2 Live Crew Pay-TV Concert Canceled

Controversial rap group 2 Live Crew’s pay-per-view concert scheduled to be broadcast live Nov. 8 from the Palace in Hollywood has been canceled, a spokesman for the group said late Tuesday.

David Chackler, chief operating officer for the group’s Luke Records, blamed the cancellation on 2 Live Crew’s failure to show up for Monday’s scheduled press conference held at the Palace by Choice Entertainment, the firm which was producing the cable broadcast.

Lisa Phillips, president of Choice Entertainment confirmed that the program has been canceled.

Choice Entertainment has agreements to offer the $19.95 show to cable TV systems with about 2.5 million pay-per-view subscribers. There are about 14.5 million cable-television households in the country that receive pay-per-view telecasts.

Phillips said that Choice was scrapping the national broadcast because of the rap group’s “irresponsible attitude” in not showing up for the press conference, which was designed to promote the upcoming venture.

“The press conference came and went and these guys just didn’t bother to attend,” Phillips said. “What would happen if they decide not to show up for the concert? It’s simply something we cannot risk.”

Chackler said that the group’s failure to show was the result of tour-related communication problems and that the group still expects to get paid for the next week’s event.

According to Chackler, 2 Live Crew’s concerts next Wednesday at Club Vertigo in Los Angeles and Nov. 9 at the Celebrity Theatre in Anaheim are still on. The group also hopes to salvage the Nov. 8 Palace date.