TQS Staff
This week in pop culture: The cutting of Adele’s Brits acceptance speech sparks outrage (below), J.K. Rowling reveals the latest on her first novel since the Harry Potter series, and Coronation Street bosses defend controversial Carla Connor rape storyline.
Stars and Fans in Uproar after Adele’s Brits Acceptance Speech Cut Short
Celebrities have hit back at television bosses after multi-platinum singer Adele had her acceptance speech cut short at Tuesday night’s Brit Awards. The 23-year-old singer, who was picking up the award for Best Album, briefly expressed her gratitude before presenter James Corden apologised for having to cut the speech short. Adele reacted by displaying her middle finger (image above) to the show’s producers. The Brits and ITV have since released a statement in which they apologised to Adele but claimed that the cut was made due to the over-running of the live awards show.
Gavin & Stacey star Corden told BBC Radio 5Live:
“I was furious and put in a horrible position. I went straight to Adele’s dressing room and she was fine with me, but really upset.”
Brit Award-winning singer Lily Allen even cited sexism in the move to cut Adele and make way for the Blur performance:
“I’d rather hear Adele’s acceptance speech… I can’t say I’m surprised. It was like the music industry’s attitude to women played out as a metaphor.”
On Tuesday night, those of us who hadn’t already given up on the Brit Awards wondered why on Earth the show’s producers would cut short the only exceptional British music export to emerge in decades, to make way for a mediocre performance from Blur. Damon Albarn was allotted over three minutes to make his acceptance speech. Is Lily Allen onto something when it comes to sexism in the industry? Either way, good on Adele for giving the producers a proper British ‘up yours’ in response. Piers Morgan summarised the collective mood of a nation via Twitter:
“Adele, greatest British musical talent to emerge in decades, gets CUT OFF? Classy stuff #Brits – what a shambles.”
A valid point about the shortcomings of the Brits in general was made by the phoney Cheryl Cole Twitter account @CherylKerl (who you should follow), albeit in a mock Geordie accent:
“Nut bein teight aw owt man but leik the #brits is tuh the Grammeez as Lidl iz tuh Harrods. Soz geiz but speak az yerz feind.”
After the 2012 Adele blunder, I think this analogy has been proven. But unlike the fake Chezza, I don’t speak as a friend of the Brits anymore.
Watch Adele’s comments following the interruption of her acceptance speech at Tuesday night’s Brit Awards:
Words by Jamie Fisher
