Nicki Minaj's Grammy performance angers the Catholic League ... also, the sky is blue

Lady Gaga is usually the go-to girl for controversy as Madonna was before her. Though she sat in the audience with a royal scepter last night, Mother Monster was unusually quiet. Guess who stepped up to annoy the Catholic League. That's right! Singer Nicki Minaj.

Everything from Minaj's entrance on the arm of a guy dressed like the pope to her performance of "Roman Holiday" made them angry. In other news, water is wet. The League's president Bill Donahue had some condemning words for the singer on the organizations website.

"Nicki Minaj, fresh off looking like a fool with Madonna at the Super Bowl, showed up last night on the red carpet at the Grammys with a guy dressed like the pope. This was just a prelude of what was to come.

"Minaj's performance began on stage with a mock confessional skit. This was followed by a taped video depicting a mock exorcism. With stained glass in the background, she appeared on stage again with choir boys and monks dancing."

He continues, "Perhaps the most vulgar part was the sexual statement that showed a scantily clad female dancer stretching backwards while an altar boy knelt between her legs in prayer. Finally, 'Come All Ye Faithful' was sung while a man posing as a bishop walked on stage; Minaj was shown levitating."

He wasn't too happy that the show itself let this happen. "None of this was by accident, and all of it was approved by The Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammys. Whether Minaj is possessed is surely an open question, but what is not in doubt is the irresponsibility of The Recording Academy. Never would they allow an artist to insult Judaism or Islam."

Minaj defended her performance to Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show, claiming that she was playing the part of a man named Roman and that she had been writing the story for two years.

"He's a major part of the movie I'm writing and one of my alter egos. His name is Roman and the religious figure is there because he was called on by Roman's mom to rehabilitate him. I had this vision for Roman, for him to be exorcised, but people around him telling him he's not good enough, that he's not normal, he's not fitting in with the average Joe. He wanted to show that not only is he amazing and confident, but he's never going to be exorcised and when they throw the holy water on him, he rises above it."

The real shame here? The performance was a bit of a mess. If you're going to make people angry, at least do it well. Gaga, we miss you! Come back! Ride in the egg again! Wear the meat dress. Please?