Is Bublé getting a bum rap over online photo?
Crooner ignites social media firestorm for Instagram posting of woman wearing, um, shorts
Michael Bublé has always been a bit cheeky, but many netizens are having trouble getting behind his latest gaffe.
On April 13, the Canadian crooner posted a photo to Instagram of himself standing in front of a woman in Miami with her back turned to the camera, her very full fanny hanging out the bottom of her extremely short shorts.
Bublé captioned the photo, “There was something about this photo lu took, that seemed worthy of instagram.” He included hashtags #babygotback, #hungryshorts, #onlyinmiami and #beautifulbum. Bublé looks into the camera with pursed lips and laughing eyes.
Lu, of course, is Bublé’s wife, the 27year-old Argentine actress and model Luisana Lopilato. Bublé, 39, has been posting pics from Miami since April 11, where he is vacationing with Lopilato and their son Noah, 1. The offending image has been favourited more than 37,000 times.
The photo has also stirred a social media maelstrom.
Not since the great white/gold, blue/black dress controversy of February has an online photo proved so divisive, with fuming feminists and feverish fans taking to Instagram to both blast and defend Bublé’s bum bumble.
“Shoutout to singer @michaelbuble who posted this photo . . . and showed his 999k+ followers that it’s totally okay to take pictures objectifying women without their consent,” femintastic wrote on Instagram.
There appears be some confusion about why, exactly, the image is offensive.
Some critics say he is body shaming the woman; others accuse him of objectifying her assets.
Still, others are angry that she never consented to having her photo taken in the first place.
So far, more than 3,000 people have found it worth their time to comment.
“Oh but he sounds like such a gentleman in his songs!! #pig,” Instagram user jgwents wrote. “how is this sexist?” asked haang24. “This chick is in her gitch in public. End of story. Bublé you are hilarious,” kyrajames piped in.
“I expect MB knew exactly what he was doing in releasing this photo, calculating free publicity. Celebs will do anything to keep their name front and central. Publicity is publicity right? positive or negative,” wrote gooddaysunshine3.
Bublé has confessed to being “a jerk” in previous relationships.
“I think everyone looks back at some of the things we did and it’s so cringy how I acted,” Bublé told e-Talk in March.
He was referring to his high profile breakup with actress Emily Blunt — a split sparked by an online photo of Bublé sleeping that was allegedly taken by a mistress.
Bublé, it seems, has recast himself as a now-enlightened family man.
“I was a jerk and I was careless and reckless with the hearts of women I was with,” Bublé added.