Lady Gaga Attends Obama Fundraiser in Silicon Valley, Questions President About Anti-Bullying Policies
Days after vowing she would meet with the President over the bullying suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, Lady Gaga paid to attend a $35,800 per couple fundraiser at the home of Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg last night, according to a White House press pool report:
At 8pm pool was brought through the house, where Poker Face by Lady Gaga was playing, and into a white party tent set up in the back of the house. There were 7 large round tables – three on each side and one square in the middle in front of a small open space with an American and California state flag set up, where President Obama spoke.
At 8:03 pm Lady Gaga entered… delicately walking on sky-high heels (she towered over everyone, a good 2 feet taller than POTUS). She was wearing a floor-length sleeveless lacey black dress, her blonde hair was gathered in a bouffant up-do adorned with a black hair piece with a black veil down the back, which she swept to the side and in front of her left shoulder. (The hair added about 6 inches to her stature). She took a seat at the middle table in the tent and stood up with the other guests when POTUS entered a few minutes later.
Event was print pool only so no press photos.
POTUS spoke for about 8 minutes, with Lady Gaga sitting front and center. And although he never acknowledged her obvious presence, it seems likely the two crossed paths during greetings inside the house before the dinner.
ABC News has more:
According to a source present in the tent fundraiser, Gaga asked a question during the Q&A. She first thanked the president for what he’s accomplished, then read from what she said was a letter from a fan about the suicide of another fan who had been subjected to bullying. She thanked Obama for hosting his anti-bullying conference with Michelle Obama, and then made a general plea to everyone in the room, including the president, to do what they can to prevent bullying. Obama thanked her, spoke about his administration’s anti-bullying campaign, and then more generally about the importance of values and who we are as Americans. Before the dinner, Gaga came through the photo line with her manager. She and Obama reportedly spoke for two minutes, with many others in the room.
Gaga dedicated a performance of "Hair" to Rodemeyer over the weekend at an IHeartRadio concert. Watch the performance, in which she notes "bullying is for losers", HERE.
"Tell me, Derrick, how would you feel about a white man presuming to speak for and represent African-Americans, recording an "anthem" for you without your consent, and including a line n it like "Don't be a dropout, just be an unemployed thug"?
Yeah, that's what I thought...."
As long as it's Teena Marie singing--it's all right with me.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Sep 26, 2011 11:34:00 AM
@Rick The obvious problem with your offensive comparison is that you're equating being a "queen" with being a "thug". It's a little something called misogyny, look it up.
Clearly there is some major internalized homophobia going on or else you wouldn't have a problem with gay men embracing their femininity. The amount of hate towards gay men (and their allies) continues to amaze me--even when it's self hate like yours.
Posted by: Danny | Sep 26, 2011 11:34:25 AM
Little Kiwi
He still has a point. And you have proved him right....
Derrick
I rarely agree with Rick but he is spot on with this. Why is it always these bitchy egotistical pop stars who always have to represent the gay community? Very odd.
Posted by: Rowan | Sep 26, 2011 11:41:32 AM
"@Rick The obvious problem with your offensive comparison is that you're equating being a "queen" with being a "thug". It's a little something called misogyny, look it up"
This is what I meant when I made the reference to so many of you lacking a truly male identity. Your use of "misogyny" demonstrates that you basically think of yourself as a woman rather than as a man......which, in turn, explains why you live vicariously through women like Lady Gaga.
And you cannot distinguish between homosexuality and femininity--again a demonstration of your damaged psychological state.
We will call this "Exhibit A".
And as far as most of society is concerned (you know the mainstream where you don't reside), being a queen IS worse than being a thug. At least a thug commands a modicum of respect, if only in the form of fear of violence on the part of those encountering him. But nobody respects a queen.....NOBODY (including themselves and each, other, by the way, as evidenced by their lustfulness towards masculine men and ONLY masculine men).
Posted by: RIck | Sep 26, 2011 11:51:26 AM
You know, I've never seen, or had the desire to attend, a Lady Gaga concert. But I know people who have, and who have been very impressed with how gay ( and diversity)-positive she is. Are they manipulated? I don't know. But if they believe in her sincerity, and assimilate (and promote) the message, does it really matter whether she is sincere or manipulative? Her fans don't care if she is a clown or immature or unskilled. She seems (to many) to want to use her celebrity for good. Duped or not, some people find her inspirational, and may pay it forward. What is wrong with that?
Posted by: TJ | Sep 26, 2011 11:56:24 AM
"Your use of misogyny demonstrates that you basically think of yourself as a woman"
Or, it might be the sign of intelligence, enlightenment, and empathy. Qualities some people on this board seem to lack - in spades.
Posted by: TJ | Sep 26, 2011 12:01:29 PM
RICK complains nonstop about "femme gays" and how "bad we make gays look" yet he also insists that gay people don't "HAVE" to Come Out.
so he proves me right. he's angry that "femme gays" have the courage to be Out, and Live Out, while his ass is still cowardly hoping to "pass for white" and he defends that cowardice.
you can't complain about a lack of "masc gay role models" in the same breath that you say "we dont' need to come out, it's our right to a personal life"
yeah. it's your right to be a coward. but you can't complain, from inside the closet, about how others who are Out are living.
wimp.
Posted by: Little Kiwi | Sep 26, 2011 12:09:37 PM
Why should straight people speak up for gay people, or men speak up for women, or white people speak up for African Americans? Basic Social Psychology. Gay people, women, African Americans, etc. would be expected to speak up for themselves. Their expected self-interest makes the validity of their arguments somewhat suspect - of course you are going to say that, you have something to gain.
When those not of the group, and who have more perceived power and thus more to lose by sharing that power, speak up for the rights of others, it validates the other groups right to respect and power. Well, if he is so willing to give up power, there must be something to this point of view.
Unless of course you see giving up power as a sign of weakness and are afraid that validating others somehow invalidates you.
Posted by: TJ | Sep 26, 2011 12:13:43 PM
@DERRICKFROMPHILLY - saw your post to me on the other thread. Thanks for your kind words.
Posted by: TJ | Sep 26, 2011 12:18:51 PM
What are you dunces complaining about? Lady Gaga doesn't "HAVE" to do anything - she's CHOOSING to be a Visible and Vocal advocate for LGBT Equality.
Why be mad at her? Why not be angry at the legions of men you would feel are "more acceptable" who are choosing NOT to be as visible and vocal about LGBT Equality?
it's not as if two openly-gay professional football players couldn't attend because Lady Gaga took their seats.
This is something that she cares about, and you losers are angry at her for it? It's not her fault that the men you think should be our Advocates are choosing to sit back and do nothing.
Rowan, Rick, it's no wonder your fathers didn't want to have you as sons. it's not because you're gay, but because you're both such wimpy little doormats about it.
grow a pair.
Posted by: Little Kiwi | Sep 26, 2011 12:32:00 PM
@Kiwi I normally don't bother to respond to you because it is apparent to me that you are not entirely psychologically healthy, even beyond the issues I have already raised here, and one cannot reason with such people, but in this instance I am going to respond, because I think the question of why mainstream gays almost all stay in the closet is an issue worth exploring.
Tell me, why is it that you think there are NO major Hollywood actors out of the closet--, NO corporate executives, NO professional athletes, and only 4 members of Congress, one of who was outed by scandal? No governors, no Senators, and until recently, not even anybody of significance in the news media. For that matter, how many openly gay university or college presidents are there, academia being the most politically-correct leftward-leaning segment of society? Hardly any there either. Really very few people of any significance in any field in which visibility is high.
Are ALL the gay people in these positions "cowards", including the progressives and Democrats among them? Are all of them "self-haters"? Are all of them ashamed of who they are? Do you really believe that to be the case in the year 2011?
I dare say that very few of them could be fairly characterized as any of the above.
And so the answer to why they all stay in the closet must lie elsewhere, mustn't it?
Perhaps what causes them to not want to do so is the embarrassment they would feel, not at revealing their sexual orientation, per se, but at associating themselves with a gay culture that has become so out-of-the-mainstream that it really does not represent what they, themselves, are all about. And because they are often the recipients of hostility (as I so often am on this site) for rejecting that culture and the anti-masculinity mindset it projects.
Have you ever allowed yourselves outside your little ideological boxes to even consider that possibility?
Posted by: RIck | Sep 26, 2011 12:33:02 PM
Rick, because you guys never grew a pair. You still think you can only command respect by Passing For Straght.
Here's the reality - you're not fooling anyone. They can all tell that you're gay, but they can also tell that you're utterly insecure about it - remember that nobody is "vague" about their heterosexuality.
You think people don't know you're gay/ They know. They don't mention it because it's obvious how much you don't WANT them to know.
If you were actually masculine and confident you'd be Out.
You're none of the above.
You're blaming "femmy gays" for "masculine gays" not wanting to Come Out?
That's just COWARDICE.
Blaming others for having the strength to do something that yourself too much of a coward to do.
I've been fully Out since i was a TEEN.
There are openly gay hollywood actors. and athletes. and executives. not a lot, but they exist.
they're the vanguards. there are always going to be legions of cowards like you who simply aren't man enough to do it, and then you blame it one "stereotypical femmy queens."
If you were half the man you claim to be you'd be fully Out. alas, you're just sitting their complaining with your balls in the closet.
we get it. your dad resented having to call you "Son" and you blame femme gays for it. it's not the fault of Harvey Fierstein that your father is a bigot, nor that you never had the balls to defy him.
Posted by: Little Kiwi | Sep 26, 2011 12:40:09 PM
SIGH. I was really hoping she would dress appropriately for this event, but sadly, I was wrong. I don't doubt her good intentions with attending this event and speaking out, but dressing like a total a**hole tends to undermine your message. She doesn't strike me as someone who is very self-aware (more like self-obsessed!).
Posted by: Christian | Sep 26, 2011 1:57:26 PM
Ga Ga for President! She's the bomb!
Posted by: rob e c | Sep 26, 2011 3:23:10 PM
Her fight is not for our community. It is for her community she is one of us. Do not forget. Thank you miss germonotta for your courage.
Posted by: Jeremiah Tennessee | Sep 26, 2011 3:56:43 PM
I hate Gaga more and more each day. She is worse than Anita Bryant and is a fading star.
Posted by: tlrick f | Sep 26, 2011 5:53:31 PM
Maybe she's advocating for her community (the bi community) and just letting gays along for the ride?
Posted by: amo | Sep 26, 2011 8:04:00 PM
I think it's wonderful that Lady Gaga is trying to fix this problem. We need someone as influential as her to get the point across. Hopefully things will get done.
Posted by: Joseph S | Sep 26, 2011 11:14:58 PM
It's really sad to see such stupidity and hate expressed here. Who gives a crap how she was dressed? You read a description, and didn't see a picture. And you know what? She's a fashion-obsessed pop star who wears couture and designs from her own team of designers.
Did it ever occur to you that a woman standing tall is a form of empowerment? Why should she dress like a nun if she wants to dress however she likes, no matter the venue? Isn't being gay at least partly about individuality and, more important, freedom to do whatever you like---whatever makes you happy? The kids who have killed themselves after being bullied, to a one, were acting like themselves and following their instincts. For that they were terrorized by their peers and often by authority figures. Let people be themselves and stop attacking (bullying) them for it. These kids were out of the closet, and for that they were driven to destroy themselves. Why not celebrate the fact that we're all different?
That's Gaga's message. Be yourself. If you're too scared to do that, then at least don't tear down other people for having the courage to do it.
And please, EVERYONE, stop responding to Jason/Rick (the same person). He is a bitter, sad little person who simply likes attention, and will say anything to get it.
Posted by: Paul R | Sep 26, 2011 11:36:30 PM
PAUL R : I celebrate alongside you. But just know that the idea of different = okay is hard for many, if not most, to swallow. It's an upward climb and a paradigm shift.
And your comment about standing tall really made me stop and think. If intentional, in the way you describe, brilliant. If an outcome of projection, then good still pays forward.
Posted by: TJ | Sep 27, 2011 1:52:57 AM
i guess britney, beyonce, madonna, rihanna were busy...
thanks gaga!
Posted by: h | Sep 27, 2011 5:32:32 AM