By cruel pop standards, Boy George is yesterday's news.
The Culture Club lead singer rocked the '80s with songs like "Karma Chameleon," "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" He's stayed active over the years as a solo artist, but he's never come close to replicating that nuclear level of fame.
It happens and fame can be fleeting.
Yet the singer has emerged in a way few would have expected. He's stood up for a disadvantaged community in recent months, a group still reeling after one of the worst terrorist attacks in modern history.
The Jewish people.
Can Bruce Springsteen say that? Pearl Jam? Macklemore? Tom Morello? Ed Sheeran?
Not even close.
The Irish rockers U2 mentioned the Nova Music Festival massacre immediately after Oct. 7, 2023, and that was it. Madonna also brought up those atrocities in public. Once.
The only singers of consequence to consistently discuss the subject and demand the Israeli hostages' freedom? Disturbed lead singer Dave Draiman and John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting fame.
Now, Boy George is standing up for Israel and the Jews. He recently took part in a press conference to honor the memory of those slaughtered at the music festival three years ago.
The singer and Sylvan Adams, President of the World Jewish Congress Israel, met survivors at the Re’im Festival Massacre Site earlier this week. That's mere days before an upcoming Tel Aviv concert to feature a performance dedicated to the Nova community.
Boy George recently released "We Will Dance Again," a musical tribute remembering fallen festival goers and standing up for Israel's right to defend itself. The singer spoke forcefully at the press conference.
“I saw what happened on October 7, and it horrified me. What horrified me more was hearing people who had no connection to what happened telling me it wasn’t true, that it was made up. I was getting messages from Jewish friends in London saying they didn’t feel safe, that they felt uncomfortable wearing their Star of David. My Jewish friends are my family, and you protect your own family."
Naturally, major entertainment outlets like The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and Variety ignored the press conference. So did The New York Times, CNN and The Washington Post, according to a Google News search on the subject.
The singer added an odd but important side note in his Nov. 3 comments: "I feel odd being thanked for doing what's just normal."
A telling line.
In a sane music industry, Grammy award galas would offer similar tributes to the fallen festival goers. Protest songs would be sung about the rise in antisemitism, the barbarism displayed by Hamas and the need for the hostages to be safely returned as soon as possible.
The modern music industry did nothing of the kind. Instead, you were more likely to hear a singer cry, "Free Palestine" than "Free the Hostages."
Once again, Ondrasik stood tall on the subject. He used his musical tours to raise awareness about the hostages' plight. He eventually played a duet with freed Israeli hostage pianist Alon Ohel earlier this year.
Can The Boss say anything remotely the same?
