to be in disbelief that this is being shown?

[RydellHigh]

Lady Gaga's new vid...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ95z6ywcBY&feature=PlayList&p=C4B9C7326E087E89&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL& index=1

I personally love Lady Gaga, but felt very uncomfortable when this came on the tv today, my little sister was visiting and I had to switch it over. I watched the video online and loved it, but I can't believe they are showing it during the day. The only thing missing from the edited version is the swearing and the close up of her lady bits!

World gone mad

I love it though.

I didn't see any kids at all at the San Diego gig. Maybe she is promoted differently in the UK. The gig I saw had very adult themes in the video links between songs and wasn't at all appropriate for children.

There were anti-gay protestors yelling away outside. I think her politics are perhaps more relevant in the US where homophobic persecution seems to be rising rapidly. Hence the inclusion of same sex kissing in her video.

Do note though that the woman in the video was quite butch. It struck me that if it was a true male fantasy, the woman would hae been a more flaxen haired 'busty lovely.'

There isn't anything wrong with female nudity. She isn't naked. She is wearing outfits associated with porn culture. If she appeared naked in a totally natural way in a music video, or if any woman did, and was just herself, no smoke and mirrors, people would be truly and utterly shocked. The same is true for any female performer - people don't want to see simple nudity - they want to see a studded thong.

Almost the entire video is a sterotypical male fantasy. It doesn't contain a lot of fit male dancers writhing around in their underwear, does it? It isn't set in a male prison. If you find stereotypical male fantasies appealing, Carmen, nobody is saying that is unacceptable. In fact a lot of consumer society says you are having the ideal response, and they are going to cater for your desires. It is people who don't find it appealing and say so who are doing something transgressive in the current climate.

If this video existed in isolation, that would be a different issue, but it is part of a whole culture of similar things. I am fed up with having this one trick pony of porn culture constantly being pushed into the mainstream environment.

And I don't know any adult Gaga fans, but my 8 year old daughter and all her friends lover her music. It is typical of that pop genre aimed at children.

i don't think that is the kind of thing a heterosexual man would watch to get off at all...far too camp, more like madonnas thing (also beloved of gay men)

i find it too kitsch-arty for that. oddly, i find the theme of the video more offesnive than the amount of flesh on display...(ie that they poison everyone in the diner)

this is much less objectifying than e.g the 'Thong' video...

There are two ways to read this video: 1. utopically: Pointing towards a world where women are empowered, as a celebration of libidinal desire, women's bodies, sexuality, power, and talent. In this reading the video offers the delights of transgression, etc. 2. not so utopically: In this reading the video is a straightforward exploitation of women's bodies for a predominantly male gaze. It's selling a mass-market piece of musical product by way of a women getting their kit off (for a predominantly male gaze) - again - and picking up porn-style fantasy/imagery on the way.

Reading no. 2 reminds us that we live in a world where the majority of real power is held by men. (And there are stats for that; earning power, corporate decision making power).

Reading no. 2 sees this as propaganda about which women, doing what, will get the biggest slice of representation/be amply rewarded by capitalism/patriarchy. And propaganda aimed at who? BoF is right - in GB it's a youth market - but we see it too.

Reading 2 pulls on reading 1 for its power. But, let's face it, reading 1 pulls on the real world, and structural inequality.

And it's 2010 - and it is waaay past time for any nonsense about fake utopias peddled to us by men in suits, standing behind a willing woman.

Ha! Reading 2 pulls on the real world!!!

Reading 1 is the one offering what pleasures there are. But I'd say they are re-couped, 10 times over, by the message of no. 2.

KerryMumbles - Forgive me if I'm wrong but are you not the same poster that started the thread about the pepsi max advert? How can you be outraged about that and yet think this is acceptable?

I'm with Dittany on this.

I hate the way that the majority of pop videos are nothing but soft porn. I have young teenage nieces and it would appear from their facebook photos that their main aim in life is to appear attractive to boys. The pop music industry has a lot to answer for.

The lesbian scenes in this video are nothing to do with Lady Ga Ga being out and proud they are just there to provide extra titilation for the lads.

this type of control is fake. It is similar to the fantasy of the seven stone weakling being able to get revenge on the bully for kicking sand in his face. It is not empowerment, it is sham.

if the video was in a male prison, you wouldn't see the men parading around in their underpants, precisely because this would not be empowering. In this video the fact that women in the prison are in sexy underwear is sold as being empowering, it is a travesty of empowerment

This seems to me to be a straightforward issue. It either is appropriate for children to view this or it is not. If people think it is not appropriate, then it should not be aired at times or in places when children are likely to see it. It should also not be possible to view it on the internet unless you are an adult.

It should also be asked if it is ethical for someone who has children as such a large part of their fan base should make these videos. She appeared at the Brits - how can she not be viewed as anything other than a performer targeting children?

I suspect that the reason for these videos is because she is viewed as largely a children's performer, so she is trying to separate herself from other pop performers by appearing a bit risque, like Kylie did.

There are no boundaries being crossed - there are loads of images around like her video.

I don't know why you are offended Kerry - it may be a fantasy for some women, and there is nothing wrong with that. But obviously it won't appeal to most women because most women are sexually interested in men, not lady Gaga being sent to prison/sold as a sex slave or whatever.

i liked it, apart from the intro being abit too long and dull

Because so many fake lesbian scenes are staged for the enjoyment of men.

You only have to look at facebook to see all the photos of teenage girls snogging each other and posing together in suggestive poses. It is nothing to do with empowerment. Teenage girls have been brought up in an era where they are under increasing pressure to be "hot" and turn on men and it would appear that anything goes.

Didn't she have another one where she was thrown over a balcony and danced around with crutches and a wheelchair in her knickers, and then at the end was magically repaired and adored again? She seems to try too hard to make some kind of social statement in her videos but they always seem to fall flat - mainly because they primary aim seems to be to shock more than to liberate. It's a bit try-hard and has the opposite effect really.

She is very over-rated, over-hyped and over-polished IMO.

these outre techniques are dreamed up by the marketing men. They are used to generate publicity and sell their product. They are using lesbianism cynically in order to rake in cash. It is similar to the staged lesbian kiss between Madonna and Britney. These acts are coordinated, just as Sandra Bernhard has now admitted that her lesbian affair with Madonna was a sham. This had the marketing men chuckling as they reeled in the public.
www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/bernhard-lesbian-fling-with-madonna-was-a-wind-up_1044836

This porn, violence and cynicism is being marketed to children. Just because some adults find that it rocks their boat doesn't make it right.

Wow this thread has really taken off since I started it last night!

Just to be clear on my position, I love lady gaga and really enjoyed the video - I love how it has been heavily influenced by Tarantino, as I am a big fan of his, I actually wrote my dissertation at uni on his films and style.

The only point I was making is that I was shocked it was being shown during the day, as I feel it is unsuitable for children. This is not to say I don't think it should have been made - I have watched it several times and really like it, i think it is very tongue in cheek.

I also dislike this theory that this can't be a woman's fantasy. Lady Gaga is openly bisexual, and so I imagine it is very possible it's something she fantasises about. Also, I like Beyonce a lot more because of it...I always found her a bit dull before.

My point is just that it may be a bit much for children to see. Some very interesting opinions on here though, all very intelligent views too.

These threads always make me think of the angry mob/burlesque house episode of the Simpsons...

I think the Lady Gaga being bisexual thing is just titillation. It is like Britney and Madonna kissing in the video. All done for male gratification. I don't feel particularly strongly about this video though, quite like it stylistically - prefer it immensely to anything as revoltingly degrading as 50 Cents 'Candy Shop' or P Diddy's adverts for his perfume. And I love Beyonce, though she seemed uncomfortable in this video.