Boy George tells Chappell Roan to ‘cheer up’ after paparazzi incident: ‘Boundaries are boring’
Boy George tells Chappell Roan that “boundaries are boring.” (Dave Benett/Stephane Cardinale/Getty)
Boy George has told lesbian pop star Chappell Roan to “cheer up” after she clashed with fans and paparazzi in Paris.
George weighed in after Roan accused the paparazzi of stalking her as she went out to dinner during Paris Fashion Week over the week. 28-year-old Grammy winner Roan began filming in selfie mode as she was swarmed by photographers.
In the viral video, which has amassed more than 27.5 million views, Roan can be heard saying she feels “disregarded as a human.” She continues: “I’m just trying to go to dinner, and I’ve asked these people several times to get away from me.”
Despite her words, the camera flashes continue with others asking for her autograph. “This person I’ve asked several times to go away, and they will not,” Roan also adds. “They’re hiding their face, because they’re ashamed.
“These are all the people that are completely disregarding my boundaries.
“All of you, I’m asking you kindly to please leave me alone and stop following me and harassing me. No, I’m not gonna sign.”
‘Break them with the magic of kindness!’
Events in Paris have prompted a resurgence of online discussion about the singer’s requests and the paparazzi’s behaviour. Now, 64-year-old “Karma Chameleon” hitmaker George has weighed in.
On Tuesday (10 March), George posted to X: “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 [Chappell Roan] filming the paps in Paris and I laughed because I have kicked off at them many times.
“The trick is to own your fame. yes, it’s annoying at times but so is being ignored and told your a ‘has-been. Life is always now and 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!”
‘Chappell looks great but cheer up girl.’
Not everyone is happy with George’s post. “Why is everyone so eager to tell women to just take unwanted attention,” one commenter replied to the post.
Another pushed back against the singer’s comment: “When a woman ask to stop being followed a man tells her hey, boundaries are boring. Cheer up while I continue to harass you after you said no! Do you hear yourself?”
This is not the first time Roan has called out photographers for their behaviour towards her. In 2024, as she rose up the charts with “Good Luck Babe!” and “Pink Pony Club”, Roan a series of TikToks urging her fans to stop “harassing” her in public.
Then, at MTV’s Video Music Awards – where Roan won Best New Artist – she had an altercation with a photographer on the red carpet.
In the viral clip, a photographer was captured reportedly telling Roan to “shut the f*** up”. In response, she pointed at the photographer and said: “No, you shut the f*** up. Don’t! Not me, b***.”
