Freaks and Geeks in Pop Culture: Lady Gaga

Over the past week I’ve noticed some connections between Lady Gaga and many of the themes arising in two of the books we’ve read so far (Geek Love and Nights at the Circus). Lady Gaga attracts attention not only with her catchy pop music, but even more so with her outlandish costumes and dramatic performances in concert and in her music videos. In these and several other ways Lady Gaga brings an element of freakishness with her creativity, making her stand out from the average pop divas. I think Lady Gaga certainly may be considered a ‘celebrity freak’.

Here are some ties between the literature topics we’ve discussed in class and Lady Gaga:

The Deformed Female Body
Lady Gaga is famous for her bizarre outfits, many of which are revealing and make it seem as though she’s trying to sell her music by using her body... But the way she dresses is also provocative in the sense that she challenge the conventional female sex symbol image. Many of her outfits are disfiguring and make her look deformed. According to an interview with Lady Gaga, her explanation regarding her freakish image has to do with helping people who feel ‘othered’ relate to her:

I didn't fit in in high school, and I felt like a freak. So I like to create this atmosphere for my fans where they feel like they have a freak in me to hang out with, and they don't feel alone.

Challenging Gender Boundaries
The rumors about her being a transvestite only further the perception of her as being physically freakish and challenge views of her as being just another pop diva. The way she dresses and dances is not necessarily feminine, and portrays an image that is more masculine and aggressive. Also, many of her lyrics either subvert the role of the classical pretty, gentle female and parody the role of the submissive helpless girlfriend in relationship with a man.

Lady Gaga as a Feminist?
I found two blog posts (part 1 and part 2) that offer a really comprehensive interpretation of Gaga’s lyrics, highlighting many of the feminist meanings in her songs. A couple examples: her lyrics repeatedly subvert the role of the female/girlfriend, and parody the way pop culture portrays the female as being a piece of a$$ and nothing more.

The Fame: Is she fact or is she fiction?
In interviews she presents herself as being outrageously self-centered and projects a largely inflated sense of self-importance. She is clearly obsessed with fame, yet her lyrics parody that very obsession shared by celebrities. And as is the case with so many celebrity figures, there is much speculation regarding every aspect of her life - from her shopping habits to her sexuality. The media and public eats up every detail about her because it loves to wonder about her and loves to ask the question: is she for real or is it all an act?

and lastly,

Performance and the Carnivalesque
Everything about her style, music, concerts, personality is a performance. Judith Bulter theories aside, if the rumors about her being a man are true then her gender is definitely a performance.
I also found this quote from Lady Gaga, which is absolutely reminiscent of the carnivaleque theory we discussed in class:

I want to create a space for my fans where they can feel free, and they can celebrate.