Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Ashlee Simpson-Ross still reflects on the public backlash she faced after her lip-sync performance onSaturday Night Livein 2004 The singer appeared onPod Meets Worldon Thursday, Aug. 21, and explained how the "bullying was insane" at the time of the mishap But as she continues to think back, she acknowledges how the moment would be received differently if it had happened in 2025 Ashlee Simpson-Rosscontinues to reflect on the backlash she faced after her lip-sync performance onSaturday Night Live. The 40-year-old singer joinedRider Strong,Danielle FishelandWill Friedleon the Thursday, Aug. 21 episode of their podcast,Pod Meets World. During their conversation, Fishel, 44, candidly asked the singer about the unfortunate performance and the public scrutiny she received. However, she shared whether she would have faced the same level of criticism if that had happened in the current day. "I think it's a different era ... I think during that time, I mean, the bullying was insane," she said. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank In 2004, the singer, who was 20 years old at the time, became the first musician to walk out of anSNLperformance. Before her second song performance on the show began, which was supposed to be "Autobiography," her hit single "Pieces of Me"played before she had even raised the microphone to her mouth. Quickly, she looked around, confused, beforedancing a jig and sneaking off the stage. Her band continued playing as the show cut to commercial. She later appeared before the credits rolled and attempted to explain herself. Soon after, she faced enormous backlash for her performance and decision to lip-sync, which she attributed to her recent acid reflux flare-up affecting her voice. Paul Archuleta/Getty During Thursday's conversation with Fishel, Friedle, 49, and Strong, 45, Simpson-Ross said she felt compelled to explain herself to people. "But then my whole life, I had to tell people, 'Oh, but I perform every night.' My fans know. I had to know that in my heart." "Yes, I've had ups and downs just like every other human," she acknowledged. She also believes the internet's reaction to celebrity mistakes has evolved, "but also it hasn't in some ways," explaining, "I think it's different now. For us, we had the magazines and this. Now everything's kinda more fleeting." She said that at the time of her performance, the event and its reaction felt like it was on one person's "shoulders forever," adding, "And I think now everything is, like, a little bit more fleeting and fast." In the years since, she has repeatedly opened up about the negative impact on her mental health, revealing on her E! reality show,ASHLEE+EVANin 2018, "The world hated me for thisSNLmoment I had." "I was such a young girl, and the world can be a cruel place,"Simpson-Ross told PEOPLE in 2018. "But I learned at that time in my life to believe in my work and in my album and to get up and keep fighting and carrying on." "I had amazing fans that stood by me," she continued. "And I learned to be strong and stand up for yourself." Read the original article onPeople
