Courtney Love’s got 99 problems

LOS ANGELES – Courtney Love was sentenced Tuesday to 18 monthsin drug rehab, closing one chapter in a troubled saga that beganwhen she was accused of trying to break into her ex-boyfriend’shome while high on cocaine.

Superior Court Judge Patricia M. Schnegg gave the rocker untilOct. 29 to enroll in a drug counseling program, which will requirefrequent drug testing. She will be permitted to travel, but will bebarred from taking non-prescription drugs, drinking alcohol orbeing in places that serve alcohol.

“I have to stop drinking. That’s funny,” Love said outsidecourt, firing up a cigarette. “I think I can do it.”

The 40-year-old widow of Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain showed up toher sentencing 15 minutes late, dressed in a two-piece lavendersuit and purple high heels. She sat down and immediately beganreading the British music magazine NME.

Love appeared demure during the hearing, despite a history ofbeing admonished by judges for courtroom outbursts. Several timesshe put her hands over her face and shook her head.

A series of charges followed: possessing illegal painkillers,assault, reckless endangerment, attacking someone with a liquorbottle. Then there were escapades like strange courtroomstatements, allowing herself to be photographed with her nipple ina stranger’s mouth and flashing her breasts on David Letterman’sshow.

“Thank you,” she told the judge when it was over.