Anti-suicide advocates have slammed Lady Gaga's performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday - blasting her for "romanticizing suicide" with her gory stage performance of song Paparazzi.

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The singer stunned the star-studded audience with her most bizarre stage act to date, dancing with crutches alongside a wheelchair-bound performer while blood poured down her bare midriff.

She was then surrounded by her dancers, who acted as if to mourn her death, before her lifeless and blood-spattered body was pulled up from the stage on a winch as the curtain came down on the stage.

Gaga later revealed that the quirky routine represented her private life being killed by the paparazzi, but bosses at U.K. teen suicide prevention group PAPYRUS were outraged - branding the star "irresponsible".

In a statement, a rep for the charity says, "This act is not cool - sensationalizing and romanticizing suicide is irresponsible. Celebrities, who are often idolized by young people, need to be more aware of the impact that such acts can have on vulnerable young people."

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