It was a hurtful and offensive joke that coasted "American Idol" a talented contestant who was worthy of winning.
Sara Beth Liebe has decided to bow out of the competition-but not before calling out "American Idol" judge Katy Perry for a "mom-shaming" joke she made.
"It was hurtful and that's that," Liebe said about the joke in a TikTok video. "I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool, and I think that mom shaming is super lame and I think that it's hard enough to be a mom and it's hard enough to be a woman."
'Mom-Shaming' Joke
The clap back comes after Liebe's first round of auditions, wherein the judges-particularly Perry-were shocked to find out that she was a mother of three at the age of 25.
"If Katy lays on the table, I think I'm going to pass out," the contestant said.
However, Perry's response was not as flattering or humorous as she thought it was: "Honey, you've been laying on the table too much."
According to People magazine, Liebe addressed the "joke" after several people reached out to her, asking how she felt about it.
"I see all of the young moms and just moms in general ... keep loving your babies. Nobody deserves to feel crappy about that. If you're a good mama and you love your babies, that's all that really matters. Other comments just don't feel necessary," she said.
'American Idol' Exit
A few days later, Liebe was called back to the stage, where she blew away the judges yet again.
This time, though, Perry tried to talk her into staying in the competition: "I know life is scary. I also know that it's easier to walk away than to be rejected."
"But then, I also know that you lose out on your fullest potential. And I know that you love your family ... I know that as a mother, but remember: Self-love is just as big as motherly love. Don't leave the competition."
The "Firework" singer's advice fell on deaf ears, especially since Liebe had already decided to walk away from "American Idol" and take care of her children.
"This opportunity is really hard, but this is actually going to be my last performance, because my heart's at home," the contestant explained. "So, I'm going to get home to my babies. They kind of need me."
"They reached out to me, and I'm so grateful. I've never had this much support with singing. And it's mindblowing and so humbling and has made me realize how badly I want to do music. 6 months ago, I didn't know that yet."
"But I'm also allowed to make hard choices that are best for me. I took a chance on something big and said yes to a huge and very unexpected opportunity that was presented to me, and while it may not have been for me - in the process found myself again, met the most talented people I've ever had the honor of meeting (many of which are now close friends) and... fell in love with music again."
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