Boy George shames left-wing luvvies from Gary Lineker to Olivia Colman

When Culture Club burst onto Top of the Pops in 1982 with their breakthrough hit Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, the reaction was instant. Quite apart from the fact it was a brilliant song, debate raged over the strikingly beautiful appearance of the lead singer. Who was this “Boy George”, with his gender-blurring style, exquisite make up, ribbons and dreadlocks?

But for Jewish kids like me, there was something else too. Was that Hebrew lettering on his sweatshirt? Dashing to our textbooks, we quickly confirmed what he wore read “Culture Club” in the ancient biblical tongue. The following day it was the talk of the schoolyard.

The idea of someone who wasn’t one of the tribe being so unapologetically “out there” felt radical. We would soon learn that for George, a lover of all faiths and none, it was perfectly natural.

Now, in times of spiralling antisemitism, the singer's alignment with the Jewish community is even more striking — since his principled stance sets him apart (and above) those bleeding heart luvvies whose habitual moral outrage regarding injustice doesn’t appear to extend to the Jewish people.

Boy George is in a different class. Whether it’s putting the crass TV host Patrick Kielty in his place for linking attacks on the UK Jewish community to “the horrors in Gaza” — a reminder to the since-upbraided anchorman that there is no context for attempted murder.

To his unequivocal message of support broadcast to the rally against antisemitism in London on Sunday, in which Boy George declared: “I have so many beautiful Jewish friends, and I know some of you will be there today. But even if I don’t know you, I send you my love and I hope today sends a powerful message to the entire world.”

Contrast this unflinching support with the silence from fellow celebrities?

We know social warriors like Emma Thompson, Gary Lineker, Paul Weller and Olivia Colman — moral credentials blazing so brightly they need to reach for their YSL shades — rush to denounce injustice inflicted upon the beleaguered and innocent.

But when it comes to the Jews — the silence is deafening. Or worse.

From Dawn French’s mockery of October 7 to, most recently, Loose Women panellist Nadia Sawalha blaming “dark forces” — a classic antisemitic trope — for her Green Party husband’s suspension after he published antisemitic material online, this is apparently the best we can expect.

Even for the most intellectually challenged luvvie, can't they see, this is not about Middle East politics? The right to criticise another country’s military actions is not the issue here.

This is about attacks on innocent people in Britain — targeted simply for being Jewish. Those killed at my family’s synagogue in Manchester last October or stabbed in London were not asked for their views on Israel before they were attacked. They were targeted because they were Jews.

Yet nothing lands with this privileged class of celebrities. Even if these are people normally so quick to take the knee, wear looped ribbons for fashionable causes, or dress in black for #MeToo.

Do they fear being cancelled? Is it safer to appease sectarian outrage than utter a word in defence of my community? Or is there something darker here?

I make no accusation as to motive. Only the silence.

So I say this to those celebrities who could use their vast platforms to condemn the anti-Jewish hatred polluting Britain: decent people see you. We see the luvvie outrage, the selective morality, the fashionable causes embraced not because they are right, but because they are politically convenient.

We see the ill-informed accusations of “genocide” — an inflammatory charge no international court has upheld against Israel, and one that only pours jet fuel on Jew-hatred on Britain’s streets.

Do you really want to hurt us?

Boy George doesn’t. He wants to heal us. In the process, that beautiful voice shames every red-carpet luvvie who stays silent.