Korean pop star Psy shook hands with President Obama after a performance despite being in hot water for anti-American remarks he made before he became famous. INSIDE EDITION has the scoop.
Rap sensation Psy performed for President Obama and his family just two days after the world learned about his hate-filled anti-American rants.
At the annual Christmas in Washington charity concert, Psy started out with a holiday classic, but it was a fake-out and he switched to his hit song, "Gangham Style," showing off his moves that made him a worldwide phenomenon. But some say Psy shouldn't have performed at all.
On Fox and Friends co-host said, "For him to come out and say those brutal words, uh, I think is inexusable. He should have been cancelled."
Psy has had huge success here in America. The music video for "Gangnam Style" is the most watched YouTube video of all time, with one billion views.
But back in 2002, long before he shot to fame, Psy smashed a model of a U.S. tank. He was reacting to American soldiers being acquitted in the killing of two South Korean girls in a traffic accident.
Then, in 2004, he lashed out against the USA again over the Iraq war. His lyrics are graphic and disturbing: "Kill those (blank) yankees. Kill their daughters, mothers, and fathers. Kill them all slowly and painfully."
Psy apologized over the weekend: "I've learned there are limits to what language is appropriate, and I'm deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted. I will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused by those words."
But not everyone is buying his mea culpa.
Matt Lauer said on the Today show, "When he said, 'I wasn't sure how those words could be interpreted,' they're pretty black and white there. It's hard to miss the meaning of those."
Chris Richards of The Washington Post spoke to Psy backstage at the Christmas concert. Richards told INSIDE EDITION, "I asked Psy if the controversy puts his career in jeaporday and he said, 'If it does, I deserve it.' He very much regrets his choice of his words and is very much hoping for the forgiveness of his American fans."
The president never mentioned Psy's name when he thanked other performers at the end of the show, but he did shake his hand.
