Looking back on it, how well did Madonna handle the Gaga situation?

[adirondak]

It's funny, because Gaga seemed untouchable in early 2012. She had a bit of a backlash during the whole BTW sounds like Express Yourself fiasco, but was posting the best album sales of her career.

Meanwhile, her very existence was leading Madonna to be put down, thought of as old, past her prime, and over it. Many people thought Madonna was replaced and even surpassed.

Gaga's team even played into it, and it seemed at times as if they were purposely taking all of Madonna's historical moments, and having Gaga recreate them in some way. Inserting herself over Madonna's legacy.

Then it happened, the famous Cynthia McFadden interview, where Madonna was asked the question people had been waiting for years to hear the answer to. "What did she think of Lady Gaga?"

Madonna was mostly complimentary, but when asked about the similarities between BTW and EY, Madonna said she thought it sounded familiar when she heard it, and then finally uttered that phrase "It felt reductive" followed by a sly sip of her cup of tea.

The media, both fanbases, and America went into hysterics. I remember much of the Madonna fanbase thinking that Madonna had really blown it by not praising Gaga. In fact, this was the first time we saw a major celebrity not praising Gaga to all ends. Many thought it would damage Madonna's career, having alienated any potential fans that liked Lady Gaga.

Then, it was time for both ladies' tours to start, and it was reported as a rumor that Madonna would be covering Born this Way as part of her Express Yourself performance. Many dismissed it as rumor, but as the opening night proved, Madonna performed it, along with a bit of She's not Me afterward. Then she continued to sing it every night on her tour.

I personally remember at the time feeling so fearful. Gaga's fanbase seemed so large and so hateful, and with the media always taking Gaga's side, it seemed like this was a move that might ruin Madonna.

The experience was finally capped with the release of Madonna's MDNA DVD, where many noticed that Madonna failed to credit Born this Way in the credits, meaning that Gaga's team would not be receiving any royalties for the song. Gaga has since commented on Madonna, but those comments haven't rocked the world quite the way it was rocked during this time.

So in retrospect, how do you think Madonna handled the situation? Do you think she could have handled it better? Worse? What do you think the effects were on both careers?

[Guest Not4Pussies]

Really? She said one word and look at Gaga now and look at where Madonna is.

[Guest Rachelle of London]

Madonna uttered the r word and from then, its been downhill for Gagy! She even broke a hip!

[Stephen]

Lady gaga is a rectal wart

[adirondak]

Haha yes. Well it's clear Gaga's career is suffering now. But - is it attributable to that interview? I mean, it looks great for Madonna in retrospect, but I remember at the time, thinking Madonna was going to have a severe backlash over it. And for a time it seemed like it was beginning and then all of a sudden the tide changed. It was very strange.

Overall, I think the whole thing made a lot of Gaga fans check out Madonna's past work. She definitely gained some new young fans during that phase.

[TearsInHeaven]

Madonna's voodoo is the strongest in the industry. whoever badmouth her will be over soon.

i think she has been more complimenting on Gaga than she really deserves and she acted like a real lady.

[XXL]

Really?

She said one word and look at Gaga now and look at where Madonna is.

Lol

Joanne Germanotta is so dumb that she unwittingly handled herself the situation for Madonna. Madonna didn't do much at all in fact. The girl just modelled her persona and career a little too much on Madonna and by the time she was getting flack over it (and not by Madonna mainly anyway) she cried like a child and started acting even crazier

[XXL]

Madonna's voodoo is the strongest in the industry. whoever badmouth her will be over soon.

i think she has been more complimenting on Gaga than she really deserves and she acted like a real lady.

@ Madonna's Voodoo

and true Madonna said Lady Parrot Stretchmarks is talented, too generous

[DreamTheater]

I believe she handled it perfectly. At first she even said some complimentary things about her in an interview, she did this snl skit with her. At no point did she seem threatened or envious of her success, I suppose she treated Lady Gaga as one more in a long line of pretenders. And then there was the Alejandro video and then BTW/EY and Madonna did not respond to any provocation. Looking back on it this was the perfect reaction. It was quite some time afterwards that she did the interview with the reductive comment and that was it.

[adirondak]

I remember feeling worried about the interview. It was clear they were going to ask her about Lady Gaga, and I knew if Madonna backed down and praised her that I would lose some respect for her.

Then when she first started answering the questions about Gaga being a great singer, talented etc. I thought for a second Madonna was just gonna roll over and act like nothing was happening. Thank God she didnt'.

[BrokenButterfly]

Madonna is getting like Oprah where you say a bad word about her, something bad happens to you. Industry conspiracy woo all over the place.

[Guest]

Lady Gaga is very beautiful, superbly talented, completely real and totally original!!!!!!

[IsaacHarris]

It made her relevant to some more young fags who reblogged the shit out of that REDUCTIVE GIF, thats 4 sure.

[IsaacHarris]

Lady Gaga is very beautiful, superbly talented, completely real and totally original!!!!!!

And then hell froze.

[Guest]

Oh come on. Lady Gaga is superb. A true icon, with life changing work and an unmatched beauty inside and out!!!

[neutrocks]

Oh good grief, you can't really be serious and tell me that you were worried for Madonna's career after her "Reductive" comment? She said nothing bad about Lady Gaga. Her comment was simply in reference to the song sounding similar. It certainly was played up by the network, airing that interview and some of the media as if it was a personal dig at Gaga. Of course, some of the fans on both sides, tried to insist the same. In fact, some still believe that Madonna was sayiing it about her. The media and the fans are still trying to insist there is some huge feud between them. In the end, I don't think anyone gave a shit what Madonna really said in that interview, but most of the hard core fans. I'm not saying other people didn't have a thought about it, but I think any negativity regarding the whole situation is far more embellished. The hardcore fans are making a bigger deal of it than anyone else. Shame on the media and fans that are trying to insist that Madonna is taking part of this nonsense. It's all one sided. Madonna has pretty much ignored all this negative Gaga vs. Madonna nonsense. Very much like how she ignore Elton's outbursts over the years.

Madonna isn't perfect. But she's been quite careful by getting involved in these pissing matches that people are trying to drag her in. I'm happy she doesn't respond to them. I'm happy she ignores the fans who try to get her to respond to the nonsense. She seems to ignore it and keeps beating to her own drum. She's far too smart to let this nonsense get to her or respond to it. She knows it accomplishes nothing and people will think of her what they want, no matter what she says.

[IsaacHarris]

Oh come on. Lady Gaga is superb. A true icon, with life changing work and an unmatched beauty inside and out!!!

Are you feeling okay, GU? Seems like you got a bad case of ARTPOP on the brain.

[billiejean]

I think the SNL skit was a bit stupid, but the reductive comment was priceless, and all she needed to do. Reductive is one word that has found it's way into popular internet culture (9/10 of the bloggers/forum goers never heard of the word before I bet).

Uploading Express Yourself on youtube the day Born This Way was making waves was cheeky, in a good way. A very good way!

[adirondak]

Oh good grief, you can't really be serious and tell me that you were worried for Madonna's career after her "Reductive" comment? She said nothing bad about Lady Gaga. Her comment was simply in reference to the song sounding similar. It certainly was played up by the network, airing that interview and some of the media as if it was a personal dig at Gaga. Of course, some of the fans on both sides, tried to insist the same. In fact, some still believe that Madonna was sayiing it about her. The media and the fans are still trying to insist there is some huge feud between them. In the end, I don't think anyone gave a shit what Madonna really said in that interview, but most of the hard core fans. I'm not saying other people didn't have a thought about it, but I think any negativity regarding the whole situation is far more embellished. The hardcore fans are making a bigger deal of it than anyone else. Shame on the media and fans that are trying to insist that Madonna is taking part of this nonsense. It's all one sided. Madonna has pretty much ignored all this negative Gaga vs. Madonna nonsense. Very much like how she ignore Elton's outbursts over the years.

Madonna isn't perfect. But she's been quite careful by getting involved in these pissing matches that people are trying to drag her in. I'm happy she doesn't respond to them. I'm happy she ignores the fans who try to get her to respond to the nonsense. She seems to ignore it and keeps beating to her own drum. She's far too smart to let this nonsense get to her or respond to it. She knows it accomplishes nothing and people will think of her what they want, no matter what she says.

I was worried. Not in the sense that I thought her career would be finished or anything, but more that I thought she would be buried in bad press yet again, and diminish in popularity. I also think Gaga was the media's darling at the time, and since Gaga was so big on her "bullying" craze, Madonna would be seen as the big bad bully and Gaga the innocent victim.

As for Madonna not being affected, I don't think that's true. I would imagine she was irritated, and I would imagine she planned beforehand to say "reductive" in regards to the situation. I don't think that word just came out off the cuff.

[tuckeye]

yah i thought oh no backlash on madonna time...but it was the opposite...the difference??

madonna followed it up with kick ass brilliant tour, controversy with balls to back it up, amazing music, art for freedom...

lady gags followed it up with cancelled tour, broken hip, applesauce, fartpoop flop album.

[nick00]

Overall, I agree that M handled well "the feud" or whatever with gaga. I loved hearing BTW mixed in with EY live, but I remember reading at least several negative articles in 2012 about M choosing to sing BTW on the tour.

Some journalists slammed M for singing BTW live, but I don't think they got M sense of humor.

[Nightshade]

Overall, I agree that M handled well "the feud" or whatever with gaga. I loved hearing BTW mixed in with EY live, but I remember reading at least several negative articles in 2012 about M choosing to sing BTW on the tour.

Some journalists slammed M for singing BTW live, but I don't think they got M sense of humor.

I think that was a stroke of genius. I think adding a few snippets of "She's Not Me" was probably more telling...it certainly indicated that Madonna was drawing a line between them.

Ultimately, I think people worry too much about this supposed feud. Madonna is untouchable at this point in her career. Today's pop stars just aren't built to last anymore. They are manufactured like disposable eye lenses. Even among Madonna's contemporaries she is far and away the leader (sorry, Prince).

[Guest]

Are you feeling okay, GU? Seems like you got a bad case of ARTPOP on the brain.

My brain is big but it ain't that big!

[Guest bluejean]

I think Madonna deliberately waited until just the right time to say something negative about Gaga. Saying it at the peak of her popularity would have been a mistake.

Also, she never said anything negative about her as a person or as a talent and she didn't go on and on about it. She was actually quite complimentary. The only thing was the Express Yourself copying. And the inclusion of Born This Way on tour wasn't an obvious dig, it was left open to interpretation.

I think Madonna is far more powerful than people realise and I feel Gaga pissed her off by deliberately trying to steal her slot and Madonna basically crushed her like a bug. Don't fuck with Madonna. She's very respected and connected in the industry and I'm sure most people will bow to her.

[material_boy]

The media, both fanbases, and America went into hysterics. I remember much of the Madonna fanbase thinking that Madonna had really blown it by not praising Gaga. In fact, this was the first time we saw a major celebrity not praising Gaga to all ends. Many thought it would damage Madonna's career, having alienated any potential fans that liked Lady Gaga.

...

I personally remember at the time feeling so fearful. Gaga's fanbase seemed so large and so hateful, and with the media always taking Gaga's side, it seemed like this was a move that might ruin Madonna.

I'm racking my brain here, trying to figure what the actual fuck you're talking about.

What the actual fuck moment 1: Madonna fans didn't get the vapors after this interview -- that's just straight bullshit that you're making up here. Fans were rolling on the floors after she dropped the R-bomb. Just look through the archives of this forum, for Christ's sake.

What the actual fuck moment 2: Let's be honest here -- Commercially, Madonna is at the lowest point in her career by most any measure. In fact, she's probably at the lowest point in her career by every commercial measure, other than tour receipts. So, even if this interview was a PR disaster, exactly how much lower do you think she can go?

What the actual fuck moment 3: Gaga's fanbase is hateful? I'm sorry, hateful? You were worried that Madonna was going to get a sad because some teenagers were talking shit about her on the internet?

What the actual fuck moment 4: The media is on Gaga's side? What world are you living in, honey?

Of all the things that people compare Gaga and Madonna for, the similarities with which the media treats Gaga and Madonna is the one that deserves the most attention.

Has Gaga ripped off Madonna's look? Yes. Has she ripped off Madonna's playbook? Yes. Has she ripped off Madonna's songs? You betcha. But despite all similarities -- and there's a lot that's been ripped off to go by -- the thing that seems most similar between the two is the media's obsession with them.

The media obsessively pursues -- professionally and personally -- because they want them to fail. They want them to fail because they know that if it happens, it will be spectacular -- it will make Britney's meltdown look downright quaint -- and it will sell a lot of magazines, drive a lot of web traffic, and make them a shit ton of money.

The media is pissed that they never managed to force the Madonna meltdown they so desperately wanted -- not ever after "Sex" -- and now they want to build a "new Madonna" so they can try again. That'll give them the celebrity story of the decade they've wanted for 20 years now.

You want an example of a fawning media "always taking" someone's side, take a look at Katy Perry. Gaysplotation? Here's a number one single. Shat out a frankenstein single that cobbled together by 16 hack producers? Here's a number one single. Put on a blue wig and a bra that shoots our whipped cream? Here's a glowing review AND a number one single. BLATANTLY rip off a song that's been out since April and still make a bullshit claim that yours was produced first? Here's a number one single without a scrap of bad press.

[Skin]

I think her mixing Born this Way with Express Yourself was great, but I didn't expect the backdrop which pretty much called her out on being a manufactured artist marketed to the blind masses (her monsters) that don't know any better.

I am actually surprised so many people in the media didn't pick up on that.

[5iVe Elements]

The power of Madonna - Teaching the entire world new vocabulary and striking the fatal blow to a wannabe's career.

[Guest Not4Pussies]

Madonna is not a victim. Madonna doesn't take it personal. Madonna has a sense of humor. With reductive, Gaga got rejected by her biggest ripspiration.

[lasky]

i think she has been more complimenting on Gaga than she really deserves and she acted like a real lady.

Well, its not the first time that new divas are coming into madonna's firing line.... looked at mariah carey when she started... M handled well and with superiority... (sipping tea!!!) Excellent!!

i believed that I can strongly say that she outright copies madonna in every way she can (isn't it obvious) and claims it her own but she does not have the intelligence/wisdom... just looked at the way she speaks.... (as if something intelligent would come out but when you hear it, its totally trash) and twitters.... It's embarassing to have even compared her with Madonna!!!

[Guest Sinisin]

Im very proud to have Madonna as my idol for over 25 years now. She is consistent: her message clear and unwavering. She didn't have to handle a thing..."it" took care of itself.