MTV VMA viewers slam Madonna's Aretha Franklin tribute as 'disrespectful'

Viewers have lashed out at the 'disrespectful' tribute Madonna paid to Aretha Franklin, claiming she made it all about herself at the MTV VMAs.

The VMAs is one of the biggest events in music and given that Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, recently died, how about you give her a powerful and deserved tribute?

For reasons known only to MTV, Madonna was chosen to deliver the official tribute to the Respect singer at the awards.

However, Madonna's tribute consisted of telling an entire story about herself struggling to make it in the music world and how at an audition she sang the icon's hit, Natural Woman.

She said:

Aretha Louise Franklin changed the course of my life. I left Detroit when I was 18. Thirty-five dollars in my pocket. My dream was to make it as a professional dancer.

After years of struggling and being broke, I decided to go to audition for musical theatre; I heard the pay was better.

I had no training or dreams ever, ever becoming a singer, but I went for it. I got cut and rejected from every audition.

Not tall enough. Not blends-in enough. Not pretty enough, not enough, enough.

Madonna continued: "So I set up for the audition. Two large French record producers sat in the empty theatre, daring me to be amazing. The dance audition went well. They asked if I had sheet music and a song prepared. I panicked. I overlooked this important part of the process.

"I had to think fast. My next meal was on the line. Fortunately, one of my favourite albums was Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin.

"I could see they didn't take me seriously. Why should they? Some skinny-ass while girl is going to come up here and belt out a song from one of the greatest soul singers ever, a cappella?

"I said, 'Bitch, I’m Madonna.' No, I didn't. Just kidding. I wasn't 'Madonna' yet."

Naturally, people watching were pretty mortified at this sham of a tribute to one of the greatest singers of all time.

Even if you can look past Madonna's thinly-veiled tribute to herself, the VMAs in general showed a shocking lack of r-e-s-p-e-c-t to Ms. Franklin.

Instead, what viewers were subjected to were a series of lacklustre attempts at 'paying tribute' to one of the most important and influential artists of our time.

For example: 45 minutes in to the show there was still no mention of the incomparable singer.

They played three seconds of 'Respect' to introduce Jimmy Fallon, of all people:

And 'Respect' was played over the end credits and highlight reel of the show:

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