Pop star and ‘American Idol’ judge, Katy Perry, is claimed to have stunted the growth of the hyperawareness of power dynamic in Hollywood after flirting with male contestants on the show and giving a non consensual kiss on the lips to 19-year-old singer, Benjamin Glaze.

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The first night of the two-part premiere began the array of mixed signals from not only the viewers watching, but from Brenns, who auditioned with original song, “Blue Jeans,” in which judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry adored. However, Perry’s flirtatious comments sent Brenns into an uncomfortable and nonreciprocal state of mind.

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“It’s kind of like this sweet little sexy thing that you’ve got going on,” she told Brenns. Bryan egged Perry on, agreeing that teenage girls would love him. “Eighteen-year-old girls would eat this up! If a 32-year-old cougar would eat it up …” Perry continued before trailing off into a silent thoughts which many could depict as nothing short of sexual.

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According to The Washington Post, the show treated the flirtation as a joke, claiming the awkward encounter as an, “American Idol Showmance.” However, Perry, 32, did not stop there. Contestant Glaze, 19, admitted to the judges that he had never kissed a girl before. Perry immediately motioned Glaze to give her a peck on the cheek. At the last second, Perry turned her head and kissed Glaze on the lips, which sent him toppling over in shock.

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While several fans of the show have considered Glaze lucky to have had the chance to kiss the pop star, he instead said it was, “a tad bit uncomfortable,” and admitted that he was saving his first kiss for his first relationship, according to The New York Times.

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However, in the wake of the #MeToo movement, some viewers of the show were not amused with the overjoyed hype and attention the episode was receiving. The Washington Post shared an anonymous tweet from a viewer who called out the double standard on the sexual assault movement.

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“Anyone else watching ‘Idol’ feel like Katy Perry pressured that poor kid into letting her kiss him on the cheek and violated him by planting one on his lips? Would not have been okay for a male celebrity to do to a young girl,” followed with the hashtags, #americanidol #katyperry #mencanbesexuallyharassedtoo.

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In the midst of the internet storm, ABC spokesperson declined to comment on the encounter while Perry’s publicist did not return a request for comment. Nonetheless, Graze took to Instagram to clarify that, “I do not think I was sexually harassed by Katy Perry and I am thankful for the judges comments and critiques.” He also reiterated to “Entertainment Tonight”: “I was only uncomfortable because it was just my first kiss. I’m not upset about it, I’m glad that it happened.”

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Despite the backlash Perry received from Graze, she continued to flirt with other male contestants during the second night of the two-part premiere. The episode featured an audition from 27-year-old construction worker, Trevor Holmes. Perry immediately took to Holmes after he admitted that she was his celebrity crush, and responded with a simple, “You’re so hot.”

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Perry continued the flirtatious streak with, “If you’re not going to Hollywood, maybe you could just come hang out with me in L.A.,” and even added the innuendo, “He’s in construction, so he’s got lots of tools.”

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Perry carried on the night with another male contestant, William Casanova, who after having dealt with more flirting, had to retrieve his Hollywood ticket between Perry’s toes after she found out he was a shoes salesman.

In an essay for Slate, Christina Cauterucci voiced everything wrong with Perry’s behavior, even if it is played out for television appropriate entertainment.

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“Of course, Perry’s flirtation isn’t truly sexual at all. It remains in the realm of PG-rated jest — this is family television, after all,” she wrote. Still, she added of Glaze’s audition: “The scene feels even more lewd and exploitative post-#MeToo than it would have last March. ABC’s decision to treat it as a playful, feel-good moment — and use it to advertise the show — is bafflingly obtuse,” Cauterucci said.

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Although original “American Idol” female judge, Paula Abdul had her fair share of flirtatious moments with male contestants on air, viewers in today’s entertainment industry have confronted the power dynamics issue in the last year, which in year’s past has been disregarded as mindless flirting without the harassment.

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As the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement progress in the entertainment industry, more and more celebrities are being dismissed for their unconscious and intolerant acts on and off screen. Celebrities are now forced to be consciously aware of their behavior, as their sexual jokes and flirtatious acts on television which sent laughs a decade ago are not quite that funny anymore.