The Expanded "You Know..."

I did a quick Tumblr post yesterday that, for me, has been quite popular. Here is the text:

If Katy Perry’s first song wasn’t about faux bisexuality we wouldn’t know who she is. She’s got a lot of balls to critique another artist for taking a stab at something provocative. You know what else is like a comedian telling fart jokes? Making out with another chick just to be a cock tease.

Now, this all came about after reading Katy Perry's Twitter post regarding Lady Gaga's Alejandro video. "Using blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke," she stated. First, a few Grammar/Fact Nazi comments.

Blasphemy is an affront to the judeo-christian god. Calling the deity a douche-bag is blasphemy. Sacrilege is an affront against the judeo-christian church. Nunsploitation is sacrilege. As far as fart jokes go, George Carlin regularly did fart jokes that were neither cheap nor unfunny.



Now, it is fairly plain that I am a Lady Gaga enthusiast. I don't count myself as a "little monster" or fan in the traditional "fanatic" sense. Also, while I find her to have a great deal of talent I will readily admit that much of her persona is derivative of David Bowie and Madonna.

If you have not seen it, here is the Alejandro video in question:



To me, the most offensive thing about this video is that is has nothing to do with the lyrics, but that is hardly a legitimate complaint. Music video imagery rarely has much to do with the lyrics. It does, however match the song. Alejandro is easily the most Madonna-esque of Lady Gaga's songs. It hearkens back to the True Blue and Like a Prayer era Madonnas. The video is full of Madonna imagery, particularly the video for Respect Yourself, and obviously Like a Prayer. I also see a lot of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation in it. Some of it in the militaristic visuals, but also in that at the time Rhythm Nation was considered extravagant. Videos were, however, a big deal then. Remember, MTV actually played videos then.



My problem with Perry's statement is that it has nothing to do with the video, aside from the knee-jerk reactionary arguments that people made about Like a Prayer. The minor complaint I have is that she is pandering to the religious fringe in this country, but what's worse is she is being a hypocrite. Not only is I Kissed a Girl a song that sold a great deal because it was shocking to some, but it is derivative as well. Some time ago, there was another I Kissed a Girl by Jill Sobule. Sobule's song was more twee rock, but was essentially the same song. Perry also hearkens back to Joan Jett's penchant for glam rock and sexual ambiguity. People were shocked when Joan Jett sang Crimson and Clover and did not change the lyrics to reflect a female-to-male relationship, but demanded that you consider it a female-to-female relationship. Certainly Jett did this with purpose, but it is a better purpose. When questioned about her sexuality (I believe by George Stroumboulopoulos on The Hour) she explained that she is purposefully deceptive about her own preference because she does not want to exclude anyone in her fan base from thinking they have a shot. Rock and roll is sexual, so why exclude anyone from thinking a song is about them?



I never cared either way about Katy Perry before. I Kissed a Girl is a good song. So is Waking Up in Vegas. I do find You're So Gay to be an offensive song, especially since it is couched with I Kissed a Girl, but not so much that I formed any strong opinion of her. I will say that her lack of self-awareness is offensive. Not just the items above, but also that she is marrying a non-christian, recovering drug and sex addict (I love Russell Brand, and am not trying to disrespect him). She should consider, as we all should, what we say and how it fits into the "glass houses and throwing stones" allegory. Decrying another artist for offending your religion when you have offended it as well is highly hypocritical and borderline fascist.