Lady Gaga's 'Telephone": Should you pick up?

06.10.2010

I know in the past I have ripped Lady Gaga for her videos and lyrics. You can reference my previous blog on her video "Paparazzi" here. However, like the rest of the world, I too have joined the Lady Gaga fan wagon. I even heard on the radio that teens in Asia are using the phrase "oh my Lady Gaga," as a replacement for "oh my God." While this is obviously a stretch, it does speak volumes on the level of her worldwide popularity and exposure.

Despite the questionable content of her latest video, "Telephone" featuring Beyonce, there are some positive aspects in the song's lyrics. They send a message about having boundaries with your partner when it comes to technology. Even though we have phones that make us accessible at all times, it is still a person's right to have some time away from one's partner.

Whether you're at a school dance, studying for a test or hanging out with friends, you have a right to have a break from calling or texting from your partner. In a healthy relationship where there is trust, communication and mutual respect, "blowing up the phone" or calling all the time isn't acceptable. One line says, "You should've made some plans with me, you knew that I was free, and now you won't stop calling me, I'm kinda busy." Your point is taken Lady Gaga.

Teens, what do you think about teens in relationships needing access to each other. Do you feel like your partner should be accessible to all your calls and vice versa?

--Laura B.

Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" music video

12.30.2009

On a recent YouTube adventure, one music video lead me to another. Eventually all roads lead to Lady Gaga... as most radio stations do too. While I wasn't a fan of the song "Paparazzi" from the radio, the video really pushed me over the edge.

The video begins with Lady Gaga being thrown from a balcony by her boyfriend after she busted a bottle over his head. Moments before, he has her pinned on the ledge of the balcony, kissing her and saying, "do you trust me?" She responds, "of course." He progressively gets more forceful and it's clearly making her uncomfortable. She says "stop" several times but he persists, so eventually she smashes a bottle on his head. The rest is history...

Headlines then read "Lady Gaga hits rock bottom" and "Lady no more Gaga." It's clear that this marks the "end" of her fame.

Throughout the video there are images of dead women flashing in between dance breaks. Lying in a bathtub, on the stairs, in the grass, in the lobby, surrounded by a puddle of blood, stabbed, smothered, hanging from a rope. I lost count of how many nameless female victims lay strewn throughout Lady Gaga's video.

In the end, she successfully hunts down the boyfriend who hurt her and poisons him to death. She tells on herself for the crime and is a glorified celebrity all over again. Headlines this time read "She's Back" and "We love her again!"

I can't understand why so many female singers are choosing to have images of violence against women in their videos. The video reinforces the power of misogyny in our culture and encourages the idea that we can only end violence with more violence.

What do you all think?