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Katy Perry 'not impressed' by Gossip's Beth Ditto

Spat between two singers continues

June 4, 2009 | 27 Comments
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Katy Perry has replied to comments made by Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto about her song 'I Kissed A Girl'.

Singer Ditto, who is lesbian, had accused Perry of using lyrics that are offensive to gay culture.

"I don’t want to get into a slanging war with anybody so I don’t want to say anything bad about her," Perry told The London Paper. "But I'm not impressed."

Ditto had described 'I Kissed A Girl' as a, "Boner dyke anthem for straight girls who like to turn guys on by making out or, like, faking gay," adding that, "She's [Perry] just riding on the backs of our culture, without having to pay any of the dues and not being actually lesbian or anything at all."

Perry added: "I've learned in the past year that one artist should never insult another artist's music — it’s tacky."

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Comments (27)

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lipgloss

Jun 4, 2009

hmmm, I wonder which one the majority of gay girls & straight guys would prefer to spend a night with!

jimmynjessie

Jun 4, 2009

what the fuck is perry on about that u shouldn't insult another artist's music?? of course u should...all the time...its entertaining and what makes certain artists, such as liam gallagher, who they are. i think liam gallaghers a cunt but i wouldnt change him for the world. if u wanna dish out insults to katy perry who's music is fuckin godamn awful, then u should! i hope beth ditto twats her!

zomboy6

Jun 4, 2009

I think the majority of gay girls would prefer to spend the night with Beth, a rad queer, rather than Kate, a straight girl that likes too make boys hot by kissing other girls, lame. And Beth isn't insulting her 'music' more of her use of faux lesbianism to sell records/turn boys on.

Cynthialia

Jun 4, 2009

You go Beth. You ain't a real musician and you ain't gotta get respect if you don't have attitude and criticize, shoot.

placeboi

Jun 4, 2009

I agree with ditto on this one. Katie perry makes little girls think its cool and sexy to pretend to do stuff with other girls, whereas ditto shows you gotta have commitment to be a lezzer. ditto seems more genuine than katie perry, i don't think we should value an opinion based on who's better looking (i'm talking about you lipgloss!)

orangeiod

Jun 4, 2009

fair play to katy for not rising to ditto's idiocy.yes she does it because it's hot... because it is, and she's attractive and can and much more talented than beth with her one half decent song and a plentitude of utter shite filling the rest of her album and releases. if it was beth ditto singing the same song you'd have to grab me a vomit bag.

Ghvinianidzigol

Jun 4, 2009

Excuse me, Katy, in case you have forgotten - you are Satan. Or rather, Satan's puke. You have already admitted that you are a lame, dumbed down marketing man's wet dream to recreate a one-dimensional faux-controversial Lily Allen for the US market. A "less fat" Lily Allen, you said. (They even copied the name - hey I can do that: Lucy Danny. Paty Colin. Ruby Terry. Easy!) They then made you sing a pseudo-lesbian wank song for the stupid and you danced along. Beth is a spirited, original, talented artist that stands for something. She has achieved so much despite all odds being against her by being a rebellious, strong, artistic mind. You, though, are the ANTI-Beth. You are worse than Avril Lavigne. Your whole existence is testament to the cynicism that still prevails in some quarters of the music industry. Go talk to another banana please, that is more your level.

shelf1984

Jun 4, 2009

Everytime I think Im starting to like the Gossip Beth Ditto comes out with some shit like this which reminds me that she's a total arse.

TimesUp

Jun 4, 2009

Im with you Lipgloss!! But i find this whole argument stupid.... "She's [Perry] just riding on the backs of our culture" Grow up!! Perry might be fake and annoying, but she is more pleasing on the eye.

underclasshero

Jun 4, 2009

Katy Perry > Gossip/Beth Ditto, although on the grand scale of things that doesn't account to much.

Josao

Jun 4, 2009

I'm sorry but Katy Perry is not an artist.

jimi g

Jun 4, 2009

"She's [Perry] just riding on the backs of our culture". Fuck off Ditto! She might be riding on the back of something she's not but Ditto's getting by on being obese and a lesbian. I haven't got a problem with either of those things but they're the only reason she's famous. How many magazines has she done that stupid nude pose for now? Gossip are a one hit wonder. They've got nothing but 'Standing in the way of control.'

mushmeister24

Jun 5, 2009

I'm surprised that Ditto is able to ride on the back of that culture. It must be able to support a lot of wait!

garyjive

Jun 5, 2009

did no-one listen to the words?!?!? she kissed a girl...... and she fucking liked it! She's obviously a bit lezzy, maybe about a four on the 'gay scale,' therefore not just a straight lass riding on the back (oo-er!) of lesbian culture. Anyways, who cares who you're pumping? If its a catchy song, makes people happy then who gives a toss?Who cares who you're shagging? I'm straight, but I dont bang on about it.How shall we settle this? Cat fight!!!!!!I forget my point now......

Apron Strings

Jun 5, 2009

Ditto's clearly just saying if Katy Perry's going to sing that song she could at the least be gay. Someone's got a crush.

jeepcat

Jun 5, 2009

I was debating wading into this debate, but jimi g has summed it up perfectly - "She might be riding on the back of something she's not but Ditto's getting by on being obese and a lesbian. I haven't got a problem with either of those things but they're the only reason she's famous. How many magazines has she done that stupid nude pose for now? Gossip are a one hit wonder. They've got nothing but 'Standing in the way of control.' - I haven't got a problem with obeseness (I am!), but if it isn't an issue with Ditto, why does she keep banging on about it?

kahlo

Jun 5, 2009

I have to agree with jimi g - Beth Ditto has made her career from exploiting lesbian culture, and from being morbidly obese. These are the reasons she was pushed into the limelight - not on talent if her awful album is anything to go by. Perry's ironic song shows someone more willing to play with sexual identities than the militant po-faced lesbian culture which Ditto claims to stand for. She needs to give it a rest.

cloughie

Jun 5, 2009

katy perry hot? i dont think so - talentless, irritating yes. ditto may have a chip on her shoulder about being gay but katy perry is 100% playing on the fake lesbian thing. anyone that dont see that is stupid

killrkillreyes

Jun 5, 2009

Hmmm, well, though neither artists come across particularly well in this argument, Katy Perry seems to be embarassing herself quite a bit more than Beth Ditto: her comeback is simplistic, she says she doesn't want to go in a slagging war, but she reacts condescendingly instead of really addressing the issue, 'I'm not impressed.' I think Beth's criticism was misguided (she shouldn't target Katy Perry so much as her fans), but it does strike a chord. American pop music culture has become so hypocritical in its projected acceptance that it has allowed for I Kissed a Girl, who only hints at same-sex desire, to become more prominent than songs who deal explicitly with the gay identity. More than anything, though, I think this new wave of pop drama's revealed something about the NME public. It's quite disgusting to me that people would dismiss Ditto based solely on her appearance, but it seems to be what the overwhelming majority of posters are doing.

Amberosan

Jun 5, 2009

I don't really see what Beth Ditto's problem is. Katy Perry's music isn't offensive. If anything, it supports gay/lesbian ways and condones experimentation. It's just something straight women usually go through at some point in their lives and Perry wrote a song about it. Big deal. The only reason Beth Ditto is even slinging mud is because Katy Perry has a more successful career than she has, and she's trying to get noticed by picking on some one famous.

Hakzoid

Jun 5, 2009

Shame on Beth Ditto for that extreme kind of Bigotted Prejudice. I'm aghast at this type of phobia, I used to regard Beth very highly until she made this statement. If Kate wants to play on her sexuality, then why not? It's up to Kate how she wants to behave, just like it's up to Beth or anyone else how they want to behave. Or does Beth seem to think she has the monopoly on being Gay and everything in between.This just stinks of bigitry which I dislike in every form. Good on Kate for not rising to the bait and I hope that they both let this blow over and learn to live with each other and accept their differences.

be.brave

Jun 5, 2009

I think Katy's being fairly mature. Yes, it is characteristic and entertaining of people like Liam Gallagher to rant about other people's music, but I think Katy knows she doesn't have a strong enough musical reputation to say anything back. As for Beth Ditto - Gossip are shit.

gooniesneversaydie

Jun 5, 2009

if beth ditto did have a chip on her shoulder she would have eaten it by now

Chooby7

Jun 5, 2009

Get them both in the ring with Lily Allen as referee, let's see how much she likes girls then!

milkyway _sparkle

Jun 8, 2009

right there is one thing about being gay and then there is also the fact that disco wasnt aimed at the gay culture neither was kiley minogue but they both became huge on the gay scene, now actually singing a song which is just a bit of fun and dosnt really hurt anyone aboyt kissing a girl dosnt deserve unneccassary bitchy comments from some one who obviously is doing well but is annoyed that she didnt think of the song lyrics for her band ... bit tough really !at the end of the day .. beth ditto thinks she is a good role modle too ... all she is doing is telling girls the same as skinny celebs do " go ... go get an eating disorder its fine " so this woman who is so readily trying to pull katie perry down is doing it out of regret cos ditto has kissed a girl and liked it ! and so what if some birds kiss each other to tease boys??! boys are idiots ! lol! its just a song ! and katie perry well she has been very dignified by not getting in to the slanging match ditto wanted ! good on ya girl !!

bad_scene

Jun 17, 2009

i thought beth dissing katy perry was funny... and then katy perry referred to herself as an 'artist'. haha

acslaterz

Jun 21, 2009

Hmm, I dont particularily like either of the two but the one thing i will say, directed to various comments, What had size/weight got to do with it?! Grow up.