Why were Måneskin censored at the VMAs?
Viewers and fans were confused why the group's performance of "Supermodel" appeared to be censored at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards Sunday night (Aug. 28).
However, the internet came to the rescue and revealed that the band's performance was seemingly censored due to a wardrobe malfunction.
Lead singer Damiano David's booty-baring "assless chaps" set the tone for the performance.
However, it was when bassist Victoria De Angelis' top fell down and exposed her breasts that cameras cut away to a visual of empty seats.
De Angelis was shown in front of a group of dancers with her outfit fully intact before the cameras cut away. The edits were choppy throughout the performance, flashing between close-ups of David and back to empty seats as De Angelis continued to perform.
Like a true performer, she kept playing — but this wasn't a rare occurrence for the 22-year-old bassist.
Måneskin are loved by fans for their boundary-pushing glam rock look and music. In true rock 'n' roll fashion, De Angelis in particular is known for freely going topless or wearing nipple pasties during performances.
However, during the VMAs broadcast many fans were unaware of the televised nip slip, which was only shown via a brief flash.
Many fans blamed MTV for censoring the band's performance and taking away their moment to shine on the VMAs stage for the first time.
"Justice for #Maneskin!! Let's make nipples free to be seen! A man [shirtless] and buttocks out is fine, [but] the woman's breasts are censored! S—-y misogynists! #VMAs #VMA," one fan tweeted alongside an attached photo of the incident.
"VMAs will censor 90% of Maneskin’s performance but have a 50 ft hologram with their whole ass out on one of their performances and won’t bat an eye. It’s some man ass and a covered tiddy. Get over it," another fan wrote.
"Let’s play a game of how many times can Maneskin get censored by the VMAs [tonight]," someone else tweeted.
Echoing the sentiments of most fans, one viewer commented that the group "deserved better."
"Them censoring the majority of Maneskin's performance because someone's [breasts] were out is such a shame," they wrote.
After De Angelis' nipple pasties fell off at Lollapalooza back in the July, the wardrobe malfunction was taken in stride in the name of live music.
"Maneskin rocks! Victoria’s nipple said 'Hi Lolla, I’m here to rock out!' Love that for her!" one fan tweeted about the performance at the time.