Boy George, whose real name is George Alan O’Dowd, emerged as a British singer-songwriter during the 1980s. His androgynous style of dressing caught the interest of a music executive and earned him a spot in the group “Bow Wow Wow.” His unconventional behavior and style, however, was not accepted by all audiences.
It was on this day, July 15th, in 1987 that Boy George was banned from British television shows. He was thought to be a bad influence for children, and he was therefore deemed inappropriate for viewing.
The 1980s were not favorable years for the singer. George had begun a relationship with his band mate, Jon Moss, but it ended on less than friendly terms. In 1985, Boy George’s occasional drug use turned into a heroine addiction. He was then arrested for possession of cannabis in England. Soon afterwards, the keyboardist from George’s band, Michael Rudetsky, overdosed in George’s apartment. The family sued for wrongful death, but they lost the suit. Between all of these scandals, perhaps the British television spokesmen were correct in thinking that Boy George was not a stellar role model for children.