A Madonna fan in a wheelchair is speaking out after the veteran pop star accidentally asked her to stand up at a recent concert. The fan in question, Vanessa Gorman, is a paraplegic due to a 1999 car accident.
However, Gorman holds no ill will toward the “Like a Virgin” songstress. “Some people are in wheelchairs and can stand — [Madonna] had no idea I was paralyzed,” Gorman told TMZ Friday. She also mentioned that she believes Madonna did not intend to be unkind during the interaction.
Earlier this month, the Material Girl criticized Gorman for remaining seated during her concert in LA. “What are you doing sitting down over there? What are you getting sitting down?” Madonna demanded of the wheelchair-bound fan. In a video posted to TikTok, the 65-year-old crooner steps closer to the fan after asking the question.
However, she soon acknowledged her mistake and promptly offered her apologies. “Oh, OK. Politically incorrect. Sorry about that,” Madonna said from the stage. “I’m glad you are here.”
Fans Felt Madonna’s Apology Following the Embarrassing Moment Was Lacking
The video, which has been watched over 2 million times, triggered online outrage. Many fans felt that not only was Madonna rude to her wheelchair-bound, but that her apology was dismissive.
“I feel like she should have refunded the person’s ticket,” one fan wrote. “Maam, there are 100 reasons why someone might sit – and all of them are valid,” another added. “She did not apologize enough,” yet another user noted.
Madonna Calling Out a Wheelchair-Bound Fan Isn’t the First Gaffe On Her Current Tour
However, the inadvertent blunder is not the sole cringeworthy moment from Madonna‘s “Celebration” tour. While in Seattle, the singer experienced a fall while performing her 1986 hit “Open Your Heart.” The incident occurred when one of her dancers appeared to trip while sliding her across the stage.
Yet, the seasoned singer adeptly managed the situation. She told the crowd, “S—, I forgot the words.” Swiftly, she rolled onto her stomach, maintained her song, and brushed off the mishap.
Page Six reported in August 2023 that she was rushed to a New York City hospital and intubated for at least one night after being found unresponsive due to a severe bacterial infection. “The fact that I’m here right now is the f—king miracle,” she told a Brooklyn audience last December.