Boy George tells Chappell Roan to 'cheer up' after viral paparazzi confrontation
Photo: Reuters
Boy George has commented on Chappell Roan’s recent viral confrontation with paparazzi, telling the singer to “cheer up” while encouraging a more open approach to interactions with photographers and fans.
The Culture Club frontman posted his reaction on X following the circulation of a video filmed in Paris in which Roan is seen confronting photographers who continued to follow her after she asked to be left alone.
In the clip, Roan records the paparazzi while expressing frustration over repeated attempts to obtain photographs and autographs despite her request for privacy.
chappell roan was so fed up with the paps in paris that she decided to film them to show their faces in a video pic.twitter.com/Q6yo1HYXSP
“Stop following me and harassing me,” she says in the video.
“These are all the people that are completely disregarding all of my boundaries,” she also says.
Responding to the moment online, Boy George wrote that while he admired Roan’s appearance, he believed she should take a more positive approach to public attention.
It's probably not helpful but I have been doing this fame thing for a while and you learn slowly and painfully that you don't get a free pass once you turn yourself into a bird of paradise. I watched @ChappellRoan filming the paps in Paris and I laughed because I have kicked off…
“I think Chappell looks great but cheer up girl. The world is at your feet stop kicking it!”
“It takes so much more time to say no to a picture or a signature. Boundaries are boring. Break them with the magic of kindness,” he added.
The remarks prompted significant reaction on social media, with many of Roan’s supporters criticising George’s stance and defending the singer’s decision to challenge the behaviour of paparazzi.
Some online users also referenced George’s past legal history in response to his comments about boundaries.
“Maybe she should handcuff someone to a radiator instead next time x,” one user wrote, referencing a 2009 case in which the musician was sentenced to 15 months in prison for false imprisonment.
Other artists have publicly supported Roan following the incident. Singer Noah Kahan criticised paparazzi behaviour in an Instagram post, calling the photographers “scummy", "manipulative", and ''parasitic".