Sabrina Carpenter censored by TV bosses as she defends herself after awkward Madonna swipe at MTV VMAs
Things took an awkward turn during Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards when Sabrina Carpenter had to leap to the defence of her management team while accepting an award.
Alongside Madonna, the pair had just collected the Best Collaboration award at the 2026 VMAs for their track Bring Your Love when Madonna recounted the embarrassing origin story of their partnership.
The Vogue hitmaker claimed that Ms Carpenter’s representatives had left her waiting for five days without a reply after she’d enquired about a collaboration.
Rather than letting Madonna’s jibe pass, the 27-year-old quickly stepped in to back her team. “My team replies, just so everybody knows. They do respond to people, but I respond faster,” Ms Carpenter told the audience at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Sabrina Carpenter attempted to laugh off Madonna’s comments
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MTV
“So direct line to me is always the best way to get in contact.”
Madonna did caveat her remarks by acknowledging she’s famously impatient. “Everybody who knows me knows how impatient I am,” she told the crowd before describing how she had initially reached out through Ms Carpenter’s representatives about a potential collaboration.
“When five days passed, and I still didn’t get connected with Sabrina and hear back from her about whether she wanted to do a song with me, I DM’d her,” Madonna explained, drawing gasps from the audience.
“This is a true story,” Madonna added as Ms Carpenter smiled awkwardly. “She answered me back, and within weeks we were in the studio together. It was fabulous.”
Sabrina Carpenter stood up for her management team after Madonna’s swipe
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MTV
As well as sticking up for her team, Ms Carpenter forced the awards’ producers to step in when she took the microphone. “My team is s***ing themselves backstage,” she quipped, a remark that was bleeped out for viewers watching at home.
Despite the swipe at Ms Carpenter’s management team, the pair ended their speech amicably. “I love working with you because you are so professional, and in this day and age, it’s really hard to find professional people to work with,” Madonna said to her fellow performer.
Madonna then suggested the pair head backstage “to have a drink or something.” Ms Carpenter signed off by gesturing to her collaborator with a simple “Um, everybody – Madonna!”
The award came shortly after the duo had opened the ceremony together in unique fashion.
Sabrina Carpenter laughs as Madonna reveals Carpenter’s team didn’t respond for five days when she reached out about their ‘Bring Your Love’ collaboration. #VMAs
(via CBS/MTV/VMAs) pic.twitter.com/xQmBPZ8G4r
— Variety (@Variety) September 28, 2026
Ms Carpenter and Madonna were joined by Charli XCX in the action-packed opening number. Famous faces joined the trio and their dancers on-stage in a series of surprise cameos.
Julia Garner, Sombr, Seth Rogen, Debi Mazar and Fab 5 Freddy all made cameos.
Sunday night marked Madonna’s first VMAs performance in 23 years, having last taken the stage at the ceremony in 2003 for her now-infamous kiss with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
She entered the evening as the most nominated artist with 13 nods, spanning categories including Video of the Year, Best Dance, Best Direction, Cinematography and Choreography.
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter also opened this year’s MTV VMAs
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MTVMadonna took home the Artist of the Year prize, competing against Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Carpenter and Morgan Wallen. Ms Swift trailed closely behind with 11 nominations on the night.
With 84 career VMAs nominations, Madonna now sits just one behind Beyoncé’s all-time record of 85, having matched Lady Gaga’s record for most nods in a single ceremony.
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