Katy Perry received backlash earlier this month when she made what some fans consider mom-shaming comments toward American Idol contestant Sara Beth on air. The cringe-worthy moment elicited sharp criticism online, and now, Sara Beth has broken her silence in a poignant TikTok video.
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Fans were quick to point out Perry's inappropriate remarks during Sara Beth's American Idol audition. When the aspiring singer told the judges that she's 25 years old, all three were incredulous, with Luke Bryan commenting that he figured she was around 16. Perry and Lionel Richie agreed, and Sara Beth noted that she has three children — at which point Perry audibly gasped, stood up, and slumped over the judging table in disbelief.
The display prompted Sara Beth to joke, "If Katy lays on the table, I think I'm gonna pass out."
"Honey, you've been laying on the table too much," Perry responded, joking about Sara Beth's three children.
Sara Beth brushed off the comment, ultimately winning a ticket to Hollywood with her covers of Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good" and Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets." But the singer has since opened up about the episode on TikTok, calling Perry's remarks "hurtful."
"I don't have too much to say on my feelings on it because I feel like it's probably pretty self-explanatory," Sara Beth began the video. "It was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful, and, you know, that's that."
@sarabethliebe Well. I didnt think id be making this video, but i just wanted to say a couple things since im being flooded with articles and comments/messages about this.
The singer went on to call out mom-shaming, and to thank the mothers who have come to her defense online.
"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," she said. "And I also wanted to take this opportunity to say that I see all of the young moms, and just moms in general, who have commented on all of the videos and posts and everything, and I just wanted to say that I see you and I hear you and I'm grateful for you."
"I think if you're a good mama and you love your babies, that's all that really matters," Sara Beth concluded. "Other comments just don't feel necessary."
New episodes of American Idol premiere Sundays at 8/7c on ABC.
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