Why does Gaga have so many haters?

[freebit 6,069]

Her image is polarizing. Celebrities are often like avatars that people project themselves onto, usually either someone they want to be (hence the popularity of pretty people who do nothing and perfect America's sweetheart types), or someone they feel is similar to themselves and therefore feel like they can relate to, like Adele, (also badgalriri is perfect combination of both these aspects of aspiration and relatablity, hence her current popularity). Whereas it is hard to project oneself onto the character of Lady Gaga. Her image is so out there and almost alien. Plus people often look no further than the surface, like for example my mom dislikes her because she once saw her on tv looking "dirty", lol. 

 

As for the the intense haters: I have very rarely seen the level of passionate hatred for one celeb in my lifetime. For example, Woody Allen is pretty hated, but I've never seen his haters buy a domain or dedicate different blogs to bashing him (meanwhile Gaga has both). It's nuts because Gaga doesn't have allegations of abuse against her like Woody or Bill Cosby etc. She has said some stupid things PC-wise, but she is no more ignorant than other pop stars of her ilk. Putting R. Kelly on DWUW was a poor decision and I can respect why some would boycott the song, but I also never saw the same media outcry against Jennifer Hudson, Britney Spears or Beyonce for collaborating with him post scandal. 

 

It's puzzling, but I think a lot of it also leads to Gaga being one of the first big pop stars of the internet age. The internet will quickly make and break anything as fast as they built it up. Everything is accelerated, including the rising and falling of the celebrities it has produced. Look at how easily Angela/P*rez manipulated the media with that $25 million rumor last year. It's also like the wild west for the media in that nothing is off limits, they'll regurgitate anything for easy clicks because print is dying and they need the money.

 

So all in all, I think it is a combo of polarizing image and the quick cycle of the fast moving nature of the current media.

[Bradley 54,920]

Her image is polarizing. Celebrities are often like avatars that people project themselves onto, usually either someone they want to be (hence the popularity of pretty people who do nothing and perfect America's sweetheart types), or someone they feel is similar to themselves and therefore feel like they can relate to, like Adele, (also badgalriri is perfect combination of both these aspects of aspiration and relatablity, hence her current popularity). Whereas it is hard to project oneself onto the character of Lady Gaga. Her image is so out there and almost alien. Plus people often look no further than the surface, like for example my mom dislikes her because she once saw her on tv looking "dirty", lol. 

 

As for the the intense haters: I have very rarely seen the level of passionate hatred for one celeb in my lifetime. For example, Woody Allen is pretty hated, but I've never seen his haters buy a domain or dedicate different blogs to bashing him (meanwhile Gaga has both). It's nuts because Gaga doesn't have allegations of abuse against her like Woody or Bill Cosby etc. She has said some stupid things PC-wise, but she is no more ignorant than other pop stars of her ilk. Putting R. Kelly on DWUW was a poor decision and I can respect why some would boycott the song, but I also never saw the same media outcry against Jennifer Hudson, Britney Spears or Beyonce for collaborating with him post scandal. 

 

It's puzzling, but I think a lot of it also leads to Gaga being one of the first big pop stars of the internet age. The internet will quickly make and break anything as fast as they built it up. Everything is accelerated, including the rising and falling of the celebrities it has produced. Look at how easily Angela/P*rez manipulated the media with that $25 million rumor last year. It's also like the wild west for the media in that nothing is off limits, they'll regurgitate anything for easy clicks because print is dying and they need the money.

 

So all in all, I think it is a combo of polarizing image and the quick cycle of the fast moving nature of the current media.

 

I think you've got a point but one of the things I (and some other fans) like about Lady Gaga is that she is so different (or alienated like you said). The fact that she's so unique and outstanding kinda make me like her more. I can never reach her, I can never be like her and I actually enjoy that. She's something unusual and it's very refreshing everytime she presents us her work. Instead of some other artists who are actually too predictable.

 

I also think the R.Kelly collaboration wasn't really much of a matter. People seemed like they were enjoying the song more than condemning R.Kelly. The video was controversial but I think the good was more than the bad if she released it.

[Jesse Pinkman 4,660]

Like Michael Jackson once said, "the bigger the star, the bigger the target". The more one is exposed to the public, the more fans that individual would get, and the more haters as well. Fame is a magnet of adoration, and envy. It's human nature to either support someone who has achieved more than oneself or to become envious to the other person's achievements instead, if not become indifferent to it. Gaga's rise to superstardom was relatively faster than almost anyone, since it's rare for debut albums to sell as much as The Fame, and at the same time to gain as much critical acclaim as it and its immediate follow-up did. She has become a huge target from the moment TF/TFM outsold every major pop album in 2009-2010.

That alone is attracting "hatred" based on envy. And then there's her image and message, which are nowhere near traditional family-friendly or public-friendly. She's an outspoken female with pushy imagery and an equality message still not universally and fully accepted in the entire world. Let them hate her. At the end of the day, that hatred will not be the one most remembered about her. It will always boil down to talent. And if she has it, then there's nothing to worry about. The Beatles did it. Elvis did it. And Michael did it. The headlines of today do not translate the history of tomorrow. She's still young, and there are far more years ahead of her to change public perception.

LOVE THIS. I've been to a couple of other music forums and the Gaga hate is insane. I've seen people wishing death and suicide upon her. I've always wondered why though. Gaga may have her faults (who doesn't), but she has never done anything to deserve what some people have wished upon her or said about her. Especially because like the OP said, she has a very positive and inspirational message. It just baffles my mind. I think this post explains a lot..

[Psychedelic 1,098]

Like Michael Jackson once said, "the bigger the star, the bigger the target". The more one is exposed to the public, the more fans that individual would get, and the more haters as well. Fame is a magnet of adoration, and envy. It's human nature to either support someone who has achieved more than oneself or to become envious to the other person's achievements instead, if not become indifferent to it. Gaga's rise to superstardom was relatively faster than almost anyone, since it's rare for debut albums to sell as much as The Fame, and at the same time to gain as much critical acclaim as it and its immediate follow-up did. She has become a huge target from the moment TF/TFM outsold every major pop album in 2009-2010.

 

That alone is attracting "hatred" based on envy. And then there's her image and message, which are nowhere near traditional family-friendly or public-friendly. She's an outspoken female with pushy imagery and an equality message still not universally and fully accepted in the entire world. Let them hate her. At the end of the day, that hatred will not be the one most remembered about her. It will always boil down to talent. And if she has it, then there's nothing to worry about. The Beatles did it. Elvis did it. And Michael did it. The headlines of today do not translate the history of tomorrow. She's still young, and there are far more years ahead of her to change public perception. 

Mainly this...

 

 

I hate to say it, some of it is because of the worst among her fans and the level of pretentiousness, obnoxiousness and entitlement that comes from them.

 

Every fan base has their levels of this. But Little Monsters have a particularly bad reputation. I don't think it's fair to blame and take it out on Gaga the way a lot of people do, but I think that's where some of the backlash comes from. People take a lot of what Gaga's fans do and say when it's negative and transfer or attribute it to her.

 

 Plus this... equals: perfect formula for hatred!!!