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Boy George a flamboyant, androgynous British singer who once fronted the band Culture Club.
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Boy George - Full Biography (45:17)
Boy George - Full Biography
Boy George, the "Culture Club" star who shocked the world with his flamboyant style, ruled the 80s music charts with hits like "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" and "Karma Chameleon," but soon fell into drug addiction.
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Play NowBoy George. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 06:37, May 22, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/boy-george-433170.
Boy George. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/boy-george-433170 [Accessed 22 May 2013].
"Boy George." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 22 2013, 06:37 http://www.biography.com/people/boy-george-433170.
"Boy George," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/boy-george-433170 [accessed May 22, 2013].
"Boy George," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/boy-george-433170 (accessed May 22, 2013).
Boy George [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 22] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/boy-george-433170.
Boy George, http://www.biography.com/people/boy-george-433170 (last visited May 22, 2013).
Boy George. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/boy-george-433170. Accessed May 22, 2013.
In 2006, the band decided to again reunite; however, George declined to join them for this tour. As a result, he was replaced. After only one showcase and one live show, the project was shelved.
Contents
On Stage
Although George failed to reach the same level of acclaim as a solo artist in comparison to the Culture Club days, he has fared better in his second career as a notable music DJ. He began DJing in the early 1990s and has since enjoyed critical acclaim both here in the UK and in the US.
In 2002, George was joined by a hoard of celebrities for the premiere of his new musical, Taboo. The star had penned the story of his own rise to fame, including colorful characters from his past. The musical featured a host of new songs written by George as well as Culture Club's No. 1 singles, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" and "Karma Chameleon." Open auditions were held to find actors and singers that resemble the stars of the 80s. Scottish actor Euan Morton won the part of the dread-locked George. Matt Lucas, at the time most famed for his George Dawes character on BBC's Shooting Stars, took the role of flamboyant performance artist Leigh Bowery, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 1994.
American comedienne Rosie O'Donnell saw the musical and was so enamored that she decided to finance the production for Broadway, too. The show opened in February 2003 but after just 100 performances it closed, hampered by a barrage of negative reviews and struggles to meet financial ends. The U.K. production, however, continued to be a success. A DVD release and book accompanied the play.
Trouble with the Law
Boy George's demons have gained ongoing media attention after his drug problems came to light in the 80s. In 2005, nearly 10 years after his first public drug expose, George was arrested in Manhattan on suspicion of possessing cocaine after it was found in his apartment.
After failing to appear in court the following year for the same drugs charge, a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. George's no-show for his initial court date resulted in a $1,000 fine and a spell of community service. In August 2006, George reported for trash duty on the streets of New York, making the media's day with snaps of the usually flamboyant star in combats and trainers with a broom and disposable gloves.
It seems picking up trash in the public eye wasn't enough to keep George on the right side of the law. In November 2007, he was sent to trial on charges for falsely imprisoning a male escort by chaining him to a wall. The alleged incident had taken place at his flat in Hackney earlier in the year. On January 16, 2009, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for the offence. Initially he was sent to HMP Pentonville in London and was later transferred to HMP Edmunds Hill in Newmarket, Suffolk, to serve out his time.
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