Lady Gaga

The New York Times Marks Easter Its Own Way: Gay Activism
By Clay Waters | April 25, 2011 | 4:58 PM EDT

The New York Times’s coverage of Easter Sunday was sparse, but the paper did mark the Christian holiday in its own inimitable way, by spotlighting anti-traditional gay rights activism.

Reporter Liz Robbins was at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan on Sunday morning to hear Archbishop Timothy Dolan delivers his Easter homily to nearly 3,000. St. Patrick’s also marked the “finish line” of the Easter Day parade. But her story Monday, “A Sermon Of Rebirth, And a Rally For Rights,” was pre-occupied by a tiny band of protesters in support of gay marriage,  “A small group of about 25 people stood while temperatures soared near 80 degrees.” For Robbins, two dozen people standing outside in “near 80 degree” heat (was it really that onerous?) was worth both special mention and 364 of the story’s 634 words.

Bozell Column: An Easter Bonnet of Mud
By Brent Bozell | April 23, 2011 | 8:02 AM EDT

For the Christian faithful, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday is sacred. It’s a time of reflection and prayer and fasting. It is Holy Week. It deserves the strongest respect.

But our secular media culture does not bend a knee – or even shut a mouth. Instead, Holy Week means it is time to grab the spotlight with the most indulgent forms of spiritual irreverence and mockery. Start with the infantile Lady Gaga. She released a new single titled "Judas."

Her primary lyrical "thought," if you can call it that, is "I'm just a holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel / But I'm still in love with Judas, baby." She says "Jesus is my virtue," but "Judas is the demon that I cling to."

CBS 'Early Show' Touts 'Lady Gaga vs. The Pentagon' Over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
By Kyle Drennen | September 21, 2010 | 4:15 PM EDT
Lady Gaga, CBS On Tuesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez promoted singer Lady Gaga calling for an end to the military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy: "A unique showdown shaping up today in the Senate...it's Senator John McCain versus Lady Gaga. The Senator wants to keep the ban, but the world's biggest pop star is throwing her support behind the gays who want to serve in the military."  

Correspondent Michelle Miller noted of Gaga: "...recently she's become more vocal with her political leanings, urging her Twitter followers – she has a record 6.4 million of them – to write their senators over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'" Miller concluded: "...the singer known for being out there, hopes her gay friends in the military will simply be allowed to be out." Throughout the report, a headline on screen read: "Lady Gaga Vs. The Pentagon; Pop Star Takes On 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy."

All the sound bites in the segment were in favor of overturning the policy, three from the pop singer herself and one from an outed gay soldier who escorted Gaga to MTV's Video Music Awards. The only time given to the other side was after Miller's report, when Rodriguez mentioned: "...the reason John McCain opposes this, he's waiting for the results of that Pentagon study on how this repeal might impact the, you know, troops who are serving right now."
MSNBC's Thomas Roberts Hypes Pro-gay Rights Lady Gaga as the 'Joan Baez of Her Time'
By Scott Whitlock | September 20, 2010 | 3:59 PM EDT

MSNBC News Live host Thomas Roberts on Monday pleaded with his Twitter followers to help get Lady Gaga on his program, at one point hyping the pro-gay rights singer as the "Joan Baez of her time." [MP3 audio here.]

In the 11am hour, Roberts, who is openly gay and hosted The Advocate On-Air, explained that he had Tweeted Lady Gaga to come on the air and talk about her appearance in Maine to rally support for overturning Don't Ask Don't Tell. He lobbied, "And I want Gaga to join me. So, I want you to help me. I've sent her a message at Twitter.com/LadyGaga and you should too."

He later begged, "So, keep it up out there, Gaga little monsters. Write to @LadyGaga. Try and convince her to come on the show at two o'clock. We'll even do a phoner with her." (Little monsters is the nickname for Gaga fans.)

Lady Gaga Judges No One...Except the U.S. Military
By Jeffrey Jena | September 19, 2010 | 12:26 PM EDT
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Is there no end to the many talents of Lady Gaga, already recognized as the greatest Madonna impersonator of this century? Of course we all know her as a singer, musician, fashionista and female impersonator, but recently she has revealed herself as maven in two new areas: military expert and political advisor.

It started at the MTV Video Music Awards. That is ironic in itself since I think that MTV stopped being a music channel sometime in the 1990's. Ms. Gaga, (I don't know if "Lady" is a title or simply the first part of her pseudonym) appeared in a costume made of meat. When asked the meaning of her get-up by Ellen DeGeneres, she explained it wasn't a slam on vegans.  

"As you know, I am the most judgment-free human being on the earth," Gaga replied.  

Wow! Did the irony of that statement knock anyone else down into their La-Z-Boy? That might be the truest thing she has ever said. It wasn't too long ago that having judgment skills was considered a plus. Not anymore!

Lady Gaga and Harry Reid Discuss Repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' on Twitter
By Noel Sheppard | September 14, 2010 | 6:11 PM EDT
In a sign of the technological times we live in, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) sent a message via Twitter to pop singer Lady Gaga on Tuesday concerning a vote on the controversial military policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Reid's tweet was actually in response to Gaga informing her 6.3 million followers:

Gay Veterans were my VMA dates. Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. CALL HARRY REID to Schedule Senate Vote 

For those unfamiliar, VMA is short for Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards (Gaga and escorts pictured above right).

So began a modern exchange over gay rights between a popular entertainment figure and one of the most powerful men in Washington:

Lady Gaga Slams 'Disgusting' Immigration Law During Arizona Concert
By Melissa Afable | August 2, 2010 | 4:58 PM EDT

The Lady doth protest Arizona's immigration law - Lady Gaga, that is.

Gaga went political about immigration reform at a sold-out Arizona concert on July 31, telling cheering fans that she found the situation in Arizona "disgusting" and a "state of emergency."

"We have to actively protest," Gaga said. "And the nature of the Monster Ball [concert tour] is to actively protest prejudice and injustice and the bulls*** that is put on our society."

Although Gaga promised to "peaceably protest" immigration in Arizona, she went on to tell fans that she "will yell and I will scream louder," according to the New York Daily News. Gaga told her adoring fans that she staunchly supports immigration because "if it wasn't for all of you immigrants, this country wouldn't have sh**."

(Video contains profanity.) 

Newsweek Fawns Over Lady Gaga's Music Videos
By Sarah Knoploh | July 16, 2010 | 3:19 PM EDT
Newsweek’s Ramin Setoodeh apparently really likes controversial pop star Lady Gaga, enough to praise her for revolutionizing music vidoes while ignoring her controversial "artistic" decisions.

In a July 15 article, “I Want My Music Video,” Setoodeh gushed over Lady Gaga, as well as YouTube, for helping revitalize the dying art of the music video. But not once did Setoodeh point out how inappropriate her music videos truly are.

Setoodeh labeled Lady Gaga’s music videos as “theatrical.” He hyped the music videos as having, “the production values of an action movie with special effects, elaborate costumes, background dancers, and more bling than the Oscars.”
'Today' Goes Goo-Goo for Gaga, Ignores Controversy
By Katie Bell | July 9, 2010 | 1:43 PM EDT

"Mommy, why is that lady dancing on stage in her bra?" might have been a common question in American households that were tuned in to NBC's "Today" show July 9.

The broadcast featured performances by and an interview with Lady Gaga, a pop star whose fashion sense is aimed at making eyes pop and jaws drop. For "Today," Gaga donned a white bustier with "strategically placed" rhinestone crucifixes and skin tight white pants for her first two performances. The ensemble, which did not leave much for the imagination, was further impacted when rain started pouring at Rockefeller Plaza.

Lady Gaga's dancers were also dressed provocatively; female dancers wore tight white leotards.

Gaga's "Today" show performance would have been best suited for an evening concert in which the kiddos were left with grandparents or sitters. Many young children were present at the July 9 outdoor morning performance.

Lady Gaga on Larry King: 'Warm Womb' Dwellers Siphon Maternal Creativity?
By Jill Stanek | June 3, 2010 | 1:33 PM EDT
Larry King interviewed pop singing sensation Lady Gaga on June 1, and she appeared conflicted over the presence of children in wombs. Near the beginning of the interview came this exchange...

King: At what age growing up, Gaga, did you know that you wanted to be a performer?

Gaga: In the womb, Larry, in my mother's warm womb.

King: [Laughing] At your birth.

Gaga: Yes, at my birth. I guess that you could say it's been my destiny to be a performer....

Getting technical, because that's what we pro-lifers do, Gaga did not originally say her personality, talents, and drive magically appeared "at birth," as King translated. She said they were present prenatally. See exchange beginning at 2:34 on this clip (WARNING: PG-13, visually)...

Some in Media Say ‘No’ to Promoting Hook Ups
By Colleen Raezler | April 21, 2010 | 11:50 AM EDT
For years, pop culture hyped "hooking up" as fun, easy and largely without consequences. Teens and young adults bought into the hype, much to the chagrin of educators and parents, but some young women who experienced the consequences of these casual sexual encounters are now rejecting the "hook up" culture. 

CNN took notice of the changing behavior among college women - and some pop stars like Lady Gaga - in an April 19 article and attributed the shift to "the emotional devastation of many college students, particularly girls whose hearts are broken by the hook up scene."

"Hooking up" refers to anything from kissing to sexual intercourse with a stranger, an acquaintance or a friend. No matter what the activities or with whom, a lack of commitment is the defining trademark of a hook up. Studies have shown that 75 percent of women have "hooked up" with another person while in college. As CNN noted, "the number is usually higher for men."

Lady Gaga: 'It’s OK Not to Have Sex'
By Sarah Knoploh | April 14, 2010 | 3:44 PM EDT
Pop sensation Lady Gaga recently made news when she announced that she is going to be celibate. Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, cited the rise of women infected with HIV as part of the reason she has chosen to remain celibate. While the pop star’s announcement was certainly a positive message to young fans, the lyrics in her hit songs promote anything but celibacy.

MTV.com reported Lady Gaga stated, “I can't believe I'm saying this — don't have sex. I'm single right now and I've chosen to be single because I don't have the time to get to know anybody.” She continued, “So it's OK not to have sex, it's OK to get to know people. I'm celibate, celibacy's fine.”

But she didn’t just stop there. “You don't have to have sex to feel good about yourself, and if you're not ready, don't do it. And if you are ready, there are free condoms given away at my concerts when you're leaving! ... I remember the cool girls when I was growing up. Everyone started to have sex. But it's not really cool anymore to have sex all the time. It's cooler to be strong and independent.”