Debi Mazar, a close friend of Madonna for over four decades, displayed a clear reaction of distaste when the pop icon and singer Charli XCX lit cigarettes during the Saint Laurent fashion show at Paris Fashion Week.
In a video shared by Perfect Magazine, Madonna, 67, and Charli XCX, 33, were seen smoking black cigarettes while seated in the front row next to Mazar, 61, and actor Connor Storrie. A photographer off-camera instructed the singers to pose with the cigarettes, prompting them to take a puff. As both women exhaled smoke, Mazar wrinkled her nose and exclaimed, "Ugh!" She attempted to wave the smoke away and questioned Charli XCX, "Are those cloves?"
Mazar later clarified her reaction in the comments of the Instagram post, stating, "Gross CLOVE cigs..Hence my reaction 😂." Clove cigarettes, also known as kreteks, contain less tobacco and are mixed with clove buds and oil, sometimes with added spices for aroma. They are banned in the U.S. under a 2009 law.
While sometimes perceived as less harmful due to lower tobacco content, clove cigarettes carry similar health risks to regular cigarettes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they can contain higher levels of tar, carbon monoxide, and nicotine than regular cigarettes.
Many social media users supported Mazar's reaction, with comments expressing disapproval of the smoking display. However, some defended Madonna and Charli XCX, suggesting they should be allowed to smoke freely.
Mazar and Madonna's friendship dates back to the early 1980s when Mazar worked at the nightclub Danceteria. Mazar contributed to Madonna's first music video in 1982 and appeared in several subsequent videos. Mazar has also had a notable acting career, with roles in films such as "Goodfellas," "Malcolm X," and "Collateral."