Street sweeping gig is over

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

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.

Willie Nelson, energy czar

Fort Worth, Texas – Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman has reiterated his top pick to lead the state’s energy policy: Willie Nelson.

The country singer/songwriter and benefactor of biodiesel is a natural choice to lead a state energy department or commission, which he wants to create, Friedman said Friday. He also said Nelson “would never have his hand in Texas’ pocket.”

“My plan is to appoint the best people I can find, get out of the way and let them work … people whose only agenda is to do the right thing for the people of Texas,” Friedman told the Fort Worth Rotary Club. “I really believe that musicians can better run this state than politicians.”

A Texas biodiesel supplier partnered with Nelson to develop the BioWillie brand of the clean-burning fuel for truckers. It is made from used vegetable oils or soybeans and is blended with diesel, and does not require modification to diesel engines.

Nelson is on the board of directors of Dallas-based Earth Biofuels, which produces biodiesel and is the exclusive distributor of Nelson’s signature brand of biodiesel. Nelson did not return calls for comment.