Still Dirrty

I have never made secret my love for Christina Aguilera.

She is arguably the most talented singer to come along  since Whitney Houston. She is pure talent, wrapped up in this pint sized package that can be stunning, sexy, or just plain gauche.

Yes, I loves me my Xtina. Too bad former Mickey Mouse Club member/Voice contestant Tony Lucca doesn’t feel the same way.

Last night on the Voice, Lucca took yet another shot on the Grammy award winning songstress by performing Hugo’s version of 99 Problems. Aguilera pointedly stated that the song’s derogatory chorus (while yes, is about a drug sniffing dog, but implies it’s about a woman) wasn’t terribly appropriate in front of Lucca’s wife and children. She went on to say that her pupil, Chris Mann, was a “real man” as he chose to perform Josh Groban’s “You Lift Me Up,” a much more uplifiting song. While Lucca’s coach Adam Levine attempted to defend his protoge, the fireworks may be enough to help him win a second season of the Voice.

Aguilera’s “war” with Lucca started simply enough. She remarked that she didn’t see depth to his ability and commented that Lucca’s former Mouseketeer friends Justin Timberlake shouldn’t affect voting, as it’s a talent contest, not about who knows who. Since then, Lucca has chosen songs to take various shots at his rival coach and conducted interviews where he calls her “mean” and “biased” and claims that their MMC past has clouded her judgment.

I find it very hard to believe that Aguilera, who has five Grammies, performed at the Academy Awards, the Superbowl (albeit she flubbed it), and was declared “the greatest voice of a generation” by the late Etta James is really that concerned about what a man who can’t get a record deal despite releasing 80 tracks thought of her when she was 12. Perhaps Lucca’s problem is that his former peer is now his judge.

I find the criticisms of Ms. Aguilera rather comical. She is brash, unapologetic, blunt and sometimes downright mean. She dresses how she pleases, doesn’t expect people to like her, does what she wants and only expect people to respect what she can do when she has a microphone in her hand. If she were a man, she’d be a leader. However, she is not. She is the only woman on a show full of men, who make similar brash and cocky statements, but only Aguilera is slammed by fans for being “mean” for doing things like not saying “Hi” to the Wanted or kissing Justin Bieber. Why does she have to do those things? Levine didn’t kiss Bieber, does that make him a bad guy? Blake Shelton has made homophobic statements on his Twitter account and yet is praised for being such a “nice guy.”

To survive as long as Christina Aguilera has in the entertainment business, you can’t always play nice. Sometimes you have to pull out your “Devil Wears Prada” divatude and own it. Aguilera was most likely hired for straight shooted approach. Lucca has been in the industry just as long as Aguilera, surely he’s experienced some criticism. What if he wins and his album is panned? Will he then cry foul?

…Maybe. But likely only if the reviewer is a woman.