George Michael 'in hospital with pneumonia, heart problems'

BRITISH singer George Michael is being treated in a hospital in Vienna for suspected pneumonia and heart problems, Austrian television channel ORF reported overnight, without citing sources. The 48-year-old has cancelled a number of concerts, including ones in Vienna on Monday, in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday and in Cardiff, Wales this weekend because of an "ongoing illness," according to his official website. The former Wham! star has performed about 45 shows to date as part of his "Symphonica - The Orchestral Tour" that began in August.

• Oh gosh, yeah, I think I know what that is. Sucks.

• untreated strep leading to rheumatic fever. If it were HIV, there wouldn't need to be heart problems.

• This doesn't sound good.

  Steve%20Jobs

• George Michael is one big mental mess, now spilling over into the physical. I remember in the 80's when he was one of the hottest gay guys on the planet, shaking that tight firm butt into the camera and shaking that thick beautiful hair. And those bedroom eyes. As so often happens, he had inner-demons and decided to self-medicate. Many driving accidents later, he was arrested in a public toilet in LA, and then later in Britain for soliciting sex from some ugly older guy in some bog or sand dunes. Then he had the fucking nerves to say "It (having anonymous sex with ugly old men) is part of my gay culture". Given so much talent and a beautiful face and body, he pretty much emptied the bank account and is now a mess. He probably caught pneumonia from some old pecker he sucked off in a public toilet or in a dark alley.

• I never thought he was sexy. He had an ugly face, bad teeth, and had TDF.

• Reads like he has the same illness which claimed Jim Henson's life.

  Miss%20Piggy

• Jim Henson had AIDS.

• Just opened a bottle of Beringer pinto grigio. It's disgusting. I went to their winery in Napa once, and it tasted better there.

• r7, link.

• R8 link to winery

• I love GM. I was a little girl when he was part of WHAM and thought he was a God. I hope he recovers.

• Oh my goodness, wrong thread. On topic however, when I was in 4th grade in 1985 we had to write an essay about our favorite bands and why. Mine were Hall & Oates and Wham! Oh yeah. I got an A, motherfucker.

• r5, what is TDF? Theatre Development Fund?

• The heart problems part hasn't been confirmed so it may not be true. Martin Kemp (a good friend of George's) has tweeted that George is comfortable and improving. Best wishes for his quick recovery. I've been a fan for a long time.

• Hall & Oates did good, but Wham! was just cheesy.

• (R8) .. What the hell is "pinto grigio"?? A horse drink? If you mean Pinot Grigio, try one from Venice Italy, not Napa, California.

  In%20vino%2C%20veritas.

• It always seemed to me like he was sex-crazed and just screwed around with any old thing. I've always wondered if he was HIV positive. It wouldn't surprise me.

• R4, I don't think George Michael has ever had money problems. You must be convincing him with yourself.

  nobody%20wants%20your%20sex

• Last Christmas may have a double meaning this year.

• Convincing him with yourself? What?

• Is he hiv pos? Wouldn't be surprised

• I wonder why he's such a self destructive mess. He's been out for a very long time. He never had to marry to pretend. He was only "straight" to the public at the height of his career. He had great success and more money than God. He had looks and youth, not to mention great talent. What a pity.

• r22 Ever know any Greek gays? It's the whole rejection by the Macho father that fucks them up.

• I only know he's Greek r23. I don't know anything about his family life. Did he ever talk about it?

• Oh jeez he's just a smoker with a bad cold.

• Any excuse for homophobic rants, eh, folks?

• R4 = Kenny Goss on a bender in rehab.

• r26 what homophobic rants?

• George Michael's real name is... Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou He was close to his mother (I think she passed on) is close to his and sister and has never really spoken of his father.

• Does he have "Jim Henson Syndrome"?

  Kermit

• The most troubling part of the story is that he was admitted to a small, private hospital but later transferred to a larger public hospital. Any hospital, even a small one, should be able to treat an uncomplicated case of pneumonia. That he was moved means more is going on than is getting into the press.

• No links anywhere?

• I hope it's not a "strep infection".

  Miss Piggy

• That's all she wrote, folks!

  Andrew%20Ridgley%2C%20ready%20to%20be%20chief%20mourner

• She's a addict whore who yarns tricks in parks. It ain't a stretch to think it could be the AID

• Here's a link from the BBC that backs up the OP's story.

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15862776

• I hope not r35. I really love the guy. Can't hate on him no matter what he does. He's so obviously tormented.

• The article that mentions the transfer from one hospital to another (in German).

  http://www.vienna.at/liegt-george-michael-im-wiener-akh/3099409

• His PR people were denying he was hospitalized this morning when he was in the hospital. A lot of smoke here, hard not to suspect a fire.

• Who knew he even had a heart?

• A typically mean-spirited photo essay in Murdoch-owned tabloid the Sun about GM (featuring an alluring photo of him as a young Greek god.)

  http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/3956393/Pneumonia-puts-George-Michael-in-hospital.html

• I'd forgotten how totally cute he was.

• You can only abuse your body so long before it starts to break down.

• I still think he's hot in a daddy-bear way.

• His former lover had AIDS and he has said that he's too scared to be tested. Maybe this health scare will force him to get tested finally.

• r45 That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

• Damn, he was hot when he was younger!

• r46, what is so stupid? PS, please stop using the overly-used "ever" unless you are Isaac Mizrahi.

• I hope this is not the result of a drink and drugs binge with this latest hot guy he was photographed with in Venice last week ....

• Pneumonia can get serious, especially when combined with other symptoms and could lead to a stroke, particularly if smoking - it killed a friend of mine (who was also hiv) 15 years ago.

• He Has Been Loved but he is getting Older, we dont want The Sun To Go Down On Him, we gotta have Faith.

• r48 I wasn't calling you stupid. I was reacting to the idea that someone obviously so sexually active would be "afraid" to get an HIV test. Especially when you consider that he's got plenty of money to get the best treatment and care available. So, don't be so defensive. and P.S. ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever....

• r52, hug for thanksgiving. I searched and he said he had a test previously, but in 2007 he said he doesn't like waiting for the results so hadn't had one in 3 years.

• Wake Me Up Before I go-go!

  GM%2C%20circling%20the%20drain

• WIth his great wealth, he could have had the hottest gay men in Britain, even if he had to pay them. Yet he prefers to go wandering about a bog at night hooking up with any old fart who has his dick hanging out from his unzipped pants. There is something really wrong with the guy. This kind of sexual obsession that seems to link danger with sex (as in public restroom sex) puts back the gay movement years.

• Pneumonia, huh? I guess "liver cancer" or "a blood transfusion" would've raised too many red flags?

• r53 back at you babe.

• he has a bit of a belly now. don't some HIV patients have that? And don't flame me, there's an ad I saw recently for a drug related to it.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D8qVzi_c_8lo%26feature%3Drelated

• I love his perfect vocal on Jesus To A Child, his song about his Brazilian lover who died of Aids, and his version of Stevie Wonder's As with that great video where he and Mary J Blige are everyone in the nightclub. That Outside video is great too, and his version of Joni's Edith and the Kingpin. Hopefully he can get over this and clean up his act.

• Aids can happen to anyone, no matter what sexuality a person is.

• "he has a bit of a belly now. don't some HIV patients have that?" Yeah and men over 40 too. Especially ones with a love of drink.

• R59. I think 'Father Figure' and 'Kissing a Fool' are fucking beautiful. Get well George. He was part of that group of megastars out of the '80's (George, MJ, Prince, Madonna, Janet, Whitney) who sold records in numbers today's pop stars can't even imagine ensuring a legacy following that will outlive them. Music's golden age may have been the '60's, but it's commercial peak was the '80's.

• God, that Sun article was CUNTISH. Outside of the cheesecake picture of George as a young stud, they used the worst pictures they could find, didn't they?

• "I remember in the 80's when he was one of the hottest gay guys on the planet ..." Only to fat femme guys or those into trannies.

  Thanks for the laugh.

• Liver disease. Yeah, that's it. Liver disease.

  Barbara%20Mandrell

• I think R18 has had a little too much Pinto Grigio!

• I always thought he was enormously creepy looking. Looks like this will be his last Christmas and he'll be giving someone his heart but it's a diseased one? Oh. Never mind.

• [quote]has had a little too much Pinto Grigio! And I'd say you had a bit too much Thunderbird.

  Henry%20Ford

• You know that nice little #1 string of hit songs that Katy Perry "achieved." George Michael did something similar & would have broken it had the idiot DJs played "I Want Your Sex" more. IWYS stopped @ #2. And since " I Knew You Were Waiting" did go to #1, George would have racked up 6 #1s in a row... Although his fall from grace is tragic, if anyone was the male Madonna, it was George...

• I saw him at a charity concert in London doing a rare live performance back in the early 90s and remember being blown away by his talent. He moved to the music so well it was insanely sexy, and his live singing voice was the best I've ever heard. Most singers cannot replicate the singing quality of their recorded material live, but he could, even adding additional emotional richness. His voice was effortlessly strong, pitch perfect and rich. It's such a shame he's had so many personal demons.

• New this morning: "George Michael's condition worsened overnight say doctors."

  http://viennatimes.at/news/General_News/2011-11-25/27779/George_Michael's_condition_worsened_overnight_say_doctors

• (R4) STFU, you pathetic asshole. I hope George recovers. He has one of the most AMAZING male singing voices of all time.

• He's in rough shape. I'm pulling for him.

• OMG Get well George!

  a%20fan

• I'm hoping he makes it too. Has he really not been tested ? In this day and age, with the treatments available, that seems foolish.

• What does he feel about America these days?

• He's so tired of it, r76. Haven't you heard? He's been singing Rufus Wainwright's "Going to a Town" on this tour. Beautifully! A performance of it linked below, from a week or two ago.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKKDNyWwJE8

• My grandmother died two days ago: pneumonia and heart problems ... ! She was 86 though, but still ...

• I am convinced that R18 is confused.

• R77 - thanks for the link, beautiful .

• He has passed...

• Link, please, R81

  Anonymous

• [quote]Although his fall from grace is tragic, if anyone was the male Madonna, it was George... George could sing.

• link

  http://articles.cnn.com/2009-12-24/entertainment/george.michael.obit_1_sports-anchor-sports-broadcasting-george-michael-sports-machine%3F_s%3DPM:SHOWBIZ

• Get well, Georgie boy. Love you.

• Not the same George Michael.

• OMG, R84! It's true!

  RIP George Michael

• r84 Asshole!!!!

• George Michael the SPORTSCASTER IS dead, not GM from Wham.

• He is insanely talented with the album "Older" being one of the best overall "pop" albums I've ever heard (he not only wrote most/all of the songs but also played most of the instruments on the album). He was also insanely handsome and still has a great stage presence and beautiful voice. I hope he recovers.

• I hope they didn't let him drive the ambulance.

• More thanks to R77 for the link. Lovely to hear GM's flawless version, great that he knows Wainwright is a genius. Get well soon George.

• Oh, he'll recover. He's probably got pneumonia because he smokes. My ex has had it a number of times (smoker).

• r93 it's a miracle he still has that voice and power (most of it anyway) inspite of smoking.

• Greek guys always age poorly.

• Most healthy people don't get pneumonia. People with compromised immune systems are among the high risk groups for pneumonia.

• He also reportedly chain-smokes joints as if they were regular cigs.

• Actually R96, most healthy people do get pneumonia.

• Somebody tweeted how much he looks like Cristiano Ronaldo in the younger pic in R41's link. It's true!

• He probably needs new valves...all those drugs. Talk to the former Govanator of California.

• bump for Gorgeous George.

• Put it this way, r98, healthy people who get pneumonia generally don't end up in the hospital.

• "most healthy people do get pneumonia" R98 - Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my comment! Most healthy people in the developed world do not get pneumonia. The key drivers for pneumonia are malnutrition, indoor air pollution, outdoor air pollution, overcrowding and tobacco use. Which is why 97% of new cases of pneumonia each year are in the developing world. HIV-infected children are 40 to 50 times more likely to develop pneumonia and are less likely to respond to treatment. Most adult deaths from acute respiratory infections are people who aged 60 or older.

• R103 nailed it. Younger healthy people do not wind up in the hospital of pneumonia. They claim that Brittany Murphy and her husband died from pneumonia but it sounds more like a drug overdose. I liked some of George Michael's music after Wham but now he's apparently big into drugs and loves having public sex with pretty much any man he can find when he could easily afford male prostitutes.

• I hope he has a speedy recovery.

  R104

• He has been touring Europe the past few months and singing, staying in hotel rooms, maybe meeting fans who were sick, so it's not like he was lounging in Hawaii and got it.

• R106, he's also been getting fucked by an assortment of porn actors. Who knows what else he has at this point.

• Hmm...I hope he doesn't die. Thinking good thoughts.

• From an Austrian paper tonight, badly digitally translated. "George Michael for the first time yesterday, woke up from the artificial deep sleep," it said in the context of the pop star, "he's in a (given the circumstances) good condition." But there are still far from clear. Yesterday evening, reported the intensive care of the AKH Christoph Zielinski, chief of the University Hospital, and Thomas Staudinger had their say and bad news for the fans: "The time to recovery can not be determined. He will not be able to complete the rest of the tour, "The only glimmer of hope:" He responds to the treatment, his condition is improving slowly. " One thing is certain: George Michael was in a life-threatening condition when he was admitted on Tuesday after the cancellation of his concert at the Vienna General Hospital intensive care unit. "Michael needs absolute peace now," say his friends, who have hastened to Vienna. Michael was a "Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome" (ARDS) in the intensive care unit in the 13th Floor of the General Hospital brought - a so-called shock lung. It was especially dangerous because the lungs have severe heart arrhythmia problem came. Michael was transferred to artificial deep sleep and artificially ventilated. ARDS was probably triggered by a protracted pneumonia. Michael was last in Venice, was smoking with his new friend, the Australian hair stylist Fadi Fawaz, on the balcony of his hotel a joint. Fawaz also traveled to Vienna, Michael visited the hospital. He is "kinetic" treated, which means his body is fixed by vacuum foam on a science-fiction-like swing bed. By constantly swings are part of his lungs are relieved: "A common method in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome," it says. Remain as long as the star of the clinic must be not in sight: "He wants to stay in Vienna," pointing to his management, "until he is completely healthy."

  http://www.oe24.at/leute/oesterreich/So-krank-ist-George-Michael/47520000

• Isn't that new guy he was seen out and about in Venice with the other day also a porn star ?

• [quote]The key drivers for pneumonia are malnutrition, indoor air pollution, outdoor air pollution, overcrowding and tobacco use. There must be at least one other "driver" because I had pneumonia and none of those key drivers fit me.

• It looks like he will get over this - thank heavens. One can imagine how the sob sisters on the trashy papers would play it if he died, blaming it on his gay lifestyle - just like they did with dear little Stephen Gatley of Boyzone a few years ago, compared to George Stephen was an innocent.

• I hope his recovery goes well. This is interesting: [quote]He is "kinetic" treated, which means his body is fixed by vacuum foam on a science-fiction-like swing bed. By constantly swings are part of his lungs are relieved: "A common method in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome," it says. I'm curious how that's set up.

• sMOKING kILLS

• Yes, he's also a porn star R110.

• All the coke fucks up your heart.

• He's been a heavy cigarette and pot smoker for decades.

• it all sounds just a little too liz taylor doncha think?

• Does he have pneumocystis or pneumococcal pneumonia? Pneumocystis (PCP) has been the most common opportunistic infection and the most common pneumonia since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. While PCP used to be fatal for many HIV+ people, it is now preventable and treatable. Drugs to prevent PCP are recommended for all HIV+ people with CD4 cell counts below 200. Treatment: Antibiotics including: TMP/SMX (Bactrim or Septra) Dapsone plus trimethoprim Pentamidine Atovaquone (Mepron) First choice treatment is TMP/SMX, but many are allergic to the sulfa contained in the drug (desensitization may be used to overcome allergic reactions) Prednisone can be used along with antibiotics Usually treated for three weeks To prevent recurrence, a person stays on prophylaxis as long as the CD4 count is below 200. Anyone can be vaccinated for pneumococcal pneumonia, but there is not one for PCP.

• No. Community acquired pneumonia is caused by an infective agent from "out there", the community. Most people already have the yeast or bacterium that causes pneumocystis pneumonia living in their lungs asymptomatically. If you're immunocompromised, it can cause a an opportunistic infection: pneumocystis pneumonia. The infective agent comes from within you. Or something like that.

• What R111 said. I'm GMs age and I had pneumonia last year. I was working my ass off, got sick and ignored it until I dropped. Maybe it's the same for him. I can see why it's easy to put 2 + 2 together after reading all the stories about his behaving recklessly, but I would caution people about jumping to conclusions. That's how certain stereotypes get perpetuated, like HIV is a gay disease. If he were straight and landed in the hospital with pneumonia you wouldn't be saying that. Maybe his wreckless ass just got pneumonia. It does happen, despite what R103 & R104 say.

• It's the fact that he's got the severe form of this pneumonia that's so unusual. It's much more common in the elderly.

• [quote] Most healthy people don't get pneumonia. Not necessarily. Older people get pneumonia because it's usually hospital acquired, but there are other types. I know one guy who got pneumonia from a typical cold. He ignored it, and it nearly killed him. He was in hospital for six weeks recovering. GM probably had a nasty cold virus and it got a grip on his lungs (there is a particular nasty cold virus lingering around London at the moment... it took me four weeks to shift it).

• I like how English people say 'shift it' instead of 'get over it' when referring to an illness.

• r122, what about the years of drug use that have probably taken a toll on his body. All the plastic surgery/botox affects the system, too. I don't think it's hysterical or homophobic to assume AIDS, but there are other possiblities.

• He's dating a porn star? Good for him. What's his name? Is he English?

• I'm a bit surprised to read all the hateful, judgmental stuff in this thread.

• [quote]"The time to recovery can not be determined. He will not be able to complete the rest of the tour, "The only glimmer of hope" Most depressing tour ever.

• "wreckless" Oh, dear.

• [quote][R103] nailed it. Younger healthy people do not wind up in the hospital of pneumonia. Gerard Depardieu's son died of pneumonia. It's more common than you think.

• What a drama queen!

  Liz Taylor, the original European clinic coma victim

• [quote]Gerard Depardieu's son died of pneumonia. It's more common than you think. Depardieu's son had a long-running drug and alcohol problem, on top of having had his leg amputated for a post-traumatic infection that would not quit. Not really a good example of a young, healthy person succumbing to pneumonia.

• His lifestyle lent to his resistance being very low. He drinks, smokes, does drugs of varying sorts, and he has been pushing himself on tour. That is a recipe for disaster health wise.

  Gay%20Granny

• I know this sounds awful, but if it was Elton John, I wouldn't give a shit. But GM....... I hope he gets better soon.

  Rush%20Limbough%27s%20filthy%20taint

• Depardue's son is dead? I thought he lost his leg in a motorcycle accident...I didn't remember he died.

• I'm also surprised that posters here are so judgmental. Have none of them enjoyed a wild life, before they turned into spinsters?

• Today, we have this, from The Vienna Times: Doctors treating singer George Michael on the 13th floor of the Vienna AKH general hospital say his condition has worsened overnight ... He was taken by ambulance to the city's top Rudolfiner private hospital in the 19th district of the city, where a decision was taken to move him to the main general hospital - the AKH. The hospital refused to say why the star was moved but it is believed it was decided that the singer's condition was so acute that it would be better if he was moved to the AKH - the biggest in Europe and where many of the continent's top medical experts are based because of the advanced facilities it offers for research as well as treatment. ... [Michael] is currently in intensive care on the 13th floor of the red tower as a result of heart problems believed to be caused by the shortage of oxygen caused by his pneumonia. On Thursday afternoon he was fitted into a special full-body bed designed to keep all the pressure off his lungs and to help them to function - so far without any sign of improvement.

  http://www.towleroad.com/2011/11/george-michaels-condition-worsens.html

• I say we gather the Von Trapp children to go and sing songs outside his bedroom window. Nothing cheers a person up, and gets them onto the recovery road than a rousing rendition of "Lonely Goatherd."

• Pneumonia is code for many things. This is actually the first time I can post second-hand gossip from a true insider: this is very, very grim. Like Amy Winehouse grim.

• So it's code for what in this case, R139?

• r139, who's your source and what do you know? There are hugely conflicting stories about his condition out there. Half are basically that he's within hours or days of death, the other half that he's improving daily and out of danger. I'm a longtime fan, and this is getting hellish. Spill.

• It sounds very bad. What kind of pneumonia is it? Is it pneumonia or is it congestive heart trouble?

• Should George not recover stand by for a deluge of features blaming his gay lifestyle. It won't be pleasant. I want to dig out his Older album and luxuriate in it again, its a brilliant concept album written by a gay man from a gay point of views.

• George is fine. He sends his love.

  Jackie Harris

• He's obviously HIV positive. Why are we surprised about this news.

• I have to say I love GM and hope he pulls through. For all his foibles, he still has a very soulful voice, which I love. I'm going to dig out my GM music today, too.

• Musto says it's not AIDS.

  http://blogs.villagevoice.com/dailymusto/2011/11/george_michaels.php

• Wow, a lot of compassionless pricks here. I thought we had a better community than what has been represented here.

  Family

• The German newspaper Bild (like the Dailymail) says in its online version, that the next 48 hours are critical. Translation: Ill George Michael: His doctors: the next 48 hours are critical Does he have to stay in the hospital til Christmas? From the article: there is no all-clear yet, doctors speak of a "serious" illness. The People reported that a special bed got delivered, this sort of bed is used in the most extreme cases of pneumonia. Apparently his partner Fadi Fawaz, ex-partner Kenny Goss and multiple family members are at his side. The doctors are confident that he will be fine, and his partner (who was born in Austria) said that "George is laughing already. Everyone sends him the best wishes."

  http://www.bild.de/unterhaltung/leute/george-michael/die-naechsten-48-stunden-sind-kritisch-21246018.bild.html

• I wonder if he's on a respirator? If he's really as sick as they say with pneumonia, then he would be on one.

• [quote]"George is laughing already. Everyone sends him the best wishes." Seriously, though, that's almost invariably a horrible sign. Alarms should go off whenever a critically-ill person is described as "laughing already".

• You know what's a worse sign? When Elton John calls you his "angel", then dedicates "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" to you. Jesus Christ George, hang in there!

  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/rocket-man-powers-on-a-ball-of-energy/story-fn9d2mxu-1226207465860

• I feel bad for him...if someone has to be sick and suffering, why not George Bush or Donald Rumsfeld?

• Austrian papers are saying he's on a heart/lung machine.

• R154, that would be a respirator.

• no, not a respirator. a heart/lung ecmo-type thing.

• I thought heart/lung machines were used only during surgery?

• it's an advanced form of life support not in wide use thats adapted from the surgical bypass machine. no confirmation from george michael's camp, but that's the story in the austrian media.

• [quote]British singer George Michael is being treated in a hospital in Vienna That's what happens when you take your sausage in the can.

• Life support? Good lord. I've always liked George Michael. Wonderful singer and songwriter. I really don't care about his personal life.

• [quote]Alarms should go off whenever a critically-ill person is described as "laughing already". The verb in the original German article can mean "to smile" as well as "to laugh." I took it to mean "George is smiling already."

• Oy dont want him to die

• Just out from the Daily Mail. Family at bedside.

  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2067436/George-Michaels-bedside.html

• Oh shit, this looks really bad.

• No one fucking listens.

  r139

• Well if you could elaborate instead of being so cryptic, R139/165 people would listen.

• You say you know something r139, but you don't even tell us WHAT it is you know. It's a fucking anonymous board. Until you tell us, I say you've got nothing.

• I've found myself watching this thread, checking several times a day for stories on his health, and hoping he's going to be ok. I'm one of the assholes who has always been made fun of posters for getting all emotional and upset when famous people get sick or die, I owe you/them all a big apology.

  Not crying as I type, but sad

• No, please GOD NO!

• Do we know if he's HIV+?

• The singer, who is being treated in hospital in Vienna, Austria, is said to be responding to treatment and "slowly improving". He had been joined by his 75-year-old father Kyriacos Panayiotou, who is known as Jack Panos, as well as sisters Melanie, 49 and Yioda, 53. His former boyfriend, art dealer Kenny Goss, is also due to join the group in the Austrian capital shortly. The 48-year-old star’s boyfriend, hair stylist Fadi Fawaz, has kept a bedside vigil since the singer fell ill on Monday of last week. Fawaz, 38, reportedly appeared tired and drawn as he left the hospital over the weekend. He was accompanied by two women, believed to be Michael’s sisters, one of whom held her head in her hands waiting in the hospital lobby. The Daily Mail quoted a "close friend", who said: "His whole family are with him. They are very close-knit. George is just such a lucky man in that sense. He’s so adored." Speaking of 53-year-old Goss, Michael’s partner for 13 years until 2009, the friend added: "Kenny of course is very concerned. He has been in touch every day. They will always be the best of friends." Michael, who has pulled the plug on the rest of his tour, has been told by doctors to take "complete rest" and the remainder of his scheduled shows have been put on hold. The star, who has been diagnosed with "community acquired pneumonia", was due to play British shows on his Symphonica tour until the week before Christmas. His publicist said earlier this week: "He is receiving excellent medical care; he is responding to treatment and slowly improving." Doctors said they could not estimate how long he would need to recover. It is the latest medical setback during the tour, his first for three years after previously saying he was to quit playing live. Just a month ago he was forced to pull out of an appearance at the Royal Albert Hall due to a viral infection and high temperature. Michael, 48, spent a month in prison for drug driving last year. Specialists in Vienna, Dr Christoph Zielinski and Dr Thomas Staudinger, issued a statement today saying: "George Michael has severe community acquired pneumonia and is being treated as an inpatient. His condition has stabilised and he is responding to treatment. "From the current point of view, the time until recovery cannot be estimated, but he will not be able to perform the rest of the tour. Besides medical treatment, complete rest and peace and quiet are mandatory." Promoters are working to rearrange the postponed dates "at the earliest opportunity". The tour began in Prague in August and has so far seen him play 45 shows in 35 cities. A hospital spokesman declined to comment on the singer’s latest condition on Monday.

  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8922146/George-Michaels-family-in-bedside-vigil-as-star-battles-severe-pneumonia.html

• Boyfriend probably infected him.

• Latest news, hot from the Viennese presses: he has pneumococcal pneumonia, which led to Acute Respiratory Distress Disorder -- apparently very dangerous, because it weakens the entire immune system and the heart. He was transferred to the ICU at the main teaching hospital in critical condition last week. They're making it sound like he's turned the corner, but he's grounded in Vienna with travel prohibited for at least the next month, so he'll be spending Christmas here. There's no mention of HIV/AIDS, although the head of the ICU where he's being treated is a noted AIDS specialist -- could just be coincidence... Anyway, his voice is in real danger from the lengthy intubation that's been required, so who knows when he'll be back on stage.

• ok, so what's on George's iPOD? Faith? Zip me up before you Go-Go?

  Lucy%20Tasteless%20J.

• It was probably a drug overdose, and they're hiding it.

• People do get the type of pnemonia and die from it. It happens more often than you know.

• I got the truth vibe at once from R139, and I'm guessing it's 60/40 against, probably worse; while not yet at the title of The Other Thread stage. I'd appreciate R139 sharing what more he can. I hope to God GM can hang in there.

• I told you that he was on a respirator. Anytime a patient gets severe pneumonia, they put them on a respirator.

• R170: We don't know (and neither does he). He said he is afraid to be retested.

• Any recent news?

• I have an acquaintance who is as close to inner circle as you can get. The reasons behind the pneumonia will probably come out but the bottom line is that there is only a slight chance that he will live and that has been the outlook since Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. The organ failure occurring now (kidneys) is not unexpected and a very bad sign. There's been at least one news report but if he does live the ventilator will fuck up his voice for a long, long time.

  r139

• has he been on a heart/lung machine, r139? I'd say thanks for sharing if you had better news.

• Martin and Shirlie Kemp are some of his closest friends, definitely inner circle, and they seem without a care in the world judging by their tweets. Maybe the outlook has changed for the better.

  hopeful

• and what is the reason behind the pneumonia?

• Bob Hope was throwing out one-liners for every birthday until he died. The only problem being, of course, is that he was basically a vegetable for the last five years of his life. He'd be tweeting up a storm if his corpse were still warm today, but it would not be a team of writers.

• You have the ring of truth, r139. I've noticed a yellowish tinge to his skin recently. Oh God. Kidney failure...that could be HIV related. r139, you say kidney failure was "not unexpected". What was he doing on a tour if that was the case? Is he on a transplant list? Or has the transplant already occurred and that was the "pneumonia"?

• Just meant that organ failure would be expected close to death. But remember my friend did not say there wasn't any hope. Just that there is not much.

• I so hope you're wrong, R139, etc. If it's truly the end...go into the light, George...with our love.

• Yellow? Sounds like the liver.

• Update is that he's getting better. Sorry to disappoint the trolls and the haters.

  http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/George-Michael-recovering-from-pneumonia-and-getting-better-and-better/8449037

• Saw George on his 25live tour in Los Angeles and it was FUCKING SPECTACULAR! I will never forget it. Have been a big fan since the very early days of Wham before the US had heard of them. I'll be extremely sad if he dies.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D88hGAhEmfEY

• "You Have Been Loved" Makes me cry.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DRuMFCnhLbeU

• I saw him on the same 25Live tour in Seattle. He was great, and incredibly moved by the outpouring of love and support from the crowd.

• R139, I appreciate your very sad update. It's obviously much worse than I'd hoped. A slight chance is still a chance, but organ failure - Christ. Let us know more when you can. Thanks.

  R177

• Very hopeful statement from his doctors...I am so relieved to read this. I'm another who usually doesn't give a damn about celebrities, but I've found that I DO about this one. The pit of my stomach is in better shape than it's been in for several days. Feel better soon, George.

  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8925509/George-Michael-mproving-steadily-say-doctors.html

• I"m happy to hear that too, R195.

• So hoping the prognosis posted by R195 is correct.

• r190/r195 I pray that's the case. George is one of my childhood heroes. He's connected in my mind with the happiest time of my life. I just can't imagine him dying at such a young age. I also don't get the hate towards him from some people here. The man never hurt anyone but himself and has never been hateful towards anybody. Why so much hate? For what? Get well, George.

  woman

• I agree, R198 - I don't understand the hate. George may have demons, but he's no different than most of us. And to even make light of him having AIDS, which who knows if he does or doesn't, is sick and disrespectful to people who do have the disease.

• I feel more comfortable with this thread than the "George Michael is dying :(" one. I wish him the best, and if what 139 says is true what constitutes "the best" could go either way. Being an Ancient Old One myself (52), much as I like to live I would rather give up the ghost if surviving would mean losing my voice during my waning years of hotness and being on dialysis for the rest of my life. I do wish it was Bush or Blair rather than Michael. He certainly has his issues with substances and the cottaging, but he's had an honorable career in pop stardom, not least that he actually can sing. More than that, he doesn't have his head up his ass politically and was one of the few who put his ass on the line to speak out against the rush to war, i.e.

  http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php%3Faz%3Dview_all%26address%3D104x4523429

• Usually when the body begins to shut down, you have "organ failure." Once your kidneys begin to shut down and your fluid output lessens you can be considered to be dying. I'm just heartbroken. When I first heard he was sick with pheumonia, I thought it was the rigors of the tour and his lifestyle, hard partying, etc. But he's remained hospitalized much too long. Treatment for pneumonia would show some definite improvement five to seven days out. This is lasting to long. It means he is not responding well to the drugs. It sounds to me that it is very serious and that he might not last.

• Have you read the statement? He's making impressive progress according to his doctors. Other Austrian reports are saying that he's been moved out of the ICU, all to the good. If the kidney stuff is true, might it be possible to regain some kidney function? Anyone medical on the thread?

• This sounds to me like something heart-related. They said he was very ill with a viral infection and a high fever a month ago. I would surmise that they never really addressed that. Viral infections are pernicious. They will lie dormant then flare up. It's possible the little sack around his heart is inflamed as a result, or that there's been a fluid build up in his lungs that is related to an enlarged, overworked heart function. IMO, it was that infection a month ago, that started this whole episode. People seem to focus on the pneumonia, but early reports said his heart as affected. That's why it's "taking longer" then it might normally take for him to bounce back. If his heart has been affected, this is a very delicate situation and it coulkd go either way. Doesn't look good. He's probably not a healthy person to begin with because he clearly doesn't take care of himself. Removing someone from ICU isn't always a good sign. Sometimes, when medical professionals know things are winding down, they will move a patient to a place where he is more accessible to family members. My own experience with ICU is that there are other patients the medical staff needs to be addressing and you can't "keep vigil" when someone's in ICU. They have a time limit and a visitor limit. Patients in ICU have to be kept quiet.

• "We are happy to announce that Mr Michael is improving steadily with an impressive regression of pneumonic symptoms and follows a steady rate of improvement as hoped." That does NOT sound like "winding down".

• Hoping for the best. Get well George. We love you.

• The longer a person stays in the hospital the worse the outcome. There are peaks and valleys, but eventually they just start once again to go downhill, until the end.

• He has AIDS!

• In a way he's lucky this happened in Vienna. If he were in the UK the tabloids would be all over him like maggots.

• R207, duh? What is the update? Has the candle in the window been blown out?

• I agree, at least he is out of England, or the tabloids would have the hospital staked out, with all kinds of vile innuendo and rumours. Thank goodness it looks like he will make a slow recovery, but may never be able to do a concert tour again.

• He is toast by christmas

• Oh, look, R207/R211 is our racist from the bus rant thread.

• truth hurts!!

• Pepsi and Shirley - the Wham girls - were on morning tv here in England today, promoting a 80s revival tour they are on, and were in great spirits, and said George is recovering and being well looked after, before promoting themselves. If they are not bothered about him then perhaps we are over-reacting ?

• [italic]Pepsi and Shirley - the Wham girls - were on morning tv here in England today, promoting a 80s revival tour they are on, and were in great spirits, and said George is recovering and being well looked after, before promoting themselves. If they are not bothered about him then perhaps we are over-reacting ?[/italic] Talk about tragic has-beens! LMFAO!!! Someone get those girls a calendar! Gross.

• The girls were very perky and bouncy - their lack of concern about George was odd, perhaps they are not close to him any more. One of them - the blonde, Shirley, has done well for herself, married to one of the Kemps.

• I really hope that George Michael is doing better and is going to be well again, but sorry, I just don't believe any news article and "statement". No way. I will believe that he is fine when I see him giving a statement.

• [quote]The girls were very perky and bouncy - their lack of concern about George was odd, perhaps they are not close to him any more. Shirlie Kemp remains one of his closest friends and lives nearby him. Pepsi moved to the Caribbean, but I don't think she was ever as close to George as Shirlie was. If George's life were in imminent danger, I've no doubt Shirlie would be in Vienna now or at least not tweeting nor sounding so happy.

• Little known fact: George supported Shirlie's family financially while her husband was undergoing treatment for brain tumors and unable to work. He's that kind of guy.

• r219 I believe it. I've never heard anything of him being a bitch to anybody. Get well, George:)

  fangirl

• There may be bad news. During an interview with Pepsi and Shirley today, Pepsi said about George, "We've been told not to speculate - just be very positive." Not good. That means George hasn't spoken directly to Shirlie yet, after having been hospitalized for over a week. If he's not speaking to his inner circle, he may not be able to speak. His condition is being kept from even his closest friends. "Don't speculate" is pr-ese for "it's worse than we want anyone to know."

• I never really got all the hate for George Michael . He produced some classics stuff, his best hits double cd is one that I can play over and over again and never tire of. I've never heard of him being an asshole to anyone- but the tabloid press who care way to much about who / when /where he has sex. He apparently has a weakness for drugs and outdoor sex, um... many people in our community have the same bad habits, Is DL really going to claim better than him? For fucks sake, why flame this guy, I can think of worse men to rail on. I hope he gets better.

• I remember a story in the 90s about hum buying luxury vehicles for all of his friends every year for Christmas. In any case, I think he is going to be fine, and everyone is overreacting.

• If he was hooked up to a ventilator to ease his breathing problems and not make his heart have to work so hard, as if often the case with severe pneumonia. So, of course he wouldn't be able to talk. If they inserted a tracheotomy tube in his throat he couldn't talk. He's also probably heavily sedated to keep him quiet. I adore George Michael and I want him to get well. But I have to agree with the person up thread who said that the longer you are in hospital, the worse it looks. The best thing for him would be the ween him off the ventilator and get him strong enough and stable enough to go hoe a recover with round the clock nursing care.

• Have Bananarama showed up at his bedside yet? Keren's been with Andrew Ridgeley for about 20 years, you know.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DqFROwwzmnR8

• r139, do you have an update from your friend?

• Isn't he dead yet?

• Poor thing. I have a feeling that once he's better he's going to have them leave the trach hole because he'll have discovered the plus side of being able to breathe while having you mouth and nose occupied.

• They need to move him to a room with a view of a public loo. That'll motivate him to get off the ventilator and get back to his regular routine.

• [bold]George Michael out of danger[/bold] George Michael, who was admitted to the hospital after he suffered from pneumonia, has been moved from intensive care after showing signs of recovery. According to sources at the hospital, the 48-year-old singer has made a "significant improvement". Michael's boyfriend Fadi Fawaz and his family will now be able to join him at his bedside in Vienna, Austria. Doctors treating the popstar said that the time he spent in isolation was essential due to the "severity and extension" of his illness. "There are no other health issues with regards to the patient other than the underlying pneumonic disorder, and no further measures had to be taken," the Mirror quoted Professor Gottfried Locker as saying. Friends now hope he could be transferred to a British hospital before Christmas. (ANI)

  http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-01/news-and-interviews/30462719_1_george-michael-intensive-care-hospital

• There are conflicting reports in teh Austrian press, r230. yesterday they were reporting that he was still in a Vienna ICU, too weak to be moved.

• I he dead yet? The value of my Whamm memorabilia is going through the roof the minute he kicks it! This is good as my 401k really sucks right now.

• Any word on his condition bump

• He has a bump now? Cancer?

• at firt i was worried that his condition was SO bad that no one knew anything, now I'm begining to think it's nowhere as serious as it's been made to seem. if it was that bad, mainstream gossip would have something, wouldn't they?

• [quote]"There are no other health issues with regards to the patient other than the underlying pneumonic disorder, and no further measures had to be taken," the Mirror quoted Professor Gottfried Locker as saying. That means he is not POZ or has AIDS, right? I was worried in a dorky way about that because of his own personal past behavior.

• I can exclusively report that George isn't out of the woods yet...there are still more trolls whose cocks need to be sucked! Ba-dum-bump!

  Andrew%20K.%20Ridgley

• A tweet from today by GM's close friend David Austin: "no need to be worried. All is moving in the right direction. He's super strong"

• Inner circle says there is still a lot to worry about. [quote]VMichael's boyfriend Fadi Fawaz and his family will now be able to join him at his bedside in Vienna, Austria. So much for the bedside vigil last week. Most of the reports from the press have been utter bullshit.

• When my uncle had his heart attack they rushed him into ICU where his family could only stay for like, five minutes of every hour, one at a time. But then he took a bad turn, and there was no hope, so they moved him from ICU to a room where his family and friends could "vigil" at the bedside. And then he died.

• R139, anything?

• What is the latest?

• Any news?

• Does anyone have any updates?

• They said he complained about all the Christmas music being played in the hallways.

• Isn't he dead yet?

• FOAD yourself, R246.

• Dobie Gray gave meaning to the term "In crowd",his song will live in the history of american pop culture.american music has been blessed with many giants,who have made a special contribution,like bobby blue bland,who taught us all about a stormy monday or james brown,who rode the night train,through our hearts or little julian herrera,who started chicano doo wop,in southern cali or jackie wilson,who took us higher and higher.Yes sadly,we our losing giants,way before,we had a chance to tell them thank you.Thank you dobie

• [r246] fuck off

  You%20have%20people%20wishing%20for%20your%20death%2C%20numb%20nuts

• His boyfriend was quoted as saying he'd be spending Christmas in the hospital. That's a very long time. It doesn't sound as if he's making a lot of progress if the guy's telling the truth. The guy went on to say he was at George's bedside every day, etc.

• R247 and R249 need to lighten up. One suspects they're praying for the miracle of life so they can gather GM's lovesap for themselves in some third world tearoom some time. Dream on, girls. But do lighten up. You'll live longer. Cough cough.

• [bold]George Michael 'will spend Christmas in hospital' [/bold] GEORGE Michael is “improving” but likely to spend Christmas in hospital with severe pneumonia, his boyfriend said yesterday. George Michael 'will spend Christmas in hospital' Fadi Fawaz, 38, told reporters: “I spend every day at his side. He’s on the mend but it looks like he’s here for Christmas.” Doctors at Vienna’s AKH hospital, where the 48-year-old is being treated, said he was “improving steadily”. George has cancelled all 14 remaining dates on his world tour. christmas , george michael

  http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2011/12/07/george-michael-will-spend-christmas-in-hospital-115875-23615679/

• No news which, in and of itself, is bad news. No one's talking.

  r139

• I spent 5 days in hospital back in September (knee surgery) and was screaming to go home by day 5 (in my private room) - George has been there about 2 weeks now and maybe 3 more if there till christmas and after .... he will need to be well sedated to cope with it.

• R254, Maybe he's into Bondage so they can just tie him to his bed. But my main question is this. Is he STILL alive? What a drama queen.

• He's been in hospital too long. It has to be more than two weeks. He must not be responding well to the antibiotics or they didn't figure out which anti biotic works best with the strain of pneumonia he has. Maybe "pheumonia" is a generic term for what's going on. Maybe he has fluid on his lungs and they haven't the elasticity to expel it so he has "pneumonia." This doesn't look good, and I think they aren't telling us the truth.

• [quote]This doesn't look good, and I think they aren't telling us the truth. Rubbish! You know nothing about severe pneumonia do you?

• It's not uncommon for people to have to spend weeks in the hospital with pneumonia, particularly -- but not limited to -- those with compromised immune systems. If you get a bad case of pneumonia, it has a huge impact. Also, overuse of antibiotics around the world has led to a rise in antibiotic resistant strains of pneumonia. Some or all of these factors could contribute to his extended hospital stay.

• Lengthy stays in ICU's don't often end well. I agree with r256. There's somehting else going on that isn't being reported.

• Are there any doctors who could give an educated opinion about what is going on?

• I was once in hospital when I was at university.

  And%20other%20BBCisms

• his odds going in to the hospital weren't good. his diagnosis, severe cap, has about a 40-50% mortality rate according to the literature.

• "Among individuals who require hospitalization, the mortality rate averages 12% overall, but is as much as 40% in people who have bloodstream infections or require intensive care.[15]" george has required intensive care.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_acquired_pneumonia

• I feel sad. I'm going to go to You Tube and watch some George Michael videos. I want to send him good karma.Everyone should try to send him positive energy and good karma. Now, do it!

• Here. I'm sending this to George! I love the way he OWNS the stage, the way he struts his stuff!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c7x2JD_j-0&feature=fvsr

  R264

• Good idea, r264. Here's a link, if you're interested. George live at his peak, breathtakingly sexy:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eGQUjuwqzo

• Lot of idiots speculating. DL was a good place to learn about 9/11 on 9/11, but it's too full of morons now. Pathetic.

• [r259] he is not in ICU any longer

• how do you know, r268?

• See? The karma worked! Thank you R268!!!

  justsayin'

• You wanna see breathtakingly sexy,R266? Check out the jeans! Were they painted on? I love him. I love Elton. I swear they will break my heart, one day. But not yet.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srP3FXW0Dpo&feature=related

• Thank you, r271. Dresses left, obviously.

• George has irreparable brain and throat damage and will never be the same or sing in public again.

  insider

• "insider" if they had to put him on a ventillator of course it would damage his throat. But that does not mean the damage is permanent or irreversible. As for the brain damage, I'd rather you not tell things like that, since at this point, we have no idea at all who you are and whether you are telling the truth or spreading a rumor that will prove false. I am not going to accept this from you. I also want to say that I do not ascribe malicious intent to you. I believe you are just sharing what you hear. But I can't accept that since I cannot verify it with a credible source.

• Isn't he dead yet?

• Back off everyone. R274 has stated his boundaries.

• I wouldn't worry about R273. Troll-dar shows that he also posted R237, which doesn't seem like the kind of thing an "insider" would post to me.

• Sending good thoughts to George.

• I'm just remembering his uber-tight ass shaking in our faces in his late 80's videos. He WAS a terribly hot man back then.

• We've secretly replaced George's ventilator with a volcano vaporizer. Let's see if he can tell the difference.

• Rumors in European media that he's been discharged from the hospital...nothing confirmed yet.

• No, he's still in hospital. Almost 3 weeks now. R139, have you heard anything new?

• He will survive

  Gloria Gaynor

• There's no brain damage and damage to vocal chords is suspected but unknown. Still in the hospital AFAIK but, as I said above, not a lot of information coming from his camp.

  r139

• Is he conscious, r139? Are his kidneys functioning? I would be climbing the walls after 3 weeks in hospital. I hope he's ok.

  r282

• LOL at R280! And R274, but for different reasons.

• r139, do you have a read on how much concern there is in the inner circle? The friends who see him every day and have twitter accounts are relentlessly positive and completely vague. I'm wondering how much of the positivity is bullshit.

• of course there concerned, this is a major setback and he was/is near death if something takes an even bigger turn for the worser. ill see what info I can garnish, but its not easy to cum by

• yez. buy awl meins yu dew that, r288.

• .

• R288 is the troll from R273, not R139. Do fuck off, R288.

• r139, heard anything?

• If he dies, I'll be more than happy. He is just an irresponsible prick who think that he can hides his HIV/AIDS condition. He is ignorant and common fag. So what if you have AIDS! he can live a very healthy life style if he was willing to test for HIV/AIDS, and people would have lots of respect for his courage. Just look at Magic Johnson. He is a much better person and will respected worldwide because he has done a right thing in coming on the national television and admitting that he is HIV positive.

• He has been HIV+ for a long time. If he was not on any HIV cocktail, then in this case he will get opportunistic infection such as Pneumonia and other infection that will makes it difficult for him to recover. Cipro is the treatment for the most advance pneumonia. Most often the physician will prescribed Bactrim to a patient who is HIV+ and taking anti HIV to prevent Pneumonia. Since he is so ignorant and stupid, to do a simple test of HIV test, chances of his recovery could be slim. His heart problem that he is having, is also s a result of his HIV. In rare cases, the blindness may also appears. There are some very advanced HIV cocktail that will help a person with HIV to have healthy life style. In Africa, there are two Cocktail that are prescribed for the woman who is pregnant with a child to prevent the baby being born HIV. ATRIPL and TRUVIDA are these cocktail that the doctors will recommend for those whom are pregnant with a baby.

  Danny

• I've had both Cipro and Bactrim for pneumonia, and I'm not HIV+.

• Anyone who will pay another older man to suck his cock, has no self-respect. George Michael is a pig and worthless crappy turd. This guy is a common male prostitute that has no self-respect. Who gives a rats ass if he dies. One less stupid worthless faggot. Let him die in pain and suffers so he can learns his lesson.

  Danny%2C

• danny don't know shit about cytomegalovirus and prenatal HAART.

• Anybody who has been in the hospital on a breathing tube is at dire risk of repeated pneumonia outbreaks. "There's no brain damage and damage to vocal chords is suspected but unknown." If he was intubated he can't speak period. They will probably have to put a hole in throat to assist his recovery. They can do that in a way that speaking is possible later, but singing would be out of the question.

• Danny is homophobe troll.

• R296 I so hope you contract terminal cancer at the earliest convenience. Scum like you should not be allowed out to walk the streets.

• Hot pornstar boyfriend, who's been at George's bedside for the duration of his illness, tweeted yesterday "Xmas at home ;)". Good news. George will be released from hospital soon.

• r301, he might have given up on him, and is planning an orgy for Christmas without George.

• Thanks for the update, R301.

  Hoping%20for%20George%27s%20Recovery

• George's website sent a message yesterday asking fans to leave wishes on his FB page.

• hasn't it died yet?

  andrew%20ridgely

• Thanks for the FB suggestion.

• I don't think its fair to assume or suggest that HIV+ is involved, pneumonia itself along with smoking can be pretty serious and result in a heart attack - it proved fatal to a friend of mine over a decade ago (though he was hiv+ too! but also diabetic). Several weeks in hospital must be pretty grim though, even in the best. He will need a long recovery period so may never be singing or touring again.

• Ring-of-Truth R139/R181 has said 'Pneumonia is a code for many things' and 'The reasons for his pneumonia will probably come out.' He/she is being respectfully discreet but also clear enough. More when possible, R139. Hang in there, George.

• I had pneumonia several years ago, after I wore myself down trying to do more than I was physicaly capable of, and no matter what the doctors tried it didn't work. Ended up in the hospital for 6 weeks, 4 of them on a vent, with IV antibiotics for the whole time. So for extreme pneumonia, with a public figure, i don't see this as being anything to be over worried about.

• Did you have ARDS, r309? How long did it take you to recover fully?

• Yes, R 130, it was ARDS. I had just about all of the symptoms and side effects and after effects except organ failure, tho my doctor had warned me that it was likely. Took the doctors close to 2 weeks to figure out what was going on. Had one asshat doctor who was sure I was HIV+ even tho I'd had two tests done since the last time I had sex, which was close to a year before I got sick. It took me a long time till I was back to "normal", maybe 8 months or so, and 6 months to be fully off all meds and nebulizer breathing treatments.

• Good God, that sounds like a horrifying experience, r309/311. Another question: did you have PTSD from the experience? I've heard it's not uncommon for ARDS patients who've been ventilated/suctioned. Any lingering cognitive effects? I guess it's safe to say we won't see much of George for a year or so, unfortunately.

• He must be really sick , he's off twitter for almost a month now

• WTF is ARDS????? R309/311 you sound as if you went thru a terrible time! Glad you got thru it!

• Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, r314. Look it up, it's horrifying stuff. There were several accounts in Austrian press that George developed ARDS as a complication of pneumonia. That may be the reason for his very prolonged hospital stay.

• I wonder if his prolonged hospital stay has helped him lose weight. He was carrying around quite a paunch hanging over his belt the last time I saw him - not growing older gracefully at all. Why do all you people care about him? He has made gay people look bad time after time (sucking dick in a public LA toilet, fumbling around in the bogs and finally hooking up with some ugly old man for sex, then claiming such acts are part of his "gay culture"). He was a very pretty boy in the 80's, but he's done nothing positive for the gay community. Why all the sympathy for this drug addled self-destructive idiot?

• R312, my best friend had PTSD from his 2-month hospital stay due to ARDS. He was on a ventilator for over a month. I don't think the doctors and nurses thought he would live due to the severity of his condition, but he made a miraculous recovery. The PTSD only lasted for a month, but he was a very strong person emotionally. He actually went on a trip to Europe 3 months after he got out of the hospital.

• r309, glad you made it through. You bring up a good point about doing more than you were physically capable of. The life on the road for most musicians is brutal. They not only have to sing and perform but do rehearsals , meet and greets , interviews...and get on a bus to go do it again the next day. Georges body has endured a lot and he's not young but there is so much money on the line that he probably kept pushing himself because the show must go on.

• He was overscheduled on this tour, no doubt, too many gigs in too little time, and the Venice balcony pictures showed that he had relapsed into cannabis use. Drug abuse + overwork + whatever r139 is hinting at were a bad combination.

• I don't understand why his "people" are keeping everything so hush-hush unless there's something serious that they don't want his fans to know about.

• Actualy R316, his extra weight is probably helping him out. When you get really sick and can't eat your body relies on any fat on your body to keep going and not relliy so hevily on liquid proteins and the like, so he's probably doing better than if he had been thin when he got sick.

• My psychic projection: GM gets out of the hospital and within 6 months is again arrested for a DUI and/or for being on his knees sucking some old man's dick in a smelly London toilet.

• I read something from a legitimate news outlet saying he will be home for Christmas and that he is making progress. Doesn't sound like they're wildly celebrating, but it does sound optimistic. I think they needed him to be quiet and he got that in the hospital. Glad he was in Austria, bcz that may have made it less convenient for hangers on and "friends" to visit. If his immediate famil, a couple of close friends and his boyfriend were there but going in one at a time that would have been enough. That's probably part of the reason he was sedated.

• I hope now that they are getting him up and making him move around. The worst thing you can do with pneumonia is just lay there.

• R324, with pneumonia, would it help to hang him from his feet?

• LOL 324 - maybe you should call his doctors and give them that advice. I'm sure they'd never think of it on their own.

• [bold]George Michael 'home for Christmas after recovering from pneumonia'[/bold] The ex-Wham! singer has been in hospital in Austria since being taken ill ahead of a scheduled concert in Vienna on November 20th. George Michael is recovering from pneumonia He was diagnosed with severe pneumonia and doctors warned the Careless Whisper star could be hospitalised for months, but he has defied expectations. The 48-year-old will apparently be discharged in the next few days and plans to head home to London in time for Christmas Day. Fadi, 38, was quoted by the Sunday Mirror as saying: 'Christmas at home. I cannot stop smiling today, the best day ever. He is getting better and better. Nothing to worry about, happy days.' The Faith singer was forced to cancel the UK leg of his Symphonica tour because of his illness, but hopes to reschedule the dates for next year.

  http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/885225-george-michael-home-for-christmas-after-recovering-from-pneumonia

• The quotes from Fadi in the article above aren't actually quotes, they're tweets, and they've now been deleted. GM's bodyguard just called them "wishful thinking" in his own tweet. George may be in hospital over Christmas. R139, can you shed any light? The management's secrecy is not encouraging.

• R328 I agree - all the secrecy gives the impression that something is terribly wrong. Hell, George is obviously so sick he can't even post a quick tweet on his Twitter to give an update about himself, and he always used to be on Twitter. I don't believe this Fadi guy one bit.

• What's his bodyguard's Twitter?

• @ronnie_franklin

• Is the witch dead yet?

• Legitimate news outlets were certainly saying he'd be home for Christmas, but it seems ridiculous to give that credence when he hasn't even had the strength to send any messages or tweets himself. I really hope he recovers soon, and indeed is very much on the mend, but it seems clear that he's still very weak.

• I've been playing his music. I love the 2 CD, "Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of..." Played Jesus to a Child & Father Figure over and over. He is magnificent.

• AIDS?

• Probably not home for Christmas:

  http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hUAc42Vr1lTWtoIcnMX3GCLhGKQA?docId=81cdd9819a774fb6a19e65eb82f47b2c

• Christoph Zielinski said "we know that he is doing well and we are generally optimistic" about his recovery. "generally optimistic". The guy is in the hospital for a month and that's all you got

• Ronnie Franklin tweeted "another day, another improvement" on Sunday.

  https://twitter.com/ronnie_franklin

• r338, that's the party line, improvement, improvement, improvement. Nothing substantive. I call bullshit.

• Why do you people care? An old bugger who has disgraced the gay community time and again. Yet you act like he is your favorite uncle. Perhaps part of his problem is that they may be forced to cope with addiction problems and withdrawal complications while trying to help him recover. Just another tale of an 80's pretty boy who blew it (no pun intended). So what if he had a nice voice? So does my next door neighbor! What kind of integrity or character does this man have? I have seen nothing to make me care one way or the other.

• Does he know it's Christmas time at all?

  Boy%20George

• Well, R40, I love George Michael as a truly gifted artist. He never disgraced me. He's a troubled, beautiful wreck of a man, and he's given me many wonderful hours of beautiful music and musical performances. If you ever saw him perform, you might understand. You can see his generosity and open heart in the way he performs and embraces his audience and invites them to sing with him. Never, not one time, have I ever heard a mean thing about him. He is kind and generous and his fellow artists and musicians love him. So STFU and have some compassion. If you really don't give a damn, then just scroll on by this thread and don't bother to post your invective. We could all recite the litany of his troubles, his excesses, etc. Do you think people aren't aware?That isn't the point. A gifted artist is very ill, he may not be able to share his gift and sing for us ever again. So I am grieving.

• Yes, he's made an ass of himself through his arrests and anytime he opens his mouth and attempts to speak for the gay community in interview settings, but I don't think he's ever embarrassed anyone but himself, certainly not me. In my eyes, his failings don't overshadow his great talent and amazing voice, not to mention the fact that he's been an effective fundraiser for gay causes dating all the way back to his closeted Wham days. I've heard anecdotally that only Elton has given more, through both public and private channels. There's one area where I believe his contributions to gay equality have been overlooked. Because he writes about personal experiences, including coming out and gay relationships, he's exposed a very large, very mainstream straight audience to gay experience in a sympathetic way. I will never forget hearing him sing "My Mother Had a Brother", about the suicide of his gay uncle and his own coming out, in front of a massive crowd. It was tremendously moving to myself and, I believe, to the other LGBT's in the audience. What I did not expect was the rapt attention from the straight women and couples all around me. I saw tears. I had the feeling that many in the audience were being exposed to what gayness felt like, from the inside, perhaps for the first time. I'll never forget it. A link to a live performance of the song below. I wish him the best.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y0JQYZqhQE

• I remember when George Martin said in an interview that George Harrison had come to terms with the fact he was going to die soon of lung cancer and had made his peace with it. Harrison's spokespersons exploded over it, said George Harrison never said any such thing, that he was determined to get well, etc etc. Meanwhile, George Martin had told the truth. Harrison knew he was dying, and as he'd once sung "I really want to see you; really wanna be with you" to his sweet Lord, it was no surprise he'd made his peace with mortality. Why do these celeb-surrounders insist on "improving!/fighting to win!/better all the time!/home for Christmas! when people are seriously ill? Is there money involved? Contracts? I don't get it. God forbid anyone should say, "We're hoping for he best here," or, "not out of the woods yet."

• R343, thank you. That was exactly what I was feeling, too. George Michael has shared his poersonal experiences thru his music, he's exposed a vast mainstream, straight audience to the experience, and the emotional journey. R344, Maybe it's about $$$, but it also may be the truth. Maybe there have been small improvements. If he is on a respirator, or getting oxygen, they may be keeping him slightly groggy, and sedated, in which case he wouldn't want or be able to use his computer or tweet or whatever. He also wouldn't be able to talk. If it's about $$ there are all sorts of contractual obligations connected to his Tour which had to be cancelled. $$$ involved there so maybe they are "hoping to re-schedule" etc. It may also be the family's wishes.

  R342

• r139, you around?

• According to a news report in the NY Daily NEws ot the Post, George Michael's doctor said he was improving. He also said he would not confirm if Michaels would be going home for Christmas, but it would depend on what he wanted to do. They also acknowledged that he hasn't been tweeting. Something about it doesn't have the ring of truth for me. MAybe he got some depressing news about his voice. I'm going to visit You Tube again, because they have clips of his performances from this last tour.

• If he's still ill, he needs to be in the hospital with doctors and medical equipment to help his recovery. I don't understand the pressure of trying to get home for Christmas - it's not THAT important of a day, and they can bring Christmas to the hospital if they want to cheer him up. That said, I think something is VERY wrong. To be in the hospital for a month and everyone being vague about everything does not sound good.

• Austrian new agencies reporting he was released from Vienna General Hospital at 8 am this morning, taken by ambulance to airport and has now arrived in London.

• Keeping him in Austria and in hospital was the wiser course. I agree. Christmas is just a day. He needs to rest and he won't get as much at home in London.

• It seems he is now back in London, but will still probably need round the clock care ... but at least he can make a good slow recovery, no more booze and drug binges though with pornstar boyfriends !

• R351, how do you know he needs round the clock care, and how do we know he will get it in London? Altho, maybe the reason it took so long was to get him set up in London for a smoot transfer. It sounds like he is still in pretty bad shape.

• Lots of weirdness surrounding his release from hospital and conflicting reports of when and how he left. All outlets reporting that he's left, but no sightings of him yet, either in Austria or the UK.

• [bold]George Michael has left hospital and will head straight to London for Christmas[/bold] George Michael has been released from a Vienna hospital and will be able to celebrate Christmas at home. Advertisement >> The 48-year-old was being treated for pneumonia, with medics initially fearing the pop star would need to stay in ­hospital for months. However, Broadcaster ORF claims that George was discharged today from the AKH hospital and is catching a flight to the UK later this afternoon. It’s thought that George will head straight for his home in London to enjoy Christmas there.

• I'm glad GM is going to be OK.

• Update from Daily Fail: he is okay and spoke to the presses himself outside his house.

  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2078057/George-Michael-assures-fans-road-recovery-suffering-pneumonia.html

• Awww, he's holding that nice little nosegay of pink roses.

• Video of his statement. He was unconscious for three weeks and thanks his doctors for saving his life. r139 had good information.

  http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/video/news/sky-news/4018445/Popstars-health-recovery.html

• Now that George is home for Christmas, I can enjoy Christmas. I have not had a good night's sleep since he went into the hospital. I felt his pain and prayed for him to be strong and be healed. My prayers are answered, and I have tears rolling down my cheeks as I write this. I can now have a truly Merry Christmas!

• Hmmm...a troll Mary post (@ R359)? That's kinda festive.

• R359, my sentiments exactly.

• I assume that if George was released from hospital, he spent the night in a public toilet or gay bathhouse. He has a month's worth of sex to catch up on, and his tummy ain't growing any smaller.

• Don't know if R359 is a troll post or not, but I feel the same way. He looked frail on the news and you can tell from how emotional he was that he had a very difficult time. He's not out of danger yet, he could relapse, so I hope he will get a lot of rest and care and not over tax himself.

• I'd rather remember George Michael as he was in the 80's, a truly stunning man with the most beautiful thick hair on the planet. He may have personally (with Don Johnson?) pioneered the 1-2 day beard look. I loved the cross ear-ring, the mirrored sunglasses, and those extremely tight blue jeans - with Michael shaking his tight ass into the video camera's. I was put off that most of his vids then featured him in sexual situations (some quite graphic) with WOMEN. The lack of integrity was huge, since there were other ways to make the vids highly sexual without prostituting who he truly was sexually. He had a look that in some ways is ageless - the perfect faced sex punk in his black leather jacket (short enough to always show off that "come fuck me" ass). I honestly don't want to see him now. I don't need to be reminded that time takes away everything from us, including life eventually. Let's party with George like its 1985, aye?

• So does he have a hole in his throat now or not?

• [quote]I honestly don't want to see him now. I don't need to be reminded that time takes away everything from us, including life eventually. I saw him in concert back in 2008 and he still looked pretty good, just a few extra pounds and the same combed back hair, just grey. Now when I see pics of him from the past year or so, he looks absolutely awful. I can't believe how fast his looks went downhill in such a short amount of time, but with all the drugs, smoking, and hard living he's done, he's lucky his looks lasted as long as they did. I'm just glad I was able to see him in concert before they were completely gone.

• Sleep You Down After Me Stop Stop Don't leave me hanging on going hop hop

• He could be number three....

• Well AIDS will do that.

• ???

• You folks do realize this story is over a year old now. Sorry, vultures.

• George Michael passed away today. Sad.

• Did he die?

• Seriously, R373?

• My favorite song of his was Fooling a Star.

• Shame on you R368, R69. George Michael was seriously ill, last year, it took weeks, but he's made a full recovery, and he performed at the Olympics. He even went back and perfromed for the Hospital staff who helped him. He isn't dead. If anything were to happen to him, that he were ill or whatever, it would be all over the news, and all over the internet. I love George Michael and I hate these ignorant trolls who stir shit up for no apparent reason. You are sick and disgusting. I cannot say that strongly enough.

• Dead men don't do interviews. Here's one he did today: " George Michael felt "terribly guilty" when he fell ill with pneumonia. The Careless Whisper hitmaker was stricken with the potentially fatal illness late last year in the midst of his Symphonica tour in Vienna, Austria, and he admits he is upset when he thinks about what his family and partner Fadi Fawaz went through in staying by his bedside. "I remember quite a lot but I don't want to go into detail now. I remember best that I felt so terribly, terribly guilty and that I felt sorry for my family, my friends and my partner Fadi because they had to see what I was going through," Michael said. "For two or three weeks they didn't know if I would survive. "It would have blown me away if it had happened the other way around - if I had seen one of my sisters fighting for their lives." Despite his brush with death, it was only much later that Michael realised just how ill he had been. "But I didn't realise myself the danger I was in. I only realised when everything was already over," he said."

  http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/-/music/15730809/george-michaels-guilt-over-illness/