Madonna.
When Elton John tore apart Madonna in an interview with an Australian paper earlier this month fans all over the world knew it was only a matter of time before the pop star responded. Earlier this week Madonna told a concert audience she “forgave” John, who criticized her only after Madonna trashed Lady Gaga. Since the flap began fans have started wondering if Madonna, who has seen her fame decline since her peak, is jealous of Lady Gaga. http://load.kovideo.net/s/raw/

When Elton John tore apart Madonna in an interview with an Australian paper earlier this month, fans all over the world knew it was only a matter of time before Queen of Pop star responded. Earlier this week Madonna told a concert audience she "forgave" John, who criticized her only after Madonna trashed Lady Gaga. Since the flap began fans have started wondering if Madonna, whose star is well past its peak, is jealous of the newcomer Lady Gaga.

"She's such a nightmare. Her career is over, I can tell you that," John originally said to an Australian newspaper according to the Hollywood Reporter. "Her tour is a disaster and it couldn't happen to a bigger c---." He later added that Madonna has been "terrible to Gaga," whom John named the godmother to his children.

John also said Madonna dressed like a "fairground stripper."

While performing in France Tuesday night, ABC News reports, Madonna dedicated her song "Masterpiece" to John. She also said the "Rocket Man" singer is a "big fan" of hers and later stated, "I forgive him."

There's speculation that John initially lashed out at Madonna because her song "Masterpiece" beat one of his when it won a Golden Globe earlier this year. Before the award was handed out he said she didn't have a chance of winning, though, so the feud appears to have already started earlier.

In early 2012 Madonna had some choice words for Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" album. She described that song in particular as "reductive" of her own hit, "Express Yourself." It's thought that Madonna's feud with Sir Elton began then.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the claws are out," wrote HollywoodLife.com.

Although the songs could be considered similar, Madonna's opinion might be moot because of Gaga's sheer stature in the world of pop music these days. Madonna gained her fame in the early 1980s by pushing the envelope with songs like "Like A Virgin." She's been considered one of the top global pop acts for three decades now.

Gaga is hardly the first pop star to become famous since the 1980s, though, so what gives? It's conceivable that Madonna might feel more threatened by Lady Gaga than Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera because the feuding stars don't have the same relationship Madonna had with Spears and Aguilera. Fans need to look no further than the famous make-out session on MTV for that evidence.