"It costs nothing to be a decent human being"— Internet praises Kris Kristofferson as Sinead O'Connor video goes viral post his death 

Recently, a 1992 video of country music legend Kris Kristofferson offering his support to the late Irish singer Sinead O’Connor went viral. In the clip, Kris Kristofferson was asked to remove O’Connor from the stage after she was met with the audience’s boos at the Madison Square Garden (MSG) ahead of her performance at the Bob Dylan tribute concert.

However, Kris, who was "proud to introduce" Sinead as an “artist whose name has become synonymous with courage and integrity,” refused. Instead, he approached her, consoled her on stage, and later asked her to join him for a song.

The incident happened a couple of weeks after Sinead O’Connor infamously tore up the then Pope John Paul II’s photograph during a Saturday Night Live appearance in protest of child abuse allegations that emerged during that time against the Catholic Church. As part of her protest on the SNL sets, she also said, “Fight the real enemy!”

In the wake of Kris Kristofferson's demise on September 28, 2024, the video has garnered severe traction online, with netizens praising him for standing by Sinead O’Connor.

X user @DannyDeraney shared a picture from the said concert where Kristofferson offered a hug to Sinead at the 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,” the person wrote.

Several others joined the conversation and made similar remarks, lauding the late Rhodes scholar.

“It was at a Bob Dylan tribute concert. Not one artist, including Dylan, came out to support her and left her on her own. Then Kris came out to stand with her. Good man,” a netizen wrote.

“Yep - this was at the Dylan tribute concert at MSG right after the SNL appearance. He was a class act all the way. #RIPKris,” one netizen 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 know myself am one who can be quick to judge when I know nothing about the experiences of another person. I do my best to try to remember this,” wrote another.

Others continued to regard Kristofferson highly for his gesture toward Sinead O’Connor.

“My enduring memory of Kris Kristofferson was him standing by Sinead O’Connor in 1992 as she was getting publicly destroyed for being right. I was only 10 but I remember it so clearly. He was a great man. Vale,” a fan wrote.

“Played this clip many times tonight and am still shedding tears. Thank you both for standing for what humanity can be. I miss you,” wrote another.

“I forgot about this moment. Two beautiful souls,” an individual wrote.

“Loved him for looking after her. A good man,” wrote another.

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Kris Kristofferson wrote a song in honor of Sinead O’Connor

In October 1992, Sinead O’Connor appeared as a guest on Saturday Night Live and performed her version of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ famous 1976 track War. It was her way of protesting against the Catholic Church, which was accused of s*xual abuse of minors. In fact, she changed the lyrics of the sixth and seventh verses of the song, part of which went:

“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 end of her performance, she held a picture of Pope John Paul II, tore it into several pieces, and then threw it at the camera, urging people to “fight the real enemy.” She faced severe backlash in the wake of the incident.

A fortnight later, she appeared at the Madison Square Garder to perform Bob Dylan’s 1979 number I Believe In You at the latter’s 30th-anniversary concert. However, the crowd called her out as Kris Kristofferson introduced her on stage as a woman of “courage and integrity.”

The Texan country legend stood by her despite being asked to remove her from the stage. Not only that, Kristofferson went on to address her on the stage, embraced her, and said, “Don’t let the b**tards get you down,” to which O’Connor replied, “I’m not down,” and then joined him for a song.

In 2010, Kris Kristofferson recounted the moment during his appearance on Saturday Night With Miriam. He said it seemed “wrong” that Sinead was booed out there and lauded her courage. Before that, in 2009, the father of eight even wrote a tribute song titled Sister Sinead as part of 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 uninitiated, Sinead was herself a victim of child abuse at the Catholic Church. During the same episode of Saturday Night With Miriam in 2010, she clarified that her protest was not against the Pope but rather the “office and the symbol of the organization that he represents.” According to her, the office overlooked the exploitation and corruption within the institution.

She further claimed that “part of being an artist” was to “force a conversation where there was a need for one.” At the same show, she even joined Kris Kristofferson for a duet of his famous 1970 song, Help Me Make It Through the Night.

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Country music singer, songwriter, and actor Kris Kristofferson passed away on Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii, at the age of 88. His family shared the news of his demise via a statement to the press, which stated that he "peacefully" died. However, no cause of death was mentioned.

"We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”

Meanwhile, Sinead O’Connor passed away in July 2023 in London at the age of 56 from respiratory issues.