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This is very fitting to the discussion at Phi Kappa Society last night.

merlin:

Lady Gaga - “Bad Romance”

I have nothing smart to say about this. This video is ridiculous, weirdly executed, and thoroughly fun to watch.

Okay. One-and-a-half things to say. But they’re not even very smart.

I think there are two sane reasons for a Big Act to be on a Big Label today:

1. Economies of Scale
   The one thing that is, by definition, almost impossible for indies and individuals to achieve on their own.
2. Platforms for Spectacle
   Sure, you can do amazing, SRL-like things on your own, but going big can mean unusual access to resources, talent, and corporate insanity to make stuff like this happen.

Nonsense like Lady Gaga traipsing around in a fetishy, Manga/Fifth Element/Alien/Matrix mashup will not change the world, it won’t cure your Aunt’s cancer, and it won’t find you a job at NASA. It won’t even teach you the basics of synchronized line dancing.¹

It’s unapologetically sold-out, asinine, and way way over-the-top.

But, you have to admit: it’s a pretty fucking grand bit of creativity and circus. And, although I have nothing smart to say about this, I think it’s a terrificly enjoyable artifact of today’s corporate and cultural zeitgeists. And, yes, in the same way as that execrable Black Eyed Peas record, it’s just really, really fun.

Man, I sure am thirsty now.

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1. Holy shit, did they not even do a second take? Was this choreographed by Britney Spears over a fax machine? Could they maybe just not hear the music through their shiny bondage/dancing helmets? Holy holy shit, that’s some awesomely great terrible dancing. ↩