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Boy George Opens Up About His Relationship With Rival George Michael, And His Big Regret

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 21:31 PST, Jan 29, 2017

Boy George has opened up about his relationship with the late George Michael, according to People magazine. The 55-year-old musician, who has been considered to be the late singer’s rival for decades, has spoken out about his feud with the “Faith” hitmaker, who died last month.

Boy George came on Watch What Happens Live on Tuesday, a day before the one-month anniversary of Michael’s death, to talk about the late singer. The New Celebrity Apprentice star revealed to WWHL host Andy Cohen that he was in touch with Michael “on and off.”

Saying that he wasn’t really aware of Michael’s personal issues, Boy George explained that the late singer “kept people out” and “was quite private” in recent years before his death on Christmas Day.

“I read stuff in the papers. But I never really knew really what — he really kept people out, he was quite private.”

Boy George also revealed the true nature of his relationship with Michael, who died of heart failure on December 25 at the age of 53-years-old. George said that although many believe he and Michael feuded in the ’80s, they were actually competitors before they became pals.

But their little rivalry existed only in the early days, as both were called “George” – Boy George and George Michael – and both made soul music. But then as years went by, George says he started appreciating Michael “as a musician” around the time he released his hit song “Faith.”

“I started to really appreciate his talent.”

So apparently rumors that Boy George and Michael feuded over the years are untrue. Although there was some minor rivalry and feud when Michael refused to come out as gay, the New Celebrity Apprentice star says in the ’80s everyone used to be “really b*tchy” about one another.

“It’s like the thing that you did in the ’80s with those pop magazines. Now it’s the Housewives who do it! But in the ’80s, you just said vile things about everyone.”

Just like for anyone else, the news of Michael’s death came as a shock for Boy George. And as many people took to social media to share tributes for the former Wham! band member, George was among those who expressed how saddened they were by the news.

Boy George shared an extended tweet, in which he wrote that Michael was “so loved,” and added he was hopeful the late singer had known it.

“Devastating. What a beautiful voice he had and his music will live on as a testament to his talent. I can’t believe he is gone.”

During his chat with Cohen, Boy George also gushed about meeting Paris Jackson and revealed it was one of his “big regrets” that he had never met her dad Michael Jackson in person before his death in 2009, according to the Daily Mail.

Boy George revealed he recently had the chance to meet Jackson’s daughter in France during Paris Fashion Week. He told her how “beautiful” she was and how her dad was “amazing” and admitted to her he had never met the King of Pop in person.

“It was one of my big sorrows that I never got to meet him.”

Boy George also talked about his relationship with Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner. George says he has remained friends with Jenner, who backed Donald Trump for U.S. president, even after his guest appearance on her show I Am Cait.

Boy George revealed Jenner even helped him with The New Celebrity Apprentice, adding that she is “hardly conservative” and “very brave.”

“She’s hardly conservative — I mean what she’s does is incredible, very brave.”

[Featured Image by Francois Durand/Getty Images]

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