Zé Neto Apologizes to Anitta for 2022 Remark About Anal Tattoo
Four years after making a critical comment about Anitta during a discourse on Brazil's Lei Rouanet (Arts Incentive Law), sertanejo singer Zé Neto has issued an apology. In 2022, Neto, who performs with Cristiano, sarcastically referenced Anitta's decision to get a tattoo in her anal region during a performance. At the time, he stated, "We are artists who do not depend on Lei Rouanet. Our fees are paid by the people. We don't need to get tattoos in our butts to show if we are well or unwell." This statement was made during a show funded by R$400,000 in municipal funds in Sorriso, Mato Grosso. Neto's remarks came shortly after Anitta had tattooed the word "love" in that area. The singer's comments sparked backlash from Anitta's fans and led to public scrutiny of public funding for sertanejo artists' shows. Anitta herself responded by ironically commenting, "And I thought I was just getting a tattoo in the 'tororó' (a slang term for the anal region)."
Zé Neto's apology addresses a past public statement that intertwined artistic funding debates with personal commentary on a fellow artist's body art. The incident highlights the complex dynamics of public funding for arts and entertainment in Brazil, where Lei Rouanet and municipal show contracts are often subject to public scrutiny. Neto's retrospective acknowledgment of his "unhappiness" and "idiocy" in making the remark, particularly after seeking spiritual guidance, suggests a personal evolution. This event underscores the potential for public figures' private beliefs and personal struggles, such as past issues with alcohol, to intersect with their public statements, influencing their interactions and the broader discourse on artistic integrity and public accountability. The situation prompts reflection on the boundaries between critique of public spending and personal attacks, and how societal shifts, including increased awareness around mental health and personal growth, can lead to revised perspectives on past controversies.
AI-generated to prompt reflection — not editorial opinion, not advice, not a statement of fact. How this works.