;]
Posted on 12/03/2011 5:09:35 AM PST by Kaslin
A few months ago in this space, I wrote a column about the cultural phenom Lady Gaga that ended with my politely telling her to save her money. That's because the treacherous world of popular culture is not usually a long-term proposition. Entertainment idols often pass through the fame obstacle course very quickly.
In show biz, "jumping the shark" is a term used to describe a project in decline. It is derived from the hit sitcom "Happy Days," which, sorely lacking for material after years on the air, featured a show whereby The Fonz went waterskiing in a leather jacket and encountered a shark. You guessed it: The Fonz jumped over the shark on his skis. After that, the days were not so happy on that program.
Now we have Lady Gaga, the ultimate edgy, anti-establishment pop star, swimming in dubious waters. Recently, she fronted a Thanksgiving special. The New York Times described it this way: "Lady Gaga performs before family and friends and offers a glimpse of her personal life in an interview with Katie Couric... She also whips up a feast of deep-fried turkey and waffles with the chef Art Smith."
Somewhere Janis Joplin is weeping. By the way, Gaga's special was trounced in the ratings by the 237th airing of "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving."
And that's not all. The Associated Press reports that "Gaga's Workshop" is now open at the Barneys clothing store in Manhattan. Apparently, Gaga designed a special holiday shop featuring "a gigantic cartoon statue of the superstar herself in a pinup pose surrounded by jagged mirrors and sitting atop thousands of back plastic discs."
Forget the Rockefeller Center tree, the Gaga shop represents the true holiday spirit, does it not?
Some of you may think I am making this up, but it's all true. What I can't figure out is why Gaga's (Stefani Germanotta) management team seems to know nothing about history. Elvis Presley, the biggest pop icon ever, sabotaged his own career by starring in a series of movies like "Kissin' Cousins" and "Clambake." I mean, there was the once culturally dangerous Elvis doing a dance called the "Clam" on a beach wearing black shoes and white pants. It took the King years to get back on track after those dopey flicks.
Last year, Gaga made $90 million from her songs and shows. Does she really need the Thanksgiving special? Or the Barneys exposure? Really?
The answer, of course, is no. Gaga has now gone middle-class mainstream and, at this rate, will be co-hosting with Kelly Ripa any day now. The lady may be trying not to be a tramp, but she certainly has met the shark -- and jumped it.
Weird Al is insanely talented and only he, I swear, could have created the songs that he has over his brillaint career.
The Mighty Meat is the Man!
I have *all* of his albums...some of which most folks probably never even knew he’d done.
:)
OMG...you can’t imagine.
The Theatre Of Death tour had him being killed every 20 minutes....LOL
It was so good I went to see it *twice*.
Hubby’s like “didn’t we see this before?”
Yeah...but now I’m in the third row...;D
When we went to the No Mr Nice Guy show, I was front and center.
[that’s when he hit me with a stick]
He only got killed once for that show and the henchman kept dangling the guillotine rope to me, *just* out of reach, asking if I wanted to do it.
I said “Hell yeah!”
[Alice looked *very* nervous at that prospect]
Alas, I didn’t get to behead him but he did smack me in the stomach with a cane he flung at me during the School’s Out finale.
Man, that was great night.
:)
;]
Middle aged girls do.
:)
Most of these idols (95%?) end up pop culture fads - - New Kids, Spice Girls, Britney, Hanson, Bay City Rollers, Justin Beiber, Flock of Seagulls... The list goes on forever. Only a handful survive for long-term success, and those are the people with genuine talent. The Beatles and Madonna spring to mind, but there are plenty more.
Finding the right, honest manager at the beginning is probably the most critical decision a new star will make, but ultimately, the star(s) needs to be damn talented and damn smart. Again, refer to the Beatles and Madonna.
The Halloween and Christmas specials are the two classics.
Never got into the others.
I've been an Alice Cooper fan since the song "Eighteen" came out. First saw him at the Spectrum in 1971 when Humble Pie and Alice Cooper opened for Black Sabbath. It was one of those classic Spectrum "dance concerts" with no assigned seating. Flat fee ($12 ?) and you were in. Those were the days.
Now how did she slip under my violin radar?
Whoa! Cute and excellent on the strings. Thanks!
If you can't appreciate the pure beauty of the violin after hearing this, something's wrong with your ears.
Or you can get raw with these strings. Either way, the violin is sweet yet lethal.
Do it!
That particular window is actually very cool and, apart from the raciness of it, shows a real imagination and talent. The other two windows are trite.
"the public" (for whom the writer apparently hopes to speak) is an imbecil. she's laughing all the way to the bank. I'd like to take her to dinner.
Her popularity is driven entirely by the willingness of Jimmy Iovine to spend money to make her popular. If Jimmy Iovine will get a better return on investment somewhere else, he’ll stop putting her on tv and on the radio, and she’ll stop being popular. She has to be propped up by tons and tons of Major Label dollars. That’s pretty much true with all the Major Label acts these days, but she’s more of a hollow shell than most. Taylor Swift is likely to have a long career, Gaga not so much.
Nigel Tufnel on why Spinal Tap has so few female fans: “Really they’re quite fearful—that’s my theory. They see us on stage with tight trousers. We’ve got, you know, armadillos in our trousers. I mean it’s really quite frightening.
Not criticizing Jimmy Iovine here. He has had success also with Black Eyed Peas. Shoving crap down our throats is a specialty, and it works for him / Interscope. It really annoys me, but you either are gonna give money or not.
He’s not in charge of “music”, so what does he care if most people aren’t listening to the crap on the radio anymore. Pound people over the head over and over again until everyone is sick of it, then repeat with someone else. As long as there’s one person listening to commercial radio, the pounding will continue.
Tons of great music these days. St Vincent is my current fav. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itt0rALeHE8&ob=av2e
Is Miley Cyrus over yet?
Taylor Swift is likely to have a long career with relatively few changes to her act or public persona. Gaga, like Madonna, will last as long as she can change her image into something that meets the public mood of the moment. Stefani Germanotta has the stuff for a long musical career, though not necessarily one on the pop charts.
When I was younger, like most folks in their teens and early 20s, I got mad at musicians I like who "sold out." As I've gotten older, I've rejected the notion of selling out entirely. Make one Vanilla Ice album, and if you manage your money well, you can spend the rest of your life recording Bulgarian folk songs on the tuba, if that's what you're into.
LOL@ wingback chair reference.....:D
I remember arena rock.
BOC and Foghat at the Cap Center.
Damn I’m old....;)
Loved Blue Oyster Cult. Saw them at Bucknell circa 1975. Rush and Kiss were the opening bands. My head pounded for four days after that night.
If you can't appreciate the pure beauty of the violin after hearing this, something's wrong with your ears.
Or you can get raw with these strings. Either way, the violin is sweet yet lethal.
Do it!
Many moons ago.
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