Mondo Bullshittio #51: Katy Perry’s Medley at the VMAs Being Called A Serve

In a series called Mondo Bullshittio, let’s talk about some of the most glaring hypocrisies and faux pas in pop culture…and all that it affects.

In what was sadly her “best effort” to prove her worth in the music industry game of late, Katy Perry was counting on the receipt of a Video Vanguard Award at this year’s MTV VMAs. Not just because the award is meant to signify “greatness,” but also because of the chance it afforded her to perform her hits a.k.a. refresh people’s memory on why she’s famous in the first place (not that anyone needs a “talent” or “cause” to be anymore). Perry’s reliance on this appearance at the VMAs was particularly heavy because it seemed to be the only positive acknowledgement anyone was willing to give her after the disastrous single that was “Woman’s World.” And, knowing full well it was a disaster despite trying to bill it as “satire” in the wake of the venomous criticisms, Perry quickly released the supposed real “banger” from 143, “Lifetimes” (which Zane Lowe will forever live in shame for dancing to during this interview). That, too, was met with a lukewarm reaction, along with more condemnation for filming the video in a protected area without permission. Oh dear, imagine fucking up a UNESCO World Heritage Site just a little bit more for the sake of some lackluster visual accompaniment (we’re definitely not talking anything on the grand, earth-shattering scale of, say, the “Express Yourself” video).

In any case, Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment released a statement about the video that declared, “In no case had the production company requested authorization from the Regional Ministry to carry out the filming.” So, to be sure, there has been little enthusiasm on many fronts for 143 and/or Perry’s career in general this summer, hence her clearly jumping (literally) at the chance to prove herself at the VMAs when the opportunity arose. To remind people that, if nothing else, she’s still a “good” performer. Even if the Video Vanguard Award itself has been diminished in value in recent years thanks to being bequeathed to the likes of P!nk and Jennifer Lopez. With whom Perry is on par. Though she’s apparently seen fit to compare herself to Chappell Roan’s “authenticity” and avant-garde stylings in an interview for the BBC (further proof that one’s ego only gets bigger the more they lose their clout).

In any case, Perry kicked off her ten-minute(ish) medley with “Dark Horse,” perhaps wanting to send the message that she’s currently a dark horse in the pop music game who will end up coming out ahead (ha!). It was an odd choice in terms of not being chronological and immediately reminding audiences of her apparently steadfast devotion to Dr. Luke, who co-produced said song. And the only person more controversial Perry could have chosen to allude to from her previous singles is Kanye West a.k.a. Ye. While his vocals didn’t appear on the song she chose next, “E.T.,” its use instantly conjures his memory (not to mention Russell Brand’s, who she wrote the song about [insert vomit noise here]). Her flip-flopping in the timeline of her musical releases also does little to highlight much in the way of “artistic growth,” with her shtick rarely changing. Least of all thematically. That much was also reiterated when she debuted yet another new single from 143 called “I’m His, He’s Mine” (featuring Doechii, who joined her onstage for this portion). A track that sees fit not only to prove Perry’s lack of originality, but decimate the untouchable “Gypsy Woman” by Crystal Waters thanks to using its signature backbeat as a sample. Worse still, Perry actually dares to use the “la-da-di, la-da-da” refrain throughout this inferior schlock.

Perry then tries to keep pleasing the crowd with arguably her most quintessential hit, “California Gurls,” during which a reaction shot to her husband, Orlando Bloom, looking as though he is in genuine physical agony while watching her rivals Jack Antonoff putting earplugs in during this specific medley of a performance (perhaps secretly wanting to start another Taylor-Katy feud in so doing). But still, the show rolled on, with “Teenage Dream” and, then, “I Kissed A Girl,” at which time Perry donned giant Mylar butterfly wings. Even though such an accessory is meant to be symbolic of “metamorphosis,” that obviously hasn’t happened to Perry if she’s still singing this early hit despite knowing how triggering it is for many people who detest queerbaiting. And Perry herself has admitted to finding the lyrics regrettable, yet still she parroted them for this performance, later having the audacity to thank the LGBTQIA+ community in her acceptance speech with: “The LGBTQ community who I recognize I would not be here without, and who show me that you can be both kind and cunt.” Considering she can’t even add the “IA+” for the complete acknowledgement of said community, well, it only adds to her reputation for being the antithesis of a queer icon. In fact, she was never clinging to this “queer icon” shit until now, when things have gotten “desperate enough,” and she needs to feign having some form of a “built-in audience.”

One that includes those who still cling to Teenage Dream a.k.a. “her version of the Thriller album” (because it yielded five number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 just like that seminal Michael Jackson record). Indeed, it’s no coincidence that the songs she performed during this medley were primarily from Teenage Dream, including “Firework.” And yes, the lyric, “Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth” felt particularly pointed in this instance, with Perry attempting to do just that throughout the medley.

Her desperation to be “recognized” after losing major cachet this year (along with J. Lo) further shining through when she concluded with “Lifetimes” instead of “Woman’s World.” Obviously pandering to the criticism about it by choosing to evade it altogether in a career-spanning retrospective. This despite also adding in her acceptance speech, “One of the biggest reasons I’m standing here now is I learned how to block out all the noise.” But no, it would seem that, demonstrably, she hasn’t. Otherwise the medley wouldn’t have been so “pick me” (including the ultra-retro sentiments of “I’m His, He’s Mine”). Because, alas, Perry is still pandering to the male gaze regardless of her insistence that she’s a “gay icon” now (sure, maybe for Republican gays). To boot, she gave her “hetero relationship dream girl” status away by announcing (with Bloom next to her onstage), “To Orlando, for keeping me grounded, celebrated and doing the dishes.” Oof.

Also noticeably missing from the setlist was anything from Witness and Smile, the albums that commenced her ongoing “flop era” after Prism. Needless to say, Perry doesn’t want to remind anyone of those albums right now. Yet, according to some, playing only her biggest hits from over a decade ago made it all the more apparent how lacking her present so-called repertoire is. While others still had the total loss of mind to say that Perry served (see: Saint Hoax’s slides on the matter). But many of the comments in response to that declaration weren’t exactly in agreement. For example, “Props to Katy’s PR team! They’ve been working overtime ever since she released that (self-proclaimed) feminist anthem produced by a rapist!,” “How much did Katy’s pr team you?????? I hope it was a lot” and “When your new album is so bad you have to perform old songs on the rollout.”

And then, of course, there was the bizarre (read: rigged) affront of throwing Perry yet another bone by giving her the award for Most Iconic Performance (a newly-minted offering for this year) at the VMAs. This for a performance no one remembers (“Roar” during the 2013 VMAs) and when pitted against the likes of Madonna, Britney and Xtina’s 2003 VMA performance (not to mention Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” performance at the very first VMAs in 1984). In short, it all seemed like the most overt “bread and circuses” maneuver Perry could have pulled to attempt salvaging (and distracting from) her damaged “brand” in time to sell at least a few copies of 143. Who knows? Maybe it will work. Though there’s only so much that money can buy in terms of a good PR/celebrity crisis management team.