Queen of Pop Madonna has always known how to get people talking, and her most recent post on TikTok, which appeared yesterday just before the Grammy Awards, is no exception.
In the strange video, Madonna, a multi-Grammy Award winner herself, appears in a see-through top and wordlessly moves her face toward the camera before puckering her cosmetically enhanced lips and pretending to kiss the lens.
For seemingly all the wrong reasons, the clip instantly went viral.
See it below.
The video only lasts a brief 13 seconds, but that was more than enough to set tongues wagging online.
Many viewers found the video deeply unsettling, citing Madonna's super-enhanced lips and the blank look on her face, which the filter on the video and the lighting in the space took to the next level by giving her eyes a vacant, almost hazy appearance.
On TikTok, the video seemed to have the opposite impact of what the star likely intended. Negative comments flooded in from people who found the video "creepy," "scary" and "unsettling." Others lamented, "what has she done to herself?
And those were the milder comments. As usual with Madonna these days, the vast majority of reactions were downright unkind.
Many referred to her as if she were a monster haunting their nightmares, and there was of course copious mockery of her age as well.
And on Twitter, scores of people cited the video as evidence Madonna is suffering from an episode of mental illness--either with mockery or with misplaced concern.
In response, many fans took to social media to clap back at her critics, pointing out what they saw as unfair and ageist criticism of the star.
Madonna is simultaneously getting mocked for looking/being old, and for having plastic surgery. And being told constantly \u201cthe right way\u201d for women to age. The \u201cright way\u201d for anyone to offer their judgmental, unsolicited opinion on someone else\u2019s appearance is to actually stfu.— Bill Werde (@Bill Werde) 1649085719
If your only/best critique of #Madonna is that she's "too old" to frolic in your playground, you've got nothing but #ageism in your sandbox. Respect the mad #Crone energy and creative #Scorpio reimagining at work. There's a lot to say about her but "sit down" is not one of them.pic.twitter.com/qUf5JnRAQU— StephanieBonvissuto, ABD (she/her/hers) (@StephanieBonvissuto, ABD (she/her/hers)) 1649037868
All these #ageist, #misogynist men can't stop attacking #Madonna \n\n#Ageism #misogyny #Madonnahttps://twitter.com/altunisahmed/status/1510612894366539782\u00a0\u2026— MadonnaFan \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 - New Frozen Remix out! (@MadonnaFan \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 - New Frozen Remix out!) 1649024110
Yes!! Never been a Madonna fan but Amen to your comment. Besides, She's always created controversy by doing things like this.— m a c (@m a c) 1649087083
How about we don't trash people based on their looks?— sweet potato fan account (@sweet potato fan account) 1649076062
I don\u2019t understand the ageism @Madonna gets when people praise @cher for performing at her age. Make that make sense. Anyone can be an entertainer at any age. People pick and choose who and what to hate. So negative.— Darian Addams. (@Darian Addams.) 1649070399
You know who doesn't give a fig what anyone thinks? & never has & never will? \n\nMadonna. \n\nPeople need to relax. This is 100% consistent. Only difference: she's challenging sexism as well as ageism now. Let Madge be Madge. She's fine.pic.twitter.com/hZU2PvN1cq— River Elizabeth Hall (@River Elizabeth Hall) 1649073740
people are mean, best to remain low key. always a star Madonna! Ageism is real all fortunate will succumb.— Devorah D (@Devorah D) 1649081721
It's tough being a celebrity. I wouldn't want that pressure. Always under the spotlight.— Lombe B Ng'andu (@Lombe B Ng'andu) 1649077323
here is nother guy deciding how women 'should' age. Madonna will age the way she wants to age. You can do something worthwhile instead of hating on powerful women.— Deeptha Karthick (@Deeptha Karthick) 1649084705
Here's hoping that in time we can learn to let people age however they feel like aging. As the saying goes, it's a privilege to grow old, after all.
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