Is Gaga REALLY the problem???

1) If Lady Gaga is such a terrible and destructive force against modern sexual and pop music culture; it's safe to ask: is she the only artist out there worthy of bashing? Aren't there other singers and performers pushing the envelope of what is "right" and "wrong"?

2) Is Gaga the only artist guilty of molding themselves after another icon they admire? Is it so wrong that she builds her image in the shadow of Madonna's?

3) Did Gaga kill our societies perfect image of what is sexy? Or did it die along with our desire to really connect with each other face to face, as the "digital age" continues in its rising popularity?

I have to say...this article offended me a little! Not to the point that I didn't agree with some of her arguments. But, not only is this incredibly and very obvious liberal female author Paglia straight bashing Lady Gaga for everything that she is; she is forcefully blaming her for the death of beauty and sexual lust in music and the female image linked to it. She says "Gaga isn't sexy at all-she's like a gangly marionette or plasticised android". Harsh. I agree. Lady Gaga doesn't look like a million bucks all the time. She outright frightens me on some occasions!! Paglia also argues that she is indeed NOT the "new Madonna" and I couldn't agree with her less. Lady Gaga emulates Madonna in almost every way except for the one fact that she has a hundred times more talent than Madonna ever had! This is of course, just my opinion. But I think for the author to disregard the fact that Lady Gaga may just be paying homage to her idol is a little uncalled for. I did a little research on Camille Paglia and found out that she is an avid Madonna lover. She is an author that publishes many articles and books about the celebrity culture. With this in mind, it occurred to me that this article was a very well written hate letter. It brought up a lot of questions for me though about our music culture today, and I'd like to address them on some level if I could.

I was a singer and song writer for about ten years in my 20's. I performed at places from dive bars to huge venues all over the LA county area. It didn't last long and I struggled most of the time because of my drug and alcohol addictions. I soon realized that my chance to "make it" had come and gone and I decided to get sober. Now I'm back in school and loving life! But I miss singing. I miss it every day. I miss the warm lights of the stage on my face and the feeling of all the peoples eyes on me. I know and completely understand why Lady Gaga does what she does. Myself included grew up idolizing Madonna. My very first concert was with my mom. We went to see Madonna with the Beastie Boys as the opening act for her "Like a Virgin" tour. I'll never forget seeing her on stage and knowing that she was doing what I wanted to do for the rest of my life! I was acting at the age of 7 and started piano lessons soon after. I've played music my whole life and can't ever see giving it up. My point is, I can see why Gaga emulates Madonna. And in response to my second question; is it really that wrong that Lady Gaga is molding her image after Madonna's?  Is she really that ugly in the authors eyes that it's killing the image of the "typical Hollywood beauty"? What is beautiful to some may be hideous to others and vise versa. Calling Gaga a freak in so many words was very cruel.

This kind of thing has been happening for years and years. Artists copy other artists. Plain and simple. I don't know of one musician that doesn't have an "all time" favorite artist that they look to for inspiration. Mine are artists such as Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, and any other powerful female vocalist. So I would be a total hypocrite to say that I don't admire Gaga's music and performances. She is indeed a highly unique artist with a powerful voice and image. But Paglia ,as a creative soul herself, should be a little more accepting of what Gaga is trying to say to her audience. A good analogy would be about one of my all time favorite painters. Was Francis Bacon's art widely received when he first displayed it? God no!! They were paintings of grotesque meat refrigerators and such hanging around the Pope himself! People called him blasphemous and disgusting. People say the same about Gaga. But for Paglia to state that "Gaga does not belong in Bowie's company" is extreme. Her and Bowie and all the other outlandish performers she mentions are in good company as far as I'm concerned. I may not agree with everything Gaga does. I don't entirely listen to all her music even. But I think that every musician should have the creative freedom to do whatever they please. Lady Gaga is a huge sensation that may not have the same old "Hollywood glamour" that Madonna exuded in the 80's and 90's. She is not "pretty" to me, and my man and other men I've talked to have called her straight "ugly". But it's the year 2013. It'd be a very boring world if someone didn't try something new. And at least Gaga writes her own songs and plays the piano like a  crazed she-demon!! I'd like for Paglia to get up there and try it sometime!

I did agree with Paglia when she said that "the fine arts have been replaced by video games, from which the cartoonish Lady Gaga seems to have popped". The fine arts world is truly being replaced by our technical revolution. Why go see Monets new exhibit in LA when you can go to the museums sight and see it in HD on your new 70 inch screen? It's sad but this is where our society is heading. I enjoy watching all the new singers coming out and basically having orgies on stage, as it seems sometimes. It's funny to me actually and makes me feel kind of old saying how silly they all look! I think sex died a long time ago when associated with the music industry. They have over-sexualized everything to the point that I'm numb to all of it. I miss the greats like Led Zeppelin. I yearn to hear a song that is original in melody and text. I know that it's wishful thinking, but for me to bash every new Rock band that comes out because they don't wail like Plant is mean and unrealistic. Paglia makes some valid points about Gaga's appearances, but to me it comes off as plain slander. She sounds hateful and very one-sided. She sounds like a jealous teenager. I'd hate to see what she has to say about the next girl that comes on the scene emulating Lady Gaga. God forbid we see something new and innovative.