Lady Gaga responds to Kelly Osbourne's criticism: 'Your show breeds negativity'

The Associated Press, Friday, January 11, 2013, 5:40am (PST)

Billboard -- Lady Gaga and "Fashion Police" host Kelly Osbourne have had a philosophical disagreement over public criticism and the concept of bullying spill online. Following Osbourne's disparaging comments towards Gaga's fan base, the pop superstar penned an open letter to Osbourne on Thursday, which then provoked the E! personality's mother, Sharon Osbourne, to write Gaga a letter of her own.

Bing: Lady Gaga's feuds

Beginning last year, Osbourne has made general public comments about how Gaga's "Little Monsters" have made derogatory and at times threatening statements about her weight and appearance; in fact, Osbourne's mother had apparently contacted Gaga's manager Vincent Herbert via email on Thursday to once again bring up the issue. In response, Gaga's open letter -- posted on her LittleMonsters.com website -- apologizes on behalf of the singer's fans while also blasting Osbourne for the bullying she does to the celebrities featured on "Fashion Police," which she feels sets a poor example for viewers. "I have empathy for you Kelly, but I feel it culturally important to note that you have chosen a less compassionate path," Gaga writes in her letter.

"Your work on E! with the 'Fashion Police' is rooted in criticism, judgment, and rating people's beauty against one another. 'Appearance' is the most used reason for bullying in the world. Your show breeds negativity, and over the years has even become comedic in nature. It glorifies you and Joan Rivers pointing in the camera, laughing, and making jokes about artists and celebrities as if we are zoo animals. What about your body revolution? It used to make me truly sad when I would hear people talk about your weight when you were younger, as I was bullied too. To see you blossoming into a beautiful slender woman who makes fun of others for a living is astounding. Why not help others? Why not defend others who are bullied for their image and share your story?"

Hours after the letter was posted, Sharon Osbourne -- a judge on "America's Got Talent" and the wife of Ozzy Osbourne -- published her own letter defending her daughter on her Facebook page. The 60-year-old calls Gaga's words "hypocritical and full of contradictions," and accuses the pop star of handling her disagreement publicly in order to seek further attention. "I am calling you a bully because you have 32 million followers hanging on your every word and you are criticizing Kelly in your open letter. Are you so desperate that you needed to make this public?" writes the elder Osbourne.

Later, she adds, "In closing, stop wearing fur, stop looking for publicity, and stop using your fans to belittle not just Kelly but an endless stream of celebrities." Of course, Lettergate is not the first time Gaga has argued with a public figure: the pop star has spent the past year trading barbs with Madonna, who accused Mother Monster of heavily borrowing from her hit "Express Yourself" for Gaga's individuality anthem "Born This Way." And last October, Gaga called out South African rap troupe Die Antwoord for bashing her in their "Fatty Boom Boom" video, lobbing a tweet that declared, "I fink you freaky but you don't have a hit."

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