Additional Coverage:
- George Harrison called Paul McCartney a hypocrite for bailing on Beatles’ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction (irishstar.com)
George Harrison once labeled Paul McCartney a hypocrite for skipping The Beatles’ induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, while McCartney insisted he would have felt like a hypocrite attending.
Back in 1988, The Beatles were inducted alongside legendary acts like The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, The Supremes, and The Drifters. At the ceremony, Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Yoko Ono were present, but McCartney chose not to show up, dismissing the event as a “fake reunion.”
In the years following John Lennon’s death, Harrison, Starr, and McCartney had been trying to rebuild their relationships. Yet, just before the induction, old legal disputes resurfaced, clouding the moment. Harrison expressed disappointment that McCartney let past business conflicts overshadow what could have been a unifying event.
Interestingly, Harrison himself was nearly absent. Known to dislike much of his time with the band and the trappings of fame-including awards-he almost didn’t attend.
But after some encouragement, he went and ended up appreciating the night. “It didn’t mean much to me until I got there,” Harrison said in an interview, “but someone said, ‘It might not seem like much now, but it’s history, and you’ll enjoy it.’
And I was glad I went.”
During the ceremony, Harrison quipped about McCartney’s absence, joking that Paul “was the one who had the speech in his pocket.” McCartney, meanwhile, sent a telegram calling the induction a “fake reunion” and said attending would have made him feel hypocritical.
Harrison didn’t hold back his criticism, telling interviewer Ray Martin that McCartney’s decision was hypocritical. He lamented how they had spent considerable time reconnecting, only for Paul to drag old business disputes into the event.
Harrison called it a “shame” and felt Paul missed out on a memorable night. He even referenced Bob Dylan’s words at the ceremony: “Love and peace is one thing, but we all have to have forgiveness too.”
Despite McCartney’s absence, Harrison said it didn’t spoil the celebration. “It was nice to see people say, ‘Well, after all that we’ve done.’
It was just about getting the lads together, giving them their medals,” he recalled. “We still had fun without him.”
When asked later if he missed McCartney, Harrison laughed and said no. “I think he missed it more than anyone.
It would’ve been great if he’d been there, but he chose not to be. He missed out on a great experience.”