George Michael Slammed in His Chat Room
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Pop singer George Michael (search) might have expected some praise from adoring fans when he set up a chat room on his Web site.
Instead, contributors complained the 41-year-old looked old and overweight and criticized his recent music, prompting the singer to announce Thursday he is shutting down the forum.
In a message posted on his site, Michael said the negativity was bad for him, his fans and his music.
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"There are plenty of places to read people slagging each other off, but I wasn't trying to create one in opening the forum," he wrote. "Those of you that want to carry on the media's work will have to do it somewhere else I suppose."
He signed off: "Sorry guys, but that's the way it goes... Peace and Love...or nothing at all."
The decision prompted a flurry of postings, mostly from supportive fans asking the singer to reconsider.
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However, a few deemed the decision unfair and George a "control freak."
"It's a fans' forum, it's freedom of speech and I don't think it's down to George to take his ball home and say `I'm not playing any more,'" one fan wrote.