Michael Buble has royally ticked off some of his loyalest female fans, after he posted an image across his social media networks that has deeply offended many of them.
The picture in question seems harmless enough at first glance. But it’s the caption that reveals the singer was not captured unawares. He was deliberately posing in front of a particular young girl because her rear-end was only half hidden by her denim shorts.
The singer, 39, captioned the Instagram picture, “There was something about this photo lu took ,that seemed worthy of instagram.#myhumps #babygotback #hungryshorts #onlyinmiami #picoftheday #beautifulbum”. The ‘something’ in question of course being the young girl standing in the background, unaware of the singer’s sneaky shot.
Buble, who was vacationing with wife Luisana Lopilato at the time the image was taken, was met with swift backlash.
His fans were quick to point out how offensive the captions were, and were vocal about their subsequent distaste towards the singer and his objectification of women. One of the most popular comments was by Samantha Scarborough who had a clear message for the singer: “You clearly don’t respect women, therefore you don’t respect yourself either. That woman is a daughter and may be a mother”.
It’s a sentiment that gained swift momentum. So much so, that Buble has now posted a public apology.
In a post that has over 80,000 ‘likes’ the singer has penned a note to his female fans via Facebook, telling them that “women are to be celebrated” rather than objectified.
The whole apology reads: “Anybody who knows me would never misinterpret the message of the photo my wife took in Miami that seems to have caused unexpected rage by some people. I do not court controversy. But I realize that a photo that was meant to be complimentary and lighthearted has turned into a questionable issue.
“For the record, It hurts me deeply that anyone would think that I would disrespect women or be insulting to any human being.. I was not brought up that way and it is not in my character. I regret that there are people out there who found the photo offensive. That was not and is not my intention.
Women are to be celebrated, loved, respected, honored and revered. I’ve spent my life believing that and will continue to do so.”
Only time will tell if the apology will be accepted by those must upset by the singer’s actions. Certainly, for someone whose career has been built on singing about the wonders of women, it may not be easy.