Boy George has told Chappell Roan to “cheer up” and embrace fame after the pop singer confronted paparazzi and fans who were following her in Paris.
The moment began circulating online earlier this week after Roan, known for songs such as Pink Pony Club and Hot To Go!, filmed people surrounding her outside a restaurant in the French capital. In the video, she can be heard calling out paparazzi and autograph hunters for repeatedly ignoring her requests for space.
Boy George responds to paparazzi confrontation
After the clip spread on social media, Culture Club frontman Boy George shared his perspective on the situation on the platform X (Twitter), drawing on his own decades of experience with fame.
“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,”
George has also had confrontations with photographers over the years.
“The trick is to own your fame. yes, it’s annoying at times but so is being ignored and told your (sic) a ‘has-been,’”
He also encouraged Roan to take a more relaxed approach to interactions with fans.
“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!”
Noah Kahan defends Chappell Roan
However, not everyone agreed with Boy George’s comments. Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan publicly defended Roan following the incident.
Posting on Instagram, the Stick Season singer urged people to respect her privacy.
“Leave her alone.”
Kahan also criticised autograph hunters who pretend to be fans in order to obtain signatures they can resell.
“They’re scummy, they’re manipulative, they’re parasitic, and, yeah, f**k ’em.”
Viral video shows Roan confronting paparazzi
The original video, filmed by an onlooker and widely shared online, shows Roan standing near her car outside a Paris restaurant while being surrounded by photographers and fans.
In the clip, the singer records the crowd on her phone while explaining that she had repeatedly asked them to back away.
She feels “disregarded as a human” because she has asked them “several times to get away from me”.
Chappell Roan has been vocal about fan boundaries
Chappell Roan, 28, has spoken openly about setting boundaries with fans since her rapid rise in popularity during 2024.
Following the breakout success of tracks including Pink Pony Club and HOT TO GO!, the singer has repeatedly said that fans are not automatically entitled to photos or interactions when they encounter her in public.
The Paris incident has reignited a wider debate about the pressures of celebrity culture and the expectations placed on artists when navigating fame.
View this post on Instagram
