Britney Spears' "Circus" tour has become the sideshow.
Britney Spears may want to take her “circus” to the Outback for a few days to escape the haters.
The pop sensation is reportedly fuming over a toxic report in an Australian newspaper that hundreds of disgruntled fans streamed out of her Friday show in Perth, angry that she’d lip-synced her way through a disastrous performance, according to E! Online.
"Britney is aware of all this and she's extremely upset by it," the show’s promoter Paul Daintytold Australia's Daily Telegraph. "She's a human being. I'm embarrassed, with such a big international entourage here with Britney, to be part of the Australian media when I see that kind of totally inaccurate reporting."
Since bringing her “Circus” tour down under last week, politicians have knocked Spears for not disclosing to fans that she uses pre-recorded vocal tracks.
After Friday’s show at Peth’s Burswood Dome, the Telegraph reported many fans felt they’d been short-changed by a “lackluster” performance.
"It's cost me half a week's wage and you've got bills to pay, but you look forward to this concert, it's a night out - and what do you get? Nothing! It was a waste of $200 - I could have got four pairs of shoes for that," Amanda Hawlet, 22, told the paper.
Others objected that Spears did not give a special shout-out to Perth and said the spectacle seemed “impersonal,” according to People.
Even John Mayer, in Australia to promote his new album, piled on.
"If you're shocked that Britney was lip-syncing at her concert and want your money back, life may continue to be hard for you," the musician Tweeted.
Spears’ manager also took to Twitter to defend the embattled pop icon.
"It's unfortunate that one journalist in Perth didn't enjoy the show last night. Fortunately the other 18,272 fans in attendance did," Adam Leber wrote.
Thousands of Spears fans also fired back support messages via Twitter and on the singer’s website, PerthNow reported.
Spears will have another chance to win over Australians with shows in Melbourne on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Rod Laver Arena.
After that she’ll perform in Sydney, ending the 14-concert tour in Adelaide on Nov. 29.