Many people would be thrilled to have the opportunity to breathe in any fumes to do with Charli XCX and Madonna – from their perfume to their flatulence – so it’s hard to imagine being annoyed by just a bit of pop diva cigarette smoke.
But while the pair may have put feud rumours to bed with their cosy appearance at Paris Fashion Week yesterday, not everyone seemed quite as thrilled by their antics.
The pop stars were filmed chatting, posing for photos, and puffing on long, dark cigarettes at the Saint Laurent menswear spring/summer 2027 show in Paris this week.
However, a hilarious moment captured in the background has now gone viral online after actress Debi Mazar, 61, appeared visibly unimpressed by the smoke drifting in her direction.
In the clip, Charli, 33, and Madonna, 67, can be seen sitting side-by-side while photographers snap away as they do everything in their power to look like the epitome of French cool.
As the camera pans across the front row, Mazar — known for her long friendship with Madonna and acting roles in projects including Entourage and Younger — who was sitting beside Charli, can be seen waving away the smoke before grimacing and asking, with what many fans interpreted as restrained disgust: ‘Are those cloves?’
Charli appears to cooly reply something what sounds like: ‘These are Djarum,’ seemingly referring to Djarum Black clove cigarettes. The brand is a foul-smelling kind of cigarillo popular among 15-year-olds who hung out behind petrol stations in 2009 and nicotine addicts shopping at stores struck by major supply shortages.
The exchange then becomes even funnier when someone off-camera jokes: ‘Debi just wants a real cig.’
‘Not in here!’ Mazar quickly fires back, with all the indignity of a posh matriarch who just heard someone suggest eating Chinese takeaway off her Royal Crown Derby china set.
The brief interaction quickly sparked debate online, with many viewers sympathising with Mazar’s reaction.
‘This would be my reaction too… cigarettes are disgusting, especially indoors,’ one person wrote alongside a screenshot of the actress looking less than impressed.
Another agreed: ‘Smoking publicly is so stupid! I mean, sure it’s your body put whatever you want in it, but pls don’t make it other’s problem. It’s as stupid as playing loud music in public.’
Others were far more supportive of the smoking snap.
‘Although I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life, I find this to be extremely beautiful,’ one fan wrote.
Another declared: ‘This just made my day… the world is healing.’
Some fans also rushed to defend the pair, with one arguing: ‘They’re clearly only smoking for a photo op, all of you need to calm tf down lmao.’
‘Cigarette as a prop just gives me second hand embarrassment,’ another critic replied.
The viral moment comes after weeks of speculation that Madonna and Charli had fallen out following the release of Charli’s recent single Rock Music.
‘I think the dance floor is dead, so now we’re making rock music,’ Charli said to British Vogue earlier this year, which turned out to be an Easter egg for her new single.
Shortly afterwards, Madonna appeared to respond on social media, posting: ‘If your dance floor feels dead. Maybe you’re playing the wrong music.’
Fans interpreted the comment as a subtle dig at Charli, although neither artist ever publicly addressed the speculation.
Now, the pair appear to have firmly shut down any feud rumours.
They were seen laughing together at the Saint Laurent show before later dancing side-by-side to Madonna classics including Hung Up and Thief of Hearts at an after-party.
The appearance comes as Charli prepares to release her new album, Music, Fashion, Film, on July 24.
But even as Charli repairs her relationship with Madonna, it seems she may have sparked a new rift with Debi Mazur. Hopefully, after the event, the pop diva sent a fruit basket and an offer to pay for Debi’s dry cleaning to get rid of that cigarette smell.