As Lady Gaga continues to recuperate from hip surgery, she is reportedly celebrating her 27th birthday today with a tea party of sorts. According to the Sun, she is hosting a “Mad Hatter Party,” because the star isn’t able to drink alcohol yet. She is still on painkillers though, which might explain the whole “Mad Hatter” thing. It would be so very Gaga if a caterpillar sitting on a giant mushroom administered her painkillers via hookah.

In honor of Gaga’s recuperation, we thought it would be fun to examine other musicians who have famously had to take a little time off.

Bob Dylan had a motorcycle accident in 1966. While he fixed up in West Saugerties, NY he explored a different side of his music and collaborated to great effect with The Band.  (PHOTO CREDIT: Douglas R. Gilbert/Redferns)

Weezer mastermind Rivers Cuomo was born with one of his legs almost two inches shorter than the other. After the success of his band’s debut in 1994, Cuomo underwent a procedure to correct the difference. While he recuperated he worked on the songs that would become what is arguably Weezer’s masterpiece, their second album, “Pinkerton.” (PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

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Credit: In Touch Weekly

OK, Abby Lee Miller, you have our attention
In the new In Touch Weekly, “Dance Moms” star Abby Lee Miller swears she’s not the monster she’s portrayed to be on TV, despite this terrifying “Black Swan”-esque picture to the contrary.
“I’m a schoolgirl at heart,” says the Pittsburgh native. “There’s still an innocence to me. I’ve done a lot of nice things for my girls. I take them to dinners, to movies, to Broadway shows. Most of my kids, over the years, have never seen a plane or been to a five-star hotel. I teach them which fork to use and things they won’t learn in school.”

Lady Gaga recovers from surgery with a custom gold wheelchair because really, why not?
Did you really expect Lady Gaga to recuperate from her recent hip surgery in a boring wheelchair fit for plebeians? After all, this is Mother Monster, a woman who enjoys wearing Kermit the Frog puppets. So, she enlisted the help of designer Ken Borochov to create a custom 24-karat gold wheelchair, according to E! News. The chair features a leather seat that reclines (because all that time in a wheelchair is certainly exhausting), stylin’ spokes (in case she wants to go for a spin down the L.A. Freeway) and a canopy (too much sunlight is never good for a Lady of her stature).
“I certainly wasn’t expecting that phone call and have never done a wheelchair, but am always up for a challenge and was thrilled to create what I affectionately dubbed the Chariot, a chair fit only for a queen,” the designer said in a statement.
We hope Gaga donates her wheelchair to the local old folks’ home when she’s done with it. Lord knows Betty Ann in 3C could use a little sunshine in her life.

Kim Kardashian: Once more, with feeling
If you saw the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” episode when Kris Humphries proposed to Kim and thought to yourself, “My, what a perfect proposal,” know that it was all for the cameras. Life & Style claims they’ve got the court documents from “Keeping Up” producer Russell Jay’s deposition on Feb. 4 in the ongoing case to determine whether Kim and Kris’ union should be annulled.
Get a load of this transcription:
Q: More than once, you would film a scene and then have [it] be reshot?
A: I remember, like, Kim — she didn’t know that he was going to propose at that moment. And she came in and she was completely surprised, and I think she had a bad reaction or something and she was embarrassed. So she said “Can we just, like, have me come back in one more time and be, like, really surprised?” Because she had no idea it was going to happen. It was in her bedroom.
Kim, better start practicing those giving-birth faces now. You’ve only got one chance to get that shot right.

TALKING POINTS

Divorce has been good for TomKat
Apparently getting divorced was the best thing to happen to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, at least according to director Adam Shankman, who is friends with both. Shankman tells Us Weekly that since the couple’s high-profile split last summer, the two are doing just swell. “They are incredibly happy,” Shankman says. “I’ve just been e-mailing with him. He’s coming back. He’s shooting ["All You Need Is Kill"] in London and seems as happy as a clam. I know he sees his daughter.” As for Holmes? “Katie seems really happy,” Shankman adds. “You just fight through all the noise. And it’s noisy!”

Swift’s fan mail ends up in the trash
Taylor Swift may find herself with with fewer adoring fans once they find out their letters and cards to the country crooner have been ending up in the trash. Nashville resident Kaylee Francescan discovered a mass of Swift fan mail in a dumpster, she tells local station WKRN. “There were like hundreds of letters in there to Taylor Swift and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ I didn’t know if they were stolen [or] discarded, so I threw them in a box,” she says. “And I’m like, ‘Somebody needs to let Taylor know.’ It did bother me [because] I know how much her fans mean to her.” A rep for the singer insists it was simply an error on the part of the mail sorter. “A small batch of mail that was supposed to be delivered to Taylor was accidentally put with letters headed for the recycling center,” the rep tells Us Weekly.

Steven Tyler writes the law
Hawaii’s state senate has passed the “Steven Tyler Act,” which gives celebrities the right to sue paparazzi over unwanted photos and videos taken of them, and the man for whom the act is named couldn’t be more thrilled. “[In Hawaii,] they are allowed in with their lenses and they get the most intimate of shots, which is what they are really looking for to make money. Not on my watch,” he tells Billboard. “Now at least Joe [Perry] and I can go to Maui and walk around naked in the back lawn and write some crazy songs.”

————————————————————————————————————

DAILY TWITTER UPDATE: March 13, 2013

Checking in with some of Hollywood’s biggest names to see what they’ve been up to — in their own words, in 140 characters or fewer.

Today, Sylvester Stallone has some bad news about “Expendables 3,” Kirstie Alley is fine with profanity, Rebel Wilson is keeping it real and Charlie Sheen is… using Twitter.

@TheSlyStallone
No S. Seagal, sorry ,but maybe we get lucky with J. Chan! And some young bloods!!!

@kirstiealley
Oh who cares if we swear ?? They are just words … just letters arranged in a fashion to sound tough or cool or angry.

@RebelWilson
I’m not too famous to eat crumbs off my chest x

@charliesheen
hashtag chefkla hashtag winning hashtag grinning hashtag keptyourjob hashtag bravo hashtag breakfast

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Did Kate Middleton accidentally let the cat out of the bag when it comes to whether she and Prince William are having a boy or a girl? During a public appearance this week, Middleton was given a teddy bear as a gift and said, “Thank you, I’ll take that for my d…” before cutting herself off, according to the Telegraph. Attendee Sandra Cook, who was standing beside Middleton, asked her, “You were going to say daughter, weren’t you?” to which Middleton reportedly replied, “No, I don’t know.” Cook says that when she pressed the Duchess of Cambridge further, she received a firm “We’re not telling” in response.

Taylor Swift is making some powerful enemies. In response to Amy Poehler and Tina Fey‘s joke at Swift’s expense at January’s Golden Globes ceremony. “You know, Katie Couric is one of my favorite people,” Swift tells Vanity Fair. “She said to me she had heard a quote that she loved that said, ‘There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.’” While Fey expressed surprise at Swift’s annoyance, Poehler has a response of her own: “Aw, I feel bad if she was upset,” Poehler tells the Hollywood Reporter. “I am a feminist, and she is a young and talented girl. That being said, I do agree I am going to hell. But for other reasons. Mostly boring tax stuff.”

Lady Gaga‘s fans are continuing the singer’s feud with Madonna whether she wants them to or not, this time even accusing the “Material Girl” singer of helping the spread of AIDS. In a post on the Gaga fan blog Little Monster Artpop, a Gaga fan criticizes the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for picking Madonna to present an award to Anderson Cooper at their awards ceremony next week. “Back in the 1980s, she encouraged gay men to have unprotected sex,” read the post, which was removed shortly after garnering media attention. “While she certainly didn’t start the disease, she and her lack of morals helped it spread. The post’s author vowed to “strike back” in an unspecified manner if GLAAD did not choose another presenter.

James Franco is willing to admit he’s at least partially responsible for any speculation about whether he’s gay or straight. “One of the things that’s very much part of my public image is the question of my sexuality,” he tells Attitude magazine. “It’s not something that bothers me in the slightest. It hasn’t gone away, and I get asked about it from all sides. It’s partly my doing and partly not my doing.” From the roles he chooses to his directing efforts, homosexuality has been a popular topic for Franco. But what he’s really interested in is a high-profile actor coming out of the closet. “I think that the people I have known who are performers who haven’t publicly come out didn’t because they’re afraid it’ll hurt their careers,” he says. “And they’re afraid they won’t be able to play straight roles anymore. If there’s somebody that was well-respected and very secure with their career, I could see it happening in a very positive way.”

MTV has released its extensive “Hottest MCs” list, and Kanye West is not pleased to find himself sitting at the No. 7 spot. “I feel like for them to put me at No. 7, they had to bring up things they didn’t like,” he says during a call into New York’s Hot 97 radio station. “What happens with these type of things and the people that review it, when I come in and I have the pink polo and the backpack, I’m checking all the boxes of that a Tribe Called Quest era and all that, so they want to champion it. They don’t like Givenchy Kanye. They don’t like Kanye in a kilt, they don’t like Kanye in a relationship.”

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Lady Gaga is canceling the remainder of her “Born This Way Ball” tour — 21 dates in all — because she injured her hip and needs surgery, Live Nation said Wednesday.

Gaga, 26, tore the labrum of her right hip as a result of repeated strain, Live Nation said.

“The labrum is a cushioning of the hip joint,” says Dr. Robert Gotlin, director of the orthopedic and sports rehab program at Beth Israel Medical Center. “It’s a rubbery-type substance that’s the shock absorber between the femur and the hip socket.”

Dr. Gotlin says her injury could be congenital, meaning she was born with an anatomic irregularity that led to a tear (she was born this way!), or that she injured herself “doing a lot of jumping, hopping and torquing.”

It could also be those wacky shoes of hers: “Anything that has potential stress on her hip — like shoes, jumping, hopping or irregular surfaces” could cause injury, he added.

Dr. Gotlin was quick to note that Gaga’s pain might actually not be due to the tear in itself, and that she could have an underlying problem, but that the only way we’ll be able to know that is if she completes the surgery and her pain goes away.

But it’ll be a bumpy road before she’s back to her wild self: Dr. Gotlin says it’ll be about six weeks until she’s feeling OK, and that she’ll need about three months of physical therapy before she starts getting back to her routine.

On Tuesday, Gaga tweeted that she had to postpone several shows due to the synovitis, an inflammation of the joints, which she had been hiding.

“I’ve been hiding a show injury and chronic pain for sometime now, over the past month it has worsened,” she wrote on Tuesday afternoon. “I’ve been praying it would heal.”

Ticketholders are able to get refunds, Live Nation stated.

Follow Meredith Engel on Twitter @MeredithAtMetro.

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Rihanna has received her share of criticism for reuniting with Chris Brown, who was arrested for assaulting her in 2009. And it turns out the rekindled romance is even costing her some friendships. Rihanna and Katy Perry “aren’t tight anymore because Katy doesn’t approve of Rihanna dating Chris Brown,” a source tells Us Weekly. Perry and beau John Mayer reportedly steered clear of Rihanna and Brown at the Grammys last weekend.

It looks like those four postponed shows Lady Gaga announced earlier this week won’t offer enough time for her to recover from her hip injury. Instead, the singer has canceled the rest of her Born This Way Ball tour, with refunds available for tickets to the scuttled performances, Live Nation has announced. “After additional tests this morning to review the severity of the issue, it has been determined that Lady Gaga has a labral tear of the right hip,” a statement reads. “She will need surgery to repair the problem, followed by strict down time to recover. This, unfortunately, will force her to cancel the tour so she can heal.”

Charlie Sheen is still looking out for Lindsay Lohan financially, apparently. The “Anger Management” recently offered to cover half the costs of a fancy gown Lohan wore to a charity event last week, stylist Phillip Bloch tells E! News. “Never in a business like this do you see a celebrity pay for another celebrity,” Bloch says. “He’s very considerate.” Bloch adds the request came from Sheen himself and not from an assistant. Sheen also gifted Lohan with $100,000 last year to help pay off her bill to the IRS.

Evan Rachel Wood went on a Twitter tirade after discovering that the Daily Mail had published a photo of her ultrasound. “Which sick f— paparazzi hid in the parking lot of my hospital after my ultrasound? I can’t stand this,” she tweeted. “I couldn’t be more furious right now. I want to cry. My child isn’t even born yet.” Wood is expecting her first child with husband Jamie Bell. After asking the newspaper in a later tweet to remove the image, the story was taken off its site.

“How I Met Your Mother” star Alyson Hannigan has been granted a temporary restraining order against John Hobbs, a New Hampshire man who has repeatedly threatened the lives of Hannigan, her husband, Alexis Denisof, and their children, according to E! News. Hobbs, who was recently discharged from a mental hospital, must stay at least 100 yards away from Hannigan and her family and must refrain from posting about them online. “I still can marry you tomorrow. I can kill you tomorrow too,” one Facebook posting by Hobbs last month reads. “It doesn’t end. Even after death.”

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Bruce Willis admits he used to have a drinking problem, leading to a brief foray into complete sobriety, but he’s past all that now. “I had been sober [for a while],” he tells GQ magazine, explaining that he eased off his personal prohibition “once I realized that I wasn’t going to run myself off the pier of life with alcohol, drinking vodka out of the bottle every day.” As for his current drinking habits? “I have wine now, mostly when I eat,” he says. Of course, Willis is still facing the unstoppable march of time. “Nobody want to hear this bad news, but we’re all dying on some level,” he says. “I’m going to try to keep this machine moving forward as much as possible and not have to think about the eventuality of becoming more frail and less able to do the work. I know that I’m not going into politics. That’s not an option.”

Taylor Swift had more exes on her mind at the Grammys than just Harry Styles, whom she mocked during her performance of “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” The lovelorn singer also made a point of avoiding ex-boyfriend John Mayer and his current squeeze, Katy Perry, despite being seated near each other, according to Us Weekly. And as for reports that Grammys organizers were ordered to keep Swift away from rival Carrie Underwood? “Taylor feels Carrie is always rude to her, so she steers clear of her,” a source tells the magazine, pointing out that “after Carrie performed, Taylor didn’t stand. Everyone else did.”

Lady Gaga has postponed her next four concerts because a joint inflammation condition called synovitis has left her unable to walk, she revealed on Twitter. “I’ve been hiding a show injury and chronic pain for sometime now. Over the past month it has worsened,” the singer tweeted. “I’ve been praying it would heal. I hid it from my staff, I didn’t want to disappoint my amazing fans. However, after last night’s performance I could not walk and still can’t.” Makeup dates for the canceled shows — in Chicago, Detroit and Hamilton, Ontario — have yet to be announced.

Steve Martin reportedly became a dad for the first time when his 41-year-old wife, Anne Stringfield, “had a baby” in December, according to the New York Post, but the real story is that the 67-year-old comedian has managed to keep the story under wraps. “How they kept it a secret nobody knows,” a source says. “Steve’s very private. They are thrilled. They worked hard to have the baby.” The pair was recently spotted with a baby in Los Angeles.

When reports went out late last month that Alec Baldwin‘s wife, Hilaria Thomas, is pregnant, his reps shot them down, saying, “When and if they have news they want to share, they will share it.” Well, now they have news they want to share. “My wife is pregnant,” the “30 Rock” star posted to Twitter this week. “To celebrate the announcement, she is teaching yoga.”

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Lindsay Lohan‘s recent hospitalization for a pesky chest infection she can’t seem to shake was due to the stress of her most recent arrest, friends of the actress insist, according to TMZ. Sources insist getting picked up for allegedly striking a pedestrian with her car outside a New York hotel and then hurrying inside caused her pre-existing walking pneumonia to flare up again. Lohan is currently taking antibiotics for the infection, according to he father.

After so much attention was paid to her recent weight gain last week, Lady Gaga is baring all. She posted a stark photo of herself in yellow lingerie on her Little Monster Web site with a caption that reads, “Bulimia and anorexia since I was 15.” And over the weekend, Gaga took to Twitter to inspire her fans with a quote she attributed to Marilyn Monroe: “To all the girls who think you’re ugly because you’re not a size 0, you’re the beautiful ones. It’s society who’s ugly.”

Don’t expect Miley Cyrus and fiancé Liam Hemsworth to rush down the aisle anytime soon. “I already feel married. I know we are forever. I don’t need the paper right now,” Cyrus tells Us Weekly. “I don’t know when we will get married yet. We are still enjoying being engaged. I’ve got so much planning to do with the tours and getting my record out. First I have my movie, then my record — then I’ll do my wedding planning.”

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A Romanian fan learned that lesson the hard way after he rushed the singer in a desperate attempt to get her autograph.

Gaga was passing through the lobby of a hotel when the eager “little monster” passed through the revolving doors and made a mad dash for her. She seemed taken aback at first, until one of her burly bodyguards literally body-slammed the fan to the ground. Another bodyguard quickly ushered Gaga away from the scene.

The deflated fan eventually got to his feet and was promptly shown the door.

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Gaga tweeted the video to her fans today. In it, she alternates between skintight leather outfits and nudity — just like in real life.

The main notes of Fame have dark, sensual and light facets. She told an Australian radio show that the black-colored fragrance has some key ingredients to make it smell like an “expensive hooker.”

“[Blood and semen] is in the perfume, but it doesn’t smell like it. You just get sort of the ‘after’ feeling of sex from the semen, and the blood is sort of primal,” Gaga explained. “And the blood was taken from my own blood sample, so it’s like a sense of having me on your skin.”

However, as the Hollywood Reporter notes, neither blood nor semen are listed as ingredients on Fame’s packaging.

However, it isn’t exactly cheap to smell like an expensive hooker. The 100-milliliter bottle sells for $79, the 50-milliliter goes for $55 and the 30-milliliter costs $42.

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Speaking to a reporter for an Australian TV show, Sir Elton John went below-the-belt in his criticism for Madge.

“Why is she such a nightmare? Sorry, her career is over. Her tour has been a disaster and it couldn’t happen to a bigger c***,” he ranted.

“If Madonna had any common sense she would have made a record like Ray Of Light and stayed away from the dance stuff and just been a great pop singer and make great pop records, which she does brilliantly….. But no, she had to go and prove… she looks like a f****** fairground stripper. She’s been horrible to Gaga,” he so eloquently added.

This time, he was firing back over Madonna’s criticism of Lady Gaga, who is a personal friend of John and the godmother of his son.

However, this is not the first time Elton John and Madonna (two of music’s biggest divas, one with a real British accent, one with a fake British accent) have been in the spotlight for their war of words. Allow us to reflect on the ye olde tale of one of the biggest feuds in music history.

It all started when back in 2004 at Britain’s Q Awards when Elton John said of Madonna, “Best f****** live act? F*** off! … Anyone who lip-syncs in public onstage when you pay 75 pounds to see them should be shot.”

Oh, snap!

It continued at the 2012 Golden Globe awards, when Elton John was asked to comment on his competition for “Best Original Song.” He was nominated for “Gnomeo and Juliet.”

“Mary J. [Blige] might win it for ‘The Help,’” John said. “Madonna doesn’t have a f****** chance.”

John later ate his words when Madonna did win the award. Later, Elton John’s partner, David Furnish slammed her on Facebook with a status that read, “Madonna winning Best Original Song truly shows how these awards have nothing to do with merit … And her criticism of Lady Gaga shows how desperate she really is.”

Elton John has also had very public feuds with other celebrities including Lilly Allen, George Michael and the late Princess Diana.

For a man who asks the world, “Can you feel the love tonight?,” Elton John sure is one hostile fellow.

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Her former coworker, bartender and Poland native Malgorzata Saniewska, was an an aspiring photographer when she met Gaga in 2005, according to CNN. The two young women weren’t close friends, but Saniewska remembers the 19-year-old Gaga saying that she studied music.

“At that time, she gave me a CD of her first single, and I listened to it and I was really impressed. And she’s a beautiful girl. Based on her looks and her personality I thought (a photo shoot) would be great fun,” Saniewska said. “I offered her the photo shoot, and she said yes right away.”

Gaga suggested they use her parent’s Upper East Side apartment for the backdrop of the photo shoot. They took the subway there and Saniewska posed Gaga on the piano she grew up playing.

“We had no plan,” she said. “We basically walked into her house, she did hair and makeup, picked out the clothes and we started. No strobe lights, nothing special, no tripods. It was hand-held.”

Saniewska had no idea she was photographing a woman who was soon to be an international superstar. As Gaga rose to fame, Saniewska kept the photos to herself out of respect. Then, in 2010, she bumped into Gaga in NYC’s East Village.

“She was already Lady Gaga, and we spoke a little, and she leaned on me, and she said in my ear, ‘Did you know that this was my first photo shoot?’ I had no idea,” Saniewska said. “She was really excited. From that moment on I figured I could do something about it. And she’s OK with it.”

Saniewska, now an established photographer who shoots fashion, has released the images. Gaga is almost unrecognizable in the photos when compared to her current looks, though she is truly stunning in her natural state. Which side of Gaga do you prefer?

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While Jessica Biel has been spotted out and about with ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake, spurring plenty of reconciliation rumors, that doesn’t mean the actress is ready to spill the beans. “A girl doesn’t kiss and tell,” she says to Elle magazine when pressed on the topic. But with Timberlake now establishing himself on screen, she’s more than happy to talk about the propensity to date fellow actors. “I think those are the people you meet and so it just kind of happens,” says Biel. “Let me tell you: It never happens on purpose.”
 
Gaga and Kinney: It’s on!

Lady Gaga reportedly had so much fun making out with “Vampire Diaries” star Taylor Kinney during the shoot for her “You and I” video that she’s reportedly decided to keep it going off-camera as well, according to Us Weekly. “They’re hooking up and getting to know each other,” a source says. But while they are enjoying each other’s company, it’s not serious.
 
Richards reignites old flame

Denise Richards has reportedly rekindled her romance with Richie Sambora, according to Us Weekly. “They’ve always stayed friends, through everything they’ve gone through,” a source says. “He’s had a rough patch, she’s had her own stuff, but they’re both in a great place right now.” The pair dated in 2006 after she split from Charlie Sheen and he divorced Heather Locklear, but the relationship only lasted about a year. Now the pair are said to be “doing great and happy.”

For more gossip news visit Dorothy Robinson’s Word blog. Follow her on Twitter @DorothyatMetro.
 

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When Simon Cowell breaks up with a girlfriend, he doesn’t like them to leave empty-handed. Cowell claims that he pays his exes after they split so they can maintain the standard of living he’s introduced them to, according to Hollyscoop. “You can’t have somebody in your life who’s become accustomed to a certain thing and, just because you don’t want to be in a relationship any more, say to them, ‘No, every-thing is cut off,’” says Cowell, who is currently engaged to makeup artist Mezhgan Hussainy. He didn’t elaborate as to what sort of payments he’s made to his exes, though.

Dunst battles depression

Kirsten Dunst, whose new movie, “Melancholia,” is being called “beautifully depressing,” is opening up about depression herself. “I think that most human beings go through some sort of depression in their life. And if they don’t, I think that’s weird,” she tells Flare magazine. “People are embarrassed to talk about it — I would never put anyone down that was in that kind of space.” One area that isn’t causing Dunst any sort of depression is her love life, and she says the secret is to not date a fellow actor. “I’ve dated someone for a pretty long time now who’s not an actor, and it works better,” says Dunst, who is currently dating Razorlight singer Johnny Borrell.

Teen death spurs Gaga

Outraged over the recent suicide of 14-year-old fan Jamey Rodemeyer, Lady Gaga took her anti-bullying crusade straight to President Barack Obama, according to ABC News. The pop star attended a $35,800 per person fundraiser in Silicon Valley, Calif., to press the president on legislation that would make bullying a hate crime. Gaga reportedly used her chance to plead with “everyone in the room, including the president, to do what they can,” a source says.

The post Talking points appeared first on Metro.us.

While Leonardo DiCaprio may have been filming in Australia during rumored girlfriend Blake Lively’s birthday — she celebrated with pals in New York — he was at least on hand last month for her father’s big day in Los Angeles, where he reportedly gifted the senior Lively with an elaborate coloring book, according to Us Weekly. “Blake’s father loved it,” a source says, adding that the alleged couple are getting pretty cozy and “are so smitten it’s crazy. I bet they get engaged in the next six months.”

Timberlake Colorado PDA

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are fueling speculation that they’re back on again. The pair hit up a friend’s wedding in Colorado over the weekend and the couple definitely seemed to be enjoying each other’s company, according to People. “There was plenty of PDA,” a source says.

Madonna vs. Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga has made it clear that she’s possibly Madonna’s biggest fan, but the same apparently can’t be said for Madge’s feelings about “Mother Monster.” “As for Lady Gaga, I have no comment to make about her obsessions having to do with me because I don’t know whether her behavior is rooted in something deep and meaningful or superficial,” Madonna tells French newspaper Le Soir. Her rep has tried to smooth things over,  telling E! News, “I do know that [Madonna] has said many supportive things about Gaga over the years.”

Hannigan: Not pregnant

Alyson Hannigan took to Twitter to clear up pregnancy rumors after a photo where she appeared to be sporting a baby bump popped up online. “No, I’m not pregnant! I just ate too much carnival food, that time of the month, hurt my back and couldn’t suck my gut in — and need to do cardio,” the star posted in response.

For more gossip news visit Dorothy Robinson’s Word blog. Follow her on Twitter @DorothyatMetro.

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Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, moved up four positions from last year to claim the top spot in Forbes’ annual “The Celebrity 100” 2011 list that measures power by entertainment-related earnings, media visibility and social media popularity.

Forbes rated the American singer-songwriter No. 1, estimating her earnings in the past 12 months as $90 million, but also noting her 32 million Facebook fans and 10 million Twitter followers.

“Lady Gaga beat Oprah this year because of her social media power,” Forbes editor Dorothy Pomerantz said. 

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Woods ranked sixth in the magazine’s annual “Celebrity 100” list of the most powerful people or groups in the entertainment business. He moved down exactly one spot after checking in at No. 5 last year. Nineteen athletes made the list, including LeBron James (10), Kobe Bryant (14) and Roger Federer (25).

Metro’s guest editor Lady Gaga held down the overall top spot, followed by Oprah Winfrey and Justin Bieber. Twitter followers and Facebook fans are factored into the rankings.

Despite not winning a tournament in 18 months, Woods still raked in $75 million in earnings. The next-closest athlete was Bryant, with $53 million.

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Serena Williams
Did the scandalous Williams sister have on her “Poker Face” when she tweeted a photo of herself in a bra and panties? She is standing behind a sheer curtain — with one hand resting below her waistline. Serena’s been called a number of things in the last decade, but shy is not one of them.

Wild card

Brian Wilson
The Giants’ closer burst onto the scene in Gaga fashion, dying his beard black and coloring his cleats in Sharpie. He describes life as “delicious” and is as unpredictable as he is unflappable, parading out a gimp he calls “The Machine,” only saying it “comes over for sugar.”

The Fighter

Manny Pacquiao
No one wants a piece of him, yet everyone wants a piece of him. Pacman was named both Fighter of the Decade by the boxing writers and elected to Congress in the Philippines in the same year. You knew he was going to beat the hell out of Shane Mosley, but you had to tune in anyhow.

Outsider

Delonte West
Who knows what he’s thinking under that headband? The Celtics’ guard has been arrested for speeding — with a gun in his waist, another strapped to his leg and one in a guitar case — and suspended. Even more bizarre, he was romantically linked to LeBron’s mom.

The post Athletes blazing their own trail appeared first on Metro.us.

Consider the athletes you follow. They’re trend-setters. They’re flashy. They’re original. They’re a little weird (in a good way).

Here are some of the Gaga-est athletes on the globe. Let’s just hope we never see any of them in a meat dress.

Icon on the brink

Kevin Durant
If you watch the NBA, you can’t miss this guy. Dude dropped 39 points in Game 7 of the West finals — he’s going to be huge for years.

Iconoclast

Ron Artest
There have been some real negatives in Artest’s career. That’s not why he’s in this space. Spend 10 minutes watching his postgame interviews on YouTube, then tell us Artest isn’t the most interesting — and most misunderstood — man in the NBA.

Fashionplate

Dennis Rodman
A boa, technicolor hair or a wedding dress. It all works for The Worm, who just had his jersey retired at a strip club. We can’t wait for his HOF induction outfit.

Attention seeker

Chad Ochocinco
He’s never met a QB he didn’t hate and a bit of publicity he didn’t like. He just rode a bull for 1.5 seconds, making him the only NFL player worth talking about during the lockout.

The post Who are the Lady Gagas of the sports world? appeared first on Metro.us.

I am so very honored and proud to be the editor- in-chief of Metro for the day. Not only because I can speak with you directly, but because I wish to illuminate the powerful voices of my generation, and let them speak for themselves. In this issue, I nominated Monster ambassadors to represent each Metro country from around the world. I asked them to research, write about and identify which issues pertaining to equality and social justice affect their region the most. In this paper, I’ve included graphs, charts, commentary, global surveys and articles inspired and generated by Little Monsters. This piece conjures an approach to anti-bullying and equality that encourages togetherness through our shared human struggles.

Be yourself, love who you are and be proud. You were born this way, baby.

Sincerely,

Lady Gaga

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Be a leader, be someone that is kind, audacious and helps to push the boundaries of love. Be a friend to someone that is bullied. If there is a girl in your class that never gets talked to and that is always walking around by herself, be cooler than anybody else. Go sit beside her and know that you are a part of the globalization of love around the world.

What I want to focus on is telling the people that aren’t bullied that they should take it upon themselves to be a part of this force of love. That was something that really bothered me. I thought to myself, “If you are not bullied, why wouldn’t you help someone that is?”

Some of us aren’t popular, some of us are not in the ‘In crowd.’ I’m still not in the ‘In crowd.’ I am bullied by tons of people all the time everyday, in the press and in my real life and from people in my past. So, push the boundaries of love!

If you are being bullied, do not seek revenge. Any restitution will be fulfilled through self-love and self-worship. Let your identity be your religion. And fight tooth-and-nail everyday for that religion. 

The post Lady Gaga: ‘Be a leader and push the boundaries of love!’ appeared first on Metro.us.

To find out which countries need more awareness than others, we asked someone close to the ground: Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission. His organization advances human rights via advocacy on the local level, reporting from every continent.

The good news first: “Huge progress” is how Johnson describes what he’s seen over the last 20 years. “Every country in Europe has protection for its citizens and many countries have protection of family rights, for example the right to marry,” he says. “And every country in Latin America has decriminalized homosexuality. And we even have progress in some African countries. We still have two-thirds criminalizing it but some, like Mozambique,  have made it clear that they’re committed, while South Africa has the most progressive constitution in the world, even going so far as to uphold the right to marry and to adopt children.”

And now the bad news: Even in those countries, violence still strikes. In “progressive” South Africa, just last month, Noxolo Nogwaza, a 24-year-old well-known lesbian activist, died after being stabbed with glass shards, during what’s known locally as a “corrective rape.”

The incident suggests discrimination is hard to eradicate completely. “Those in the Middle East and certain parts of Africa are still mired in a certain type of social conservatism that leads to violence,” says Johnson, adding that poverty and religion complicate matters. Kids who are “different” are often denied an education. “Lesbian girls in Uganda get thrown out of schools,” he says. “Transgender kids in Belize and other places in the Caribbean cannot attend. Families in Pakistan and Bangladesh refuse to pay school fees for those who are non-normative or queer. If you can’t get an education, you can’t support yourself and you’ll always face discrimination.”

So what can one do? Activate. Unite. And be patient. “Time” is Johnson’s prescribed cure. “It’s generational,” Gaga tells us. The world will accept gays when they see they’re normal people, like our postmen and doctors and … international superstars.

Four recent gay-rights milestones

1 DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL: Last year in the United States, after years of debate and despite anger from military leaders, a bill passed allowing U.S. soldiers to serve without hiding the fact that they’re gay or bisexual. The law won’t go into effect without more study about possible anti-gay violence among troops.

2 MARRIAGE IN MEXICO: Two years ago, Mexico City legalized same-sex marriages and adoptions by same-sex couples, and the law went into effect last year, prompting other territories to do the same. Argentina did the same in 2010, while other nations in South America are considering it.

3 IT’S LEGAL IN INDIA: In 2009, the Delhi High Court decriminalized homosexuality throughout India. While the change is still being challenged legally, “it took millions out of the shadows in the largest democracy” says Johnson of the IGLHRC, who hopes other nations follow their lead.

4 RWANDA EMBRACES GAYS: “Through war, they experienced how dangerous it is to make one group of people the ‘other,’” says Johnson. “The Rwandan government has signed on to U.N. statements about the protection of LGBT rights. They have learned their lessons.”

CASE?STUDY: Eli Kaplan-Wildmann

‘I’m gay and I was in Israel’s armed forces’

People say the Israeli Navy is gay so I went into the Navy.

The Israeli Defense Forces is a microcosm of the country, since everyone must do service. So you can be openly gay but work alongside people who are still weirded out by the LGBT community. I slowly found my place and was careful about who I came out to. There were never any direct conflicts.

As a drill sergeant, I could be who I wanted to be, a caring teacher. I invented a ceremony that involved plunging [your] hands into motor grease and screaming. I guess you could say I spread a bit of rainbow onto the army around me.

CASE?STUDY: STU RASMUSSEN

First US transgender mayor

You’ve just been re-elected the mayor of Silverton, Oregon. Has being transgender hindered your progress?

At first blush, that would be true but the community has known me as reasonable, bright, practical and devoted for a long time. The only place where my election was not news was here in Silverton.

You recently got in trouble for wearing a short skirt to a school event.

The skirt was fashionable but short. But I listened. The community told me, “Look, Stu, we don’t mind that you dress as a woman but we’d like you to dress as a lady.” I can wear what I want on the street. Well, that’s probably the wrong thing to say. I’m not a streetwalker! [Laughs] So I have toned it down. I am comporting myself now as the mayor. But I have to confess that I like the look. I like my legs. They are long and people comment on them. Perhaps if I could get a face transplant and be Lady Gaga, it’d be better. She is breathtaking. 

Her new album has the theme of being “Born this Way.” How important is this idea?

It’s taken me years to come to terms with it but now that society has moved beyond castigating people for their physical or mental makeup, it’s a positive step indeed. But it is a good joke when newcomers pass through. They’ll eye me from the rear. It’s amusing in the bars for them to hear, “That’s our mayor.”

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“The health and safety risks to areas beyond the 50-mile evacuation zone, and particularly to Tokyo, Nagoya, Yokohama, nearby U.S. military facilities … and to prefectures which are outside a 50-mile radius of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are low and do not pose significant risks to U.S. citizens,” the most recent travel alert from the U.S. State Department says.

While flights into Tokyo have been adjusted due to lessened demand, there are still ample options — and the new route direct from New York to downtown Haneda Airport will resume this summer. Despite ongoing recovery in Northern Japan, experts say there is no radiation concern in Tokyo and other areas outside the area of the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Attractions such as “the food scene, noodle shops, Izakayas and Tsukiji market are all open and remain just as exciting today as they were before the day of earthquake,” says Theo Panagiotoulias, an American Airlines executive based in Tokyo.

There is no shortage of food or water, and products distributed to the public are all safe.

GUEST EDITOR LADY GAGA

Lady Gaga has been supportive of the country since disaster struck: After participating in the “Songs for Japan” charity album and donating the proceeds of the sale of her “We Pray for Japan” wristband, she will visit the country in June to perform at the annual Video Music Awards. “I am writing about Japan, not only because we did the Japan bracelet and to highlight the way that pop culture can be used to provoke change, but to create awareness and not allow the media to perpetuate falseties about the conditions in Japan, so we can say everything’s OK, everyone’s rebuilding,” she says. “Go to Japan, it’s safe, continue to support the relief efforts but know that it’s only 0.1 percent of the country that was affected and that we’re doing more harm to Japan by staying away than by going. Enjoy their beautiful cities and landscapes. Always looking forward and not looking back, never operating from a place of fear.”

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But where The Who sang, “hope I die before I get old,” in their 1965 song, “My Generation,” singers these days are using a more encouraging tone. Lady Gaga puts her personality on parade by saying that she was “Born This Way,” and Ke$ha lets her freak flag fly by singing “We R Who We R.” Pink is currently telling her listeners, “don’t you ever, ever feel like you’re less than f—in’ perfect” while Katy Perry tells hers that they “don’t have to feel like a wasted space” in “Firework.”

But why are all these women singing so many anthems of individuality all of a sudden? Ke$ha says she thinks it’s about awareness.

“I wrote ‘We R Who We R’ because I read about a bunch of teenage boys who killed themselves because they were bullied at school for being ‘different,’” she says. “I also wasn’t like everyone else in school and was a bit misunderstood. As I’ve gotten older, I’m happy I wasn’t like everyone else. And I wanted these kids to have an anthem that expressed that.”
Gaga told Metro that she’s seen how the message of “Born This Way” has moved her younger fans, and when she’s talking about their generation it seems to resonate more.

“The new generation is very affected by the lack of equality,” she says. “I noticed I had 12- and 13-year-old kids at my shows saying, ‘I felt like I didn’t belong and couldn’t be myself with my family and now there’s “Born This Way” and I have a very easy answer to a very difficult question in my life.’”

Ke$ha is optimistic that since these messages have all made an impact on the pop charts they will also impact people’s thinking: “I hope the reason other singers are covering the same topic is a sign that we, as a culture, are evolving out of homogenization and are learning that we don’t have to be someone else’s definition of ‘perfect’ and should embrace our own — and each other’s — idiosyncrasies.”

Follow Pat Healy on Twitter @metrousmusic.

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In the beginning: Music vs. Fashion

“If you’re a high fashion stylist, you don’t touch music. That’s the rule. So when I started working with Gaga, people were really surprised. But I was in a place where I was feeling frustrated with myself. I had been in London for ten years and was ready for a change. I really liked her video for ‘Paparazzi’ and felt like she was taking it somewhere interesting. I loved her look. So I suggested her to a few magazines for a cover shoot. And they were like, ‘No. Who’s that?’  And then I pitched her to V magazine, which I work with, and they said ‘Sure, why not.’” They were the most supportive.

Like minds: When two ‘crazies’ become one

“We shot her in L.A. I wanted to take her somewhere else that she hadn’t been to. I wanted to bring her more into high fashion. I had brought all of these really amazing clothes—Givenchy, Chanel, Versace. So she shows up to the shoot at 8am in her whole look: Outfit, hair, makeup and heels. I was like, “This bitch is crazy. She’s living it.” That’s unheard of. Most celebrities turn up wanting you to dress them. I was mesmerized. And she had this great body with all these tattoos. I told her, ‘You should let me shoot you naked.’ She was like, ‘You have all these amazing clothes, why would you want to shoot me naked?’ I was like, ‘Fuck couture, let’s do naked.’ And she later told me, that’s when she knew that I was as crazy as she is. We connected.”

Fashion snobbery: Reeling in the couture

“In the beginning, it was tricky calling in clothes for Gaga because none of the designers wanted to work with her with the exception of Lee [Alexander McQueen] and Miuccia Prada. They were both supportive from the beginning. I remember every single designer who said no. I will never forget [Laughs.] And since then, every single designer has come back asking to work with her. So, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha [In a mock evil voice.] But seriously, who else would you want to see in your clothes? When I styled her in McQueen for ‘Bad Romance’ I just wanted to get her into the next phase of high, high, high concept. Lee said, ‘For me, she is the future.’”

Mugler: Taking it to the runway

“I’m not a designer, I never went to fashion school. And when I was offered the job, Gaga was the one who said, ‘Just do it in your own way.’ She’s not contracted to Mugler. We’re purely friends and just dialogue about it. She’s involved. When she walked in the show, she worked those heels better than the models! She wears high heels at yoga. And Gaga bought every piece and has been wearing them these past few months. But the clothes are ageless, they are for a woman with an attitude. We wanted them to be easy to wear. We focused on the fabrics and the silhouettes. I didn’t want to just do costumes that women couldn’t wear.”

Outfit changes:  Seven in one go

“I don’t consider Gaga a celebrity. I consider her a performance artist. Celebrities on the red carpet selling a hideous dress—that concept is so Hollywood and fake and bland. In a way celebrity is the death of fashion. Gaga doesn’t work in that formula. She studies the fashion and art world. She’s not just wearing it. When we do the red carpet, we want it to be a bit off. We want it to mean something, like the egg  at the Grammys. At our first VMA Awards — the one where she bled to death on stage —  we did seven outfit changes that night. I was standing backstage with all of these safety pins. And they were like, ‘Who are these people?’ It was a little fashion show.”

One-up manship: No pressure

“I never look at it as Gaga and I trying to top the last outfit. We just both get bored easily. We’re always reading crazy, random things and emailing them to each other for inspiration. We  don’t want our fans seeing the same thing over and over. We’ve had days when we just do the pared down denim and t-shirt, but then that becomes a statement in itself. I love denim and am always thinking of ways to do it so that it looks new. But she’s always in leather. That’s her. It’s hard to believe we’ve only been doing this together for two years.”

Follow this man’s Tumblr

Considering how spot-on Nicola Formichetti was in predicting that Gaga would be huger than huge. We picked his brain for another prediction. “Tumblr, Tumblr, Tumblr. Blogging is dead. It’s all about Twitter and Tumblr,” he says. “I love that Tumblr is so visually based. It’s huge. When one of my fans posts something on Tumblr and then they see me re-blog it, they go wild. That’s the amazing thing about the Internet, that it allows people to connect with their followers directly.”

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Widely regarded as the world’s biggest pop star, the 25-year-old New Yorker has also been busy promoting her second full-length studio album "Born This Way" which is available in stores from May 23.

Gaga arrived at Metro’s offices wearing pink hair in a beehive style, black high heels, fishnet stockings and a black brassiere-like top.

"I’m sorry if my business attire is a little different" she joked as she shook hands with staff.

Gaga took charge of the morning editorial meeting, offering her opinion on a range of topics from bullying to the Japan earthquake to who her heroes are.

She immediately set out her vision for the paper in her role as guest editor for the day, touching on themes she has already mentioned as part of her mission as an entertainer.

"I feel so privileged I get to make music every day," she told staff. "If you have revolutionary potential you have a moral obligation to make the world a better place."

Her new record is the follow-up to her 2008 debut album "The Fame", which went on to sell more than 12 million copies and topped the charts. An extended play release "The Fame Monster" came out the following year.

Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, has a huge and famously devoted fanbase around the world whom she calls her "little monsters".

In turn she refers to herself as "Mother Monster" whose every public appearance is a piece of performance art and outlandish fashion statement rolled into one, turning her into a cultural phenomenon as much as a musician.

"I really appreciate the opportunity and it’s a wonderful chance for me to show the world that little monsters are not just a fan thing, but exist outside the music world altogether," Gaga said of her editing activities at Metro.

Gaga’s more notorious outfits to date have included a raw meat dress she wore to the MTV Video Music Awards last year and her arrival at the Grammy Awards in February encased in a giant egg.

"I’m half living my life between reality and fantasy at all times," the "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" singer recently told the Guardian newspaper. "It’s best not to ask questions and just enjoy."

It is not all just about enjoyment, however, and music writers and commentators who have interviewed the singer note a messianic dimension to her ambition which appears to go beyond merely selling records.

Her own online biography concludes: "And, now, I’m just trying to change the world one sequin at a time," albeit with "a wink in her eye."

It is not all plain sailing for the multi-Grammy Award winner, however.

The huge impact of The Fame means the pressure is on for Born This Way to match that commercial and critical success.

Religious groups accuse her of blasphemy, there was dissent in the ranks of her legions of fans over the cover art to Born This Way and she has reacted angrily to suggestions that the first single from the new record was copied from Madonna’s 1989 hit "Express Yourself".

The post Lady Gaga stops by as Metro’s guest editor appeared first on Metro.us.

Have you seen my show? Because I was a theater kid.  I was always perceived as a theater nerd and that is very much a part of all the bullying I talk about during the show. It stemmed from that.

Theater geeks are taking over the world now, culturally.

Yeah. And a lot of theater lovers are super music librarians and super fashion librarians and know everything about composers, designers and directors. They’ve so much to be in love with.

Let’s start with the new album, “Born This Way.” Is there a theme to it? Are we wrong to expect a statement from dance music?

No, in fact, thank goodness everyone expects something from me at this point. “Born This Way” is my answer to many questions over the years: Who are you? What are you about?… The most paramount theme on the record is me struggling to understand how I can exist as myself as someone who lives halfway between fantasy and reality all the time.

What’s it like to live between two people?

It’s not two people. It’s two worlds. Two aesthetics. For example, the religious themes I explore on the album are not necessarily religious in an institutional way but  are about being fascinated with characters. I was taught my whole life about Judas and Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene fascinates me because she was, in my belief, both wholly human and wholly divine. So how can I be fully magical and fully human?

You’re going to get a lot of autobiographical questions because you’re selling your personality on “Born This Way.”

Isn’t that interesting, that you have to sell your personality? That in itself is kind of what “Born This Way” is all about. I don’t want to sell my personality. My personality is mine and yours is yours.

But the difference is, you’re asking me to pay for yours. Are you a real person or part of a marketing machine?

It’s kind of like saying, ‘Are you honest? Do you have integrity? Are you full of shit?’ But listen, my social involvement for equality and gay rights, as well as my music, is completely genuine. But I don’t think I ever want everyone to ever know fully who or what I am. Part of what I’m doing is asking you to look inside yourself, to ask yourself questions. Have you been in therapy?No therapy yet. I probably should be. [Laughs] I have a close relationship with my family. I’m very close with my fans and I’m in tune with what they want. And I’m in tune with myself, too. At the end of the day, I have to look myself in the mirror and I’m proud of everything I stand for. I have no reason to do or say anything unless it comes from my soul. I work very hard. I don’t party very much. You don’t see me falling out of nightclubs and buying Range Rovers. Social justice and music are the two most paramount things in my life and I can’t put it more plainly.

Where does sexuality fit in to that? Do you use it consciously?

Because I’m sexy? [Laughs] Well, I’m a woman. Now, what specifically do you find sexy? I think this is funny. For the first two-and-a-half years of my career, I was considered to be the weird girl who dressed very crazy. I don’t think I’m perceived as sexy.

You never felt sexy, even when first performing?

I felt like any other 15-year-old girl who’s trying to figure it all out. I’m just like any other chick really. Did I view myself as a sexual being? I was very insecure for a very long time; I didn’t know that I would be very comfortable with it and it wasn’t until very recently that I actually enjoyed sex. I was talking with my sister about how it’s not until you really love yourself that you can give love to others.

Are you addicted to your fans?

Yeah, well, it’s… it’s very strange because there’s really no line anymore between where I begin and my fans begin. We are all one. I feel like I would die from a lack of inspiration if I didn’t have them. I never want them to feel like I abandoned their culture. It’s not about the money for me. I’d give all the money away if I had to choose between it and them.

That’s a strange answer from a multi-millionaire.

Look, people who make music and get famous and then start to slow down and get lazy – they weren’t in it for the music. I can’t put it out my music fast enough. I wanted to put this record out seven months ago. I’m not wallowing in some romanticized idea of what it means to be an “artiste.” I’m a musician but also a visionary who cares about social and human rights because it affects my fans and that’s my overarching life work now.

So, about human rights: You wanted to ask Metro readers why they were “Born This Way”…

Yes, I wanted to find the most connected monsters and ask them the question: ‘Why were you born this way?’ I laughed because before a foreign journalist sat down and asked me, “How queer are you?”

Was that a case of lost in translation?

I said, first of all, we don’t really use that word here. But what he was really asking me was ‘How gay are you?’ I’m off-the-charts gay! [Laughs] But that’s not quite the way to put it. As if you are or you’re not. It’s not mathematical. It’s this fucking completely subjective overarching aesthetic called life and you have this huge palate to paint from and you’re asking me ‘How queer are you?’ That’s just one palate. It’s like I say so many things in that song [“Born This Way”]. But the first thing everyone comes back with is, gaygaygaygaygaygaygay. Are you gay? Is the song gay? And you’re missing what life is offering you because you’re hinged on one word. Look into yourself. Are you born to be brave? To rebuke all of these labels?

Well, you’re expecting the world to be where you are.

It’s generational. And it’s me reminding myself, as an artist, “Dear Lady Gaga, you are not a trend.”

Wait — do you address yourself as Lady Gaga when you talk to yourself in your head?

I do. Not as Stefani. It’s Gaga. Stefani is who I am, too, but I’m Gaga all the time. [Pauses] Wait, I lost my train of thought talking about the four different people that I am.

You were talking about not being a trend.

Yeah, it’s scary when you go into the recording studio and you know the world has a perception of what you create. I have to write myself a freaking letter: “Dear You, nobody can tell you who you are. You are who you decide to be.” And then I can create music.

Notes from the interviewer

When you tell people you’ve sat down with Lady Gaga for an interview, their first question is, “What was she wearing?” — as if she might have appeared in a meat dress, carried in an egg. In fact, when we met at the Beverly Hills Hotel, alone in a banquet hall, she was wearing a sheer black top with black pasties underneath. It was almost elegant.

Their second question is, “What was she like?” After reading this story, you’d probably agree: She’s intelligent. Earnest. Aware of her power.

Refreshingly, Gaga is also mindful of the fact that she’s only recently become a star. Her experiment with fame paid off. Now 25, she aims to share herself via the album (“This who who the fuck I am,” she says), challenge her fans musically (with “big huge beats”) and, oh, one more thing: change the world. The fun part will be seeing what she wears while trying.

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Former “Friends” star Matthew Perry is planning a return trip to rehab, though it’s more of a preemptive step than a result of a relapse, according to People magazine. “I’m making plans to go away for a month to focus on my sobriety and to continue my life in recovery,” Perry says in a statement to the magazine. “Please enjoy making fun of me on the World Wide Web.”

Gaga a single Lady once more

Lady Gaga and boyfriend Luc Carl have called it quits, she discloses to Graham Norton. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend and haven’t been on any dates recently,” the singer says during an interview. Though Carl had been accompanying her on her recent tour, the stress of the road and Gaga’s hectic schedule reportedly became too much. But keeping busy is normal for the pop star: “At a certain point, exhaustion becomes a state of being. And mentally, I have to be strong and overcome it. It’s like a cloud, a fog really, that hovers over me,” she told V magazine.

Will just doesn’t understand

Will Ferrell is flummoxed by Paramount Pictures’ reluctance to green-light a sequel to “Anchorman,” he tells Popeater. “I don’t understand how they conduct their business,” he says. “Once again they don’t comment either way, but it’s not like it’s coming from us unsolicited. We just keep getting asked so many times about it that we have to comment. We try to explain there’s so much interest in a sequel, we’re not making this up!”

The post Talking points appeared first on Metro.us.

»Is Jesus being played by a Hispanic actor? That’s … sort of clever, we guess?

»This is going to sound really bitchy, but the wig — we think it’s a wig — Gaga is wearing around the 1:15 mark kind of makes her look like a drag queen.

»But we definitely prefer the facial tattoos to the facial prosthetics. Glad those are off.

»And we love the nun’s habit/bandana thing Gaga’s got going on. Especially because it’s probably actually some bizarre artistic statement, but it just makes her look like a 15-year-old mallrat.

»Not liking the dance. Sorry. But that "elbows at 90 degrees, sway your arms back and forth" thing Gaga breaks out a few times reminds us of nothing more than middle-school musical choreography.

»Norman Reedus! Norman Reedus!! You may know the actor playing Judas from his stint as one of the Boondock Saints (ugh), but to Metro he will always be Travis from the little-loved 2000 thriller "Gossip."

»On the intercutting at the climax of the video: Just as we’d happily bet our next paycheck that Gaga watched "Kill Bill" before dreaming up the "Telephone" video, we’re totally sure Gaga popped an Ambien and watched "The Godfather" the night before this concept was due.

The post ‘Judas’: Seven thoughts about the new Lady Gaga video appeared first on Metro.us.

Some observations:

»Has Gaga found religion, or is this one of those "metaphor" things we’ve heard so much about? "Jesus is my virtue / But Judas is the demon I cling to," makes us think it’s the latter. (Judas wasn’t a demon, duh!)

»In terms of quasi-Gregorian chants, "Ju-das, Ju-da-ah-ah" is the poor man’s "Ra-ra ah-ah-ah, ra-ma ra-ma-ma, Ga-ga ooh-la-la."

»What accent is Gaga using in this? I’m detecting a little Jamaican patois, which: weird. Better that than the odd European one she had on "Alejandro," though. Right?

»We’re not actually in love with this hook? But we said the same thing about "Alejandro" and now we love it, so we reserve the right to change our minds.

»We don’t think we’re ever going to like the rapping section, though: "But in the cultural sense / I just speak in future tense / Judas kiss me if offenced / or wear an ear condom next time."

»Or the "ew" at 2:48.

»We cannot get enough of those chunky synths, though. Especially in that dubstep-y break at 2:40.

»We can’t help but think, though, that Gaga’s gotten to a point where it may not matter what her songs sound like; they’re just loss-leaders for the videos. Already there are breathless reports online about how Gaga’s creative director nearly walked off the "Judas" video set because it was so offensive to her Christian beliefs. We can’t wait!

The post Eight observations about the new Gaga single ‘Judas’ appeared first on Metro.us.

“We’re thrilled to have Lady Gaga take the helm of our newspapers for the day! Together with Lady Gaga, Metro World News and our local teams will produce a one-of-a-kind newspaper on May 17,” said Maggie Samways, executive vice president and global editor-in-chief. “Lady Gaga is an extraordinary force, and we’re both excited to explore the issues of equality and human rights affecting our readers and Gaga fans. I’m confident that the edition will reflect her personality: creative, inspiring — and surprising!”

As part of the global guest editorship, Metro will also run a competition where one lucky reader will be chosen to serve as Lady Gaga’s editorial assistant. The contest is open to all Metro readers and Gaga fans, and will challenge readers to share what makes them “Born This Way,” and to identify what issues of equality affect them.

“Let’s see how fans would define what ‘Born This Way’ is for them,” says Lady Gaga. “I say I was born to be brave. That’s part of my mission in life. I was born to follow my artistic visions. Look into yourself. Are you born to be brave?”

Why go goo-goo for GaGa?

There is no bigger contemporary pop star on the planet than Lady Gaga. And this is not a fit of hyperbole caused by the excitement that she’s going to be our guest editor. Sure, there are other active musicians who are more famous than she is, but most of them are well beyond their definitive era. What’s so intriguing about Gaga is that while the 25-year-old star is in the perfect storm of her definitive era, she continues to redefine herself.

She is in a position where she has the whole world’s ear, and she is using this status to enact positive change, whether it’s promoting equality with her LGBT advocacy, giving fashion a kick in the rear with her dedication to outrageous outfits, smashing cultural taboos with her artsy videos, or just getting people to move their bodies on the dance floor with the driving anthems of “The Fame” that rocketed her into the stratosphere in the first place.

It is an honor that she has accepted our invitation to be a guest editor at Metro, allowing our readers insight into one of the most unique minds of popular culture. So put your paws up and grab a Metro on May 17. 

Check Metro on April 18 to find out how to enter the contest!

–Pat Healy/Music Editor

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