Katy Perry Slammed For Young Mom-Shaming Joke On ‘American Idol’

An American Idol contestant is reflecting on an embarrassing moment with judge Katy Perry during her audition earlier this month. 25-year-old mother of three Sarah Beth was featured on the music competition show. As she was introducing herself, the judges all seemed shocked to learn she was 25.

38-year-old Perry and fellow judges Lionel Richie and Lule Bryan noted that the singer looked 16. Sarah Beth told the judges that she was a mother of three. Surprised, Perry stood up and leaned against the table. Bryan was in apparent shock. "If Katy lays on the table, I think I'm going to pass out," the visibly nervous Sarah Beth said. Perry cheekily quipped, "Honey, you've been laying on the table too much!"

Shortly after the audition aired, the California native took to TikTok to comment on Perry's "joke," saying it "wasn't super kind." On her feelings about the comment, the stay-at-home mom said she doesn't have much to say about it because it was "pretty self-explanatory."

"It was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful and that's that," the mother of three said. "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."

Sarah Beth concluded her message by acknowledging other young mothers and "moms in general," who have been supporting her. She said, she sees and hears them all, adding that they are worthy. "Keep loving your babies. Nobody deserves to feel crappy about that! If you're a good mama and you love your babies, that's all that really matters." Comments on the video, which has received nearly 500,000 views, have been disabled.

In a following TikTok addressing her audition, Beth says that people were critiquing her screaming rather than singing "Benny and the Jets" by Elton John. During her audition, the contestant switched her song to Amy Winehouse's "You're Know I'm No Good." Bored with her performance, Perry told her, "That's not enough. Try 'Benny and the Jets." She got enough votes from Perry and Bryan to move on to the next stage to go to Hollywood. Katy Perry has yet to address the joke.

Some of the world’s most famous musicians held regular jobs while trying to make it in the music industry. In recent years, thanks to the digital era—especially with the advent of social media—artists have used creative methods other than record labels to get their music out there. Whether dropping original songs or covers on major streaming and social media platforms or being in the right place at the right time, these musicians demonstrate that you never really know who’s listening and watching.