Can I feel sorry for R. Kelly? I have given him the virtual cold shoulder since his indictment for child molestation two years ago. Tapes that are part of the evidence in the case still pending against him allegedly show the singer having intercourse with girls as young as fourteen, orgies and an incident in which he urinates on a young woman. His talent as a singer and songwriter notwithstanding, my music collection can do without contributions from him. However, the bizarre circumstances Kelly (pictured) has been in this week might lead some people to feel some empathy for the apparent scoundrel. Last Saturday, he reportedly ditched a scheduled performance to work the drive through window at a Chicago McDonald's.

The Chicago Sun-Times has the details.

Could the reason R&B superstar R. Kelly stormed off the stage after Saturday's show in St. Louis be a Big Mac attack?

Or did Kelly just want some familiar comfort after getting upset about what he felt was poor handling of the sound at the concert?

Kelly's attorney Ed Genson confirmed reports Monday that Kelly headed from St. Louis' Savvis Center to a McDonald's restaurant that had closed, but which he persuaded to reopen for the entourage traveling on his bus.

"Then, he decided he wanted to work the drive-through," Genson said. "It was on the radio. People were running out of their houses to have R. Kelly serve them."

. . .Saturday night, Kelly reportedly ran off stage and yelled at the sound people about two-thirds of the way through the show, part of a multicity tour with hip-hop giant Jay-Z. The two then canceled Sunday night's concert at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, as well as Tuesday's scheduled show at the Civic Center in Hartford, Conn.

This Saturday, R. Kelly was fired from his 40-city four with rapper Jay-Z after another disruption Friday, during which he left the stage, saying he saw gunmen in the audience. Claiming that one of Jay-Z's entourage blitzed him with pepper spray upon his return, Kelly again flew the coop. The two performers have had a fractious relationship throughout the tour, with each complaining about the other. It appears that Jay-Z held the whip hand, though.

The Associated Press reports.

NEW YORK (AP) - The tumultuous tour pairing platinum-selling stars R. Kelly and Jay-Z came to an abrupt end Saturday, one day after Kelly walked offstage during a performance and allegedly was blasted with pepper spray by a member of Jay-Z's entourage.

Kelly was booted from shows Saturday and Monday at Madison Square Garden by the promoter, who told the ``I Believe I Can Fly'' singer that he was banned from the facility, said his publicist, Allan Mayer. The promoter announced that Jay-Z, with special guests, would do the shows alone.

``The fans deserve better than this,'' Kelly said in a statement. ``I'd like the show to go on. It's really disappointing that Jay-Z and the promoter don't.''

Stress can lead to bizarre behavior. R. Kelly has pretended that all is well, even releasing an album titled Happy People after his indictment in 2002. But, his erratic behavior is evidence that knowing he may be convicted of a felony is taking its toll.

Note: My blog is Mac-a-ro-nies.