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Pop Culture

'American Idol' contestant fought through tears to sing after her duet partner quit

The sudden change shocked everyone, but Fire made it through.

American Idol/YouTube

"American Idol" contestant brings judges to tears.

It seems like each week of "American Idol" brings all of the emotions. Watching the show from week to week means being prepared for laughs, tears, shock and sometimes frustration, and the most recent episode of the long-running hit show was no different.

Contestant Kaya Stewart, who is the daughter of Eurythmics singer Dave Stewart, was supposed to sing a duet with Fire, a single mom who was given a second chance at the show. Every chance to sing in front of the judges is a big deal to contestants because it's another chance to become a fan favorite and win over the judges to make it to another round. It's safe to say that the singers' nerves are often in a heightened state, and Stewart was feeling ill-prepared to sing her duet with Fire after getting sick.

Stewart's illness kept her from being able to learn her part in the duet, and when the time came to perform for the judges, she bowed out, leaving Fire standing on stage and holding back tears.

After being asked by judge Katy Perry what she wanted to do, Fire replied, "I'm going to start crying, sorry. It's been really stressful. It's been a lot of stress on me to learn a different arrangement and then come out here."

Stewart's exit left the judges shocked, but with some quick thinking and a willing volunteer, Fire had a new duet partner on stage within seconds.

"Listen Fire, you're not going to be abandoned anymore," Perry assured the singer.

Fire held back tears as long as she could as she sang Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me," but when she reached the final lyrics, she broke down, evoking an emotional reaction from the judges. Lionel Richie and Perry's eyes filled with tears before Perry left the singer with some encouraging words.

Watch the incredible moment below:

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Pop Culture

'American Idol' contestant has perfect response to Katy Perry's 'mom-shaming' joke

The 25-year-old used the moment to stand up for moms everywhere.

@sarabethliebe/TikTok

"Keep loving your babies."

You might recall us singing the praises of Sara Beth, the exuberant young mom with major vocal chops dubbed the “Accidental American Idol.”

During Sara Beth’s initial audition for the show, judge Katy Perry made a joke that rubbed many viewers the wrong way.

Before Sara Beth even began to sing, the 25-year-old revealed that she had three children, which prompted Katy Perry to dramatically stand up from her seat and feign shock. When Sara Beth, all smiles, said, “If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m going to pass out,” Perry retorted, “Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much.”

So many fans began calling out Perry’s comment that Sara Beth herself spoke out in a TikTok video that has since gone viral.

“At the start of my audition, before I sang, I mentioned that I had three children and was a young mother, and Katy Perry made a joke that wasn’t super kind,” Sara Beth explained, using air quotations around the word “joke.”

She continued, “I don’t have too much to say on my feelings about it because I feel like it’s probably pretty self-explanatory. I mean, it was embarrassing to have that on TV. And it was hurtful and, you know, that’s that.”

From there Sara Beth could have gone on the defensive, but instead chose to offer some positivity and encouragement.

For the moms who had reached out with supportive comments—and all moms in general—she said, “I see you and I hear you and I am grateful for you and you’re worthy…Keep loving your babies.That’s all that really matters and other comments don’t feel necessary.”

Really, Sara Beth’s sentiments can be boiled down to this one statement: “I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool, and I think that mom-shaming is super lame.”

Sara Beth had the comments turned off for her video, but with over 25,000 likes, it feels safe to say the message resonated with others. And from the looks of things, it seems like that joke, however hurtful, hasn’t really kept Sara Beth down. Her demo “Last October” just debuted on Spotify, and she is posting a ton of amazing covers over on TikTok. Good for you, mama.

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Katy Perry kissed a boy and he liked it — but she should have asked first.

Had the roles been reversed, people would not be happy.

"American Idol" is back and apparently now features some judge-on-contestant kissing.

It's hard to keep people interested in a show entering its 16th season, so it makes sense that show's new home at ABC would pull out all the stops to try to get people's attention. In the season premiere for the new season, judge Katy Perry broke new ground on the show, bestowing a quick peck on the lips to 19-year-old Benjamin Glaze.

[rebelmouse-image 19534139 dam="1" original_size="500x281" caption="GIFs from "American Idol"/YouTube." expand=1]GIFs from "American Idol"/YouTube.

After joking that he liked his job as a cashier at an electronics store because it meant that cute girls have to say hi to him, judge Luke Bryan asked Glaze if he's "kissed a girl and liked it," an obvious reference to Perry's 2008 mega-hit. He says that he's actually never kissed a girl. Naturally, Perry asked Glaze to come closer and kiss her on the cheek. As he leaned in, Perry turned her head and kissed him on the lips.

Some people online quickly pointed to the underlying issue of consent, and they're absolutely right.

Though Glaze didn't seem to mind the kiss, Perry should have asked him first. From what viewers see (as it's entirely possible there were bits of relevant dialogue cut out by producers), he consented to kissing her cheek, not getting a kiss on the lips.

Still, a number of media outlets and Twitter users framed the encounter in a sort of "he's so lucky," isn't this adorable," "this is so cute" type of way. "Katy Perry gave one lucky 'American Idol' contestant his very first kiss — and his reaction is hilarious," read the headline of an article at Insider.

But imagine how different the reaction would have been had the roles been reversed? What if instead of Perry kissing a male contestant 14 years younger than her, it was Bryan doing the same with a female contestant? If we're being honest with ourselves, we can probably admit that the situation wouldn't have seemed quite as "cute" or "funny," right? It's a safe bet there wouldn't be media outlets rushing to cover it that way either.

It's less about this specific instance and more the message it sends — especially to kids.

For one, we owe it to boys and men to care about their ability to consent as much as we owe it to girls and women. When we treat situations differently based on the gender of the person breaching consent, we're not sending a good message, especially when it comes to younger viewers.

At her Baby Sideburns blog, writer Karen Alpert walked through some of the issues she had with the segment, which are worth consideration.

"But there are millions of children watching your every move. Girls and boys," writes Alpert. "And when you kiss a boy on the lips without his permission, when you trick him into that, you’re teaching our children the wrong thing. I’m not saying every teenager out there has to ask permission for every single little kiss, but you do have to be pretty sure that’s what someone wants before you do that."

The kiss was harmless, and this isn't meant to be some sort of attack on Perry. But let's learn from it and build a better world for our kids based around these lessons.

It's a teachable moment for us all and, again, was pretty harmless in the big picture. It's because it was harmless that we can learn from it the next time something isn't harmless.

Watch the full clip of Glaze's audition below.

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Be the 'Left Shark' you want to see in the world.

Remember "Left Shark," the scene-stealing backup dancer from the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show?

Just slightly out of rhythm, the costumed entertainer embodied the old adage about dancing "like nobody's watching" (except, in this case, 114 million people were watching, but really, who's counting?). Choreographer R.J. Durell insisted that contrary to the internet's reaction, the dancer did not "forget" the routine, arguing that Left Shark was actually supposed to be a little goofy and out of sync with Katy Perry's music.

Intentional or not, Left Shark with his big googly eyes and cartoonish smile, brought a lot of laughter and joy to people around the world that night.

GIFs from NFL/YouTube.

Three years after dancing his way into our hearts, Left Shark sat down for a surprisingly touching interview with NPR.

Bryan Gaw, the man inside the costume, recently chatted with NPR's David Greene about life after Left Shark and making the best of a silly situation. Maybe it's the state of the world or the dire rhetoric of the State of the Union address, but Gaw's NPR appearance was a major breath of fresh air, a tiny bit of sunshine on an overcast day.

"I'm in a seven-foot shark costume," said Gaw, telling the story of that night. "There's no cool in that. So what's the other option? Well, I'm gonna play a different character." That portion of the show, he explained, involved a bit of "freestyle choreography" without predetermined moves. It gave him the opportunity to step into the awkward and endearing persona America fell in love with on stage that night.

Gaw, who now works as a stylist, offered a bit of advice: "Nobody has to be perfect in life."

It's easy to obsess over making the right moves, worrying about falling out of step with the rest of the world. It's easy to worry so much about what others think that you don't stop and have a little fun along the way. If Gaw had been concerned about what people thought of Left Shark — especially those who accused him of messing up — there's no way we'd still be talking about him today.

"Don’t take life so seriously, you know what I mean?" he said, wrapping up the short segment. "I was on the biggest stage in the world, acting crazy, and I got a lot of press and a lot of attention for it — in the most positive ways. It's great. Be you. Do you."

Be the "Left Shark" you want to see in the world, and check out Gaw's interview on NPR's website.

'We stand together.'

On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, more than 2 million people all over the world marched for gender equality rights. Many celebrities were right there with them.

After all, female celebrities — no matter how famous they are — will not escape the gender injustices that are likely to arise in our new administration. So they took their place in the crowds alongside fellow activists, loudly echoing their sentiments every step of the way, as per the Women's March mission:

Some also used their celebrity status to push the message out even further by giving bold, impassioned speeches in front of the masses.

Scarlett Johansson at the Women's March on Washington. Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

But whether they were in front of a microphone, holding a sign, or sporting a pink pussy hat, their presence among the masses was inspiring. So much of the march was about inclusivity and sharing that purpose with like-minded celebrities reminded people that no one is above that concept.

Here are 27 activist celebrities who marched for the cause.

1. Ashley Judd gave a heart-stopping rendition of Nina Donovan's "Nasty Woman" poem.

2. Elizabeth Gilbert brought an appropriately revised copy of her book, "Eat, Pray, Love."

3. Ariana Grande marched with her female role model — her grandmother.

4. Connie Britton rocked a Planned Parenthood poster in Park City, Utah.

5. Katy Perry made a new feminist friend at the Los Angeles march.

6. Jessica Chastain casually handed out love buttons at the march in Washington, D.C. NBD.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

7. Drew Barrymore's daughter Frankie's sign was honest and on point.

8. If anyone messes with Melissa Benoist (aka Supergirl) and her vagina, they'll be very, very sorry.

9. I'd say Brie Larson's fans appreciated her presence among them.

10. America Ferrera's speech at the March on Washington kicked off the day. Watch it here.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

11. Ian McKellen marched in London with a poster of Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard. Needless to say, people couldn't get enough of him.

12. Scarlett Johansson's speech on how Planned Parenthood helped during her teen years brought the house down.

13. Gillian Anderson sported a "We the People" poster designed by Shepard Fairey.

14. Mandy Moore paired up with the inimitable Jane Fonda.

15. "Hidden Figures" actress Janelle Monae's speech says it all.

16. Maggie Gyllenhaal and her brother Jake did the Women's March on Washington sibling-style.

17. Amber Tamblyn and Amy Schumer mutually supported women's rights (and NASA).

18. Sometimes there's an actor who was in a movie your protest poster is quoted from, and everything's suddenly right with the world.

19. A highlight from one epic speech by Gloria Steinem.

20. Chelsea Handler, together with Charlize Theron and Mary McCormack, were "loud and proud" at Sundance in Park City, Utah.

21. Nick Offerman wore a pussy hat with pride (as well as some snow).

22. "Orange Is the New Black's" Jackie Cruz showed off major sign skills.

23. And Amy Poehler would not be Amy Poehler without creating a hilariously awkward situation.

24. Comedian Jenny Slate carried a sign for someone who couldn't make it to the march.

25. Alicia Keys took sisterhood selfies.

26. Zendaya was just one more in the over 500,000 person crowd in Washington, D.C.

27. And, finally, the feminist who started #HeForShe did her part for gender equality while hanging with her mom, taking photos of kids, and laughing with strangers who are now friends.

Seeing the icons we look up to marching for what's right is one heck of a reminder that we're far from alone in this fight.

Their presence at these protests makes a difference on many levels, but perhaps the most significant is showing we are all unified under one purpose. And we are going to keep defending each other and every group marginalized under Trump's administration.

Over the next four years, we will be up against a government that may try to strip us of our human rights at every turn. The more powerful, publicly known voices who stand with us and amplify our frustrations, the harder it will be for them to be ignored.

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Thousands gather to honor 57th anniversary of King's March on Washington and renew calls for equality - Upworthy ›

"Life isn't easy, and you need little reliefs."

After surviving the June 12, 2016, shooting at Orlando's Pulse nightclub, Tony Marrero found inspiration in a familiar place: music.

Recovering from a gunshot wound to the back, Tony found comfort in Katy Perry's music — specifically in her song "Rise."

Tony appeared on the Sept. 8 episode of "Ellen," recounting that night and discussing what life has been like in the post-Pulse world. At one point, he mentioned how helpful he found "Rise" in his recovery, telling Ellen DeGeneres that the song's powerful lyrics helped him stay focused, even joking that he played it so much that his boyfriend was surely sick of it.

GIFs via "Ellen"/YouTube.

"Have you met Katy?" asked Ellen. "No," Tony answered. "You want to meet Katy?" His eyed widened.

From backstage came Katy Perry herself. Smiling and waving, she approached Tony for a hug. Tears were shed. It was a beautiful moment.

It's easy to brush off things like music or TV or movies or art as being inconsequential or superficial. The truth is that these things are far more important to the world than we give them credit for.

During an interview while he was still in the hospital, Tony told NBC News some fairly gruesome details about that night at Pulse. In order to survive, the 32-year-old had to pretend he was dead, hiding his head under a couch.

"I never give up," he said.

That drive to live, to carry on, came from many places — music being one of them.

"Life isn't easy," Katy told him. "And you need little reliefs, through songs, quite possibly."

And she's absolutely right. The world can be a heavy place. While few of us will endure and overcome what Tony went through, we all have our own challenges in life, and it's important to find forms of self-care to help us through them.

In addition to some moving words, the Grammy-nominated singer had one more surprise for Tony: offering to pay for his first year of film school — something he'd wanted to do for some time — so that he, too, can help inspire others with his art.

Watch the entire moving exchange below, and be sure to have a tissue handy.

Heroes

Watch Katy Perry pretend to be a meteorologist to fight global warming.

She's helping UNICEF stop global warming.

True

Katy Perry is a proud California girl. So when it comes to climate change, she gets it.

After all, she can see the effects of global warming in her own backyard. If you hadn't heard, climate change has made the drought in the Golden State much, much worse.

To highlight how important it is that we act now, Perry swapped her stage costumes for a pantsuit and got real about global warming.

She hasn't quit her day job, but Perry — a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2013 — did successfully pull off the role of "meteorologist" in a short video for the humanitarian group, seen below.

Her goal? To point out how climate change will affect families and children around the world.

Because, beyond California, increasingly warmer temperatures have wreaked havoc in poorer countries — areas that studies have shown will be hit hardest by a warming planet.

Areas like the Pacific Islands, where hurricanes have gotten worse.

And in South Asia where horrible floods have dispersed millions.

Not to mention hotter temperatures in East Africa mean increased risk of malaria (which kills 800 children every day).

And unfortunately, even if we act now, these places won't see relief overnight.

Our reliance on fossil fuels means, at least in the near future, the forecast looks bleak.

“It's always children who are first to suffer from [global warming's] impact," Perry warns in the video.

But ... why does climate change generally affect people in, say, the Philippines, more severely than in the U.S.?

Well, for one, underdeveloped regions happen to be in areas that are expected to see "stronger cyclones, warmer days and nights, more unpredictable rains, and larger and longer heatwaves," as The Guardian reported, citing a 2013 study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

But beyond simply getting hit hardest, poor countries also lack the infrastructure to successfully handle increasingly severe storms, disastrous floods, and rising sea levels.

They'll need to invest billions of dollars more to prepare for the worst of what climate change has in-store.

But here's the thing: We can avoid the worst of it. And there are plenty of reasons to believe we will.

World leaders are coming together to cut way back on carbon emissions, President Obama's administration is aiming to prioritize clean power over dirty energy, and organizations like UNICEF (with a little help from Ms. Perry) are helping those most impacted by a changing climate.

I'm very hopeful my grandkids will live in a green world, and you should be, too.

You can make sure your voice is heard by signing this petition to demand climate action at the Paris Climate Summit.

katy perry

The sudden change shocked everyone, but Fire made it through.

The 25-year-old used the moment to stand up for moms everywhere.

Had the roles been reversed, people would not be happy.

"American Idol" is back and apparently now features some judge-on-contestant kissing.

Some people online quickly pointed to the underlying issue of consent, and they're absolutely right.

It's less about this specific instance and more the message it sends — especially to kids.

The kiss was harmless, and this isn't meant to be some sort of attack on Perry. But let's learn from it and build a better world for our kids based around these lessons.

Be the 'Left Shark' you want to see in the world.

Remember "Left Shark," the scene-stealing backup dancer from the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show?

Three years after dancing his way into our hearts, Left Shark sat down for a surprisingly touching interview with NPR.

Gaw, who now works as a stylist, offered a bit of advice: "Nobody has to be perfect in life."

'We stand together.'

On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, more than 2 million people all over the world marched for gender equality rights. Many celebrities were right there with them.

Some also used their celebrity status to push the message out even further by giving bold, impassioned speeches in front of the masses.

Here are 27 activist celebrities who marched for the cause.

1. Ashley Judd gave a heart-stopping rendition of Nina Donovan's "Nasty Woman" poem.

2. Elizabeth Gilbert brought an appropriately revised copy of her book, "Eat, Pray, Love."

3. Ariana Grande marched with her female role model — her grandmother.

4. Connie Britton rocked a Planned Parenthood poster in Park City, Utah.

5. Katy Perry made a new feminist friend at the Los Angeles march.

6. Jessica Chastain casually handed out love buttons at the march in Washington, D.C. NBD.

7. Drew Barrymore's daughter Frankie's sign was honest and on point.

8. If anyone messes with Melissa Benoist (aka Supergirl) and her vagina, they'll be very, very sorry.

9. I'd say Brie Larson's fans appreciated her presence among them.

10. America Ferrera's speech at the March on Washington kicked off the day. Watch it here.

11. Ian McKellen marched in London with a poster of Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard. Needless to say, people couldn't get enough of him.

12. Scarlett Johansson's speech on how Planned Parenthood helped during her teen years brought the house down.

13. Gillian Anderson sported a "We the People" poster designed by Shepard Fairey.

14. Mandy Moore paired up with the inimitable Jane Fonda.

15. "Hidden Figures" actress Janelle Monae's speech says it all.

16. Maggie Gyllenhaal and her brother Jake did the Women's March on Washington sibling-style.

17. Amber Tamblyn and Amy Schumer mutually supported women's rights (and NASA).

18. Sometimes there's an actor who was in a movie your protest poster is quoted from, and everything's suddenly right with the world.

19. A highlight from one epic speech by Gloria Steinem.

20. Chelsea Handler, together with Charlize Theron and Mary McCormack, were "loud and proud" at Sundance in Park City, Utah.

21. Nick Offerman wore a pussy hat with pride (as well as some snow).

22. "Orange Is the New Black's" Jackie Cruz showed off major sign skills.

23. And Amy Poehler would not be Amy Poehler without creating a hilariously awkward situation.

24. Comedian Jenny Slate carried a sign for someone who couldn't make it to the march.

25. Alicia Keys took sisterhood selfies.

26. Zendaya was just one more in the over 500,000 person crowd in Washington, D.C.

27. And, finally, the feminist who started #HeForShe did her part for gender equality while hanging with her mom, taking photos of kids, and laughing with strangers who are now friends.

Seeing the icons we look up to marching for what's right is one heck of a reminder that we're far from alone in this fight.

"Life isn't easy, and you need little reliefs."

After surviving the June 12, 2016, shooting at Orlando's Pulse nightclub, Tony Marrero found inspiration in a familiar place: music.

"Have you met Katy?" asked Ellen. "No," Tony answered. "You want to meet Katy?" His eyed widened.

It's easy to brush off things like music or TV or movies or art as being inconsequential or superficial. The truth is that these things are far more important to the world than we give them credit for.

Watch the entire moving exchange below, and be sure to have a tissue handy.

She's helping UNICEF stop global warming.

Katy Perry is a proud California girl. So when it comes to climate change, she gets it.

Areas like the Pacific Islands, where hurricanes have gotten worse.

And in South Asia where horrible floods have dispersed millions.

Not to mention hotter temperatures in East Africa mean increased risk of malaria (which kills 800 children every day).

And unfortunately, even if we act now, these places won't see relief overnight.

But ... why does climate change generally affect people in, say, the Philippines, more severely than in the U.S.?

But here's the thing: We can avoid the worst of it. And there are plenty of reasons to believe we will.

Check out Perry's video for UNICEF below: