Jack White’s Anger Management

Jack White was sentenced to pay a $500 fine, $250 court costs, and to attend anger management classes after admitting that he beat up Von Bondies frontman Jason Stollsteimer at a Detroit club last December. No official word on why White spit on and punched Stollsteimer on December 13 at a bar called the Magic Stick at Detroit’s Majestic Theater Center. White said in a statement outside the courtroom Tuesday, "This was a personal matter and not a press promotion." The Von Bondies’ new album was released Tuesday.

White also said in his statement, "I regret allowing myself to be provoked to the point of getting into a fist fight." He claims he was defending the principles of "honor and integrity." There are many theories surrounding the beating. There have been reports that White approached Stollsteimer at the Magic Stick and Stollsteimer snubbed him. Another scenario was that White was upset that Stollsteimer criticized his production work on Von Bondies’ 2001 indie release, Lack of Communication. There are those that believe that a romance gone sour between White and Von Bondies’ guitarist Marcie Bolen is behind the incident. Whatever the case may be, White’s temper has landed him in anger management classes.

White made a deal with prosecutors and avoided jail time and a possible felony conviction for aggravated assault by pleading guilty for a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery. Along with his fines, fees, and court appointed anger management classes, White was ordered to stay away from Stollsteimer who still suffers from a watery eye from the beating. Maybe White’s romance with actress Renee Zellwegger will help keep his temper under wraps. If not, maybe he can beat up someone else.