When a huge transvestite in a red dress sat in Barbara Walter's lap I knew I was in the right place: a monster ball. "We are going to get all the freaks in here and lock the doors," screamed the newly minted mega star, clad in Christmas lights, from the stage.
The only excuse for a 45 year-old Boston venture capitalist jumping the shuttle to hit Lady Gaga at Radio City Music Hall last night is the fact my buddy, who suggested the outing, is a few days short of 50. That and the fact that our respective wives were the hottest two women in the joint.
My partner in crime, Todd, is a student of entertainment success in general (he was an early investor in Twitter) and Gaga in particular. He suggested I prepare for the concert by watching videos of Stephanie Germanotta to get a feeling for her raw talent.
I didn't really want to like Lady Gaga. Her overt sexuality seemed offensive ("Do you want to Fuck Me?" she asked the audience in no uncertain terms).
But as I looked around I realized that she had become a uniter like few other artists of any stripe. Gay, straight, bi-sexual, young, old, purple-haired, prom dressed, the concert was a veritable United Nations. And Gaga was capable of going from on-stage masturbation to a prayer for Haiti (all proceeds from the concert on Sunday go to relief) with equal passion and sincerity.
She is an amazing singer (writes all her own songs), dancer and costume creator. I felt like I might very well be at a once-in-a-lifetime event: the homecoming of an artist about to take over the world. She has already gained Madonna star power and she's just getting started.
But the thing I noticed most is under all the costumes and music is a real human being completely unafraid to show it. Her body's not perfect. Her face is not perfect. She is perfectly real looking. And damn proud of it.
By the end of the show she had stripped down to a tiny red bikini (despite the fact that her dad was in the audience). After every song Gaga has a habit of freezing to wait for the crowd to go wild and pretend to be bored before coming clean, ("I love you little monsters, I really do. When you are lonely, I'm lonely too)."
In an age of plastic surgery and fakery imposed on our girls like antibiotics for a sore throat, Gaga's message is that not only are normal imperfections cool but sexy too. I wanted to judge her many over-the-top sexual gestures and references as degrading of culture in general and women in particular.
I found them the opposite. They seemed to me as a profound expression of women's liberation and power all rolled into a visual feast for the eyes.
Barbara Walters, who was sitting just a few seats away, left half way through the concert. Too bad. By the end Lady Gaga was crying sincere tears of awe at the thing she has created.
"Not long ago I was singing for ten people at a bar down on Bleeker Street. I miss those days in a certain way," she admitted. "But I want to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart for coming out to watch our show."
It was not the last time she took off the mask of superstar and showed us the vulnerable 23 year old women.
In her music and especially her dancing, Lady Gaga just seemed to be having a blast. "I have to admit something to you guys," she said sitting at the piano at one point. "I couldn't fucking wait to get here to play for you."
And you know what? Unlike every other performer who has uttered similar if less profane words, she was telling the truth.
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She's got: 1) The pipes and showmanship of Freddy Mercury 2) The creativity of Tori Amos 3) The glamour of Grace Jones and 4) The pop sensibility of Madonna.
Need we ask for more? LONG LIVE GAGA!
The young lady absolutely rocks! Her appeal is truly universal. Not just the kids and the freaks but middle aged people too, both men and women love her.
I believe it is because of her genuine heart and soul that she bares, along with kick ass music, glamor and glitter presented to the world at a time of economic devastation.
She will be one of those stars for life, up there with Sir Elton, Cher, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow, and Madonna. Very, very few performers reach such a pinnacle and can stay there.
Gaga certainly has the talent to take over from Madonna. Both are unique singers, both are gifted song-writers, both are great performers, both have the X factor, both can play instruments and both came up through the NY music scene.
The only difference is time. Time will tell if Gaga can make it as long as Madonna in a business that chews people up and spits them out very quickly. Stars can shine bright for short stretches but does she have it in her to last as long as Madonna? Maybe. Time will tell.
GO Go ooh la la. Yes yes, Gagaga. I heat Lady Gaga.
Her talent as a musician is undeniable as is her ability to write lyrics that are at times meaningful and touching or silly and joyful. What is most refreshing is that frequently she manages those qualities simultaneously. I hazard the comparison, but David Bowie is one of the few other musical legends who managed this same feat (take a listen to the Scary Monsters album and you'll see what I mean) and I wish Gaga all the success of Bowie and none of the hazards (heroin addiction, management nightmares, etc.)
Hope she has a long career.
um, have you seen her thighs???? .... she's AMAZING in every way.
I'm almost sixty, female in Seattle, not liking the music thing for over a decade, but I love watching her videos and listening to her.
I'm a middle aged, heterosexual man and I think she's brilliantly talented and love (most) of her music.
Keep up the good work LG! You rock!
All that talent and creativity comes from intelligence. From her website:
she became was one of 20 kids in the world to get early admission to Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Signed by her 20th birthday and writing songs for other artists (such as the Pussycat Dolls, and has been asked to write for a series of Interscope artists) before her debut album was even released,
GaGa is going to be around for a long time