Boy George has cut short an interview with Australian journalist Fran Kelly on ABC Radio National, after being asked whether his “gender-bending” affected children in the 1980s.
Speaking with Kelly this morning ahead of his upcoming Australian tour with Culture Club, Boy George spoke at length about his career before Kelly questioned him about his “look” in the ’80s, claiming that he was a “sensation” because of “your makeup, your clothes, your outrageousness”.
“I don’t remember if you were openly gay back then but, like David Bowie before you, you were certainly celebrated for being ‘gender-bending’. You were a ‘gender bender’,” she said.
In response, George said, “You keep referring to me in past context and we’re actually talking in real time.”
“Yes,” Kelly replied, “But maybe now times have moved on and the gender bending is not such a surprise, but back then it was. Were you aware of the impact of that on kids?”
George paused briefly before saying, “You’re boring me, goodbye,” and hanging up the phone. Listen to the full (if brief) interview, below.
Kelly continued her show following the hangup, with some listeners defending her on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/Nigel__Bartlett/status/929831812771094529
But Boy George wasn’t having it…
I respond to warmth! Period. https://t.co/B8wSxFdD5E
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) November 12, 2017
And neither were his supporters:
Thank you for hanging up on @frankelly08 and I am so sorry she choose you for a quick click bait radio spot to play into current SSM fears in Australia so sorry you have to be exposed to such crap :/
— Aimee Maree (@aimee_maree) November 12, 2017
I'm a blowsy divorce! x https://t.co/IZAkPEM3yT
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) November 12, 2017
Boy George will tour Australia with the Culture Club later this month, as part of the band’s third Aussie tour in 18 months.
UPDATE: Boy George has responded to Music Feeds‘ story on Twitter, saying, “Sometimes it feels like a person has a rigid script and a view of you that is fixed. It was zero to do with the questions. Maybe next time we will meet in person. Maybe not. It was a moment. It’s over. Peace!”
Sometimes it feels like a person has a rigid script and a view of you that is fixed. It was zero to do with the questions. Maybe next time we will meet in person. Maybe not. It was a moment. It's over. Peace! https://t.co/4bmN0c9hmM
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) November 13, 2017
