# Lady Gaga = God **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896 "2010-03-18T15:53:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/81 "2010-03-21T11:40:43Z")
> [@Gestalt](#): > > I love how […] she’s not obsessed with looking generically sexy like every. other. female. artist. Of course she isn’t, because she can’t. Her face is butt ugly. No surprise that she continually covers it up with masks. I’m trying to think of a pop act as ugly as her (male or female) and I’m drawing a blank. Little help, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/82 "2010-03-21T12:51:47Z")
[This is a picture from her before she became famous, without the costumes, headpieces, makeup, etc.](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jr3KGNWtRrc/SZ6FtsHhHwI/AAAAAAAAA7U/ThsaIBI2Qos/s400/lady+gaga.jpg) That is not a butt-ugly face. ---
**Author:** ![halfliquid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e57/32.png) [@halfliquid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/halfliquid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/83 "2010-03-21T13:56:03Z")
Boy George got an interesting autograph request from God. “She was very sweet,” Boy George said. “She asked me to sign her vagina.” He opted to sign her hat instead. To be that close to God’s vagina and not touch it! ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/84 "2010-03-21T15:27:10Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Of course she isn’t, because she can’t. Her face is butt ugly. No surprise that she continually covers it up with masks. Aside from a not-button nose, which can photograph awkwardly at some angles, I think she’s sort of generically, any-girl-at-the-mall pretty, when she’s not Gaga’d out. But I can totally see why her obstinate refusal to submit to your standards of “pretty enough for pop” would hurt your feelings so. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/85 "2010-03-21T15:29:30Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > At first I wanted to hate her. > > But then I found myself singing along to Poker Face, completely unintentionally. You see, that’s the type of thing that makes me hate an artist. The last thing I want is to have a song in my head involuntarily. I mean, I can hear “It’s a small world” and it’ll be stuck in my head for days. I may even sing it. Do you think that means I **like** it?! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/86 "2010-03-21T15:32:37Z")
> [@bigt](#): > > i mean, i can hear “it’s a small world” . . . _ **You EVIL. . . $%^&** _ ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/87 "2010-03-21T17:47:38Z")
> [@Rex\_Goliath](#): > > A cursory look into my iTunes library reveals The Strokes, The Black Keys, The Avett Brothers, Blackalicious (well, Nia came out in 1999, but it was late in the year), The Flaming Lips’ “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots”, Girl Talk, Gorillaz, Iron & Wine, Jimmy Eat World’s “Bleed American”, Metric, Old Crow Medicine Show, Spoon, Tinariwen (look it up. seriously.), and dozens more. I won’t put this decade over the previous 40 years combined, but it’s certainly been excellent. I’ve stated this over and over again on this board, but the 2000s were the decade that indie music really came to life. Critically successful bands like Death Cab for Cutie or Modest Mouse pretty much labored in obscurity until the internet made people pay attention to them. The White Stripes and the Strokes made rock and roll cool again. And the internet means that you can live literally anywhere in the world and listen to any kind of music that you want. The White Stripes, the Arcade Fire, the Antlers, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Battles, Bloc Party, Calexico, the Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, DJ Shadow, The Knife, the Gossip, Grizzly Bear, the Hold Steady, Ratatat, Land of Talk, MGMT, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Neko Case, Wilco, Nick Cave, Okkervil River, Passion Pit, the Scissor Sisters, Sleator-Kinney, TV On the Radio, Vampire Weekend, Wolf Parade, Xiu Xiu, the XX, Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer !!! I doubt you’ll like all of it (unless you are actually me) but if you don’t like at least some of it, something’s probably wrong with you. 😛 Note: Not all of these bands started in the 2000s, of course, but all of them released at least one decent album this decade (in my opinion. Probably). PS: I know that’s a lot, so if there’s just one thing you listen to from my list, based on the little I know about your tastes, listen to [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxFwAmYuYds)song. Okay, [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0hyxNHxGYU)one too. Or [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31DOyWR-K3M&feature=related). Turns out indie music experienced a huge folk lo-fi revival recently. Seriously, everyone starting growing beards. Or for something completely different, try [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMPF6lpM0XM). Because it’s awesome. PPS: Sorry for the hi-jack, but this music is the music of my generation and damn it, I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/88 "2010-03-21T18:51:46Z")
> [@Tanaqui](#): > > The White Stripes, the Arcade Fire, the Antlers, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Battles, Bloc Party, Calexico, the Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, DJ Shadow, The Knife, the Gossip, Grizzly Bear, the Hold Steady, Ratatat, Land of Talk, MGMT, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Neko Case, Wilco, Nick Cave, Okkervil River, Passion Pit, the Scissor Sisters, Sleator-Kinney, TV On the Radio, Vampire Weekend, Wolf Parade, Xiu Xiu, the XX, Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer !!! I’ve heard almost all of that. I go looking for new music a lot; I just rarely find anything that I stick with. Vampire Weekend has a couple good songs, and Wilco has done an interesting thing or two, but nothing there has really caught me at all. I remember particularly hating MGMT and Animal Collective. I think age does have a lot to do with it in a lot of ways. It’s not everything, but like you said, this is your generation’s music. And that’s fine. A whole hell of a lot of “my generation’s” music objectively sucks, but I still like it. My favorite band is 311, but I never recommend them to anyone, because I don’t really think they make great music. I love them because of an esoteric feeling I get when I listen to them and go to their concerts. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/89 "2010-03-21T19:09:48Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > [This is a picture from her before she became famous, without the costumes, headpieces, makeup, etc.](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jr3KGNWtRrc/SZ6FtsHhHwI/AAAAAAAAA7U/ThsaIBI2Qos/s400/lady+gaga.jpg) That is not a butt-ugly face. Agreed. She looks like a normal, pretty Italian girl. Which I also think goes to show that she intentionally 'uglies" herself up sometimes, so as to play to that idea about what it means to be sexy. Her body is great, she’s half naked, but she intentionally makes herself look less than sexy. I mean, I don’t see any pop stars intentionally releasing things that are 'Shopped to actually make them look _worse_, like [this.](http://joeljamescomedy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/what-lady-gaga-really-looks-like-20206-1232337767-4.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Goliath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rex\_Goliath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Goliath)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/90 "2010-03-21T19:15:07Z")
> [@Tanaqui](#): > > The White Stripes, the Arcade Fire, the Antlers, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Battles, Bloc Party, Calexico, the Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, DJ Shadow, The Knife, the Gossip, Grizzly Bear, the Hold Steady, Ratatat, Land of Talk, MGMT, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Neko Case, Wilco, Nick Cave, Okkervil River, Passion Pit, the Scissor Sisters, Sleator-Kinney, TV On the Radio, Vampire Weekend, Wolf Parade, Xiu Xiu, the XX, Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer !!! That Okkervil River song sounded a _lot_ like Beirut, which is a good thing, but all I can hear is what is missing. The problem with a lot of this music, IMO, is that it lacks any real pop accessibility. You can’t just put it on in the background and jam. It’s sitting at your computer with the headphones on, maybe good for a long drive at night. I’m a fan of maybe 1/3 of the artists you listed (particularly Arcade Fire, Wilco, and The Decemberists), but I see a lot of it as not particularly great in its own right, but paving the way experimentally for better music down the line. ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/91 "2010-03-22T01:25:11Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I think age does have a lot to do with it in a lot of ways. It’s not everything, but like you said, this is your generation’s music. And that’s fine. A whole hell of a lot of “my generation’s” music objectively sucks, but I still like it. My favorite band is 311, but I never recommend them to anyone, because I don’t really think they make great music. I love them because of an esoteric feeling I get when I listen to them and go to their concerts. Well, jeez, dude, if you had just said that you’re an old fuddy-duddy who doesn’t like any music made after you graduated high school, I wouldn’t have bothered in the first place. If you have the self-awareness to realize that music probably didn’t actually make a sudden down curve that miraculously coincided with your first real job, why whine about modern day music’s quality at all? (Especially in favor of the music of the 1990s… shudder!) 😃 I hope that doesn’t happen to me, but I acknowledge that I may fossilize with time. Until then, I’ll keep fighting the good fight. I’d rather be the weird old chick at the show than give up on this whole change thing . Good luck with your 311. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/92 "2010-03-22T01:30:07Z")
> [@Rex\_Goliath](#): > > That Okkervil River song sounded a _lot_ like Beirut, which is a good thing, but all I can hear is what is missing. The problem with a lot of this music, IMO, is that it lacks any real pop accessibility. You can’t just put it on in the background and jam. It’s sitting at your computer with the headphones on, maybe good for a long drive at night. I’m a fan of maybe 1/3 of the artists you listed (particularly Arcade Fire, Wilco, and The Decemberists), but I see a lot of it as not particularly great in its own right, but paving the way experimentally for better music down the line. What is missing? Your youth? Well, yes, undeniably. You’re not going to get it back, no matter how good the band is. Sorry. ☹ I listen to these bands while falling to sleeps, walking down the street, riding on the train, talking to friends, studying, drinking coffee, whatever. If you can’t do that, it might be \*your \*problem, not the music’s. Honestly, I find the idea that Modest Mouse or Death Cab for Cutie lacks “pop accessibility” so bizarre that I’m not even sure what to say. It’s not like I’m a music major. I can’t even play an instrument. But I know what I like. Indie music nowadays encircles both Death Cab and Xiu Xiu and I can only think that’s a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/93 "2010-03-22T05:47:33Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > [This is a picture from her before she became famous, without the costumes, headpieces, makeup, etc.](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jr3KGNWtRrc/SZ6FtsHhHwI/AAAAAAAAA7U/ThsaIBI2Qos/s400/lady+gaga.jpg) That is not a butt-ugly face. Agreed. It’s amazing how good she is at making herself butt ugly. Oops, hope I didn’t inadvertantly hurt DianaG’s feelings again… ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/94 "2010-03-22T06:03:45Z")
> [@Tanaqui](#): > > Well, jeez, dude, if you had just said that you’re an old fuddy-duddy who doesn’t like any music made after you graduated high school, I wouldn’t have bothered in the first place. If you have the self-awareness to realize that music probably didn’t actually make a sudden down curve that miraculously coincided with your first real job, why whine about modern day music’s quality at all? (Especially in favor of the music of the 1990s… shudder!) 😃 > > I hope that doesn’t happen to me, but I acknowledge that I may fossilize with time. Until then, I’ll keep fighting the good fight. I’d rather be the weird old chick at the show than give up on this whole change thing . Good luck with your 311. 😛 Whoa whoa, let’s not get out of control now :p. First of all, I’m not that old; I’m 28. I _have_ discovered new music this decade-- and I think my tastes are quite a bit broader than yours; it just doesn’t compare to the whirlwind of new music I discovered up until about age 20. That was everything evAR until the present. Now I mostly know what I like between the time of Pachelbel and Sublime, so the newer stuff is much more limited. After thinking a bit more, in addition to Sufjan Stevens, I discovered this decade: Amon Amarth Regina Spektor Dragonforce Fiona Apple (she was on my radar in the '90s but I didn’t like her until 2005’s _Extraordinary Machine_) Coheed and Cambria Carolina Chocolate Drops The Flowers of Hell ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/95 "2010-03-22T07:56:38Z")
> [@HoboStew](#): > > Methinks you haven’t heard the good stuff. I think the last decade has been phenomenal, musically. Sure the pop stuff has largly sucked, but when you dig a little some astonishingly creative and amazing music is around. Much better than the 80s. > [@mkecane](#): > > I agree completely. I have no idea what your tastes are, but I think if I were forced to choose between my favorite 100 records from 1960-1999 or favorite from 2000-2009, I’d side with the latter. A lot of that has to do with exposure. If you like music, it’s just so easy to find things now that suit your taste, and if you’re a bit open about what music can be (more than just drums, guitars, bass, vox), then it’s astonishing what’s been put out the past few years. And for better or worse, everyone making music now can get exposure to the world. If you’re good, you’ll probably be found. Yeah. I always find it strange when people complain about today’s crappy music. If anything, there’s too much good music. In addition to the already mentioned, I’ll add (or 2nd, I didn’t read the lists all that closely): Air Gotan Project Banco de Gaia Shpongle Zero 7 Kaya Project Rilo Kiley Jenny Lewis The Bird and the Bee Midival Punditz The Pretty Lights Jose Gonzalez Anoushka Shankar Niyaz Ferry Corsten Sia Imogen Heap Bliss The Ting Tings Lily Allen Supreme Beings of Leisure BT Polyphonic Spree Swell Season Four Tet ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/96 "2010-03-22T08:48:41Z")
Let’s se…it’s catchy pop music and my drunk gay friend asked me to put her playlist on repeat… it must be evil! OTOH her videos are cool, she wears outfits made out of Kermit corpses, and she sings about paparazzi so it must be irony… I like her despite her popularity… ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/97 "2010-03-22T09:02:51Z")
I think the catchy pop music/crazy persona is completely intentional. As she says on her website, “I almost want to trick people into hanging with something that is really cool with a pop song. It’s almost like the spoonful of sugar and I’m the medicine.” [http://www.ladygaga.com/default.aspx](http://www.ladygaga.com/default.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![GreatStuffMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f04885/32.png) [@GreatStuffMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreatStuffMan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/98 "2010-03-22T13:17:50Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Grandpa… is that you? Like that isn’t true. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896/99 "2010-03-22T13:21:06Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Oops, hope I didn’t inadvertantly hurt DianaG’s feelings again… Only by misspelling ‘inadvertently’. But then, I don’t expect genius from anyone who’s judgment of any artist’s worth is “I don’t like her, she’s ugly.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-gaga-god/532896.md?page=4)