Lohan late to first day of community service

Actress turned away from duty at county morgue

LOS ANGELES - Lindsay Lohan arrived late to her first day of community service at the county morgue Thursday and was turned away, another hiccup in the actress' effort to prove to a judge that she is complying with terms of her probation.

Lohan had been told to arrive at 8 a.m. for an orientation session but arrived 40 minutes late, spokesman Craig Harvey said. The actress was told to try again today, but will have to arrive at 7 a.m., he said.

Steve Honig, Lohan's spokesman, said in a statement that the actress was late because she didn't know which entrance to report to and confusion caused by the media waiting for her arrival."

The "Mean Girls" star's tardy arrival at the morgue came a day after she was scolded by a judge for being terminated from a community service assignment at a women's shelter. The hearing ended with Lohan's probation being revoked and her being led from court in handcuffs.

She later posted $100,000 bail and was released.

She remains on probation for a pair of drunken driving arrests in 2007 and a misdemeanor theft case filed earlier this year after she was accused of taking a $2,500 necklace without permission. She pleaded no contest in that theft case.

Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner ordered Lohan to complete 16 hours of work at the morgue before a Nov. 2 hearing. The judge will determine whether Lohan violated the terms of her probation by being terminated from the Downtown Women's Center after being late several times and not showing up for her service.

The actress had done community service in recent days with the American Red Cross, but Sautner said Lohan would not get credit for that work as part of her court case.

A probation officer noted in a report filed Wednesday that Lohan told her that the work at the shelter was "not fulfilling."

Lohan will be doing mostly janitorial work at the morgue, Harvey said. Her duties will include cleaning and stocking restrooms, mopping floors and washing sheets that the facility uses, he said.

The actress will have to surrender her cellphone while working at the morgue and will have to bring her own lunch, Harvey said.

Perry honored by Sharpton's organization

NEW YORK - Tyler Perry has gotten plenty of criticism from those who feel his popular movies like "Madea's Family Reunion" border on buffoonery and don't reflect well on the black community.

But on Wednesday night, the filmmaker was honored by the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network. The civil rights leader lashed out at Perry's black detractors, calling them "proper Negroes" who don't understand regular black folk.

"This man never apologized for who we were," said Sharpton, who is also a cable TV host, at his second annual Triumph Awards.

Sharpton said Perry has given work to many black actors who have been ignored by Hollywood, and has created an empire on his own terms.