Lady Gaga tells One Direction to F the h8ters (mid-mermaid pose, that is).

Lady Gaga knows a thing or five about ignoring negativity -- she didn't include that "BOOOOO" segment in her 2013 VMA "Applause" performance for nothing! But backstage at the VMAs, we just so happened to overhear Mother Monster taking VMA presenters and "Best Song Of The Summer" winners One Direction under her (creepy, fire-breathing swan) wing and schooling them on how to handle all the h8ters (when she wasn't, you know, showing them her naked butt).

Read more about Lady Gaga's backstage rendezvous with One Direction after the jump.

As you might've seen/heard, One Direction met with mixed audience reviews as they went onstage to collect their fan-voted "Best Song Of The Summer" VMA. Most 1D Stans squeeeeed with joy, but a few h8ters sent out a loud chorus of "booooos."

But lucky for 1D, Gaga showed up backstage to give them an anti-hater pep talk, saying: "Don't you dare let those people boo you. I put that booing in my own show because I wanted to make a comment about that. I want to leave right now. I don't want to stay anymore. You deserve a lot." Ummmmmm, SHYEAH! YOU GO, GAGA. Also, word to the wise, if anyone smack-talks 1D again, you're gonna have THIS to deal with:

+ WATCH LADY GAGA TELL ONE DIRECTION TO F*CK THE HATERS, SEE ONE DIRECTION ACCEPT THEIR "BEST SONG OF THE SUMMER" VMA, AND CHECK OUT HER OPENING VMA "APPLAUSE" PERFORMANCE.

Video Music Award 2013 winners, red carpet photos, and the full VMA show free on demand at VMA.MTV.com.

Photo credit: Getty Images/GIF: Mashable