NOW that Mai TT is out of custody, what are the chances of her launching a BIG comeback to her career as a comedienne and musician?
Will the whole ugly episode affect her massive fan base? For instance, the late Simon Chimbetu’s popularity even soared after his release from jail where he served four years for car theft.
He is not alone.
Even some global superstars have found a way to bounce back from serving time behind bars and Mai TT could pick a lesson, or two, from them.
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l 50 CENT
Rap superstar 50 Cent, also known by his real name Curtis Jackson III, was arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to three to nine years in prison in 1994. Back then, Jackson was still an aspiring rapper, who was determined to make something of himself after his release. 50 Cent did his time in an abbreviated six-month boot camp and earned his GED. After his release from behind bars, 50 Cent began rapping and his popularity surged with the release of his first album in 2000.
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l ROBERT DOWNEY JR
From 1996 to 2001, Robert Downey Jr. was one of Hollywood’s biggest bad boys. The actor was arrested several times during these years for drug-related charges involving possession of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. Downey has battled substance abuse for the majority of his life and was unsuccessful in his drug treatment programs. He was constantly on probation and spent a year in California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, California. Downey eventually battled his addictions and made a highly successful comeback, starring in several blockbuster hits.
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l TIM ALLEN
In the beginning of Tim Allen’s comedic career, he was arrested at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in Michigan for possession of cocaine. Allen had just under 1.5 pounds of cocaine on him and was charged with drug trafficking. Because Allen disclosed the names of the other drug dealers, his original life sentencing was shortened to three to seven years. Allen was paroled after serving two years and four months at the Federal Correctional Institution in Sandstone, Minnesota. The ex-convict quickly turned his life around after prison and became one of America’s favourite comedic actors.
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l NICOLE RICHIE
Nicole Richie was most widely known for being a troubled teen with a reckless lifestyle until she finally turned her life around. In 2003, Richie was arrested and charged with possession of heroin and driving with a suspended driver’s license. Three years later, she was arrested again for a DUI after failing a sobriety test and reportedly driving the opposite way on the freeway. She was sentenced to four days in jail, but only served 82 minutes at the Century Regional Detention Centre in Lynwood, California. After her short stint in jail, Richie enrolled in an 18-month anti-drinking driver education programme in order to get sober. Richie gave up her bad girl ways to focus on her career as a fashion designer, author and mother of two.
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l CHRISTIAN SLATER
Christian Slater’s acting career took a beating when he was arrested three times from 1989 to 1997. His first run-in with the law was in 1989, when he was arrested for drunk driving and assault. In 1994, Slater was arrested for trying to board a plane with a gun in his luggage. His last conviction was for assaulting his then-girlfriend and a police officer who was trying to defend her. He was also under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Slater attended a rehabilitation facility for 100 days and then served 59 days in jail. After his release from jail, Slater made a successful comeback in television and film and turned his life around for the better. — H-Metro/www.criminaljustice.com.