NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

'Betrayed' Gaga fires back at fur critics

Herald online
16 Aug, 2012 09:00 PM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Lady Gaga has hit out at her critics after coming under fire from PETA. Photo / Richard Robinson

Lady Gaga has hit out at her critics after coming under fire from PETA. Photo / Richard Robinson

Opinion by

Lady Gaga has a message for fur critics: Back off!

The 26-year-old singer recently incurred the wrath of animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) over her furry fashion choices.

Last week, Mother Monster was snapped stepping out in what appeared to be a target="_blank">pink mink fur coat after a trip to the Armani New York boutique.

She was also spotted wearing fur while exiting a hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria on the eve of her European tour this week.

PETA was not pleased.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The animal rights group penned a blistering open letter to Gaga on Monday, branding her a "turncoat", and reminded the singer of her previous anti-fur stance.

Fur flip-flop

"I hate fur and I don't wear fur," Gaga proclaimed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show back in 2009.

"Many of your gay fans, I among them, have long admired what you told Ellen: 'I hate fur and I don't wear fur.' I included a link because these recent photos of you in fox and rabbit and with a wolf carcass make it appear that you have amnesia," wrote Dan Mathews, PETA's senior vice president.

"What happened? Are your stylists telling you that it's fake, or are you a turncoat?"

Discover more

Entertainment

Lady Gaga tweets photo of NZ black eye

12 Jun 08:01 AM
Entertainment

Lady Gaga has brain scan after NZ gig concussion

21 Jun 02:20 AM
Opinion

Lady Gaga bares all for racy perfume ad

17 Jul 11:30 PM
New Zealand

Daytime PJs in public keeps city awake at night

19 Aug 05:30 PM

He added: "Many gays are animal advocates because we recognise that the same arrogance and indifference that some have toward animal suffering has at times been directed toward us personally because of our orientation.

"By wearing those dumb furs in a heat wave, you're making yourself a target just like the mindless Kim Kardashian. As we plan our fall campaigns, please tell us whether what you gracefully told Ellen was heartfelt or just a pose."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Actor Alan Cumming also took a pop at Gaga for her fashion choices.

"I'm so disappointed to learn @ladygaga wears fur! Guess she doesn't love all little monsters," the Good Wife star tweeted.

Gaga later addressed the brouhaha, sort of. The Born This Way singer kept her response short and tongue-in-cheek.

"For those press and such who are writing about whether or not my fur is actually real, please don't forget to credit the designer HERMES. Thank You! LOVE, Gaga," she wrote on her social networking site Little Monsters.

After the singer's vague response, Cumming shot back: "Really @ladygaga? Giving Hermes a shout out is more important than being open with your fans?!

'You see a carcass, I see a museum pièce de résistance...'

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Gaga has since issued a longer statement on the fur stink, and slammed the animal rights group for their "childish campaigns."

"To the fans. I want you to know that I care deeply about your feelings and views, and I will always support your philosophies about life. We've been having over-arching conversations about society, equality, and politics for the past five years, and we should continue," Gaga wrote. "I do not however support violent, abusive, and childish campaigns for ANY CAUSE. Particularly one that I respect. 'Animal Rights'.

"I am choosing not to comment on whether or not the furs I purchase are faux fur-pile or real because I would think it hypercritical not to acknowledge the python, ostrich, cow hide, leather, lamb, alligator, 'Kermit' and not to mention meat, that I have already worn."

She added, "You see a carcass, I see a museum pièce de résistance...I respect your views, please respect mine."

Gaga concluded: "And to campaigners, save your flour to make bread for the children who are hungry. And Kim Kardashian is fabulous."

Fur-loving reality TV queen Kim Kardashian was flour-bombed by a PETA supporter while trotting down the red carpet at a bash earlier this year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

No word from PETA on Gaga's response.

'Massive struggles'

And amid the backlash over her sartorial choices, Gaga's been busy getting a few other things off her chest.

The singer got personal in an open letter, written to mark the release of her Fame perfume trailer, which she posted on her Little Monsters social networking site on Wednesday.

In it, she spoke about her "massive struggles" over the past year - both professionally and personally.

Titled "A letter to my sweet fans" she wrote: "Today is a really happy day for me. The past year was a challenge, and I'm so happy to have my spirit back."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She then explained what wounded her.

"Whether [it] be the record label disagreeing with me on single choices, or directors who could only create an idea of 'gaga' or what I've 'done before' and not able to move forward," she wrote.

Gaga then addressed the well-publicised drama around her single Born This Way.

When the single was released last year, the singer faced criticism that the track sounded eerily similar to Madonna's Express Yourself.

Madge also waded in on the controversy, revealing that when she first heard the song, she thought it sounded "very familiar" to her own work.

Speaking to ABC News, she sniped: "I thought, 'What a wonderful way to redo my song.' I mean, I recognised the chord changes. I thought it was ... interesting."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Gaga added in her post: "And there was also of course the incessant dragging of the most important single of my career in dead-beaten-horse-mud.

"Then there were all the personal moments. Betrayed by lifelong friends, mentors I've had for years suddenly taking advantage of me, and a massive struggle with my body image."

She continued: "I've grown and left most of these things behind, the monsters of fame are very real. But I wanted to thank you for bearing with me a little bit.

"Today's film is what happens when there is love and respect amongst creatives, teams, management.

"This project was run solely by the HAUS OF GAGA, ATOM FACTORY, AND STEVEN KLEIN'S fantastic team. I am feeling blessed to have removed those from my life driven by money and luxury, its all about the art of it. I feel free today. Thank you for always being there for me monsters. "

Check out the trailer for Gaga's new perfume below:

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The fragrance will be released in the US in September, followed by her next album, ARTPOP, in early 2013.

Fast gossip

And finally...

* Kristen Stewart upset she's being painted as a cheater.

* Michael Jackson's father drops case against Conrad Murray.

* Chris Brown and Drake sued for $16m for club brawl.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

* Shia LaBeouf: 'I'm done' making big-budget studio movies.

* Megadeth frontman says Obama "staged" Aurora shooting.

* Robert Pattinson admits to reading other people's diaries.

* Big daddy-to-be: Robbie Williams flexes his muscles in shirtless snap.

* Miley Cyrus: Liam loves my pixie cut.

* No wedding for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie this weekend.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

* Jennifer Aniston leaking false wedding info to friends.

* Robert Downey Jr. injured on set of Iron Man 3.

* Rachel Weisz opens up about marriage to Daniel Craig.

- Blogger Bites Back

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

23 Jun 08:25 AM
Entertainment

Johnny Depp has ‘empty-nest syndrome’

23 Jun 08:24 AM
Premium
Opinion

Disneyland Aotearoa: Is it a dream worth considering?

23 Jun 03:00 AM

Inside Leigh Hart’s bonkers quest to hand-deliver a SnackaChangi chip to every Kiwi

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

23 Jun 08:25 AM

The film explores themes of survival and humanity during societal collapse.

Johnny Depp has ‘empty-nest syndrome’

Johnny Depp has ‘empty-nest syndrome’

23 Jun 08:24 AM
Premium
Disneyland Aotearoa: Is it a dream worth considering?

Disneyland Aotearoa: Is it a dream worth considering?

23 Jun 03:00 AM
British TV star says he's 'haemorrhaging money' running $30m NZ estate

British TV star says he's 'haemorrhaging money' running $30m NZ estate

21 Jun 10:53 PM
Why wallpaper works wonders
sponsored

Why wallpaper works wonders

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP