Boy George appeared on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen and spoke about his friendship with the late George Michael. When Andy Cohen asked him if he was aware of Michael's personal issues over the years, George admitted, "I read stuff in the papers. But I never really knew really what -- he really kept people out, he was quite private. In the early days, we were competition to each other. 'Both called George, both made soul music. So in the early days, we were really in competition. Then sort of later on, I started to really appreciate him as a musician -- you know, right around Faith. I started to really appreciate his talent."
When pressed about whether there was ever a feud between the two due to the fact that Boy George was openly gay and George Michael stayed closeted for years, George said that they did make peace with each other -- but that there had been a feud: "In the ’80s, everyone -- (Late-Dead Or Alive singer) Peter Burns, me, we all used to be really bitchy about each other. 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."
- Following George Michael's death on Christmas Day at the age of 53, Boy George was among the first of his superstar friends to tweet his condolences: "I am thinking of @GeorgeMichael’s family, friends and fans right now. He was so loved and I hope he knew it because the sadness today is beyond words. 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."