Lady Gaga has lots of pots over her creative fires lately. The multi-talented musician has been spreading herself between the demands of her Las Vegas residency at the Park Theater in “Enigma” and her deserved recognition for her role as Ally in “A Star Is Born,” alongside Bradley Cooper, her co-star, and director.
Lady Gaga has poured grace from her heart in accepting awards at the Golden Globes, the National Board of Review, and other coveted awards’ ceremonies over recent weeks.
She and Glenn Close shared a warm embrace, even before getting to the stage, just a week ago at the Critics’ Choice awards, when they tied in the category of Best Actress in a Drama. Close celebrated another nod as the unseen “kingmaker” in “The Wife”
The gifted artist who took the moniker of Mother Monster with her loyal fans some years back made the honor more memorable by sharing the “sweetest little story” of a lunch date between her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, and Close. The meeting became a full afternoon of touring Germanotta’s old apartment and connecting over shared causes of promoting kindness and mental health advocacy.
Lady Gaga has always understood the power of her platform and frequently puts it to use to raise awareness for others. Usually, the 32--year-old proud New Yorker keeps her focus on needs and issues of concern, but January 21 reports in Newsweek and Rolling Stone relate that Lady Gaga stopped midway through “Enigma” and one of her most heartfelt songs to share some words specifically for vice president, Mike Pence. Her words were her own straight truth, straight from the heart, and another chief executive was also mentioned.
A ‘Million Reasons’ and more
Still, with her blue hair, Gaga paused at a poignant juncture of “Million Reasons” to speak bluntly to Vice President Mike Pence. “You are wrong,” she declared from her piano bench, referring to Mrs.
Karen Pence’s recent employment as an art teacher at Immanuel Christian School, which denies acceptance to students within the LGBTQ community. The school also prohibits employment of teachers “involved in homosexuality.”
The multi-platinum songwriter balked at Pence’s accusation of discrimination against Christianity, giving it right back, saying “You are the worst representation of what it means to be a Christian.” “I am a Christian woman, Stefani Germanotta continued, cutting to the essence of her faith, insisting that “we bear no prejudice, and everyone is welcome,” sounding much more in tune with the “Come unto me” intent of church than the exclusionary comments grabbing the headlines from Pence.
Karen Pence had previously taught at the school during her husband's time in Congress.
Lady Gaga offered one more point of accountability for the vice president, urging, “you can take all that disgrace, Mr. Pence, and look at yourself in the mirror and you'll find it right there. “
Mike Pence defends the history of “Christian education” and “religious education” in America, which is well true. Forgiveness, acceptance, and love are primary principles of faith that remain hallmarks and go unheard in his remarks.
One more thing
The man in the Oval Office wasn’t left out of Lady Gaga's aim, either. In her own characteristic honesty, she pleaded, “If the f—ing President of the United States can please put our government back in business, noting, like millions of other Americans, that civil servants, contractors, and the community residents who support them “live paycheck to paycheck, and they need their money.”
An ironic twist comes in realizing that while “A Star Is Born” is an R-rated, wrenching tale of being in the throes of addiction, while still being so loved.
The film’s messages of taking time to listen, taking time to care, and continuing to love through the worst of life have more in common with genuine faith than any of the social or political fervor being heard from the White House.