Katy Perry was criticized for being "condescending" and "rude" to the "American Idol" contestants amid fallout over a joke labeled as "mom-shaming."
Perry, 38, called out two contestants who struggled to connect during the duet round of Hollywood Week. The pop star commented that the performance given by Carina DeAngelo, 25, and Nutsa Buzaladze, 25, was "underwhelming."
"I just think the energy was broken between both of you, and so I think you couldn’t give each other the energy you both needed. That you both deserved," Perry said.
"I think you’re both better than that performance."
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ JUDGE KATY PERRY WEARS ‘MAMA' HAT AFTER MOM-SHAMED CONTESTANT QUITS
Fans didn't react well to Perry's handling of the situation so quickly after the "California Girls" singer was accused of "mom-shaming" contestant Sara Beth Liebe. The 25-year-old mom abruptly quit "American Idol" during Sunday's show, although she has since claimed that it didn't have anything to do with Perry's comment.
"Katy is so rude and condescending to the contestants unless it's a male cutie then she acts like a teenage fool," one user commented on a photo shared by host Ryan Seacrest following Tuesday's show.
The social media user then claimed a contestant quit because of the "Dark Horse" singer – likely referring to Sara Beth.
Another user revealed they turned "American Idol" off during Tuesday night's show.
"It was ridiculous, the pandering of the judges … contestants didn't know the words, they are NOT professional, and they are blubbering idiots. ENOUGH, maybe I'll watch the last show but not wasting my time on the judges being babysitters."
"And the Katy Perry remarks were rude also," the user added. "Lost control, the show is now contrived and it's an insult to the viewer."
Others noted there was a lot of "drama" during the duet round. "Sooooo much drama! Ugh," one social media user wrote on another post shared by Seacrest. "Idk if I can keep watching. I want to…but idk."
Perry also got emotional on Tuesday's episode after another contestant abruptly quit leaving her duet partner alone on stage. Another person stepped up to perform, and the moment brought the judge to tears.
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ MOM KATY PERRY SHAMED QUITS THE SHOW: ‘MY HEART’S AT HOME'
Perry has been under fire since her comment to Sara Beth went viral. During the audition round, the contestant surprised judges when they learned she was a 25-year-old mother of three. Perry noted that she looked so young and fake fainted.
"If Katy lays [sic] on the table, I think I’m going to pass out!" Sara Beth said.
Perry responded, "Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much!"
Fans seemed to take issue with the "mom-shaming" comment and Sara Beth addressed it on social media.
"There was a joke that was made that's gotten some attention, and I’ve gotten a lot of people reaching out to me asking how I’m feeling," she said.
"At the start of my audition before I sang, I mentioned that I have three children and was a young mother, and Katy Perry made a joke that wasn't super kind."
Sara Beth continued: "It was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful and that's that. But I did want to take this opportunity to just say that I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool, and I think that mom-shaming is super lame and I think that it's hard enough to be a mom, and it's hard enough to be a woman."
KATY PERRY ‘TRAUMATIZED’ ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT WITH HARSH CRITIQUE: ‘IN MY NIGHTMARES’
Perry herself is a mother to two-year-old Daisy Dove, whom she shares with fiancé Orlando Bloom. The two got engaged in 2019 and have yet to officially tie the knot after postponing their wedding in 2020.
Sara Beth took to Instagram on Tuesday to put an end to the "mom-shaming" incident.
"I don’t have anything else to say on this matter. I’m not even mad," she said. "If you watch my videos you’d know that I’m not even mad. I’m just trying to do music."
She continued, "I did not ask for any of this to happen. This was not a ploy on my end. Like, this is ridiculous… I’m so over it. No more."
Despite her decision to leave the show, it appears Sara Beth's career in music may continue. She revealed on her Instagram shortly after her exit from the ABC series that she had been "scouted to audition."
"They reached out to me," she explained on Monday. "And I'm so GRATEFUL. I've never had this much support with singing. And it's mindblowing and so humbling and has made me realize how badly I want to do music. 6 months ago, I didn't know that yet."
