In 1992, Sinead O'Connor ripped up a picture of the Pope on live television, in protest of the rampant child sexual abuse the Catholic Church was actively covering up.
Ten days later, she was scheduled to perform at Madison Square Gardens, as part of a celebration of Bob Dylan. As soon as she got to the microphone, the audience began loudly booing her, seemingly in unison.
The organizers tasked Kris Kristofferson with removing O'Connor from the stage. He instead went out and put his arm around her and checked in on her and stayed until she'd steadied herself and was ready to perform. When she came off stage, he wrapped her in a bear hug.
"Sinead had just recently on Saturday Night Live torn up a picture of the Pope, in a gesture that I thought was very misunderstood. And she came out and got booed. They told me to go get her off the stage and I said 'I'm not about to do that'
I went out and I said 'Don't let the bastards get you down'. She said 'I'm not down' and she sang. It was very courageous. It just seemed wrong to me, booing that little girl out there. But she's always had courage."
I went to my local bookstore in Woodstock, The Golden Notebook today and I signed four hundred books for them. When the signing was done they gave me a book. Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters by Allyson McCabe. I chatted with Jackie from Golden Notebook about Mikal Gilmore in February 1990 giving me an advance cassette tape of I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (he was in the UK to interview me for Rolling Stone and had just come from spending several days with Sinéad) and how much it had meant to me.
This was two hours before it was announced that she had died.
“This caused controversy” is an incredible understatement.
O’Connor was ahead of her time and consistently spoke out on issues related to child abuse, human rights, anti-racism, organized religion, social injustice, mental illnesses, and women's rights. But in specifically calling out the Catholic Church for its systemic culture of covering up child sexual abuse and protecting abuser priests, her career was effectively derailed by the media.
She unflinchingly spoke truth to power.
“I don't do anything in order to cause trouble. It just so happens that what I do naturally causes trouble. I'm proud to be a troublemaker.” —Sinead O’Connor
annie lennox calling for a cease fire during a live performance at a prestige award show while sinead o’conner was watching over her shoulder, my GOD do i have faith in some of these artists and their morals/integrity. what a perfect way to call attention to something bigger while honoring an artist and activist. i want my hands to fall off from how hard and fast i’m clapping.