Sinead O’Connor remains one of the only performers to arguably outdo Prince on a Prince song. She did it only once — he did it hundreds of times — but O’Connor’s indelible performance of “Nothing Compares 2 U” in 1990 ensured her name is known to this day. So O’Connor’s barbed accusations against Hollywood personality Arsenio Hall — that he supplied Prince with “hard drugs” over “decades” — has a special, sad resonance. It doesn’t make the accusations true, but the close association between O’Connor and Prince in the public mind lends her accusations sting and relevance.
Arsenio Hall responded with a defamation lawsuit. How could he not? Hall labels the accusations “heinous” and “despicable” grabs for attention by a far-from-the-limelight O’Connor.