Lawrence O'Donnell: Bill Clinton, Lady Gaga Encounter 'Embarrassing' (VIDEO)

Lawrence O'Donnell castigated Bill Clinton for what he called a "weird" and "embarrassing" encounter with Lady Gaga at a concert for his foundation on Saturday.

Gaga's rather suggestive performance at the concert (she said she wanted to get "caught up in a Bill romance," announced that she was having a "Marilyn moment," and told Clinton she was "on the edge" with him) seemed to leave O'Donnell flabbergasted on his Monday show.

Calling Clinton "attention-starved," he wondered how Clinton could not see any potential awkwardness in having Gaga sing about a "bad romance" while he was seated next to Hillary Clinton, the woman most profoundly affected by his own, very bad romance.

O'Donnell then brought on columnist Jonathan Alter. "It just doesn't get any weirder than that," he said. Alter was not so worked up about the whole thing. He said Gaga was just referencing the aforementioned "Marilyn moment," when Marilyn Monroe sang for John F. Kennedy.

"Let's finish it for the kids out there," O'Donnell cut in, saying that it was essentially "presumed" that Monroe was having an affair with Kennedy at the time.

"How hard is it to steer clear of these references and these echoes instead of standing on stage and laughing?" he concluded.

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Comments

[springsm]

11:05 PM on 10/29/2011

Simmer down Lawrence, you are not the only one on the planet and you are not perfect. Just take a deep breath...in.....and ....out. One thing you do too much of late is decide who is good and who is not and carry on just alittle too much on them.

[MNUSA]

08:12 PM on 10/19/2011

My impression was that former President Clinton looked a little shocked until he turned to see both his wife and daughter laughing and clapping with delight then he got into the groove. My overall impression is that Bill and Hillary Clinton know how to have a good time and are secure enough in their marriage to have a little fun. His comment about the Secretary of State and Lady Gaga in one night is enough to give him a heart attack was cute.

[Cal3b G]

07:50 PM on 10/19/2011

I don't think you can blame president Clinton for her doing that just because her song is about "bad romance". That's kind of silly. But that was completely rude and unthoughtful of Lady gaga to do that in front of Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton. And she knew exactly what she was implying there is no way she could not.

[chancetay]

08:01 PM on 10/19/2011

Hillary was laughing and clapping though. I don't think she took it personally.

[Cal3b G]

08:45 PM on 10/19/2011

Yes, but she always does that in akward situations. The one and only exception is that time she thought she was asked, "What does president Clinton think about...?" when she was in secretary of State in Africa. That's the one time I've seen her just let go and really let someone have it. She usually laughs and smiles really big to cover up her inner pain.

[destin023]

07:10 PM on 10/19/2011

I always thought liberals had this massive sense of humor. I honestly have to agree with the guy on this issue though, Hillary didn't deserve that even though she seemed to take it ok. All 3 Clintons tried to act cool about it but our secretary of state probably didn't sleep too well with the reflection of her family being a laughing stock. It's all over but Bill basically took the dignity out of the office of presidency for all time..

[chancetay]

08:02 PM on 10/19/2011

No, he didn't. What he did and what GW did, are entirely two different things. G.W. should have been thrown out of office.

[lacrosselamore]

12:52 PM on 10/20/2011

Nixon beat him to that by decades.

[PickOneTwoThree]

05:15 PM on 10/19/2011

I didn't see it BUT I do think Lawrence should lighten up. He's getting too upset about too many things.

[whatchamean]

04:23 PM on 10/19/2011

yep, not a good moment for the dems. Poor Hillary had to endure this. It was cringe worthy start to finish.

[PickOneTwoThree]

05:16 PM on 10/19/2011

I don't think Clinton went there as a Dem or Rep - some things are not about politics.

[chancetay]

08:03 PM on 10/19/2011

I agree. He is not President any longer. He has a life.

[OneHeart]

02:23 PM on 10/19/2011

Now, Lawrence O'Donnell is becoming a "Moral Majority" proponent. The guy lives in L.A. for Christsakes! I have one thing to say to Lawrence, "Get off your high horse and stop being a prude."

[automan 57]

01:10 PM on 10/19/2011

At Least Lady GAGA didn't flip Bill a wet cigar and say you know what this { is } for !!!~~~

[redsongia]

12:46 PM on 10/19/2011

Sheesh Larry, you act like Janet Jackson just flashed a nip or something. Chill.

[bigkay]

10:17 AM on 10/19/2011

Everyone seems to forget as Bill Clinton makes the rounds of TV talk shows, he is partially responsible for the economic meltdown. Bill is a charming, articulate con-man. and I wish he would go sell used cars or sub-prime mortgages some where in Arkansas.

[thankulord13]

11:04 AM on 10/19/2011

So G.W. Bush was responsible and to place the blame on Clinton would be like say Reagan was responsible. See follow the bouncing ball you can't cut taxes and fight two wars. By the way being a hater is just so unbecoming of you.

[bigkay]

12:04 PM on 10/19/2011

Wages have been declining for thirty years. , trickle down economics, does not work. Reagan destroyed some of the unions, after he was president of the Actors union, he was a hypocrite that was given a script and the American public fell for it.
Clinton is responsible for deregulation of Glass Stengall, NAFTA, the overthrow of Aristied in Haiti!,
Bush is responsible for the economic meltdown, trillion in deficits, 2 illegal wars, torture, he is a war criminal. maybe I am a hater, I hate Bush.

[TresJolie7]

06:01 PM on 10/19/2011

Technically, Clinton is more responsible for the financial crash than Dubya. I hate to say it, but it's true.

[chancetay]

08:05 PM on 10/19/2011

Bill Clinton has done more good in this world than you will ever think of doing bigkay. By the way, where did you get a name like that?

[graceaustin]

09:39 AM on 10/19/2011

I'm still wondering how grown ups can even repeat the ridiculous name the woman took for herself.

[boycottrightwingthings]

04:01 PM on 10/19/2011

GROW up she is a preformance artist!!

[graceaustin]

05:56 PM on 10/19/2011

So?

[graceaustin]

05:57 PM on 10/19/2011

And by the way, I've admired many performing artists in my life, and can't think of one with such a ridiculous name. And that's what it is.....ridiculous.

[cookerman45]

09:38 AM on 10/19/2011

go get laid Lawrence.....we are.

[Dan Slander]

08:24 AM on 10/19/2011

Clinton's shallow personality is the perfect hero for a segment of society but even loyal Larry had enough summing up this atrocious president as "attention starved". Now he attaches his name to a cause and you have Bono 1% turning him into Lincoln. The non-reality of it all is quite humorous.

[eshine]

02:48 AM on 10/19/2011

Lawrence O'Donnell = the far left's answer to Sean Hannity.

[Tom Sutpen]

03:45 AM on 10/19/2011

Lawrence O'Donnell is not 'Far Left' . . . or even Left, for that matter.

[Consequence]

08:56 AM on 10/19/2011

Ridiculous comments like yours make excellent arguments for random drug testing on this board.

O'Donnell HIMSELF has said more than once he is "far left" on his own TV program.

Please get a clue.

[mfoto1986]

02:21 AM on 10/19/2011

Relax O'Donnell---- Are you actually thinking Gaga might try to steal Clinton from Hillary?? LOL

The concert was all for fun and celebration for the foundation.........nothing more or less.