Photo credit: www.rollingstone.com

Keith Richards’ Drug Trial and Lorne Michaels’ Role

In 1978, shortly after the Rolling Stones made a memorable appearance on Saturday Night Live, Lorne Michaels found himself stepping into a legal drama as a character witness for guitarist Keith Richards. This came as Richards faced serious drug charges in Canada that could have led to a life sentence.

Richards’ legal troubles stemmed from an incident in 1977 when he was arrested at a luxury hotel in Toronto. Canadian authorities discovered 22 grams of heroin in his room, leading to a charge of possession with intent to distribute, a grave accusation that could have resulted in a prison term from seven years to life. Although Richards managed to post bail, his passport was seized, and he was unable to exit Canada until he obtained a special medical visa for addiction treatment in the United States.

When the trial took place in October 1978, Richards’ struggles with substance abuse were still evident. During the Season Four premiere of SNL, which coincided with the trial, two of his comedy sketches were cut from the show due to his apparent disorientation. On the day of the trial, he reportedly used cocaine at the courthouse, reflecting his ongoing battle with addiction.

Michaels’ involvement in the case was initiated at the request of Mick Jagger, who arranged for Michaels to return to Toronto and testify on behalf of Richards. Jagger even provided a private jet for his journey. Not only did Michaels testify, but he also took it upon himself to assist Richards with his appearance by arranging for a three-piece tan suit for the hearing.

During his time on the witness stand, Michaels was concerned about the accuracy of his testimony, knowing that Richards was not fully sober. Fortunately for him, his testimony primarily revolved around Richards’ contributions to music. He referred to Richards as “the catalyst of the band” and emphasized the Stones’ significance, saying that they were the top rock and roll band globally, even choosing them over legendary boxer Muhammad Ali as a host for SNL.

Michaels later commented, “Canadians would not want to put a real artist in jail,” reflecting his belief in Richards’ artistic value.

Ultimately, Richards received a suspended sentence coupled with the requirement to perform community service, which involved playing a benefit concert for the visually impaired. One notable character witness was a young blind fan named Rita, who appeared in the courtroom and later became mentioned in Richards’ memoir, Life.

Following this tumultuous episode, Richards made only one more SNL appearance as a musical guest in 1988. Recently, he made a brief cameo during the SNL 50 special, where he humorously asked about a scarf he had left behind during his previous stint, prompting a comedic response from Zach Galifianakis, who wore the colorful accessory and quipped, “Look, it’s simply not here, OK! Can we all just stop looking! Next question!”

Source
www.rollingstone.com