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Rage Bassist Pleads Guilty To Misdemeanor After Disrupting MTV Awards
Rage Against the Machine bassist Y.Tim.K--a.k.a. Tim Commerford--pled guilty in a New York City courtroom on Friday (9/8) to a charge of disturbing the peace stemming from a scene he caused after climbing a stage set during the MTV Video Music Awards Ceremony on Thursday night (9/7).
Commerford was led from Radio City Music Hall in handcuffs during the event after he climbed atop the set, began shaking it, refused to come down for an extended period of time and ultimately scuffled with security personnel, according to reports.
As the award for Best Rock Video was being presented to Limp Bizkit at the ceremony, Commerford--whose band had just finished performing “Testify” and whose video for “Sleep Now in the Fire” was pitted against Limp Bizkit in the Best Rock Video category--climbed to the top of the stage set directly behind the podium where the members of Limp Bizkit were standing. He then began shaking the set, which appeared as though it might collapse.
A number of stagehands and security personnel gathered below Commerford, who was eventually coaxed down and was ultimately arrested after a brief scuffle, according to reports. Both Commerford and a RATM bodyguard were led from the event in handcuffs, according to MTV News.
Commerford spent the night in jail, and was arraigned in a Manhattan courtroom on Friday (9/8) on the misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. The bassist was released with time served for his night in jail after he pled guilty to the charge, the D.A.’s office said. No information on the legal status of the RATM bodyguard was available.
