Pretty much no one expected a drag king to take over the tired and predictable MTV Video Music Awards. Gaga has appeared as male persona Jo Calderone in photos and in the new video for her song You And I. But that seemed to me like just another Gaga persona until tonight, when Gaga as flat-chested (and packing?) Jo quite visibly scared, shocked, and turned the gender rules for MTV’s pop music awards spectacle inside out. Bravo. As Jo, character was never broken and the stunned looks on celebs faces show that queer visibility – especially queer gender visibility – is where Gaga is a shock troop. Say what you will about her new album, her originality, and issues around commercializing LGBT causes (and I may or may not agree with you).
But here’s the thing: there was never a minute when Jo ripped off the wig and peeled off the t-shirt to reveal a lacy pink bra, thereby reassuring the heteronormative standard-bearers of commercial music that everything was okay because look she’s still a girl.
The reactions were revealing. Justin Bieber looked hostile. Jo went for a kiss with Britney onstage after presenting her with an award, and Britney was so positively freaked out that she started to, then turned away muttering, “I’ve already done that.” Even if you’re not into drag kings (I am!), you should check it out. I especially like where Jo talks about making Lady Gaga come.
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HOT DAMN, Gaga dropping a load of performance art on a crowd of unsuspecting MTV babies and celebrities — absolutely glorious. I knew there was a reason I liked that woman.
Jo reminds me of Chris Gaines, except 10x better and more profound. Both allow their “owners” to express a different part of themselves, and their music. I think Jo over did it a bit with the smokes and the beer, but that’s a choice between playing to the audience or the cameras. I can’t count the number of times I have climbed off a piano and slipped on some beer. Jo is a good way for Gaga to tell us more about Gaga without sounding like a self-centered douchebag (Jo may be but Gaga is the polar opposite).
IMHO Speculating on what people are thinking based solely on facial expression is unfair. If they ever told us what they were really thinking… Oh what am I saying? Their publicist would shoot them with a ‘trank gun if they ever tried to do that! ;)
the edit that mtv shows, when she’s walking down towards the stage, miss britney spears’ face is PRICELESS. she looks jealous, pissed, scared. but mostly jealous, as in, why does she get to play like that but i cant? it sums lady gaga up almost – this bitch works night and day to do what she does, she doesnt seem to ever take it for granted. her music might not be great, but she’s living bowie and elton’s fame track – her songs just REALLY need to catch up or she’ll be stuck with Pink and Kelis.
The only one who doesn’t look shocked, there, is Russel Brand. He looks deeply contemplative, like he is Seriously considering what he’s seeing.
Hey Ms. Blue,
I was j/w if you could do a post sometime on a “practical guide for consent”. What I mean by practical is like actually workable in the day to day or night to night world people live in. [IE; I’m drunk, partner is drunk, are we raping each other if we have sex since neither of us can consent?]
Also, a better phrasing than “Do you consent to have sex with me” would be appreciated. This is certainly one of the unsexiest lines I can imagine a person saying to another, and really breaks the flow of interaction by forcing a highly intellectual question on someone. The timing of that is also an issue. When would you ask? When you go over to someone’s apartment before being intoxicated?
Thanks,
Greg
Have to agree, epic performance. When she fell at the end (didn’t look planned, that movement), she got up and kept on going, one mark of a serious and passionate performer. One of the most upvoted Youtube comments said that Biebs was hypnotised, but that Wasn’t a happy face he had on. Methinks he’s not as into gender-bending performances as art like Katie Holmes was, she was certainly enjoying it for what it was. Jewel look surprised, I was impressed.
“I’m theatre” – 21st century version of Ziggy Stardust – or Aladdin Sane – and that’s a compliment – love!