If you didn't think Lady Gaga was annoying enough...

[Spot's Meow]

New update. Apparently, Gaga had nothing to do with shooting the song down. Her manager made the decision himself and then passed it on as her word. Gaga has now OKed the song.

Super! I will restore the previous respect I had for her. But I still won't listen to her music.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Excellent

 

[Goliath]

I guess I'm just not cynical enough to automatically peg her as backtracking on something that, from seeing her personality and sense of humor, she would actually love to see happen (I'm not saying you are either, Goliath).

Oh, I can be much more cynical than that.

For example: we're all assuming that Weird Al was telling the truth on his blog. But isn't it possible that he and Gaga staged this whole incident?

After all: this way, Weird Al gets to generate buzz for his new album; and Gaga gets some ultimately positive publicity, when everyone sees that she has a sense of humour after all.

It's win-win. The only person who looks bad is her manager. Who is never even named.

In The Prince, Machiavelli says that a ruler should reserve all popular acts to himself, while delegating all unpopular acts to a hatchet man. That way, people will hate the hatchet man, and blame the hatchet man for their misfortunes, instead of the Prince.

"If only the Prince knew what that bastard is doing!" they will say. "The Prince would help us, if it wasn't for his evil counselors!" When in fact, everything is done according to the Prince's will.

Or in this case--the Princess.

 

[Sci]

I guess I'm just not cynical enough to automatically peg her as backtracking on something that, from seeing her personality and sense of humor, she would actually love to see happen (I'm not saying you are either, Goliath).

Oh, I can be much more cynical than that.

For example: we're all assuming that Weird Al was telling the truth on his blog. But isn't it possible that he and Gaga staged this whole incident?

After all: this way, Weird Al gets to generate buzz for his new album; and Gaga gets some ultimately positive publicity, when everyone sees that she has a sense of humour after all.

It's win-win. The only person who looks bad is her manager. Who is never even named.

Uh-huh. Sure.

'Cos, y'know, it's not like either of these people have actual work to do or anything. They just have infinite amounts of time and prescience to play silly mind games with the public and predict how people will react.

 

[Thestral]

Publicity is work, especially for two people whose work depends on their personality like Lady Gaga and Weird Al.

Goliath's being cynical, but there's a certain twisted appeal to the idea that Gaga and Al are trolling us all.

 

[Amaris]

It serves only to make her more sexy.

 

[Canadave]

I guess I'm just not cynical enough to automatically peg her as backtracking on something that, from seeing her personality and sense of humor, she would actually love to see happen (I'm not saying you are either, Goliath).

Oh, I can be much more cynical than that.

For example: we're all assuming that Weird Al was telling the truth on his blog. But isn't it possible that he and Gaga staged this whole incident?

After all: this way, Weird Al gets to generate buzz for his new album; and Gaga gets some ultimately positive publicity, when everyone sees that she has a sense of humour after all.

It's win-win. The only person who looks bad is her manager. Who is never even named.

Uh-huh. Sure.

'Cos, y'know, it's not like either of these people have actual work to do or anything. They just have infinite amounts of time and prescience to play silly mind games with the public and predict how people will react.

"Humour. It is a difficult concept. It is not logical."

 

[Pingfah]

If you didn't think Lady Gaga was annoying enough, you might want to read this blog post by Weird Al Yankovic about how she made him go through all sorts of hassles--including cutting short a family vacation--to get permission to parody one of her songs... and then she refused the permission.

Edit: As others have posted below, it turns out that it was her manager's fault and she is not guilty of causing the hassles or refusing the permission. This was not a reason to be annoyed with her after all. It was a reason to be really annoyed with her manager.

Actually, I think that the only person who made Yankowitz do any of this is himself.

His right to record and release a cover version is protected by a mechanical license, where the artist merely has to ensure royalties are paid, rather than to explicitly obtain permission. Even now there is nothing stopping him releasing the track commercially other than his own standards regarding obtaining permission.

 

[Goliath]

Uh-huh. Sure.

'Cos, y'know, it's not like either of these people have actual work to do or anything. They just have infinite amounts of time and prescience to play silly mind games with the public and predict how people will react.

"Humour. It is a difficult concept. It is not logical."

And here I was worried that the punch-line at the end, complete with smiley devil-face, was making it too broad. Like a rimshot, or a pie in the face, or something. Damn.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Wow. That sucks.

But at least he released the song. Not his best work, but not bad. Some of the lyrics were pretty funny.

Reminds me a bit of Smells Like Nirvana in the sense that the parody is a direct reference to the band being parodied.

Anyway, the reason the last album was such a success for Weird Al was that the artist, Chamillionare, promoted it because his song was in it. Personally, I think all artists featured should. After all, you haven't hit the big time until Weird Al parodies you.

 

[Goliath]

^Yes. Weird Al Yankovic is an institution.

I mean, seriously-- his first hit single and video, "Eat It," and first platinum album, Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D came out in 1984.

Not a bad career, for an accordion player.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Though not much of a fan of hers, I don't think Lady Gaga is annoying at all, actually. Frankly I'm puzzled that some people feel that way.

 

[OmahaStar]

I love Lady GaGa.

Are you sure you're straight?

 

[C_Miller]

If you didn't think Lady Gaga was annoying enough, you might want to read this blog post by Weird Al Yankovic about how she made him go through all sorts of hassles--including cutting short a family vacation--to get permission to parody one of her songs... and then she refused the permission.

Edit: As others have posted below, it turns out that it was her manager's fault and she is not guilty of causing the hassles or refusing the permission. This was not a reason to be annoyed with her after all. It was a reason to be really annoyed with her manager.

Weird Al has always seemed like a good person, so I hate to criticize him, but he hasn't done anything since my senior year of High School (2006/2007). His whole life should be one giant family vacation.

 

[Greg Cox]

I love Lady GaGa.

Are you sure you're straight?

Hey, her "Bad Romance" video is great--and incorporates all sorts of imagery from old science fiction movies like Queen of Blood and Zardoz.

 

[Canadave]

If you didn't think Lady Gaga was annoying enough, you might want to read this blog post by Weird Al Yankovic about how she made him go through all sorts of hassles--including cutting short a family vacation--to get permission to parody one of her songs... and then she refused the permission.

Edit: As others have posted below, it turns out that it was her manager's fault and she is not guilty of causing the hassles or refusing the permission. This was not a reason to be annoyed with her after all. It was a reason to be really annoyed with her manager.

Weird Al has always seemed like a good person, so I hate to criticize him, but he hasn't done anything since my senior year of High School (2006/2007). His whole life should be one giant family vacation.

He did release an EP called Internet Leaks back in 2009, with "Craigslist" probably being the best known of the songs, but yeah, it's true he hasn't done too much of late. Frankly, though, I can't blame him. He's had nearly a 30-year career (which is insane when you get right down to it), and is now 51 years old. I think he's earned the right to slow down a little.

 

[Velocity]

I never get tired of "White and Nerdy".

 

[Amaris]

I love Lady GaGa.

Are you sure you're straight?

Nope.

I love Lady GaGa.

Are you sure you're straight?

Hey, her "Bad Romance" video is great--and incorporates all sorts of imagery from old science fiction movies like Queen of Blood and Zardoz.

I love that video.

 

[Freman]

Weird Al is a god. Lady Gaga......is not.

 

[Goliath]

Weird Al is a god. Lady Gaga......is not.

Of course not.

If she was divine, she'd be a goddess.