Singer Madonna fell off the steps next to the stage while performing her song "Living for Love" at the Brit Awards in London. The 56-year-old singer picked herself up and continued her performance.
The fall at Wednesday's music awards show was apparently caused by a move that went wrong: A dancer tugged at Madonna's cape, which failed to detach, and the singer fell down a flight of steps. Almost immediately, she rose and continued singing.
The fall lit up Twitter, as such things do these days, with the hashtags #shefellover and #fallenmadonna both trending. The reaction, as you might expect, was mixed. Many found the fall funny:
The negative reaction spawned much conversation on Twitter about ageism and at least one essay defending the singer.
"No wonder Madonna took her Brit awards fall in her stride — she deals with much worse just for being a 56-year-old woman," columnist Bidisha wrote in The Guardian.
But there were messages of support, too:
Later, on Instagram, Madonna said:
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