“The View” host seemingly shades Lady Gaga's Super Bowl performance as she praises Usher

After noting that Usher didn't need to "come in from the ceiling," Alyssa Farah Griffin tells EW through a rep that she was "simply praising" his performance.

The View's resident Swiftie Alyssa Farah Griffin potentially fanned the flames of pop star fan wars after seemingly shading Lady Gaga's 2017 Super Bowl halftime show performance as she gushed over the set Usher performed at Sunday's game.

While the cohosts discussed the weekend matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on Monday morning's episode of the long-running talk show, the Republican panelist praised Usher's star-studded set that included cameos from Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, H.E.R., and more, before making what sounded like a jab at Gaga's solo set from seven years prior.

"They started with 'My Way,' which I hadn't heard in, like, a million years, and I was so excited. It was one of my favorite Super Bowl shows," the 34-year-old said of Usher's well-received set. "They didn't go overboard on the theatrics. He's such a good performer, he didn't need to, like, come in from the ceiling. He's just dancing and singing."

Griffin tells EW through a representative, "I would never shade the QUEEN Lady Gaga. I was simply praising Usher's performance."

Gaga — who was in attendance at the 2024 Super Bowl in a makeup look that paid tribute to her own 2017 performance — famously began her Super Bowl halftime show at Houston's NRG Stadium with a pre-recorded clip of her singing "God Bless America" and "This Land Is Your Land" while on the venue's roof, which ended with a shot of her leaping out of frame. Inside the venue, Gaga was then lowered from the rafters while attached to cables, and performed several aerial maneuvers before landing on stage — a process that was well documented in her Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two. The show eventually went on to become one of the most-watched in halftime history, drawing 117.5 million viewers.

Griffin's cohost, Sunny Hostin, pointed out that Usher "did have the skates" during his performance, referencing a moment that saw the pop star glide across the stage on wheels.

While most of the cohosts enjoyed the show, which also saw Usher remove his shirt, Ana Navarro said she wanted to see less celebrity cameos and more solo moments highlighting Usher's career.

"I'm going to be the curmudgeon, here. I'm good, any time a fine-looking man takes off his shirt, I'm all for it. But, I just wish there had been more of Usher," she said. "I think he's so spectacular, and my old brain was having a hard time processing the poles, the skates, will.i.am, this one, the other one, it was too much for 12 minutes — give it to me in two hours!"

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.

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