Five Memorable Moments From 'Lady Gaga & The Muppets' Holiday Spectacular'
There is certainly a perception in the world that Lady Gaga is a World Class Weirdo, and her reputation for eccentricity is certainly something that Gaga's camp has milked over the years. Some would argue that Gaga has gone to the weirdo well once too often, and her lack of relatability is one of the primary reasons that ARTPOP has been underperforming against its expectations. To her credit, Gaga seems to have recognized this flaw in her brand strategy and has been working overtime of late to humanize herself. Her widely praised appearance on SNL last month was her first successful step in this direction, and we feel that anyone who watches the cable premiere of Lady Gaga & The Muppets Holiday Spectacular on VH1 this Saturday, December 7th at 7PM/6C will definitely gain a new appreciation for Miss Stefani Germanotta.
With that said, here are the Five Most Memorable Moments From Lady Gaga & The Muppets' Holiday Spectacular!
5. Lady Gaga And Elton John "Schmooze" A Little
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Flamboyance? Check. Superior ivory tickling skills? Check. Propensity for outrageousness? Check. As you can tell, Gaga and the Rocket Man have a lot in common, which is why it was so fun to see these two chat and play together during the special. They team up on two songs, Elton's "Benny And The Jets" (which he alters to "Gaga And The Jets" for this occasion) and the title track from Gaga's new album, "ARTPOP." Pay close attention to some of the faces that Gaga makes here, for they are THE BEST.
4. Lady Gaga Shows Off Her "Manicure"
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ARTPOP is, if nothing else, a very engaging album. It's not the kind of thing that you can throw on and passively listen to, particularly because it has the tendency to bounce around the musical map so frequently. "Manicure" is an excellent example of this, a song that appeals to the inner hair metal fan in all of us. (Bonus points for that flannel!)
3. Lady Gaga And Joseph Gordon-Levitt Flip The Script
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"Baby It's Cold Outside" is one of the creepiest songs in the Christmas canon, mainly because it carries with it an extremely uncomfortable rape-y vibe. Its beloved status is due, in large part, to Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel's duet from Elf, but Lady Gaga and JGL's version of it is right up there in our books. Pay close attention and you'll notice that the pair gender-swapped the lyrics so that the (creepy) "man" part is now sung by Gaga and the (timid) "woman" part is voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This was a bold creative decision on both of their parts, one that we felt paid off extremely well.
2. Taking The Muppets To "Uranus"
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It's juvenile, we know, but there's something about hearing the word "Uranus" on television, particularly when paired with Gaga literally SCREAMING "Don't you know my ass is famous?!?!"
1. Lady Gaga And Kermit Fight Loneliness Together On "Gypsy"
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Admission time. I watched this special on Thanksgiving evening when it originally aired on ABC. I had definitely had a few adult beverages by the point in the evening that "Gypsy" came on and, well, I may have teared up just a little bit. I don't know what it is about singing frogs, but between this version of "Gypsy" and "Rainbow Connection," I can't make it through either performance without some crocodile tears streaming down my cheeks.
Remember earlier when we spoke about the process of humanizing Gaga? Tell us that this song doesn't do it for you. It's a track that hasn't been slathered in sleazy techno beats; instead, it's all about heart, hooks, and a chorus so massive that I dare you not to sing out "TONIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT" at the top of your lungs by the 2nd refrain. More songs like this (and "The Edge Of Glory"!) on the next record, please Gaga, we beg of you!
Remember, the Lady Gaga & The Muppets Holiday Spectacular will air on VH1 this Saturday, December 7th at 7PM/6C. For future showtimes, be sure to check out VH1's schedule.