Whether you love her or hate her, you have to hand it to the promoters of pop music icon Lady Gaga who seems to have exploded on the music scene in the last year or so. Her flamboyant dress, presentation and lifestyle has made her the darling of the music world, an envy of the gay community, and an unsurpassed cash machine that can make anyone’s head spin. The press went wild for her avant-garde “meat dress” at a recent music awards program. Her celebrity is such that she placed fourth in Forbes magazine’s list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world (June 2010), as well as Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential people.
As to her prowess as a musician, I cannot personally name or recognize any of her songs, but I’m sure her fans can. Whether the 24 year old from New York can stand the rugged test of time is yet to be seen. Nonetheless, she remains a cultural phenomenon that is probably as well known for her outrageous outfits as well as her music. She is currently riding high as the queen of pop music, having easily surpassed her predecessors like Christina Aguilera and Madonna.
Okay, she is a pop star. Granted. But now she is using her celebrity for political purposes and has become immersed in gay activism. She recently made an impassioned speech in Maine for revoking the military’s “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy. Undoubtedly this will not be her last foray into political theater and she will likely push for other causes she believes in.
The question is, how credible can she become and will she truly influence anyone? Her youth and flamboyance may be an important part of her celebrity, but it doesn’t exactly make her a credible political spokesman. Although she may influence teenagers, I doubt she will influence adults older than herself. In their eyes, she is just another entertainer capitalizing on her notoriety and looking for more publicity. In other words, Stefani Germanotta (her real name) is probably hurting the causes she claims to support as opposed to helping them.
Getting political advice from Lady Gaga is like getting love advice from Paris Hilton or drug treatment advice from Lindsay Lohan, it tends to lack credibility. She would be more effective keeping her mouth shut and passing a few dollars under the table to her favorite causes. In other words, continue your act, don’t get sidetracked, and take the money and run.
So, is Lady Gaga a cultural phenomenon? Undoubtedly.
Is she a talented musician? It depends on who you talk to.
Is she a political sage? Hardly.
For a sample of her political oratory, click HERE.
Keep the Faith!
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at [email protected]
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