I Gaga Get It

Last week, Howard Stern had Lady Gaga on his Sirius XM radio station for an interview. It was an in depth (90 minute) interview and a coup for the Media Mogul to get such a star in the prime of her career.

Previously, I had my own feelings about Gaga. Yea, her music is catchy..but I was never a huge fan of her stuff other than the top of the chart stuff. Personality wise, I always thought she was a contrived person. I've seen her pre-Gaga YouTube video's at NYU where she attended as a music major. She was some scrawny girl who had little impact personality wise, especially compare to her impact now.

But she did give props to some big musical talents: Bowie,  Britney, Hendrix and others. She also didn't sound bitter to music executives who passed on her talents early in her career.

I always thought the dress and makeup was just a brilliant marketing scheme..and it may be to some extent. She explained how she never felt normal until she decided to buy the clothes she wanted, wear the wigs she wanted and put on makeup the way she wanted.  She finally felt normal.

She also told a story about when her father had open heart surgery. She was so depressed and worried for him that she wore his sweater for two weeks, with jeans, no makeup - dressed down, by Gaga standards.  She went to the hospital and was by her father's side when the tube was removed from his throat. She says his first words to her were "you look like fucking hell! Go home get dressed, put on your makeup."  Essentially, her father was telling her that not to use his faltering health to not be herself.  If a father acknowledges that their child is themselves a certain way, you can basically assume that it's not a marketing ploy.


On her abuse use of sex and drugs, she told Howard:

“I regret every line [of cocaine] I ever did,” Gaga confessed. “So to all of the little sweethearts who are listening – don’t ever touch it. It’s the devil.” Proving that she’s taking the maternal responsibilities of being the Mother Monster very seriously, she also advised her littlest Monsters that abstinence is the best policy. “I really think that kids have sex way too young,” she said, and “I’ve got a lot of young fans and I love you and I respect your show and I know you want to talk about sex and cocaine – but honestly you should wait as long as you possibly can to have sex.” 

Now, I think that is a responsible person speaking, taking into account her huge audience, she took the opportunity to discourage the use of drugs and support abstinence.


On her popularity and multi-million dollars in sales...

"I really don't give a f--- about money at all," Gaga said when Stern tried to get the singer to dish on how much money her album sales and tours have grossed. In fact, she said she still lives in a tiny Brooklyn apartment and has only bought two things with her new found riches: heart surgery and a car for her dad. "The Monster Ball was really expensive and the next show will be really expensive and I will pay for it," she said of the 2012 extravaganza that she's planning. 



She acknowledges certain pressures of putting out a new album: "It's like spreading your legs and taking a picture for everyone to see" is how she put it.

Yea, I'm not going out and buying her album, I won't be attending her monster ball, and I defintiely won't be Gaga-d out in some odd outfit and makeup..but, I did earn quite a bit of respect for this musical icon.