Quitting his job in dramatic style hasn’t eased the stress for former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater — and a Queens judge yesterday showed her concern for the wingnut, serving up some Dr. Phil-like advice.
With the holiday season, his mom’s cancer and court-ordered substance-abuse treatment to deal with, Slater was told by Queens Criminal Court Judge Marcia Hirsch not to get too busy.
“Don’t get worn out with all your activities,” said Hirsch.
“Have a good holiday season,” added the judge. “You need to concentrate on you right now.”
In court to update Hirsch on his progress in drug treatment, Slater (pictured left at court) admitted, “I am a little overwhelmed.”
Slater, 38, won notoriety in August when he literally slid out of his JetBlue job. He grabbed some beers, deployed a plane’s emergency chute on the Kennedy Airport tarmac and slid down to escape what he felt were some cranky passengers.
But the other side of his infamy was a guilty plea in October to two counts of criminal mischief — one of them a felony.
“I’m trying to stay focused and organized and keeping my priorities straight,” Slater said in court.
“It’s a very difficult time right now. My mom is not doing so good. She is struggling. It seems like her cancer is getting worse. It’s touch and go every day.”
Slater said he’s keeping up with his court-ordered counseling in New York and in California, where he regularly visits his mother. “Everybody is being very helpful. Great support,” he said.
Slater appeared in court in a gray suit, navy-blue dress shirt and a beige necktie.
When photographers complimented his appearance, he replied, “I need to lose 25 pounds.”
