Jennifer Lopez is at it again with her one-off gigs (not shown in these photos, which were taken in London last month) in former Soviet republics. This time, she earned $1.4 million on Saturday evening by performing at a birthday celebration for the president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Berdymukhamedov presides over what Global Human Rights Watch describes as “one of the world’s most repressive countries.” In Turkmenistan, Internet use is severely restricted (with social media being completely outlawed), and all electronic and television communication is monitored. In addition, Turkmenistan does not allow freedom of thought or religion, homosexuality is punishable by law, and the authorities have been known to demolish homes and forcibly evict residents without any form of compensation.
Naturally, JLo claims that she knew nothing of the sort, and her publicist is insisting that she’d never have performed in Turkmenistan if she’d have known anything at all about the country’s human rights history. This situation is much like Hilary Swank getting $1.5 million for the Chechen dictator’s birthday party wherein she gushed about how Ramzan Kadyrov is such a wonderful leader and does so much for his people. Celebrities and their teams have access to the Internet, right? It’s like they don’t know how to Google anything (except themselves), and JLo looks pretty ridiculous right now:
The US pop star Jennifer Lopezhas added to her long history of performing for unsavoury characters with a birthday concert for the president of Turkmenistan — a man accused of committing widespread human rights abuses while ruling over the hermit nation.
Human rights activists criticised the star, also known as JLo, for singing at the flashy southern resort of Avaza on Saturday night to mark the 56th birthday of Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, attended by a select group of officials, diplomats and executives.
With a shout of “Turkmenistan!”, Lopez took to the stage to sing and dance her way through her biggest hits. At the end, she changed from a skimpy white dress into a long, traditional Turkmen outfit to sing Happy Birthday, Mr President. “It was our pleasure,” Lopez said from the stage. “And we wish you the very happiest birthday.”
Berdymukhamedov presides over a personality cult in the oil and gas-rich central Asian nation and brooks no dissent. Human Rights Watch calls Turkmenistan “one of the world’s most repressive countries.” Lopez is believed to be the first major star to visit and perform in Turkmenistan, a nation whose people live in poverty and are allowed little contact with the outside world.
Lopez’s entourage appeared unaware they were heading to a country where the internet is tightly controlled. Access to social media and websites run by independent media and human rights groups is banned. “I wonder where all my Turkmenistan followers are!? Hit me up!” tweeted her choreographer JR Taylor. The tweet was later deleted as reports of Lopez’s controversial performance began to spread.
Lopez’s publicist released a statement on Sunday saying that had the singer been aware of the country’s human rights issues, she would not have performed there. The statement said she was invited to perform for CNPC and “graciously obliged” their last-minute request to sing a birthday tune for Berdymukhamedov.
Lopez has also performed at the wedding of an Uzbek businessman in Ukraine, reportedly for $1m, as well as for the Azeri oligarch Telman Ismailov, reportedly for $1.4m.
Before two performances in Russia last year, Lopez declined to discuss the country’s human rights situation with fans during a phone-in. In response to a question about the jailed punk band Pussy Riot, she said: “I don’t like to talk politics, to be quite honest.”
[From Guardian]
LOL at JLo’s choreographer asking where all his Turkmenistan tweeps are, and double LOL at the deletion of said tweet. One would think that celebrities would require their teams to research any and all important matters of human rights record whenever visiting an unfamiliar foreign country. This should just be a part of the job, right? Of course, I’m not excusing JLo at all for not bothering to at least visit the main Wikipedia page for any unfamiliar country she visits. That’s just common sense. Here’s a video clip of JLo’s fierce, enthusiastic performance for Berdymukhamedov, and I’m sure JLo will be keeping the money all to herself.
Photos courtesy of WENN
I could see her team’s confusion/ignorance as I read the event was organized by a Chinese oil company and not by the dictator or his government.
Working for a Chinese Oil Company is no less offensive.
absolutely.
Indeed.
Yes thank you. And of course she is so interested in human rights she immediately turned around and donated the money to charity, right? Sorry I LOATHE this woman.
The woman is an idiot. And yes, I know firsthand. I’ve had the “pleasure” of watching her in action and meeting members of her “security” entourage. Their sole job is to make her look more important than she is. BooBoo, your dislike is NOT misplaced.
she sang happy birthday to the president of turkmenistan. That was planned. Team J-Lo knew who her audience would be.
Exactly, she even had a traditional robe made that she wore to sing Happy Birthday.
Until she donates her fee to a human rights organization, she should just sit down and shut up.
Actually she said it was a last minute request before the show. Either way, I don’t believe they (celebs) are that busy they can’t research their performances.
…..and they didn’t tell her where or for who? They blindfolded her entire team and….
Really?
So you are sorry, Jennifer? Great! Give the entire amount to UNICEF or something. You will feel better than if you splash it out on Casputin.
Your not allowed in the county period, don’t be so stupid
I’m expecting a mass firing of her publicity team a la Hilary Swank
There’s no excuse for not checking up on who exactly is hiring you- esp. after the Swank incident, and even more so if JLo herself was once caught by that.
+1
I’m convinced Jlo knew she just wanted that paycheck.
She DEFINITELY knew. Come on. She knew, she just wanted the $$$.
Me too, bitch knew! She just has no empathy for anyone but herself. I swear, most entertainers have to be sociopaths. It’s almost frightening.
I’m curious why does she need to do this if she has so much money. Same with Beyonce and others. They are multi millionaires; yet they go overseas or perform for very rich people. Beyonce and Jay have money to burn. Why do they need to do this for 1 million or ever more?
Just wondering is this a way to avoid the Tax man and pocket the money without claiming it on their income tax. Because I can’t think of another reason.
and all this I didn’t know who they were or what they were doing. They are established artist. It is all about the money and nothing about the moral issue. Hillary Swank got so much backlash when she did this. No let’s see what happens to JLo..
There’s a certain cache’ in being asked to entertain a head of state. By doing these “command performances” celebrities see this as upping their own status. But when some ugly truths about their host/hostess come out, the celeb looks like an ignorant fool for not using their own resources to do some prudent vetting before agreeing and taking the money.
Let’s see if she gives back the money or donate it where needed.
Exactly, V4. The only apology I will accept is one done to the tune of $1.4 million to a credible human rights organization. These entitled twits must stop using ignorance as a viable excuse.
Money goes fast when you live that kind of lifestyle.
Pretty sure she’d still have to pay taxes on it.
It’s nothing but greed and stupidity.
Do you think someone like JLo could ever have enough money? You are giving her way to much credit.
Her booking agent is the one who is supposed to vet that shit. But how convenient that she “finds out” after she took the money and ran. If she’s really sorry, better step up and donate every penny to some worthy cause in that region. Maybe for refugees.
Absolutely!
I call bs on her not knowing. She dressed relatively conservative and even donned a traditional gown in yer performance. She’s claiming I don’t know because of the backlash.
No kidding. So she researched the clothes to wear but NOT the person she was singing for? Bullshit 🙁
I never knew it was actually Jenny from the Eastern block.
Conveniently neither JLo nor the publicist managed to know about the situation in Turkmenistan until immediately after she’d been paid.
Ha! Good one!
I’m sorry but her team (or her )are either too greedy or lazy. This is not new information about Turkmenistan and not hard at all to find out, it seems dumb to be so unaware.
I vote “greedy”.
Pure greed.
I’m sure her team thought it would be a matter of “get in, get out, cash the check, no one gets hurt”…….wrong.
Lopez and her team should have done their homework before signing a contract. Now she’s in this PR holy hot mess. Agree with @MissMoody, members of her team are going to get pink slips, if they haven’t received them already.
Yeah, I am sure she is sooo sorry. Like she already doesn’t have enough money.
She should donate the money to humanitarian causes, as in everything including back up dancers talent fees.
Next up for J. Lo is a gig at the Walmart Women’s Rights Conference.
You made me spit up my coffee!
Followed by Bubba Deen’s party!
Charity or she knew and doesn’t care.
She should donate the money to charity – I bet Amnesty International would happily take it.
If she doesn’t, she not only stupid but a greedy b*tch. (Sorry!)
I’m sorry, but umm, I would still perform for him for 1.4 million dollars. all she’s doing is singing and performing, she’s not participating in the oppression of his people.she’s a businesswoman doing her job. don’t get the outrage of people performing for dictators. Again, she’s singing not oppressing his people. i’m gonna get all kinds of hits for this, i’m sure but whatever.
Well, that’s sad, then.
She’s beyond wealthy, doesn’t need the money, and stood on stage and praised him.
By taking the money she looks like she’s co-signing on what this guy does, although she’s not active in the regime. The optics are bad, period. Lopez may get Paula Deen’ed here: other business enterprises she has may be at risk because of the association.
The fact that she was paid $1.4million doesn’t make it a good business move. She’ll have alienated a lot of her fans and other businesses may choose not to associate with her as a result. It could cost her more than the $1.4m she earned so even as a straightforward business deal it was a bad move.
When you are as wealthy as she is, there is no need to perform for ANY amount of money, for any despotic regime. This is as bad in my book as Bey Bey performing several years ago for Gaddafi, another serious violator of human rights. I think even if money hungry celebs are made aware of these situations, they just don’t care. It’s all about the money they are handed, and they could give a s**t if the hand has blood on it. Maybe next week she can book a gig performing for Assad.
would you have performed for Hitler, too?
perhaps Mussolini? Saddam Hussein? Kim Jong Il?
you’d take that money knowing that most of the people in that country live in abject poverty?
sad doesn’t even being to describe it.
+1 Doofus. I guess she’s never heard the term “blood money.” I just don’t get how anyone could be okay with this.
Gah! You beat me too it, doofus.
Exactly exactly exactly.
@ joanna. Thats blood money dude. Thats.. blood. Money. That’s money taken by the citizens to repress them and keep them from getting a solid education, and a job where they can prosper
Performing for him is tact approval for the kind of person he is. You wouldn’t perform, I hope, for Amadinejad (sp?) or the leaders of the Sudan or Bosnia or Hitler. He’s akin to that.
I really don’t understand how this happens. You would think that research would be done when the personal appearance comes form the Middle East and the former Soviet Block.
It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than ask permission, right?
I think it’s horrible that she would perform for someone like that but undoubtedly, this is all going to blow over and will be no big deal for her career (such as it is). That is just the way these things go.
What I’d like to know is, how to deals like these work? She made $1.4m for the gig. Does that include her expenses or is that just her cut? her setup is pretty elaborate and that must cost a pretty penny all on it’s own! I’d love to know the total that these folks shelled out for her to come there and perform.
Damn so Hillary Swank got paid more for her appearance.
ha ha, that was my takeaway as well. JLo should go ahead and donate that money.
Isn’t she turning 44 in a few weeks’ time?
Sigh.
Old enough to know better…old enough to know better.
ITA with everyone that said she needs to donate every penny of the money ASAP to a charity.
she won’t.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Turkmenistan
-except now all it comes up with is her “gaffe”
is it an insult to morons to call her a moron?
It’s amazing what is overlooke when several million are at stake. These sorts of gigs are easy money and everyone does them. From Sting to Bono. The only trouble occurs when some pressure groups catches wind of it and publicises it. The fallback get-out-of-jail-free card is to plead ignorance and hope it blows over.
I can see how people might be ignorant of stan countries, since they aren’t hot news topics, but in the cases of Sting (with his informed holier than thou stance) and Beyonce, Nelly Fartado (sp?) (How is anyone ignorant about gaddafi??!!!) Pleading ignorance is especially egregious.
Agree and didn’t former Vice President and presidential candidate Al Gore sell his cable network to Al Jazeera? All these people care about is money.
Al jazeera is a highly respected news organization.
What is wrong with Al Jazeera? It’s been praised by the Index of Censorship for contributing to the free exchange of information, and is, as Zelle says, a highly respected news organisation. Am I missing something?
To be fair, whatever one’s opinion of Al Jazeera, it’s owned by Qatar. Qatar seems to be one of the more progressive Arab states especially after they found all that natural gas under it. The new Sheikh seems committed to improving the lot of his country. Whether or not it’s a smoke screen, we’ll know soon enough.
Al Jazeera is considered “more Western leaning”, and some times BBC is even more balanced in presenting facts.
Aljazeera is a respected new source and has a very open coverage. It has been the first news source to break the news about the Arab spring, no other news source has matched its coverage.
I don’t understand what the problem is?
They also feature a lot of progressive and analytical op-ed.
You can actually go and watch aljazeera in English. You don’t have to believe fox; go learn things for yourself before you spread misinformation.
The problem is it’s a middle-eastern word and therefore terrible. That is the implied criticism here but of course they’re not coming right out and admitting it.
I doubt Jen even knows who her local government leaders are, much less world leaders, and probably never reads the news on a consistent basis. No doubt management knew and didn’t care and set it up because of the bg money. Jennifer isn’t interested enough to research where she’s going. Let’s see if she turns some money in for a donation to some organization. I doubt it.
Of course. I have no doubt JLo had no idea about… well anything really, let alone Turkmenistan. Would she be able to locate the country on a map? Probably not.
But that’s even worse: she doesn’t care.
Do you really think she wouldn’t have performed had she known? She doesn’t give a sh*t, it’s all about the money.
I agree.
that first pic with the double facepalm seems really fitting.
That’s one of her orgasm faces. I think she spends hours practicing in the mirror.
Yeah well if she is sorry, why doesn’t she return the $$$ back then? Oh wait…
If she was really sorry she would donate the money…of course like Hilary Swank, J Lo is just sorry she got caught! I can’t believe none of them knew going by her more then usual modest dress.
Stupid, dumb celebrities.
Oh, Jenny from the croc. No way she didn’t know what the deal was. If for no other reason, you or your staff would research a foreign country, unknown to you ahead of time, to gauge your own safety and security.
She is an ignorant idiot. At best.
She’s never been known for her intelligence nor for being able to Google.
Do this people really need more money? I don’t know if it’s because Jlo and Hilary Swank didn’t grow up with much but do they really need another million? Are they really available for millionaire private parties? Hilary Swank lived in her car, she knows poverty, why is she up for this?
This won’t become a big deal because too many celebrities go overseas to either perform or attend theses parties for millions. Easy Money for them. Politics be damned.
Of all the lazy excuses for a celebrity to make, this is among the worst. For fuck’s sake, if you can’t be bothered to hire a responsible team that vets your gigs, at the very least have someone CONSULT GOOGLE.
Frankly, I don’t buy that someone didn’t know-I think she just doesn’t care. If she gave a damn, she would have already donated her fee to Amnesty International or any human rights organization. She’s not sorry she did it, she’s sorry she got called on it.
I think they need to send Sean Penn over to her house and give her a quick history lesson. All these celebrities say and do the right things when a camera is on them. But let them think they can make a quick million or two and they plead “stupid”.
I think she should be roasted just like Paula Dean. The “I didn’t know” is no defense at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Um… Maybe you shouldn’t have taken the job in the first place Jenny.
Sorry but she’s a pig now and always will be
Jayna,Serena, Jackson, I agree, she’s a disgusting greedhead, couldn’t be bothered to read a newspaper or even locate the country on the map; she should donate that sum to organizations assisting Syrian refugees;
Why would anyone take these imbeciles’ guidance on politics?
On the Al Gore/Al Jazeera matter, it was how the transaction occurred before the end of 2012 to avoid tax implications that upset many people, including libs like myself, and also the tie-in to I believe Qatari Oil interests (fossil fuel), given Gore’s professed enviromentalism.
I refuse to believe any BS excuses about not knowing who you’re flying halfway around the world to sing and dance for, not in this day and age. And this is Jennifer Lopez, who is so nitpicky about every bloody thing (anyone want to revisit her tour rider?).
Personally, I think she knew exactly who he is and what she was doing. What she misjudged is how much attention this would garner. She probably thought this would be more like the private performances people give in the Gulf, where everything is usually more discreet.
I’m probably going against the wave here. I don’t like how everything is so politicized these days, and entertainers can hardly remain being entertainers. J-Lo performing for a Turkmenistan leader isn’t worse than those performing for the Saudi or other Arab royal families.
Who said we haven’t called those out who worked for middele eastern leaders? Um read the thread we’ve talked about gaddafi and saudi princes? And ya performers can be performers that’swhy jlo has so much money she doesn’t give a fuck if she’s taking BLOOD MONEY from poor citizens. Seriously
don’t believe her or her people..they knew and wanted that cash w/her non-singing self.
I’d prefer her to stay on the big screen, not in my ears, her voice is horrid.
When I go for an interview or even apply for a job I GOOGLE the company. It’s not that hard and doesn’t take long. WTF?
Anything for a buck, i guess. Even if she didn’t know, there is no excuse to tacitly support a dictator. No one with a social conscience would have anything to do with a violent totalitarian regime for any amount of money. Why would someone as rich as J Lo even bother with this? Has her boyfriend maxed out her credit card or what?
What is it about 2013 that’s producing a bumper crop of female celebrity stupidity?
Okay JLo, listen up, here’s how you start repairing your image. First off, give all of your fee to a human rights charity. Then consider matching it with another $1.4 million of your own money. Don’t look back…
I think they see $1.4 million and that’s all they care about. they may be told, hey this guy is a bad leader, but think ‘I”ll just play dumb after i cash my check’
This is all about money.
Hillary swank saying how great a leader that guy was makes her look worse, she’ll say anything for money-not even look into what kind of a guy he is? no excuses for this, none at all.
JLo’s one interest is money. Total lack of interest in anyone or anything else.
Cher pulls off the Bob Mackie look better.
..just another reason to dislike her..
At the very least when the celebrities get busted for being uniformed they should say “oh I gave the money to Angelina Jolie, she’s going to start a Human Rights Campaign in such and such country. I took the evil dictators million and a half dollars to perform at his birthday party but I’m pumping $3,000,000 back into the country in a form of equality, rights and education.
Beyonce & JLo alone could fund millions upon millions performing for these uber wealthy sheiks and such that seem to have a pension for American idiots. as a matter of fact I could actually respect one of them who went out of their way to perform for one of these jerks just to take his money and pump it back into that country.
surely someone on on staff is at least slightly informed. we would forgive you for being completely ignorant, assuming you did the right thing once you got familiar.
Gaddafi and the Turkmensitan leaders are not sheikhs.
Thus the “and such” as celebrities typically perform more often at the parties of general despots than actual dictators or President Berdimuhamedow
when I travel to the next town I google.
when I visit the next state I Google.
when I leave the country I google and google and google some more.
when I have clients in from out of town or out of state or out of country I google.
she probably told The Nanny she was going to Turkey then giggled about needing some gravy
She is a straight up dipsh**. She should donate that money to GLAAD. Period.
They are always sorry AFTER the fact and after they have collected their money. Hysterical header photo…..I do that when I have a migraine.
is her google broke?
JLo, I don’t like to talk politics at all either, but it doesn’t mean I’m ignorant of what’s going on in the world.
You know, though, if I were famous enough to be given egregious amounts of money for my mere presence at a dictator’s bday party, I’d probably accept under one condition – that the check be made out to a human rights charity/orginization of my choosing and that I get to personally watch that dictator write the check.
Okay, that was two conditions, but there you have it.
So what if she doesn’t like to talk politics — she can still be aware of the world beyond her empire.
Honestly, if she doesn’t donate that cash to a human rights group in Turkmenistan, I am boycotting her music for good.
“I’m sorry” after the fact just doesn’t cut the mustard. I like her, but she’s always struck me as a greedy drama queen, so if she does nothing, that will help solidify my impression.
She clearly suffers from narcissistic personality disorder. One of the symptoms is the ability to make every mistake, no matter how big or small, someone else’s fault, to blame everyone for every error you make. You are perfect and will scream anyone down who dares to contradict you. Mix that with the other symptom – an overwhelming desire for attention, success, money, fame and power – well, you get JLo. She has no conscience, she’s a black hole of ego and self-obsession.
Be nice if the hag would donate the money to the victims.
i just do not understand the staggering greed of these people. perhaps if she’s hurting for money, she could sell off a few of the jewel-encrusted tiaras she’s likely got stashed everywhere..
Like that other no-talent, shrieking Beyonce before her, she CHOSE to take the paycheck and the adoration (the latter which she obviously needs) and is only ‘sorry’ now cuz she got called out on it.
She’s a greedy Traitor. Send her there to live. She sold her soul to the devil for MONEY.
Sorry? Sorry she got caught.
Soooo, no one googled this guy? No one bothered to find out if he had say a history of luring and kidnapping stupid American starlets and keeping them as concubines? Or worse? I’m just throwing out possible consequences of being willfully stupid and greedy. Who doesn’t do their homework on something like that? Must be realy nice to act stupid when it comes to morals versus money.
Didn’t Liberty Ross wear that dress at the SWATH premiere?
….. And yes, that is all I’m going to say. Everyone else has already made all the proper comments about this situation.
The VERY LEAST she could do is donate the money to a reputable human right organization.
Her and her team’s lack of due diligence is embarassing.
Words (apologies) mean NOTHING…actions mean something.