How many times have you heard, “Celebrities — they’re just like us”? Although this is practically inconceivable, there are certain situations where the phrase actually rings true.
One of those situations? Jail time. Rumor has it that no one is above the law. Nope, not even celebrities. And as it turns out, our favorite stars have a lot to say about their time behind bars.
1. In 2005, Lil’ Kim was convicted on three counts of perjury and one count of conspiracy for lying to a grand jury.
As a result , she was sentenced to one year and a day in prison, as well as a month of home detention, and three years of probation.
According to MTV, the rapper revealed, “When I first got to prison, I slept so good for the first three weeks.”
She’d been working non-stop for two months before being sentenced.
“I was greeted with open arms by a lot of wonderful, wonderful girls at FDC Philadelphia. I met a lot of good people in there who are still my friends to this day,” she explained.
2. Teresa Giudice, along with her husband, Joe Giudice, were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud along with a slew of other related charges.
The Real Housewives star told ABC News, “I mean, there was mold in the bathrooms. There was not running water constantly. The showers were freezing cold … I mean, the living conditions were really horrible. It was — it was hell.”
3. Robert Downey Jr. faced numerous charges from 1996–2001.
The actor told Vanity Fair : “I thought it would be a lot smaller and tame. I was like, ‘Oh my God — what the [expletive] ?’ I thought it was going to be, like, the Corcoran State Prison and Theme Park, and I was [expletive] speechless.”
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4. Ja Rule
The rapper/actor told The Daily Beast , “I wanted to go into prison and come out a better person — mentally, physically. So, I read a lot of books, got my GED while I was in there, and worked out every day … It kept me sane a lot of days when it was stressful.”
5. Martha Stewart was found guilty of conspiring to obstruct justice, making false statements to federal investigators, and committing perjury.
She was sentenced to five months in a federal correctional facility and a two-year period of supervised release and electronic monitoring.
The queen of home explained that the food in prison was highly unacceptable and well beyond its expiration date. “That’s why I made jam out of the crabapples on the trees,” she said to the crowd at the Cannes Lions advertising festival.
She also taught her fellow inmates how to make ceramics!
6. When Mark Wahlberg was 16 years old, he spent 45 days in prison.
He was charged with attempted murder after attacking a man. He also carries a permanent felony record.
The rapper-turned-actor explained, “When I went to jail, that was a wake-up call. Over my lifetime I’ve known a lot of unsavory characters. I made a lot of mistakes in my own life, too, but thankfully, I was able to learn from them.”
7. Lindsay Lohan spent a very brief time in jail, a well as hundreds of days in rehab, over a month in home confinement, and hundreds of hours of community service, all for various charges.
The actress revealed that during solitary confinement, “You leave your cell for one hour a day, and you don’t go outside. The other girls in the other cells were in there for murder. The weirdest part for me was I finally had silence in my life.”
8. Lil Wayne
While behind bars, the rapper worked the suicide-watch circuit before being sent into solitary confinement. He was to patrol the other inmates and notify guards if any of them seemed to be in danger of committing self-harm.
9. In 1978, Tim Allen pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and received a sentence of three to seven years in prison.
He was paroled after serving two years and four months in a federal correctional institution.
When discussing his time in prison, the actor told Closer Weekly, “It was a watershed moment. It put me in a position of great humility, and I was able to make amends to friends and family and refocus my life on setting and achieving goals.”
10. In 2004, Michelle Rodriguez pleaded no contest to three misdemeanors — a hit and run, driving with a suspended license, and driving under the influence.
As a result, she was sentenced to 48 hours in jail, community service, and treatment in a 30-day alcohol program. Additionally, she was on probation for three years.
“It was so cool.” The actress revealed, “It was an amazing experience. I wouldn’t take it back for anything.”
“I have a really good belief in destiny. It’s, like, if I’m gonna be killed in there, I’m gonna be killed in there. But people were cool.”
11. T.I.
When asked if he had gotten into a fight while behind bars, the rapper told BET that he had. “Guys from your side and guys from their side,” he said. When asked who would throw the first punch in a fight, he said, “Hopefully you.”
12. Paris Hilton served part of her 45-day sentence in prison for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.
“At first, I went through so many emotions.” The socialite explained during an interview with Ryan Seacrest on E! News, “It’s a learning experience I’m going to grow from. Just being away from everything…you know, the craziness, the paparazzi. I’ve had a lot of alone time to think and read and write.”
13. Mike Tyson
When talking about his time behind bars , the former boxer revealed, “I was having so much sex that I was too tired to even go to the gym and work out. I’d just stay in my cell all day.” Well, then!
14. Lauryn Hill was sentenced to serve three months in prison for failing to file taxes and tax fraud, and she was required to serve three months under house arrest afterward.
The singer explained on her Tumblr blog, “Although it has taken some adjustment, I cannot deny the favor I have encountered while in here, and general warm reception from a community of people who, despite their circumstances, have found unique ways to make the best of them.”
15. Gucci Mane
“Life in prison was hell,” the rapper said. “People were dying every week. [But] I think it helped me to get to the point I’m at now. It gave me time to reflect, it made a lot of relationships that were toxic in my life just fall away.”
