<html> <head> <title>Local News | The Morning Journal | Article</title> </head> <body bgcolor=#ffffff link="990000" vlink="000066" alink="ff6600">  <center> <pre><img HEIGHT=38 WIDTH=21 src="/images/news/adtab1.gif"><! Generated by place_ad, W3.COM, 1996><a target="_top" pws=normal href="/cgi-bin/adoptimizer/follow_ad?ctcentral+YNxZRht1XUe "><img src="/jrc/ads/lorainjournalad.gif"></a><img HEIGHT=38 WIDTH=21 src="/images/news/adtab2.gif"> <img HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=560 src="/images/news/topbar.gif"> <img HEIGHT=20 WIDTH=20 src="/images/news/lefttab.gif"><a href="/jrc/papers/MorningJournal/FrontPage/index.html"><img border=0 HEIGHT=20 WIDTH=87 src="/images/news/news.gif"></a><a href="/jrc/papers/MorningJournal/Sports/index.html"><img border=0 HEIGHT=20 WIDTH=87 src="/images/news/sports.gif"></a><a href="http://classifieds.morningjournal.com"><img border=0 HEIGHT=20 WIDTH=87 src="/images/news/class.gif"></a><a href="http://www.personalspage.com/personals/utility/mva/ohioclus/info_screen.htm"><img border=0 HEIGHT=20 WIDTH=87 src="/images/news/personals.gif" alt="Personals"></a><a href="/info.html"><img border=0 HEIGHT=20 WIDTH=87 src="/images/news/info.gif"></a><a href="/index.html"><img border=0 HEIGHT=20 WIDTH=87 src="/images/news/hometop.gif"></a><img HEIGHT=20 WIDTH=19 src="/images/news/righttab.gif"> <img HEIGHT=7 WIDTH=560 src="/images/news/midbar.gif"> <img border=0 HEIGHT=18 WIDTH=108 src="/images/news/home.gif"><img HEIGHT=18 WIDTH=351 src="/images/news/papertop.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=18 WIDTH=100 src="/images/news/homer.gif"> <img border=0 HEIGHT=17 WIDTH=108 src="/images/news/space.gif"><img HEIGHT=17 WIDTH =351 src="/images/news/papermid.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=17 WIDTH=100 src="/images/news/space.gif"> <img border=0 HEIGHT=17 WIDTH=108 src="/images/news/space.gif"><img HEIGHT=17 WIDTH=351 src="/images/news/paperbot.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=17 WIDTH=100 src="/images/news/space.gif"> <img border=0 HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=108 src="/images/news/space.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=70 src="/images/news/space.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=69 src="/images/news/space.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=69 src="/images/news/space.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=69 src="/images/news/space.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=74 src="/images/news/space.gif"><img border=0 HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=100 src="/images/news/space.gif"></pre> <hr width=85%> <table width=540 height=350 border=0> <tr>  <td width=80 align=left valign=top> <IMG SRC="/images/news/subsect.gif" HEIGHT=26 WIDTH=77> <IMG SRC="/images/news/vline.gif" ALIGN=RIGHT WIDTH=1 HEIGHT=330> <a href="/ritalin/"><img src="/images/genrx.jpg" border=0 width=71 height=41 alt="Ritalin"></a></td> <td valign=top width=460>  <table border=0 WIDTH=220 align=right><tr><td><img border=0 src="/jrc/papers/MorningJournal/FrontPage/mjstar.jpg" HEIGHT=312 WIDTH=220 hspace=5 vspace=5></td></tr><tr><td>Michelle Pauley stands with her father, David Pauley, yesterday. (Morning Journal/Jeffrey A. Camarati) </td></tr></table> Thurs., Aug. 6, 1998 She wants to be a star By MORGAN LEWIS, Morning Journal Writer SHEFFIELD LAKE -- It doesn't bother Michelle Pauley that the whole country is talking about it. It doesn't even bother the 18-year-old that Howard Stern talks about it on his radio show, that CNN broadcast the report all over the world or that U.S. News and World Report and The National Enquirer want to tell the story. In fact, Michelle is quite content that the whole country is talking about her boyfriend who is accused of stealing a credit card out of his mom's desk to pay for Michelle's breast enlargement surgery. After all, she wants to be a star. From her parents' home in Sheffield Lake, Michelle discussed yesterday how she plans to move to Hollywood with her boyfriend, Michael A. Copp, who must first face a felony charge of misuse of his mother's MasterCard to pay for $2,496 of the surgery. The entire surgery cost $4,000, Michelle said. "I've been talking about getting my breasts done since I was 16,'' she said. "Then one day, Mike told me was going to pay for me. He's the sweetest boy in world.'' Michelle, who went from a B-cup to a D-cup, sported a purple floral lace crop-top T-shirt and faded bell bottom blue jeans yesterday afternoon as she discussed her boyfriend. She has already been approached by numerous national television and radio programs, including the Howard Stern Show, who all want Michelle to talk about her surgery. But she's not sure. "I wouldn't want to go on Howard Stern because he's trashy,'' she said, "But I think if the show was all right I would do it.'' While bashing Stern's nationally syndicated morning radio program, Michelle did admit she thought the popular shock jock's movie, "Private Parts'' was funny. Michelle's father, David, 37, a truck mechanic, said he had reservations about the surgery, but said once his daughter turned 18, there wasn't much he could do about it. "I was worried, because I heard there might be nerve damage after the surgery,'' he said. "Plus there's a history of breast cancer in the family.'' Michelle's mother, Beverlee, 41, said that everywhere she goes, she hears people talking about her daughter and her breasts. "It's kind of embarrassing,'' she said. "I went to the post office, the supermarket, everybody is talking about this.'' A stranger asked Michelle on a date in the parking lot of the Finast Supermarket in Avon Lake after seeing her picture in the newspaper, Mrs. Pauley said. While everyone now knows, last month, no one knew about the surgery except Copp, Michelle's younger sister and her best friend, Michelle said. "My mom didn't notice for a week after I got them,'' she said. Her father was out of town at the time. Michelle received saline breast implants, as opposed to silicone because, as she said, if they rupture they won't "hurt her.'' Pauley said he is against his daughter appearing on most television talk shows. "Any of that Howard Stern or Jerry Springer shows I wouldn't want her to do,'' he said. "They would just make her out to be trashy and try to degrade her. She's a classy lady. I'm not going to have anyone disrespect her.'' The surgery, which began July 6, was a painful three-day process, she said. But since then, she has only had minor discomfort, which Michelle described as being like a sore muscle, she said. "I couldn't sit up for those three days because it hurt too much,'' she said. "It's better now though.'' The doctor who performed the surgery at the Center for Orthopedic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Elyria carefully explained all the procedures, Michelle said. The implants conform to Michelle's natural shape -- some women choose to add contours which change the shape, she said. There is almost no difference in feeling or sensitivity, she said. "I'm very happy,'' she said. "It's something I always wanted to do.'' Today is Michelle's 14-month anniversary with Copp. The only thing that has separated the pair recently has been the prison bars of the Lorain County Jail. "We spend a lot of time together,'' she said. "When he gets home from work, we go out, spend all night together.'' The two plan to marry next year. The wedding date and location have not yet been set. Pauley said the wedding must be in Sheffield Lake because he "has got to give her away.'' Michelle said she didn't know Copp allegedly reactivated his mother's closed credit card account to help pay for the surgery -- the event which spurred Copp's mother, Gaelene Pokrandt, to file a police report against her son. "I just thought it was one of his credit cards,'' she said. "I didn't know it was the one his mom closed.'' Meanwhile, from his cell in the Lorain County Jail, Copp said he misses his sweetheart, who he affectionately calls, "Missy.'' "The worst part (about jail) is being away from Missy,'' he said. "I just want her to know that I love her and that I miss her.'' After his arraignment Tuesday afternoon, Copp said he became the star of the jail. Inmates and guards cheered his return. People point and whisper when he walks the grounds with his cellmate, Michael, who is charged with burglary. "Everybody was shouting, "You're the man!' and cheering for me,'' he said. "People said they've been reading about me, and one of the guards said he saw me on CNN last night.'' Copp is amazed by the national attention, although he says he hopes it gets attention for his girlfriend who he wants to start a career as a model or actress. Unlike Michelle, Copp said he would like to appear on Howard Stern or Maury Povich, but the decision is up to Michelle. "Talking to those people is better than sitting here staring at four walls,'' he said. Copp said he is also patching things up with his mother and plans to repay her for the credit card charges. He just hopes he doesn't lose his job at a Sheffield Lake lumber yard. "It's a good job,'' he said. "I need to get out of here so I can start paying people back.'' <a href="#top">BACK TO TOP</a> <a href="/jrc/papers/MorningJournal/FrontPage/index.html">SEE ALL FrontPage Stories</a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan=2 align=center>  <a href="/jrc/papers/MorningJournal/FrontPage/index.html">Local News</a> | <a href="/jrc/papers/MorningJournal/Sports/index.html">Sports</a> | <a href="http://classifieds.morningjournal.com">Classifieds</a> | <a href="http://www.personalspage.com/personals/utility/mva/ohioclus/info_screen.htm">Personals</a> | <a href="/info.html">Information</a> | <a href="/index.html">Home</a> (c) 1998, The Morning Journal <A HREF="http://www.journalregister.com"><IMG SRC=/images/news/jrclogo.jpg WIDTH=85 HEIGHT=18 BORDER=0 HSPACE=0 VSPACE=1></A> </td> </tr> </table> <form name="me"><input type="hidden" value="/jrc/papers/MorningJournal/FrontPage/MJ08063251.html" name="what"></form> </center> </body> </html>