A recent 1992 video featuring country music icon Kris Kristofferson expressing his support for the late Irish singer Sinead O’Connor has gone viral. In this clip, Kristofferson was asked to remove O’Connor from the stage during her performance at Madison Square Garden (MSG), following a hostile response from the audience.
However, Kris Kristofferson, who was “proud to introduce”Sinead as an “artist whose name has become synonymous with courage and integrity,” refused to comply. Instead, he approached her, offered her comfort on stage, and invited her to perform a song with him.
This incident occurred mere weeks after Sinead O’Connor made headlines by infamously tearing up a photograph of Pope John Paul II during a Saturday Night Live appearance. This act was a protest against the child abuse allegations that had surfaced against the Catholic Church at the time. In her protest on SNL, she declared, “Fight the real enemy!”
Following the passing of Kris Kristofferson on September 28, 2024, this video has seen a significant resurgence online, with many social media users praising him for standing in solidarity with Sinead O’Connor.
X user @DannyDeraney shared a memorable image from the concert, highlighting the moment when Kristofferson embraced Sinead at MSG.
“The time Kris Kristofferson consoled Sinead O’Connor after she was booed mercilessly for telling the truth on SNL in 1992. It costs nothing to be a decent human being. Godspeed Kris Kristofferson,” wrote the user.
Many others engaged in the conversation, echoing similar sentiments and applauding the late country music legend.
“It was at a Bob Dylan tribute concert. Not a single artist, including Dylan, came out to support her and left her on her own. Then Kris came out to stand with her. Good man,” wrote one user.
“Yep – this was at the Dylan tribute concert at MSG right after the SNL appearance. He was a class act all the way. #RIPKris,” another user wrote.
“She was abused when she was younger, so it’s no wonder she said/did what she did. Good for KK for showing her support. I acknowledge that I can be quick to judge without knowing another’s experiences. I strive to remember this,” wrote another user.
Others continued to reflect on Kristofferson’s integrity for his supportive gesture towards Sinead O’Connor.
“My enduring memory of Kris Kristofferson was him standing by Sinead O’Connor in 1992 as she was publicly condemned for speaking the truth. I was only 10, but it left a lasting impression. He was a great man. Vale,” a fan shared.
“I’ve replayed this clip multiple times tonight and continue to shed tears. Thank you both for standing up for what humanity should be. I miss you,” wrote another user.
“I had forgotten about this moment. Two beautiful souls,” wrote an individual.
“Loved him for looking after her. A truly good man,” wrote another user.
Kris Kristofferson Composed a Tribute Song for Sinead O’Connor
In October 1992, Sinead O’Connor performed her rendition of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ iconic 1976 song War as a guest on Saturday Night Live. This performance highlighted her protest against the sexual abuse of minors by the Catholic Church. O’Connor altered the lyrics of the sixth and seventh verses, which included:
“Until the ignoble and unhappy regime which holds all of us through child abuse… subhuman bondage / has been toppled / utterly destroyed … Until that day there is no continent that will know peace/ Children, children / Fight / We find it necessary / We know we will win / We have confidence in the victory of good over evil.”
At the conclusion of her performance, Sinead tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II and threw the pieces at the camera, asserting that people should “fight the real enemy.” She faced significant backlash for her actions.
A couple of weeks later, she appeared at Madison Square Garden to perform Bob Dylan’s song I Believe In You at the latter’s 30th-anniversary concert. Despite the crowd’s hostility, Kris Kristofferson introduced her on stage as a woman of “courage and integrity.”
Kristofferson stood by her side even when asked to have her removed from the stage. He embraced her and said, “Don’t let the b**tards get you down,” to which O’Connor replied, “I’m not down,” before they performed a duet.
In a 2010 appearance on Saturday Night With Miriam, Kris Kristofferson reflected on the incident, stating that it felt “wrong” for Sinead to be booed and praised her bravery. In 2009, he even penned a tribute song titled Sister Sinead for his album Closer to the Bone.
“Bald-headed, brave little girl through her art: And maybe she’s crazy and maybe she ain’t / But so was Picasso and so were the saints,” he sang.
For those unfamiliar, Sinead was a victim of child abuse within the Catholic Church. During her 2010 Saturday Night With Miriam appearance, she clarified that her protest was directed not at the Pope but at the “office and the symbol of the organization that he represents,”claiming that it neglected the exploitation and corruption preceding it.
She further stated that “part of being an artist” involved “forcing a conversation where there was a need for one.” During the same episode, Sinead joined Kris Kristofferson for a duet of his renowned 1970 song, Help Me Make It Through the Night.
Kris Kristofferson, an acclaimed country music singer, songwriter, and actor, passed away on Saturday at the age of 88 in his home in Maui, Hawaii. His family announced his passing in a statement to the media, confirming that he “peacefully” died, though no cause of death was provided.
“We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for your love for him throughout all these years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all,” the statement read.
Similarly, Sinead O’Connor passed away in July 2023 in London at the age of 56 due to respiratory issues.
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