LOS ANGELES -- British pop star George Michael is considering

performing a benefit concert to fulfill a community service

requirement as part of his lewd conduct plea last May, according to the singer's

lawyer.

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Michael's chosen community service

organization, has suggested a charity concert for the singer to offset his

court-ordered 80 hours of service, said his attorney, Ira Reiner. Michael has until

Nov. 10 to complete the community service requirement that stems from his

arrest for committing an unspecified act in a public restroom.

"No decisions have been made, but the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center has

suggested various possibilities, a benefit concert being one of them," Reiner

said Monday.

The 35-year-old Michael has not yet served any of the time he was ordered to

fulfill when he pleaded no-contest to the lewd conduct charge May 14. The plea

followed his highly publicized arrest by an undercover officer in the Will Rogers

City Park public restroom April 7.

Kathy Solorzano, the Los Angeles deputy district attorney who is handling

Michael's case, said she had not heard about the possibility of a benefit concert.

However, she said a concert could prove to be an ideal way for the artist to

serve his time.

"If the concert can generate some real revenue for people suffering from AIDS

or a worthwhile cause that pertains to the gay community, then that's great,"

Solorzano said, adding that a high-profile benefit would probably be more

effective than Michael performing his service out of the public eye.

Corri Plank, media relations manager at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, said

she could not comment on any of the discussions that have taken place

between the center and Reiner.

Solorzano said she notified Reiner's office that the lawyer must discuss any

changes in the community service plan with her, but added that she does not

anticipate the singer is trying to get out of doing the full 80 hours. "He's been

very straightforward from the beginning," she said. "He pleaded to the charges

and accepted the punishment. I don't see him trying to manipulate the system

and trying to get away with doing less."

In terms of funding such a benefit show, Solorzano said she would not

necessarily object to Michael financing the concert via some of the proceeds --

considering the expenses involved in putting such a show together. However,

she added that money donated to support the intended charity would have to be

a significant portion of the amount raised.

Some fans were not so keen on the idea of Michael paying his debt via a

benefit concert.

"I guess it can be argued that his doing a benefit would generate some serious

money for charity," said Amanda Gardonyi, who runs the unofficial fan e-mail

clearinghouse "YogMael." "But, by the same token, why should people have to

pay to see George when he's supposed to be 'paying his debt' ?"

Besides looking into various possibilities for community work through the L.A.

Gay & Lesbian Center, Michael is considering serving his court-ordered service

via other city organizations with the approval of the district attorney's office,

Reiner said.

Michael was alone at the time when he was arrested by an undercover police

officer for engaging in an unspecified lewd act in the Beverly Hills park's public

restroom. Three days later, the singer went public as a gay man on CNN, saying

that he was "embarrassed and ashamed" that his sexuality was exposed that

way.

Michael rose to stardom as the driving talent behind the '80s pop group Wham!,

who released such mega-hits as "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" (RealAudio excerpt) and

"Freedom." His solo career took off in 1987 with the album

Faith, which sold 7 million copies on the strength of such singles as

HREF="http://www.addict.com/music/Michael,_George/I_Want_Your_Sex.ram">

"I Want Your Sex" (RealAudio excerpt) and "Father Figure."

In related news, Michael has completed a new single titled "Outside" for his

upcoming greatest-hits album, according to a newsletter written by his cousin,

Andreas Georgiu, who is the president of his label, Aegean Records. Epic

Records is expected to put out the album Nov. 10, the same day Michael is

required to complete his community service.

In a newsletter announcement about "Outside," Georgiu wrote, "No prizes for

what it's about."

Meanwhile, in a recent fan mailing Gardonyi wrote that "Outside" contains "an

actual radio clip of [Michael's] lewd conduct arrest."

"I can appreciate the nature of the song if that's the truth, and George is a big

boy so he can sing all about sex," Gardonyi wrote. "But by the same token,

extolling the virtues of monogamy is one thing, saying 'get it on in the park' is

another. But, hey, George's fanbase is well over the age of majority consent, so

I guess we can handle it, right?"