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  Wednesday, 9 January, 2002, 09:10 GMT
Clash of the Titans
There's only a double B between them, but who is the true people's champion - Bobby George or Boy George? BBC Sport Online's Chris Charles decides.

At first glance, it would appear the two Georges have little in common, aside from their shared moniker.

One's a camp-as-Christmas pop singer who now spins trendy tunes in trendy clubs.

The other is a macho, Cockney darts legend whose idea of a night out clubbing is a few games of arrows down the local Working Men's establishment.

Bobby George
The King of Darts

Dig a little deeper, however, and a few similarities begin to emerge.

They both enjoy dressing up in silly outfits, both love being the centre of attention and can arguably be described as the true King and Queen of their particular fields (you work out which is which).

But, as with darts, there can only be one winner, so we put the two men head-to-head in a series of testing categories:


Fashion sense:

Dear oh dear, where do you start?

Boy George burst on to the scene sporting a long brown wig and white dress, causing hundreds of unsuspecting straight men to pronounce their undying love for 'her' the next morning.

Since then, the outfits have gone from bad to worse, with George's choice of headgear making Ascot ladies look like fashion gurus.

Boy George
Not the Queen of Fashion

Bobby, meanwhile, has a penchant for loud, sequinned shirts and Mr T-style gold jewellery.

He invariably arrives on the oche sporting kingly robes and crown, while brandishing a candelabra, but it's so tacky - and so darts - you can't help but love it.

Bobby 8, Boy 1


Voice:

There's just no separating the pair here.

OK, so Bobby's rendition of his signature tune We Are The Champions is not fit to lace his namesake's larynx.

But you could listen to that gruff, roguish spoken voice all day and still not tire of it - a fact not lost on the producers of the latest British gangster movie, Dog.

Bobby plays, wait for it, a Cockney gangster and admits: "I just have to be meself....I have to kill a few people, but it's only for fun!"

Bobby 8, Boy 8


Showmanship:

Difficult one to call.

On the one hand you've got the Boy, who flaunts himself at every available opportunity and seems to have been on every single UK TV programme this week.

Loud, outspoken and never short of an answer, you'd do well to find someone who could shift him out of the limelight.

Enter Bobby George, who has that rare gift of being able to light up any room he walks in to (let's face it, with all that glitter he'd have a job not to).

When he appears on stage at Frimley Green, the crowd are on their feet before he has uttered a word - the man has more presence than Santa.

Bobby 10, Boy 9


Campness:

No contest, obviously - Bobby wins this hands down (only joking, Bob).

Boy George has made no secret of his sexuality - in fact he rarely talks about anything else.

IT'S OK, GEORGE - WE KNOW YOU'RE GAY, BUT WE'RE NOT SHOCKED ANY MORE.

He's always good fun for winding up someone who is, though.

Aside from the sequins and the jewellery, it's difficult to find anyone less camp than Bobby, but he has to score something, so out of 10, we'll have to give him one (leave it, George).

Bobby 1, Boy 10


Popularity:

In his heyday, Boy George was the main man - good looks, number one singles, adored by millions.

Now, thanks to winning his battle with heroin and his seamless switch to DJing he's still up there, if not quite as loveable as before.

Bobby, on the other hand has gone from strength to strength.

He's rich, famous, loved by all and is as comfortable in front of a camera as a dartboard.

A true people's champion, in fact.

Bobby 10, Boy 7


So there you have it. A close-run contest, but Bobby just sneaks it by the width of the wire.

And the prize - a night out with Boy George. Now that would be worth seeing.

Total: Bobby George 36, Boy George 35

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