at that time. If they only could see themselves, how stupid they look. Dirty is not the word for how they are.

      Report Post »  
    • lightswitch
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 1:19pm

      @PokerJoe You are a bigot.

      Report Post »  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 3:49pm

      @lightswitch your bulb burnt out a long time ago..lol

      Report Post » swampbuck  
  • Meyvn
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:18am

    Ha hahaha.

    Report Post » Meyvn  
  • hauschild
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:14am

    This dude proves one can be quite wealthy, but remain a hillbilly.

    You can take the man outta the hills, but not vice-versa.

    It’s interesting how some people can eventually grow up and outta it, and some can’t.

    Report Post »  
    • rwest
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 11:41am

      Why can someone use the word “hillbilly” in a derogatory manner and its ok? If i used the N word in any context, I would be crucified. I am a highly educated, very successful individual from the mountains of Virginia, one of the most beautiful places on earth by the way, and I actually take pride in my heritage. People from the mountains are a proud, hard working, group of people who ask only for the right to succeed and be left alone by the idiots who stereotype them. Visit the Mountains on vacation and talk to the people who you denigrate and then maybe just maybe you can become less of an idiot. Just because in the movie “Deliverance” portrayed the people of the mountains in a bad way does not make us all that way. Bless your heart. (Hillbilly slang for go to Hell idiot)

      Report Post »  
    • hauschild
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 2:13pm

      Lighten up, Frances!

      Somebody else got offended a while back because they thought I was referring to somebody form a certain region of the country. The way I‘ve always thought of it is that being a hillbilly isn’t regional at all; it’s an attitude and it cuts across races. To me, a hillbilly is a dirt bag that offers very little with regard to productivity and civility.

      So, sue me, I guess.

      Report Post »  
    • MilesF
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 6:21pm

      @hauschild

      Your defense of your private definition of “hillbilly” would make more sense if you gave us a glossary with the new meanings you have invented. You remind me of Tupac, the dead rapper who called himself a thug and then said that his definition of “thug” was not what everybody else meant by it. (Sadly, whoever shot him must have subscribed to the traditional definition.)

      Report Post »  
    • richard bensen
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 7:40pm

      @Hauschild/ in response to your “Hillbilly” remark..cool….however in the North Carolina mountains I can’t remember anyone that wore his pants below his butt level…unless he was carrying to much shine…The rest of us never would be seen without dignity for fear of a “bear eating us…..Now where did I put my “jug”…

      Report Post » richard bensen  
  • randy
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:11am

    he and a traveling companion were taken off the plane.
    ???
    Is that code for his gay lover?

    Report Post » randy  
    • UlyssesP
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:18am

      The guy is married with teenage kids. His kid is in a band too. It sucks. But the guy actually has a pretty stable family life. I wonder why a grown man needs to wear his pants like a ghetto rat.

      Report Post » UlyssesP  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:25am

      No

      Report Post » swampbuck  
  • Formula382
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:06am

    Good, this is the punk that sings “Idiot American”…and loves Obama…They should have thrown him off the plane at 30K feet, more effective that way.

    And Billi, know that when I found out you were a *******, I stopped buying your music. Plenty of other artists I can support with my green!

    Report Post »  
    • MandM52
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:15am

      Who cares who he supports politically and what style of dress he wears? Was he bothering anyone except the flight attendant and apparently now, you? You advocate throwing a person out of a plane at 30,000 feet because you don’t agree with him politically. Instead of having intelligent debate, you advocate violence. You sir are part of the problem that we have in this country.

      Report Post » MandM52  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:19am

      MandM52 — If you knew more about the “green party” you might have a different viewpoint. Everyone should study-up on what the green party is doing to Europe. It‘s in process in America and people just won’t open their eyes to it. Cap and trade — all that jazz?

      Report Post »  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:35am

      he is a Libertarian azzhat

      Report Post » swampbuck  
    • Rayblue
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:50am

      His eye makeup is sagging.

      Report Post » Rayblue  
    • lightswitch
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 1:15pm

      Hey Vechorik, cap and trade has actually worked pretty well in Europe. We’re the ones dealing with a dead economy right now, not them…not counting Greece or Portugal of course, but you get the idea.

      Report Post »  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:01am

    I remember when Metallica cut their hair and everyone called them sellouts. They just outgrew the trend. Grow up Billy Joe.

    Report Post » KickinBack  
    • betterthantv
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:05am

      Hold on a minute. Metallica are sell-outs! Those losers lost me the day they tried to sue their fans! It wasn’t the haircuts, it was the sh^^y music along with the haircuts!

      Report Post » betterthantv  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:05am

      They sold out as well Green used to be a punk band which is not PC They are more pop now..

      Their early stuff was much better..

      Report Post » swampbuck  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:11am

      @betterthantv so you think it’s ok to steal?

      Report Post » swampbuck  
  • swampbuck
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:01am

    Billie Joe is a Libertarian….

    Report Post » swampbuck  
    • EcceCrucemDomini
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:12am

      Wait, he is? And here I was about to make a smart comment about that Idiot American song he did. Like it should‘ve been Don’t Wanna Be An Idiot Liberal!

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:37am

      @ Swamp

      LiberAL is NOT LiberTARIAN. Are you intentionally spewing lies? Check out wiki….I know it’s not the best source. So check out the quotes from the Spinner interview. Billie boy calls himself bisexual and, in fact, supported Obama.

      Report Post »  
  • mossbrain
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:01am

    The nice thing about low riding pants is that you can take a poo without undoing your belt. I wonder if he took a poo in his seat and then somehow kicked it under the seat in front of him so that that passenger would be called “the stinky one” by the flight attendants.

    Report Post » mossbrain  
  • DREDGE
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:59am

    The passengers should have kicked his ass for slowing them up!

    Report Post »  
  • EJ1979
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:58am

    Wait, whats going on here, this guy was white? And he got kicked off a flight? Whats the world coming too?!

    Report Post » EJ1979  
  • AmericanWomanFirst
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:53am

    oooooooo..he must be one of those….those…hipsters!

    Report Post » AmericanWomanFirst  
  • mrqstixx
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:43am

    abc………………….

    Report Post »  
  • bellereve
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:41am

    mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, billie joe. let me help you with those. ;) YUMMY!

    Report Post » bellereve  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:41am

    “On my own… Here we go”

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
    • green_manalishi
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 10:29am

      I ‘m not part of the redneck agenda, just to stupid to cover my rear enda

      Report Post »  
  • mendolover
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:38am

    Idiot.

    Report Post »  
  • Profx72
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:36am

    Here’s the real point of this story: Billy Joe DIDN’T argue that his “Freedom of Speech” was infringed upon because he was kicked off the flight for not pulling up his pants. Billy Joe DIDN’T sue the airline (yet) for enforcing a policy regarding “droopy drawers” and the airline didn’t fire the flight attendant for “acting stupidly.” In fact, the entire situation was resolved peaceably and “to the satisfaction of the customer.” Wait a minute…isn’t that a GOOD thing?
    http://www.maverickvoice.com

    Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:03am

      Wow, didn’t think of it that way. Thanks. I was only thinking what a hazard it is to wear saggin’ pants. What if the plane had to be deboarded quickly and you needed to have both hands (not one hand holding up the front of your pants by the crotch?”

      Report Post »  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:21am

      Green activists love attention and will do anything to get it. Who knows what went on (besides the saggy pants).

      Report Post »  
  • preppymom
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:31am

    Kicked out for inappropriate attire in San Francisco? Dude, you have gone over the edge. It is time to come to Jesus.

    http://www.crackingthemalecode.com/

    Report Post » preppymom  
  • one years food ration like glenn says
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:25am

    “American Idiot” singer <<<< Exactly… Why in the world would the airline spokesman apologize ? What because he is famous ? Anyone that makes the kind of money this idiot does, should have enough sense to know where his hips are..

    Report Post » one years food ration like glenn says  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:39am

      Do you know who I think I am? A nuclear WEDGIE was in order.Now borrow Barry’s Black Bus.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:24am

    Nobody wants to see your underwear Billy …or your mascara .

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • bellereve
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:42am

      speak for yourself, old man. lol. he is HAWT!!

      Report Post » bellereve  
    • betterthantv
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:01am

      I’m with you Gonzo. My generation is disgusting and embarrassing! Only in America can an AMERICAN pull off a fake British accent, wear make-up and have NO fashion sense sell millions of albums. I often feel I was born at the wrong time. I just don’t get it?

      Report Post » betterthantv  
  • YepImaConservative
    Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:24am

    Good for Southwest! Who wants to see your boney arse anyways. You white punks and black thugs… pull your drawers up and stop using the gay prison population as a clothing statement.

    Report Post » YepImaConservative  
    • one years food ration like glenn says
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:29am

      You’re actually right .. The sagging pants fashion originated in the 1960′s prison population.. It was to let other inmates know that you were available, willing and able for a price.. I think if some of these little punks knew that, they might pull the damn things up..

      Report Post » one years food ration like glenn says  
    • YepImaConservative
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:37am

      Agreed.

      Report Post » YepImaConservative  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:03am

      @one years food ration like glenn says

      Actually there is some debate on the validity of that claim..

      Report Post » swampbuck  
    • UlyssesP
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 9:22am

      @one years food ration like glenn says
      It also has something to do with not wearing a belt in prison. It’s a weapon. But yeah, its an advert for butt sexx.

      Report Post » UlyssesP  
    • platitude
      Posted on September 3, 2011 at 2:19pm

      Perhaps they could visit dr. bachman and “pray the gay away”

      Report Post » platitude  
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