Carly Waddell, a former classmate of Lady Gaga, has prompted fury from some fans of the singer over comments she made on a podcast.
Waddell, 38, has enjoyed her own brush of fame after appearing on The Bachelor. She guested this week on Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast.
In one part of the recording, Waddell talked about attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts at the same time as Gaga, 37. The future superstar was then known by her real name, Stefani Germanotta.
Waddell suggested that the “Poker Face” singer’s habit of belting out Wicked tunes on the piano during lunchtime could get a little annoying.
“[We] would eat in a dance studio,” Waddell recalled. “And there was a piano, and [Gaga] would sit at the piano every single day and just play and sing Wicked at the top of her lungs every day. And we were all just trying to eat lunch. It was break time, and we were all forced to listen to her. And yes, was she good? Of course! She was great, but I just wanted to eat my sandwich. And so I used to just eat in the hallway because she was driving me crazy.”
“She’s so extra”
Waddell went on to say that although she recognized Gaga as talented, she didn’t stand out at the time.
“She was one of the good ones, but I wouldn’t ever be like, ‘She was so above.’ But now she’s so above,” she said.
Waddell also commented on Gaga’s eye-catching style, even back in their school days.
“She’s so extra. She would wear these really tight leotards, and she had really big boobs back then, and her boobs were just like coming out. She’s so ridiculous.”
Waddell did go on to compliment Gaga, saying that she impressed when she began to sing her own material.
“When she played at the NYU talent show, she was singing her own stuff, and I was like, ‘You can’t argue, that girl is really good,'” Waddell recalled. “She was good at everything, but she was better at her own stuff. She was down at the piano, wailing her own tunes … she’s a genius.”
“She got a free Lady Gaga concert on the daily!”
Despite the words of praise, Waddell’s comments about Gaga’s unwelcome lunchtime performances prompted much comment online. Many fans were outraged.
being a hater even two decades later is a different type of loser😭 you literally got a free lady gaga concert and witness history
— allure (@allurequinn) November 8, 2023
and it was a gift YOU SHOULDVE ACCEPTED
— ras ali (@rasalistair) November 8, 2023
She got a free Lady Gaga concert on the daily and she's complaining???
— jam ➵ (@jdkaknak) November 8, 2023
She basically called her Rachel Berry😭😭
— Kay (@KayyKova) November 8, 2023
this washed up bachelor contestant to speaking on gaga? tell me you miss the clout without telling me
— Psych (@AGentleMental) November 8, 2023
Others saw the funny side.
I believe it that sounds like standard theater kid behavior we all do things like this 😭😭
— Kay (@KayyKova) November 8, 2023
*NYU students trying to eat their lunch*
— Joey Monda (@joeymonda) November 8, 2023
Lady Gaga in the corner: pic.twitter.com/4erbcD1H7O
*Gaga’s classmates trying to eat their PB&Js*
— chris 🕊️ (@wheresmywigggg) November 8, 2023
Gaga: pic.twitter.com/1EqGcgWsAW https://t.co/lElUzn9Gg3
RelatedSlayyyter paid homage to her fave with a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Monster.” Listen now.Let’s keep the party going – no, not by going back to the third-floor toilet – but by ranking Gaga’s best singles.