Friday, September 18, 2009

Teen suicide prevention group blasts Lady GaGa for "romanticizing suicide" on MTV awards

From The San Francisco Chronicle, which includes the video of the performance:

Anti-suicide advocates have slammed Lady GaGa's performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 13, blasting her for "romanticizing suicide" with her gory stage performance of song "Paparazzi."

The singer (pictured) stunned the star-studded audience with her most bizarre stage act to date, dancing with crutches alongside a wheelchair-bound performer while blood poured down her bare mid-riff.

She was then surrounded by her dancers, who acted as if to mourn her death, before her lifeless and blood-spattered body was pulled up from the stage on a winch as the curtain came down on the stage.

GaGa later revealed that the quirky routine represented her private life being killed by the paparazzi, but bosses at U.K. teen suicide prevention group PAPYRUS were outraged, calling the star "irresponsible."

In a statement, a rep for the charity says, "This act is not cool -- sensationalizing and romanticizing suicide is irresponsible.

"Celebrities, who are often idolized by young people, need to be more aware of the impact that such acts can have on vulnerable young people."