INT D: Lady Gaga & The Art of Fame

This week we will be looking at life events and using various tenses (simple past, simple present, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, future) to describe them. Today we'll be looking at the life of one of the most famous celebrities currently in the world. Her name is Stefani Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga.

Some of her infamous 'looks'....


1) Turn to the person next to you and discuss what you know about Lady Gaga and your general impression of her character, music, personality etc.

2) Click on the following link and watch an interview with Lady Gaga.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsBsCqGWdCc&feature=related

ANSWERS:

(1:43) “Make no mistake, Lady Gaga uses the photographers as much as they use her. Her over-the-top outfits are designed to grab headlines and get people talking.”

(3:07) “To understand how Lady Gaga got so famous, you have to start with her music. She’s been on tour for much of the past three years.  A tireless performer in concert, she’s constantly on the move, singing, dancing, changing costumes.

1/Describe the relationship between the paparazzi and Gaga (1:43)

Lady Gaga uses the photographers as much as they use her. Her over-the-top outfits are designed to grab headlines and get people talking.

2/What does Gaga say that she never does when performing? (4:08)

Lip-sync

3/How does Gaga view herself? (5:50)

She's not just a pop singer, but a performance artist and a living work of art, on stage and off. And clothes and wigs are all part of the production. 

4/ What is Gaga’s philosophy regarding fame and privacy? (6:37-6:50)

She is not just attention getting, but attention directing, getting the public to focus on her work and not her personal life.Getting people to pay attention what you want them to and not pay attention to what you don’t want them to, how to maintain a certain privacy without feeling you are withholding anything from your fans.

 Her philosophy: If I am open with them about everything and yet I art direct every moment of my life, I can maintain a sort of privacy in a way, I maintain a soulfulness I have yet to give.

5/Describe Gaga’s childhood (9:45) 

She grew up in a prosperous neighbourhood with parents and sister, started piano and dance lessons at age 4. She went to Catholic girl school and was a good student. She feels she didn’t fit in and felt disenfranchised by her school, by people that would make fun of her, tease her, bully her, maker her feel less cool.

6/ According to Gaga, what is something wrong that other musicians do, but she doesn’t? (11:13)

She doesn’t lie and she builds goodwill with her fans. They know who she is.

7/What is Gaga’s top priority?  (13:14)

Her music.

3) VOCABULARY/PHRASAL VERBS: (follow the links to look up the vocab from the interview)

“We weren’t sure what to expect when we caught up with her in the final months of her sold-out European tour.” to catch up with s.o.

“That would freak me out”  to freak s.o out/ to freak out

“To get away from the paparazzi, she took us to the outskirts of London.” to get away from s.o./s.t.

“I’m hoping to speak to people who feel like they don’t belong or don’t fit in." to fit in

“I’m smoke a lot of pot. I’m not gonna sugar coat it for 60 minutes