Madame Tussauds has said it is redesigning its Nicki Minaj display after images of visitors taking provocative photos with the waxwork appeared online.
The figure, which was unveiled earlier this month in Las Vegas, features the chart-topping rap artist with her hands and knees on the ground and her butt in the air – an homage to the music video for her track Anaconda.
Minaj has said she loves the figure in Instagram posts and has responded to some of the suggestive poses with emojis associated with crying from laughter. She has not, however, commented on a photo of a man mounting the figure from behind and pulling its hair – the image that seems to have attracted the biggest backlash.
From Tuesday at the launch of @NICKIMINAJ's wax figure in @TussaudsVegas! It. Was. Beautiful. 😻 #MTNickiSelfie pic.twitter.com/XBUlcn7mB7
— Georgina♡ (@pawsup23) August 6, 2015
@NICKIMINAJ TM WAS IN THE BUILDING !! pic.twitter.com/nb9KKp60sw
— Imakendoll (@JustinnMinaj) August 4, 2015
“It is unfortunate that this visitor decided to behave so inappropriately and we apologise for any offence this has caused,” the museum said. “We do have staff monitoring guest behaviour in the attraction and do our utmost to ensure our wax figures are treated respectfully, but on this occasion clearly one of of our hosts was not present.”
The museum said that it was redesigning the figure’s display area so that similar pictures can not be taken anymore.
Before the sexual images appeared online, people anticipated that the figure would be defiled, in part because of similar incidents featuring figures of Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez and Queen Elizabeth.
Rapper Azealia Banks said on Twitter last week that the pose invited such responses and was demeaning to one of the most successful female rap artists in history.
As much as that woman has accomplished, they had to put her on all fours... Why not standing up with a mic in her hand ???
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) August 12, 2015
All ppl are gonna do is go up to that statue and take pictures shoving their crotch in her face and putting their crotch on her butt
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) August 12, 2015
