Lady GaGa - Why The Fascination?

Before I start, I must give credit to Nick Dean for making me aware of some of the articles and for basically saying it was okay to be a fan.

Over the past year, Lady GaGa has blown up in pop culture. I didn't quite understand what the deal was with her, but I couldn't deny that I liked her songs.

Then I started to read about her after being pointed to the article that appeared in Slate.

Later, I realized she could really sing and play piano (check in at 1:45 mark):


Not only that, she wasn't afraid to speak her mind as part of the March for Equality Rally in Washington, D.C. this past October:


To cap off the year, Barbara Walters sat down with the artist as part of her "Most Fascinating People of 2009":


Of course, some people consider Lady GaGa's presence in the music scene to be of more sinister nature by trying to point out her connections to the Illuminati and claiming she's trying to control people's minds.

Maybe they have a point...

Lady GaGa presents quite the exhibit. It's visual and auditory. I think the key to her success is that she presents an image that she doesn't seem to live once off camera. There's a stability there that other pop stars, whether in music, film, or television, haven't been able to offer us for awhile. So much is crazy in our country right now that an indulgence in some pop art is comforting, especially when we get the impression that maybe the artist isn't about to enter drug rehab, go after her significant other with a golf club, or try to sign a TV deal to film the multiple off-spring that are about to emerge from her womb.

Yes. The clothes are bizarre. Yes. The videos are, well they're something. But it's put out there as an expression of herself in a palatable enough way that I find it easy to be on board as an interested participant.