Listen, without prejudice.

Since his mid-'80s career peak, George Michael has witnessed a steady decline in his popularity. But on April 7 the British singer finally came up with something to once again capture our attention. The real-life scenario that took place inside a park rest room a mile away from his Beverly Hills home prompted front-page headlines. Not only did the incident bring him the attention he hasn't had in years, but it also, caused him to comment on his sexuality for the first time. "I have no problem with people knowing I'm in a relationship with a man," Michael said. "I've not been in a relationship with a woman for nearly ten years."

Although early Reuters reports suggestively stated that George's April 7 arrest "involved a lewd act with another man in Will Rogers Memorial Park ... a well-maintained, quiet area lined with palm trees," Associated Press stories soon recounted that he was alone in a park rest room when an undercover officer saw him "commit the unspecified act." In his first public comments following his arrest, Michael told CNN on April 10, "I put myself in an extremely stupid position. I won't deny that. I won't even say it was the first time it ever happened."

Officials specifically would not reveal whether the performer had masturbated or simply exposed himself, adding that Michael didn't proposition the agent, yet conveniently omitting whether or not the cop had propositioned him. Locals offered that the park has a reputation as a gay cruising area, and police confirmed that there had been a similar arrest in the same men's room earlier that day.

The unlucky event is part of a larger sad picture for the singer. His mother died last year, and a few years before that came the death of his male ex-lover, a loss the singer made public. Earlier in the decade Michael severed ties with his old record company, Columbia, citing declining sales and promotion. This unhappiness continues into his current deal with David Geffen's DreamWorks record label: On his Web site Michael tells fans, "I hope that you all realize that the relative dismissal of Older in America (especially considering its great success in the rest of the world), is just as bewildering to me as it is to you. I am afraid that my time so far with DreamWorks has been a frustrating and disappointing one."

While leaving behind his pop-idol past, Michael has done little to encourage sales in America, where he has declined interviews, concerts, and most TV appearances. His meager '90s output is worthy, but low-key and not the kind of stuff that sells mega-units without major hype. Only time will tell if Michael's caper will trigger a renewed interest in winning fans or be the final nail in his career's coffin. Pessimists will point out that Paul Reubens, Hugh Grant, and Eddie Murphy never recovered from similar sexual scandal, but neither are they washed up, and let's not forget that President Clinton's popularity is at an all-time high. If nothing else, Michael's mishap has managed to do something his artistic output hasn't achieved in years: It's made him seem interesting again.