50 Cent Angers Watchdog

U.S. rap star 50 Cent has been, well, getting his 50 cents in again by upsetting the British broadcasting watchdog with his language.

The troublemaker image he’s fostered with brushes with the law for narcotics and gun possession took a bit of a knock at this year’s Reading Festival, when he was pelted off with bottles of urine (and a camping chair). Many in the crowd chanted “50 Cent is a wanker” throughout what became a very brief appearance.

In what looks like a bid to re-enhance his bad boy image in the U.K., he’s made British broadcasting watchdog Ofcom rather cross by swearing across the country’s somewhat delicate airwaves.

Apparently, he used several off-color words on a recent Radio 1 lunchtime chat show.

Several listeners complained, and Ofcom has agreed that “an apology should have been offered” by Jo Whiley, who was presenting the show and did the interview.

— John Gammon