Whether you think she’s a copy cat or a devilishly inspired vixen, Lady Gaga is giving the fashion industry a helping hand by showcasing the hot and haute in her music videos. Collaborations between music artists and fashion houses is not a new thing, they have helped each other’s awareness since the beginning of MTV in the early 80s.

In her recent video Alejandro, she works with stylist Nicola Formichetti and fab photographer Steven Klein to create her –much too long– but beautifully rendered video.

Now lets break it down as if it were a pictorial in Vogue shall we. Designers that are featured below are, Nasir Mazhar, Atsuko Kudo, Calvin Klein, Christian Louboutin, David Samuel Menkes and Emporio Armani. These are only a handful, as garments from the houses of  Kerin Rose, and Philip Treacy are also in the video.

Binocular headpiece by Nasir Mazhar. Cape by Alexander McQueen

Nun dress designed by Atsuko Kudo.

Lingerie by Calvin Klein

Stilettos by Christian Louboutin. Boy shorts: Haus of Gaga

Machine gun bustier by David Samuel Menkes. Military suits by Emporio Armani

Related Posts:

• De Profil: Meet DavidJr.Com
• Antonio’s Guide To April
• In Defense Of Telephone – OR – What Exactly Is Sandy Rios So Worked Up About?
• Are You Bluffing? Shoelery Is Among Us
• The Wo(Man) In The Window

If you live in the New York City area then you have heard of DavidJr.Com. If you haven’t, you must have been sleeping.

A trademark within himself, David (Bates) set up his franchise with only one thing- himself. As a filmmaker, one of a million in New York, he needed to stand apart from the rest, and market himself, since no one else would listen. Oh boy, did he. The DavidJr bling belts he made out of thin air, have become available for purchase on his website, as well as t-shirts bearing his face image only.

That is all we need to know, right? No. It should also be noted this guy writes, directs, edits, and shoots (mainly improvises) ALL of his own material.

As the lead videographer for the NY based indie film company GEN ART for the last 5 years, David established himself as a force to be reckoned with- “Punking” celebrities before Ashton Kutcher-among those filmmaker Warner Herzog, and even former Vice President Al Gore- and writing, directing, shooting, and editing his mini masterpieces for the Gen Art Film Festival, as well as his own website, which has logged in millions of hits to date.

David also found himself filming a documentary this past year for Austin band “One-Eyed Doll” which won him several contests including the Talenthouse.com contest- where he will direct a music video for the legendary Rik Cordero.

Last year, I had the pleasure of accompanying him to Las Vegas, where Billboard (yet another contest he has conquered) sent us to see Lady Gaga, where we shot a 10 minute short film on Lady Gaga and the modeling industry called “Fame and Loathing in Las Vegas”.

So far, this small-town guy from Connecticut  (whom I assume no one would listen to in a big city filled with struggling filmmakers) took fate into his own hands, and made us all listen- and laugh. We are all the ones now struggling to keep up with him.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Meet DavidJr.Com:

Related Posts:

• Ale-Ale-Fashion (A Haute Guide Through Alejandro Music Video)
• Antonio’s Guide To April
• In Defense Of Telephone – OR – What Exactly Is Sandy Rios So Worked Up About?
• The Wo(Man) In The Window

It’s creeping up, you can tell by the rainy days and not-so-freezing weather. There’s also that mixed fashion I so love in Spring and the month of April; half the population is braving the still somewhat crisp temperatures and taking off the layers and boots, while the other is still hiding behind the winter parkas that will soon be packed in storage boxes or donated to Goodwill.

These are a couple of suggestions of things that make me go Yes! plus places and events you shouldn’t miss out on during the month of April.

April Wear

The most important element that should grace the wardrobe of both men and women in April is a new pair of shades, and by new I mean old. Retro is the fresh look for Spring 2010, from round glasses (Gaga goes googoo over them), retro Ray-Bans (color me 80s), and always in fashion – not leaving us anytime soon – aviator or pilot glasses.

Jeremy Scott Mickey Mouse Glasses

Ray-Ban

And if you think eye-wear is a thing for the geeks, think again! Stop spending money on contact lenses and embrace the sexy. What used to be nerd-wear is now steaming hot. Just make sure they are fashionably sensitive … and guess what? You don’t need glasses? Make a statement! Get your hands on a pair anyways – they are the accessory of the season.

Tom Ford

Tom Ford

April Eats

Spring is all about the Bowery scene, don’t miss this special eat-treat happening this weekend – Travertine restaurant and owner, Danae Cappelletto will host an Alice in Wonderland themed costume party this Easter Sunday, April 4th with music by Tyger Lily.

Travertine

The party will start with a trippy, electronic, candy-coated brunch at 12pm that will float into an evening of music and fine food! In-house Mixoligist, Courtney Bae has created a speciality cocktail using Vieux Carré absinthe. The ‘White Rabbit’, combines fresh lemon juice, grapefruit juice, ginger infused simple syrup and dry prosecco served in a champagne flute. Alice in Travertineland is a bohemian sipping disco queen, with a palate to envy! She never misses the party, especially a costume party! Don your best Alice in Wonderland inspired getup and head down to celebrate Easter. Travertine is located at 19 Kenmare Street, New York, NY

April Care

Earth Day is April 22 and there are a number of events in the city of New York celebrating, informing and most importantly creating a greener understanding during this day and the whole month of April. You can act right now by joining the “b the E” campaign, and showing your support for a greener planet. The campaign evokes Gandhi’s quote: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” You can join the E campaign and check out the different happenings that day – even share your green ideas.

Adrian Grenier for "b the E"

April Films

Here comes the Neighborhood! The Tribeca Film Festival begins April 21st and the selections this year will not disappoint. From Arias With A Twist: The Docufantasy (documentary of the hit show at HERE Arts Center) to Zonad (selection from Ireland), not taking advantage of these flicks would just be plain foolish.

They recently announced  it will be hosting the gala premiere of  Letters to Juliet (featuring Amanda Seyfried) on April 25.  The Tribeca Film Festival will also hold a special presentation of My Own Love Song, from director Olivier Dahan (La Vie en Rose)  and featuring original music from Bob Dylan.

Arias With A Twist: A Docufantasy

Be sure to pick up your tickets as soon as they go on sale. If you have a My Tribeca account, you can start planning your schedule now by saving My Own Love Song and Letters to Juliet to your calendar!

April Final Must

Lets head out to Brooklyn shall we, to Galapagos Art Space to be exact. This is where the troupe of Suspended Cirque will be every Sunday in April, and all they ask of you is that you be ready to look up. Sundays belong to the aerial cabaret of Swingin’ at Jack’s. Travel back to the year 1947, when Jack’s was the hottest place in town. Mingle with Jack’s saucy French maître d’, two flirty cigarette girls, a sultry songstress, a strapping stagehand, and the famous Jack himself. Watch the drama unfold in the air and on the floor – with sass, class, a wink and a smile – backed by the best live jazz in town.

Suspended Cirque

______

Special thanks to everyone who emailed me their suggestions (If you would like to be considered for mention in a future monthly guide, send information to Antonio@thehappiestmedium.com with Guide To [and the month] as the subject).

Related Posts:

• Ale-Ale-Fashion (A Haute Guide Through Alejandro Music Video)
• De Profil: Meet DavidJr.Com
• In Defense Of Telephone – OR – What Exactly Is Sandy Rios So Worked Up About?
• Book/Movie Tie-Ins: Alice In Wonderland
• The Wo(Man) In The Window

It’s no secret that I’m a huge Gaga fan.  But fan or no, I’m not actually writing this post as a person who loves the Lady.  This is a response to the bashing Lady Gaga’s Telephone video has been getting in the media.  Bashing which is so unwarranted that it’s caused me to go on a tirade to anyone who will listen.  And yes, at this point it’s almost a “so what?”  but at the same time, I’ve got this blog and rather than repeating these same points over and over I’ll take it to the web, where at least I can accentuate my points with exhibits that I can write funny captions for.

So Much Scandal, So Little Bandwidth

I would like to present the case that absolutely nothing in Telephone can’t already be found in pre-existing mainstream media – media which, I might add, is often far more exploitative of women and far more pointlessly violent, and pointlessly pornographic.  I would also like to illustrate how many of the Telephone images that are being isolated and vilified have, in other contexts and for other artists, been celebrated.  My question is – are we honestly going to crucify a woman who creates a video that is a veritable homage to Tarantino films just weeks after nominating him for Hollywood’s highest honor without someone crying hypocrisy?  What’s REALLY going on here?

The prosecution makes their case:

Sandy Rios Objection – “We have to speculate whether she has a male member or not … whether it’s been cut off or not”.  I love when people give you a glimpse into their mind by telling you how they filled in the blanks.  Sandy Rios, you dirty dirty girl.  No one in the video said anything about john-bobbiting at all.  Not even REMOTELY.  But I love that you inadvertently told us what YOU started to speculate – which was a whole lot kinkier than what the prison guard actually said.  Unless you’ve been living under a rock and sharing lichen with Sandy Rios you know exactly what the prison guard said, and why.  Frankly, it was a funny, wink-wink moment that I found hilarious.  I’m not quite sure how a woman who makes her mark on this world as the President of the Culture Campaign and as a commentator on a news program can be so out of touch with the actual meaning of this exchange.  Her ignorance alone on that issue 1) disqualifies her from commenting on ANYTHING in the video and 2) proves that she’s not involved enough in the media to be policing it, as whole cultural touchstones seem to be whizzing over her head.   Sitting on the sidelines and crying foul when something enters the red zone of your morality meter does not make you an accurate litmus test for what is “poisonous to the minds of our children”.

Just Checking … yup … Still there.

I direct Ms. Rios’s attention to Rihanna’s “Hard” video (pictured) and ask what she then makes of Rihanna repeating “I’m so hard, so hard, so hard, so hard” while repeatedly grabbing her crotch?  Maybe Rianna’s asking us to speculate whether she has a male member or not too?

Sandy Rios Objection – “Beyonce and Gaga are Gay Lesbian Lovers”.  They are?  They look more like Thelma and Louise from where I’m sitting … You know, good ole Thelma and Louise, who were also murderers, remember,  and who … if I’m not mistaken shared a big ole kiss before grabbing hands and plunging over that cliff.  Yet they’ve become lovable movie icons who have, in the 20 years since the movie’s release, spawned many homages (especially in cartoons) but no copycat suicides to date that I’ve been made aware of.

Once More Into The Breach, Dear Friend

Sandy Rios Statement “I would not, under any circumstance, allow my children to buy Lady Gaga cds or listen to them … and I would explain to them why”.  I imagine it would go something like this: “No!  Put that down!  I can not allow you to listen to fluffy ear candy with messages that, when played backwards contain satanic messages, or recipes for making crack in the basement! No Lady Gaga in the Rios house EVER!!!  I don’t care if it has a good beat and you can dance to it!”

Gaga is kissed by a girl – branded girl-on-girl disgusting soft-core porn.  Sandy Rios says “You may not watch it, I may not watch it, but the man next door who’s a sexual predator is watching it!”  He is?  Right next door?  I thought I lived next door to an avid sports fan?  You know, the kind of man who worships and hopes to emulate Tiger Woods … a much more wholesome role model whose actions DON’T poison the minds of our youth. Oh wait …

Exhibit a: A sexual predator is so ready to sexualize anything that he thinks a playground at lunchtime is a soft-core porn paradise.  He’s not going to surf MTV and wait for the Lady Gaga video to come on to feed his predatory lust.  He’s already put together a slide show of all the Naked Photo Shoot episodes of America’s Next Top Model.
Exhibit b: Katy Perry sang “I Kissed A Girl … And I Liked It!” which is all about getting drunk and kissing some no-name girl as “an experiment”.  The song get Katy Perry a VMA award nomination and a Kid’s Choice Award.  A KID’S CHOICE AWARD.  Not only were kids listening to it, they were CHOOSING it as their favorite song.  Go figure.
Exhibit c: Last time I checked, being gay wasn’t a crime, and kissing wasn’t pornographic.

Objection that a girl kissing a girl is soft core porn – Overruled.

WARNING!  BUTTS AHEAD!

Quick, Look Away Before Your Eyes Burn Out Of Your Head!

Objection – Fox blurred out this very scene when showing it on their report because if they didn’t you then would be able to see “everything”.  If that’s EVERYTHING down there, Fox needs an anatomy lesson.

Ladies of Chicago

Exhibit a:  The outfits worn during Gaga’s dance scene in the prison corridor look similar to the outfits worn by the women prisoners in the musical “Chicago”.  Shall we quickly go over that plot?  A woman cheat on her husband, kills her lover, tries to pin the murder on her husband, goes to jail, meets many unsavroy woman, says whatever her oily lawyer tells her to, feigns pregnancy, has to side step the lesbian advances of the prison matron, and eventually teams up with the other biggest murderess (who murdered her husband and her sister) in the joint in order to keep the fame monster going.  The venerable Chicago The Musical gift store sells T shirts emblazoned with the rallying cry “He Had It Coming …”.  Had WHAT coming?  His own murder? Did he now?
Oh, and just a little footnote: Chicago won six Tony awards and was successfully brought to the big screen where it won six Academy Awards including Best Picture and BEST COSTUME DESIGN.  AND it was based on a 1926 play which in fact was based on actual events which occured way back in the 1920s … which all pre-dated Lady Gaga by 80 or so years so I’m pretty sure that she had no hand in poisoning the mind of the actual woman upon which the whole shebang is based.

I See London, I See France, Where Are Cher’s Underpants?

Exhibit b: Cher blatantly showed her butt (Or, in Fox-speak, “Everything”) in her 1989 video for “If I Could Turn Back Time”; a video filled with sailors, suggestive rides on huge cannons and prancing, all of which had nothing to do with the lyrics of the song.  It was “scandalous” then. Have we learned nothing in 20 years?  Oh wait … of course we have.   Since then we’ve had:

Exhibit c: Victoria’s Secret “Angels” parading around in their annual … I’m sorry, are you calling this a Fashion Show?  Are you seriously putting this event on year after year and expecting people to think “Awwww, how cute!  They’re angels? Cuddle Cuddle!  Good clean fun for our boys!”

Miranda Kerr Shows Her Angel Parts

Last time I checked the Bible, angels were messengers of God  (not of Victoria) who are asexual therefore not really the type to go running around in bra and a thong (and garter belts either).  So in effect, by calling these naked gals “angels” and outfitting them with wings and little else you’re basically taking a religious being and debasing it.  No one would put a saint in a thong, or a nun, or the Pope, Mother Theresa, or the Virgin Mary.  Why, it’s blasphemous to even think it.  So, in my mind it’s tantamount to putting an angel in a thong.  But instead the Fashion Show is televised and eagerly awaited, despite all the “everything” that’s so proudly displayed.

Oh, and just because I find this picture sosos0 funny, let’s look at it for a moment (and no, I’m not picking on Rihanna,

I’m just curious what Sandy Rios would have to say).  So … here we have Rihanna in her Disney best, and little else.  If this doesn’t help to turn an otherwise un-sexy object specifically meant for children (Mickey Mouse ears???) into something titillating, then I’m misreading the intent here, eh? Meanwhile, I do hope Rihanna was smart and used some double sided sticky tape in order to make sure that her … hat stayed on.

Objection that wearing a thong is “exposing everything” Overruled.

Then there’s the “bondage” objection which I’m not quite clear on.  Hmmm, could it possibly be this image here?  I’m going to guess it is and proceed accordingly.

While it’s not exactly my style, very little of what Gaga wears ever is, which is what makes it so much fun.  Sure, this is a little revealing, but bondage?  When … first of all … it’s got a pretty positive feminist message of “do not cross” rather than “open for business!” so …

All Wrapped Up – Gisele

I’m pretty down with that.  And secondly, I think it’s safe to say that by this point of the video it’s all a bit of hyper realism, as opposed to REAL fashion, worn by REAL fashion models which our REAL daughters are trying to emulate leading to REAL anorexia, bulimia, and REAL plastic surgery of Heidi Montag proportions.  Take this REAL dress worn by Gisele Bündchen which, frankly, looks more like bondage, especially with those fetish shoes.  And is it me, or does this photo make her look like a bit of an amputee?  Now THAT’s a little bit of exploitation.  All things being equal of course.

“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen …” “No, YOU’RE the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen!” “No! YOU!” …. “Shut up! It’s YOU. YOU’RE beautiful!!!” “Okay, okay. You’re right. It’s me.”

Ahhh, counsellor, you’ve now opened the door … may we just examine Gisele’s oeuvre a bit here?  Just do a Google search and you come across a thousand little images that, when put together end to end and, say, and made into a slide show and played over a song such as … oh, I don’t know … Telephone … would be quite shocking too.  Why, you can even find some girl-on-girl kissin’ … never-mind that the girl and the girl are both Gisele.  The thought planted in the head of millions of little randy teen boys is the same.  In fact, it’s a bit worse, because it looks like she’s kissing her twin sister which, to me, opens up a whole nasty can of worms that I don’t want to pursue here.  Again … just sayin’.

But while we’re at it, I would like to talk about what “our children” are being exposed to and what “perverts” are using to fuel their nasty fantasy machines before going out and hurting people.  Besides Lady Gaga videos (which, obviously, are right up there …) I’d like to add the venerable Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.  A boon to the magazine when the marketing department (come on, we all know the story) realized that during the sports slump they could raise the flaccid sales of their magazine (you heard me right) by putting pretty young things in very, very little and calling it a “bonus issue”.  (Subscribers who are offended by the contents are allowed to skip the issue and get a 1-week credit.)  I call it a “boner” issue, but that’s just me.  It all started off healthy enough, I guess, in 1964 with Babette March on the cover being playful but these days it’s more s0ft-core porn than

1964

you’ll find in this Gaga video.  For years, models have worn the skimpiest of bikinis … at some point they started holding their tops rather than wearing them (see this year’s cover), and now, with body-painting gaining popularity, half of them don’t bother wearing anything at all (see last year’s cover; “Bikinis Or Nothing!” it shouts as Bar Refaeli struggles to keep her bottoms on and only succeeds in showing us her brazilian wax).  This is considered wholesome, cute, fun, healthy, other words with positive connotations that don’t imply one-step-below-Playboy Magazine (which is also so mainstream that getting an offer to pose for them is considered an “honor”) …but a singer dancing around in a studded bikini is considered soft-core porn?  Still not connecting the dots, sorry.

2009 … can’t …keep …bottoms …on …

2010 … can’t … keep … top … on …

As for the rest, the “mass murder” … Yes, agreed, it was a bit odd to see everyone sputtering over there food and keeling over.  But when Beyonce (squeaky clean Beyonce – somehow the Justin Timberlake to Gaga’s Janet Jackson in all of this) drops a Bit o’ Honey Bee Poison in her nasty boyfriends coffee I was right on board with her.  He was just downright mean, even that other guy thought so.  If Honey Bee didn’t kill him, someone else would have.

The end of this 10 minute video plays a bit like Pulp Fiction, which, if I’m not mistaken, was directed by Mr. Quentin Tarantino; a man whose films have a combine body count that outnumbers some natural disasters and who not only is revered for his work but is nominated for Oscars – butchering bodies as well as the spelling of the word bastard – to thunderous applause.  I don’t see people calling for a ban on his work.  No one’s accusing him of poisoning the minds of our youth.  Let’s face it, if we started banning mass murder half the film makers in Hollywood would be on trial; including those nominated for Oscars.    So rather than call these Telephone murders gratuitous for no reason, howsabout we call them gratuitous for EXACTLY that reason.  For the same reason Rhianna is sitting on top of a tank and firing a gun for no reason.  It’s for the sake of irony, eh?

You Can Stand Under My Um-ber-ella-ella-ella Or Under My AK-47-7-7-7

Violence is so commonplace these days that it doesn’t get a second glance.  But put it in a dance video in an ironic way and suddenly they’re calling out the troops.  Maybe they’ll call Rhianna?

I happen to like the movie Thelma and Louise.  I like the musical Chicago.  I like the movie version too.  I love Cher.  I like Rhianna. I like America’s Next Top Model and Katy Perry.  I like fashion and fetish shoes and people of all genders and sexual persuasions being able to kiss each other whenever they want to.  I like the Quentin Tarantino films that I’ve seen.  I like hyper realism and thoughtful commentary and a driving beat and exceptional choreography.  I like the Telephone video.  It’s funny, clever, and so obviously meant to be taken on an abstract meta level that to misconstrue the meaning of it is to, again, give more of a window into a twisted mind than anything else.  I wish I could call for a ban on people who are so concrete about everything that they don’t allow for the notion that the action IS the commentary.  I assume these are the same people who didn’t realize that “All In The Family” was a satire meant to expose the Archie Bunkers of this world rather than venerate them. But if we banned all those who asked to ban things that would mean that commentators who stand atop the judgement plateau wagging their fingers at everything that pushes the envelope would be out of a job, and frankly I don’t think the economy can handle that so … have at it, you finger waggers.  You dig your own graves.

If you’re worried about your children, then Parents – police your children.  I grew up on Madonna, Boy George and The Cure as my musical influences.  Aside from having hair that was immobile, lips that were ice blue outlined in black and a penchant for androgyny I escaped my teens relatively unscathed and I would assumed today’s youth would be able to do the same.  I grew up thoughtful, I make good choices for myself and my world, and I don’t abuse alcohol, drugs, puppies, my spouse or the system. Would I want my kids to watch this Lady Gaga video?  I don’t have kids.  But that’s not the part of the Sandy Rios statement that’s concerning me … “This is just poison for the minds of our kids”  it’s when she goes on to say  “… and for our minds, for that matter”. She’s obviously not poisoning your mind, Ms. Rios, because she disgusts you and disgust is the antidote to this type of poison.  She’s certainly not poisoning my mind, because I find her video at best clever and thoughtful, and at worst, just really entertaining.  So why the royal “we”?  (Or, in this case, the royal “our”).  Who are the disenfranchised for whom you speak?  I daresay those people are already making the wrong choices with or without a little extra Gaga poisoning.

We’re bombarded with images, thoughts and conflicting opinions all day long.  The only way to make informed decisions about anything is to be informed. I believe that uninformed censorship leads to something a lot worse than titillation and good choreography.

The only thing I intended to do today was to prove that anything provocative, scandalous or horrifying in the Telephone video is already out there in the form of movies, fashion, videos, and magazines.  90% of what is portrayed has already been seen, well received, and in some cases, celebrated.  To say “well that’s different” just means “well, that’s accepted”.  If you can allow Saw to have five sequels, surely you can allow Gaga to clear one little diner out so she and Beyonce can get their dance on?

The defense rests.

Related Posts:

• Ale-Ale-Fashion (A Haute Guide Through Alejandro Music Video)
• De Profil: Meet DavidJr.Com
• Antonio’s Guide To April
• The Wo(Man) In The Window

Bergdorf Goodman ©Antonio Minino

Name: Carolina Davis
Occupation: Choreographer
Age: 34
Zodiac: Scorpio
Favorite Restaurant: Shake Shack, Upper West Side, NYC
Longs for: comfortable stilettos.
Fears: foot injury.
Beliefs: fashionable women are smarter than you think.
Where is she going: shopping ahead for Lady Gaga‘s concert at Radio City Musical Hall.

Dress and gloves available at Bergdorf Goodman.

The Wo(Man) In The Window is a fictional non-factional profile.
Any resemblance to real people is completely coincidental.
In the event of a coincidence then you are fabulous.
We should meet for cocktails.

Related Posts:

• The Wo(Man) In The Window
• Scene/Unseen – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Stranger To Kindness: City Of Strangers (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)
• The Stranger To Kindness: 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)
• A Day In The Life … “The Family Shakespeare” By The Numbers