Saturday fight live -- Madonna pulls Lady Gaga's hair; image courtesy of assets.nydailynews.com
So, I just wanna make sure we all saw Madonna and Lada Gaga catfight in a skit on SNL last weekend. If not . . .
This skit is interesting, though not without its problems in terms of how conceptualizes female competition. For one, while normative notions of masculinity, racial supremacy, and heterosexually accessible lesbianism are ultimately endorsed at the end of the skit, it is interesting that, for one of the few times in either pop star’s career, a queerable black man enacts agency and authority rather than being controlled by these women. For another, it addresses and challenges inter-generational power struggles between women. It also suggests that perhaps Gaga — who shares or steals Madonna’s prediliction for Marie Antoinette-informed spectacle — is a much better fit for succession of the Material Girl’s mantle than Britney.
1. The skit takes place on a fictitious house music TV program called Deep House Dish, acknowledging both pop stars’ dance club origins.
2. That program is on MTV4, a clear slight at the music network that has made both video-centric performers’ careers, while at the same time dispensing of the network’s original 24-hour music video programming schedule to make more room for reality television.
3. With their bleach-blonde hair, olive complexions, and leather get-ups, these are Italian American pop stars that believe in queerable toughness over normative pretty femininity in the cultivation of sexy.
4. As feisty as she is with her idol, I wonder if Lady Gaga will be fighting some emerging pop icon the same way Madonna is now. Where Britney kissed Madonna’s ass, Gaga is ready to kick it. Kill yr idols, indeed.
This skit was interesting, but also very, very awkward, no? I do have to say, however, that I’ve been on the fence about Ga Ga for awhile, but her (non-skit) performances on SNL won me over. She’s definitely not just the next Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson.
It was very awkward, but I kind of enjoyed its awkwardness (I also thought the Lady Gaga-Andy Samberg bubble-costume skit was interesting in its awkwardness). For all of Gaga’s and Madonna’s polish, it’s interesting to see them work through this form of liveness, kicking, kissing, and stammering through it all.
If folks wanna engage with Gaga’s musical performances, you can view them here. And then we can discuss!
Yes, I agree – it was pleasurable in its awkwardness and fun to see Madonna and Gaga together. Yes, let’s discuss! As you know, I’m not much into pop music and it takes a lot for me to get interested in someone of the pop persuasion. In recent times I’ve been intrigued by Missy Elliot and, for much different reasons, Kanye West and that’s it – although I also like several of Beyonce’s songs. But, now there’s Gaga. Have you seen the video of her (Stefani Germanotta’s) pre-Gaga performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lbRAyo96z0
I mean WTF?! How did she go from being this relatively nondescript Alanis Morissette type to LADY GAGA? Did she just wake up one day and say, “You know what? I think I’m going to bleach my hair and start wearing crazy-ass outfits while I smear blood on myself on stage.” Is this all of her own creation? Is this a joke? Who the hell is this woman? See, I’m fascinated.
Oh, man. Thanks for the Led Zep cover clip, Curran!
I also really enjoyed her cabaret-ish piano medley on SNL, especially when she sang about hot dogs. While wearing giant Saturn rings. Kind of unbelieveable.