Boy George discusses George Michael feud rumours with Andy Cohen – WATCH
By Will Stroude
They were two of the biggest pop icons of the ’80s, but Boy George and George Michael didn’t always see eye to eye.
During an appearance on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live this week, Boy George was asked about his friendship with the former Wham! singer, who passed away suddenly at his Oxfordshire home on Christmas Day, and the 55-year-old recalled a rocky start to the pair’s relationship.
“In the early days, we were competition to each other. We were both called George, both made soul music. So in the early days, we were really in competition,” the Culture Club star said.
“Then sort of later on, I started to really appreciate him as a musician — you know, right around “Faith”. I started to really appreciate his talent, you know?”
Asked whether it was true the pair had become involved in a feud over Michael’s decision not to come out publicly, and whether they had ever made up, Boy George replied: “Yes we did.”
He continued: “It wasn’t really a feud. In the ’80s, everyone — Pete Burns, me, we all used to be really bitchy about each other.”
“It’s like the thing that you did in the ’80s in those pop magazines. Now it’s the [Real] Housewives who do it! Nowadays it’s a bit more respectful but in the ’80s, you just said vile things about everyone.”
George added that despite staying in touch with Michael “on and off” in later years, he knew as little about the singer’s personal life as anybody else.
“I read stuff in the papers, obviously. But I never knew kind of really what… he was very kind of… kept people out, he was quite private, so I didn’t really know much about what was going on.”
The cause of Michael’s death continues to be investigated after initial post mortem test came back inconclusive – you can read our tribute to the late star here.
More stories:
Sydney is having its biggest party of the year – WIN flights for two!
George Michael discusses open relationships in candid 2004 interview with Attitude