Oh, just EVERYTHING.
Me and Dana on our way to the Gaga show at MSG on Friday. As Bill said on Facebook, "They're chaperoning age-appropriate kids to the concert. Such nice girls."
What an inspired and inspiring show -- even before the show started. Her opening act, Semi-Precious Weapons, was a band she used to play with years ago at bars just blocks away, when twelve people would show up, something the front man announced with glee to the 10,000 people packing the place. And before her set, she screened a PSA about the link between teenage homelessness, homophobia, and domestic violence:
She gave a number where people donating that night could text their pledges. And later in the show -- after a virtuoso performance, with her leg up on the piano's keyboard, of "Speechless" (which she dedicated to her dad, "who drinks too much! But if I didn't have all these alcoholic assholes in my life, I wouldn't write such great songs."), and her new song, "You and I" -- she called one of the people in the stadium who'd texted their five bucks. The cameras showed it to be a seventeen-year-old girl with Diet Coke cans in her hair, who was so thrilled and overcome, I (OF COURSE, because I'm fifty, and going through menopause) started to cry.
The entire show was an extravaganza of over-the-top stagecraft, fabulous choreography, and really beautiful singing. (And crazy drunk girls from New Jersey, who nearly barfed on us in the scrum caused when MSG downgraded everyone's awesome floor seats to not-awesome floor standing.) I not only love Lady Gaga, I flove her.
And I flove that she is saying something that Dana and I (and many, many others) have been trying to tell people for a while, which is that a lot of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered kids are homeless because of homophobia. I would estimate the number of such kids at the shelter where I volunteered to be twenty-five to thirty percent of the population -- the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce says that's about right. With Stefani Germanotta on the team, I'm hopeful that homeless teenagers will start getting more recognition as being, in the overwhelming number of cases, survivors of domestic violence.
In Manhattan and Astoria, Queens: The Ali Forney Center
In Manhattan: Sylvia's Place
In Astoria, Queens: Generation Cue
You can't fool me, you aren't 50 yet. I'm not 50 yet and I'm ahead of this aging game by a few years. So stop making me older by making yourself older.
And to be honest, all I know of Lady Gaga is what I skim in headlines of articles I don't read and the occasional media shot on the red carpet. As for her music or message or anything else, I am clueless.
Which proves that I am well and truly older than you. And I am not yet 50 dammit!
Posted by: Satia | Jul 12, 2010 at 07:15 AM
Trust me, compared to everyone else there? Fifty.
Posted by: Janice | Jul 12, 2010 at 08:31 PM
OK, not only are you NOT 50 but you LOOK about 20 in that photo. Seriously--I must know your skincare regimen!
So glad you had a great time! I love live music and your description of that concert reminds me of a time when I was much, much younger and went and saw Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour....ahhhh, the good old days :) I'm totally out of the loop on Lady Gaga.
Posted by: LastChanceIVF | Jul 12, 2010 at 10:26 PM
Lady gaga seems so strange, crazy and even sort of delusional, but when you get to know her by interviews, concerts and some online articles you get to know that she has much more than the public can see...she is a great person!
Posted by: celebrities | Jul 21, 2010 at 08:09 AM
Suprisingly, one of the more flattering pictures of me taken recently. Lady Gaga was amazing. What a thrilling show and I have so much more respect for her now. Perhaps one day, she and I will grab some Taco Bell while in our sweat pants, and watch Buffy. Until then, Ala ala handro, ala ala handro.
Posted by: Dana | Jul 21, 2010 at 01:14 PM
It never dawned on me that homelessness could be another awful side effect of homophobia. I appreciate you opening my eyes to that ... and for making me consider giving Lady GaGa another look :)
Posted by: nathalie | Aug 13, 2010 at 01:01 PM