WATCH: Lady Gaga Premieres Epic "Telephone" Video
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Lady Gaga
Not only is Lady Gaga a pop star, but the 23-year-old woman born Stefani Germanotta has an affinity for a whole lot of pop culture -- and she crams as much of it as possible into her new video for "Telephone," her nine-minute collabo with Beyonce off The Fame Monster.
The clip -- which dropped late Thursday night -- is a Whitman's sampler of pop nuggets, including nods to movies like Kill Bill, Thelma & Louise, and Sin City, plus the boom-pow effect of brightly-colored Japanese television. Then comes a barrage of product placement: cans of Diet Coke as curlers in Gaga's hair, a Virgin Mobile cellphone in her pants, Chanel sunglasses, Monster Heartbeats headphones, and much more.
The sponsorship was probably necessary -- this video must have cost a fortune. Like a movie with beginning and end credits, the clip opens with Gaga being escorted to a prison cell, where she is stripped of her clothes. “I told you she didn’t have a dick,” one of the scantily-clad guards quips, a reference to rumors about Gaga's sexuality. Soon after a makeout session with an androgynous inmate in the prison yard, the music finally kicks in and Gaga leads a choreographed dance through the prison halls.
Soon Gaga is bailed out by Beyonce -- driving the Pussy Wagon from Kill Bill -- and the two high-tail to a nearby diner, where they poison Beyonce's pal, played by Tyrese Gibson. The scene unfolds into another dance routine, complete with cooks prancing about the diner, then the duo speed away into the sunset. “We did it, Honey Bee, now let’s go far, far away from here,” Gaga says to Beyonce.
The "Telephone" clip is a big-budget, pop masterwork from an artist clearly familiar with the discipline -- remember the "Bad Romance" video? And every aspect of the "Telephone" clip was meticulously planned by the pop icon herself.
"What I like about it is, it's a real true pop event," Gaga recently told Ryan Seacrest of the "Telephone" video [via E!]. "When I was younger I was always excited when there was a big giant event happening in pop music and that's what I wanted this to be." Mission accomplished.
Lady Gaga's "Telephone" Video:
21 Comments
Click here to comment- Posted By Mostly Anonymous
03.23.10 3:01 AM
Dear Internet,
Why are you full of people who rant about something being uncreative? It's amazing that you suck up so much of peoples time with their complaining about what they don't want to see when they could click another link to find something better or, amazingly enough, produce something themselves.
Way to go new age Madonna, good film selections to parody too. Ok, back to studying.
- Posted By ThEReAlCo
03.22.10 2:47 PM
Though I am not at all a fan of most 'pop' music, I think that Lady GaGa does it right. It truly is POP. She is screaming pop at every shot, she is a symbol like Madonna, except she epitomizes the word 'popular'.
From the numerous movie references, to the OVER use of 'advertising', whether implicit or explicit, the haute-couture clothing styles, this movie-like music video is screaming for attention, as does the popular culture motifs.
It is truly excellent.
Kudos to GaGa
- Posted By EJD
03.18.10 10:11 AM
It's a music video. As long as Gaga is having fun and her fans like it, who really cares if you do or don't. It's cool to discuss it, but you really must not have a life if you're spending your time online trying to sound intellegent and calling someone a thirteen-year-old. (Who actually might be thirteen.) So just chill and let people scream they love it all they want. And fans- shut up. If someone doesn't like it, then it's their right to say that they don't. This isn't a discussion board, its a comment board for a music video. Take it to Yahoo! if you really need to fight with someone on the internet.
-Ejd
- Posted By Anonymous
03.16.10 1:06 PM
i understand that it's a "pop" music video, but there's no need to get any message across with crazy nudity and sexual innuendo. i'm not a prude or anything, but to me dancing around barely there couture isn't entertaining.
i'm kinda indifferent about lady gaga and this video as a whole. i think there is much more she could've done and has yet to do, so we'll see.
in my opinion, there's a fine line between art and garbage, and she's straddling it here. oh well.
p.s. the reference to kill bill was cool, but gaga and beyonce's acting made my soul cry.
- Posted By Anonymous
03.15.10 10:06 PM
To the person below: your comment would probably have a lot more impact if you actually spelled words correctly (and spelled out the entire word). As is, you sound like a semi-literate 13 year old. And people who don't like this video are still allowed to discuss it. It's called critical thinking, and it tends to be a lot more interesting than people just saying "love it" repeatedly. The point is exactly that Lady Gaga doesn't "push the limits" or "make society see things differently." She does exactly what every marginally talented pop tart has done for decades (i.e., sells sex instead of music and tries to pass it off as an artistic statement--see Madonna in the 80s, Britney in the 00s). This video isn't degrading to women, it's degrading to people in general. It assumes a music-buying public is dumb enough to overlook mediocrity as long as it comes clothed in shiny outfits and odd haircuts.
- Posted By Anonymous
03.15.10 3:28 PM
for those ppl who are goin to bad talk the video than why would you continue to watch the entire thing, like i disliek ppl always saying oh this is degrating blah blah blah like im sure you have cable t.v, like why bother having t.v anyways? read a book and let gaga push the limits, someone has too push peoples values, it just makes society see things differently and gaga does a good job at this. besides im sure ppl like you fuel gaga's character. Go gaga!!
- Posted By Anonymous
03.15.10 11:35 AM
Actually, My relationship with my mom has never been better. I'm also in a great relationship with a lady I'm in love with. I was just making a comment on how degrading this video is to ladies with true class. This isn't "liberating" for women, it is degrading. I don't have a problem with women in general, just dick hungry hoes who make money off further commercializing the degradation of women for their own personal gain and fame. This video isn't any better than any other hip-hop or pop star-cum-stripper video. Remember when "Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera was considered distasteful a couple of years ago. Seems like the media hasn't move too far forward since then.
- Posted By Anonymous
03.13.10 6:57 PM
Wow...there's 9 1/2 minutes of my life I'll never get back!! What an overproduced piece of trash...kinda like Gaga herself. Who cares if she doesn't have a schlong she's just a dirty skank anyways. Girls gone sleazy...whatever happened to girls with class anyways? can practically smell the dirty vag wafting through my screen lol
- Posted By Booger Man
03.12.10 5:21 PM
That is very creative ... above all others.
04.15.10 8:47 PM
So I loved the Video but, I love everything that Lady Gaga does! Including her dancing half clothed, No panties, & also her head pieces.
I really don't understand how people can say anything Insulting about her! She is a person who knows who she is rather, pretending to be and singing about things that have no part of her in them! She puts effort into her work, everything has a purpose! That in itself is something everyone should respect! She don't do things for attention! people tend to act like sex isn't something everyone thinks about, truth is everyone thinks about sex,I dont care who you are! Sorry, to be the one to let the cat out of the bag! Lady Gaga's songs are not only about sex they go alot deeper! Poker Face, Thats about thinking of a girl while with a boy, well sh*t; I'm sure alot of people feel that way and can relate to that! Point Being Lady Gaga does things, says things, and is things that everyone wants to be, you just care to much of what closed minded people think!
P.S. "Sex Sells" <------This Statement is true! But even if Lady Gaga Wasn't Half Dressed or Using Profanity In her Videos I would still listen to her music she is a amazing singer! Thanks!