Boy George Humanizes Israel through Righteous Action, Infectious Joy and Authentic Love
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises over the past three years had been seeing who our friends actually are - and what they have been prepared to lose for simply having empathy for a society marinating in heartbreak and grief.
Take Boy George, who monologued through contagious giggling Wednesday night, that he is 'also Irish.'
"I'm a Jew-loving, Irish, gay man - it doesn't get more complicated than that!"
He has not only been the victim of online bashing by millions for being "pro-genocide," but he was recently fired from his starring role in London's "Jesus Christ Superstar" production in the West End, lost the manager he had worked with for decades as well as countless friends, many of whom he told us have simply gone silent, while others have expressed solidarity with him behind the scenes, but made him swear to "please not mention their names," he told us at the Menora Arena in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night, where he played to a sold-out audience of more than 10,000 people, his first of two sold-out shows in Israel this week.
After three years of being a warrior "out there" since the mass-hysteria since October 7th, 2023, and being one of so few sympathizing with everything we have been through in Israel: Fighting to get our hostages back for more than two years, grieving the hundreds of young people who were murdered in the most horrific of ways who only went out to dance at the Nova Music Festival, the young families burned alive in their homes in the south, and the more than a thousand fallen soldiers fighting these endless wars - all while being blamed by the world and in particular most in the entertainment industry - Boy George recently sat down and wrote a song about all of it entitled, "We Will Dance Again." He saved it for second to last on Wednesday - his 80s smash hit "Karma Chameleon" was still going to be last - but before these last two songs - he said, "I have finally written a song that means more to me than 'Karma Chameleon'...
His quipping went right into this song for October 7th, written just for us, which says straight out - "But if you're ever confused - I stand with the Jews" - and it was one of many. He also sang a new ballad, "Raise your hand if you lost someone who went out to war / who went out to dance," which went along with images of thousands of candles across the large arena screens.
But along with how moved he was to be here with us at last in Israel, he also brought joy from afar for those of us who needed it, like me, donned in 80s attire and sequins, who realized at once at the concert that Israelis didn't have "the 80s" and so being on my own in my nostalgic outfit for the era Boy George represents from my childhood, the best time for music and self-discovery for those of us creative souls who were trying so hard to find ourselves, was also incredibly meaningful.
At one point, he began talking about growing up in a most racist part of London.
"I experienced it first-hand - I know exactly what discrimination is - and how it feels," and as the night went on, his understanding of our predicament, and his background in the "industries" - music and fashion - both packed with Jewish friends and professionals that he said have made everything he has done for us "simply a complete no-brainer."
"My mother would be so proud of me," he said of her, bringing her up constantly, from his first few moments on stage, following his greeting us with a gigantic "Shalom!" and then speaking of how he brought his mother with him to the Wailing Wall, even though she is no longer with us.
He then dedicated his opening number to all of the mothers at the concert, which brought new meaning to Prince's opening lyrics in "Purple Rain":
"I never meant to cause you any sorrow; I never meant to cause you any pain." Click here to see all of the showstoppers on my Instagram.
His banter in between tunes was my favorite part of the evening, and I hung on every word, despite my realization that not everyone could follow him in English. His back and forth with a teenage girl, as she tried to teach him her name, and he came back with, "Mal?" and "Sal?" ultimately causing her to make a T with her hands, until he paused, lost in thought, and said - "Tal?", which caused the audience to erupt in applause. So much of what he discussed was these past few years, simply marveling at his close friends - like a Cuban friend in NYC he had no idea was also Jewish - getting treated horribly for something she has absolutely nothing to do with, and a Jewish friend who taught him everything he knows about being Jewish - that he had a falling out with six years ago..."yet even during this whole f&*$ing moment, he hasn't found the courage to get over it..." Everything about the evening was a breath of fresh air, because sadly I couldn't stop being astounded over the unreality of it all - that someone non-Jewish has lost so much just for standing with us, and yet as he says in his song, "I don't feel brave, I just need to behave like a human."
Interestingly, he didn't seem overly tainted, or angry, though I am sure that like the rest of us, siding with Israel has taken a toll on his mental health. There is no way to stand against the army of hatred online and not be affected - in fact, one of his songs written just for this trip and show was about how "the internet wants his blood."
Perhaps this was the take-away - the actual take-away to a time of the past, before the internet created this alternate reality we now think is reality. "This is real" - he said to the crowd - motioning between himself and us - "But what is online can feel real - even though it isn't." Perhaps it takes someone forced to stay true to himself through decades of discrimination - that has allowed him to stand strong and tall for us and to emerge as the unlikeliest - yet also the BEST - of friends.
Whatever the reason, this week our hearts in Israel got a whole lot fuller. He watered us with more love than we have had in a long time.
We have needed it, and we will forever be grateful to him and love him back times a million for being that one in a million - or is it a billion?
In Case You Want to Help: Tonight - as I send this off, I am renewing my website for the next year, as the three-year cost is too steep. The cost is more than $200 and I am doing it in the hopes of continuing what I moved back to Israel to do - tell the stories from the ground here in as effective a way as I can. With a probably war around the corner, it feels important to not let this site disappear overnight. I returned to Israel immediately following the terror attacks, interviewed several hostage families, the family of Shani Louk and have now made my first short documentary with Tom and Emily Hand. Any donations will go toward helping me continue this important work. Please click here for my GoFundMe. Thank you and Shalom from Israel. Watch Boy George speak after President Herzog's introduction. He starts at 6:52
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