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Is Lady Gaga A Sell Out? After Big Pharma Ad Fans Are Divided

Is Lady Gaga A Sell Out? After Big Pharma Ad Fans Are Divided

Lady Gaga
Feature Flash Photo Agency/Shutterstock

Fans ran to social media to slam the pop icon: “So incredibly disappointing and hurtful."

Lady Gaga landed herself in hot water with fans this week after teaming up with Pfizer to promote the migraine medication Nurtec ODT.

The pop star was slammed by her Little Monsters after she announced the paid partnership on Instagram this week by posting a photo of herself performing on stage during her 2022 Chromatica Ball Tour overlaid with the Nurtec ODT logo.

In the caption of the post the “Bad Romance” singer wrote about her own experience as someone living with migraines, “Ever since childhood, I’ve dealt with migraine pain. When I tried Nurtec® ODT (rimegepant) 75 mg for the first time, I’ll never forget wishing I had found it sooner. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Nurtec ODT. We’re in this together.”

Fans voiced their frustrations with the beloved gay icon in the comment section under the post, many of whom were especially disappointed that she would post a paid partnership during Pride Month.

“Two weeks into pride and you’ve shared nothing but ads,” one commenter wrote. “So incredibly disappointing and hurtful. trans people are being legislated out of existence across the country and you’re busy shilling for big pharma. we live in hell.”

Another commentator called the singer out for using a photo from her last tour in the ad, “Posting a photo of the chromatica ball during pride month but being a migraine ad is homophobic.”

Fans were also quick to point out that prior to the ad the only other Instagram post Gaga had made during Pride Month was to promote her own cosmetics company Haus Labs.

“Your sponsors and get your bag, but damn not even a word for pride month when anti-trans legislation is being passed left and right, even corporations are silent bc it’s not trendy anymore, and conservatives are out for trans blood is pretty disappointing :/ when the community needs vocal support the most… not saying it’s an obligation, butt… cmon,” one Instagram user commented.

Other commenters seemed appalled the songstress would sell out, “Girl what the hell happened to you that you’re like this and care about money this way and nothing else anymore? Not the person who used to say ‘I fucking hate money’ in 2009,” one person wrote.

Since posting the paid partnership, Gaga did make a none-ad post on Instagram and some fans used the opportunity to defend their Mother Monster.

“I see a whole lotta people trashing a woman who has done nothing but stand proudly with the marginalized since DAY 1,” one fan commented. “She has a whole friggin' speech on the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. She has an entire foundation dedicated to anti-bullying and youth assistance. When will it be enough for y'all? I see so many people spewing vitriol at a time when we should be lifting each other up more so than ever.”

Gaga has been open about her own diagnosis with fibromyalgia and fans immediately came to her defense by pointing out that she struggles with chronic pain, “Little monsters when they realize that Gaga, who wrote a whole album about being in pain, who has been telling us for over a decade about her chronic pain illness, and who has had to cancel entire tours due to her relentless pain, may actually be in pain,” one user tweeted.

On top of the paid Instagram post, she also appeared in a television commercial for the medication.

“I know what it’s like to perform through pain,” she narrated. “If you’re like me, one of the millions suffering from pain caused by migraine, Nurtec ODT might help. It’s the only medication that can treat a migraine when it strikes and prevent migraine attacks.”

While the “Born This Way” singer has yet to release information about when she'll start touring again, next year you’ll be able to catch her in theaters playing Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux.

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Ariel Messman-Rucker

Ariel Messman-Rucker is an Oakland-born journalist who now calls the Pacific Northwest her home. When she’s not writing about politics and queer pop culture, she can be found reading, hiking, or talking about horror movies with the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network.

Ariel Messman-Rucker is an Oakland-born journalist who now calls the Pacific Northwest her home. When she’s not writing about politics and queer pop culture, she can be found reading, hiking, or talking about horror movies with the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network.