Neighbors are going after Chris Brown for the street art he painted on his Hollywood Hills home. They say it’s scaring children and babies. Won’t someone please think of the babies?! According to Patti Negri, president of the Hollywood Dell Civic Assn., “There are lots of babies, lots of children, and they’re literally frightened. It’s like devils on the wall — big scary eyes and big scary teeth, and just the whole vibe is not what we’re used to.”
The statement could have done without the hyperbole and just went with the last part which is what the real problem is. It could have also done with a lot more cane shaking and “get off my lawns.”
City officials have cited Brown for the “unpermitted and excessive signage” and ordered him to take down the art within 30 days. Fines will start at $376 and go up if he doesn’t comply.
Brown and his attorney Mark Geragos are fighting back, however, claiming his neighbors are harassing him. “I’m scared of neighborhood busybodies like this,” Geragos said. “They’ve called animal control. They have sicced parking [enforcement] on him, and now they reached the heights of ridiculousness here. Shame on them.”
While he didn’t go with the tried and true “it’s because he’s black, isn’t it?” defense, Geragos did go with the “violating the 1st Amendment” defense. Granted, while the 1st Amendment does guarantee freedom of speech, it doesn’t guarantee freedom from consequence.
“I know a $300 fine is probably pocket change. But hopefully and maybe, he’ll just see the light and decide to be a good neighbor,” Negri said. “We’re happy to have him — if he just tones it down.”
What she means is Chris should stop playing that hippity hop so loud and keep those criminals with the backwards caps from coming around or there’ll be much more cane shaking coming his way.