Don't Get Caught in a Bad Hotel
May 12, 2010 10:51 AM Subscribe
It seems impossible to avoid Lady Gaga remakes, remixes and covers at the moment. We've seen the NPR spoof, the Christopher Walken cover, and the 82nd Airborne video. Finally a Lady Gaga song is put to work for a good cause: hotel worker rights in San Francisco.
This post was deleted for the following reason: If this is worth posting about, it's worth doing in a way that doesn't bring down the hell of a thousand gaga-fatigued mefites. -- cortex
It seems impossible to avoid Lady Gaga remakes, remixes and covers at the moment.
Well, you ain't making it any easier are ya?
posted by jontyjago at 10:56 AM on May 12, 2010
Well, you ain't making it any easier are ya?
posted by jontyjago at 10:56 AM on May 12, 2010
It seems impossible to avoid Lady Gaga remakes, remixes and covers at the moment.
Let's make it possible, if not required!
posted by HumanComplex at 10:57 AM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
Let's make it possible, if not required!
posted by HumanComplex at 10:57 AM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
Seems like a good opportunity to put this here so no one feels the need to FPP it.
posted by turaho at 11:00 AM on May 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by turaho at 11:00 AM on May 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
[snark about lady gaga without even clicking on links or reading the entire post]
posted by flatluigi at 11:00 AM on May 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by flatluigi at 11:00 AM on May 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
(Oh, this is what they call threadshitting isn't it... I was wondering what that looked like.)
I'm trying to avoid her also, never got into her and am already sick of her, and I still think it's interesting that these LGBT activists are drawing on the popularity of her music to organize a boycott of SF hotels in advance of pride.
posted by jardinier at 11:01 AM on May 12, 2010
I'm trying to avoid her also, never got into her and am already sick of her, and I still think it's interesting that these LGBT activists are drawing on the popularity of her music to organize a boycott of SF hotels in advance of pride.
posted by jardinier at 11:01 AM on May 12, 2010
I like Lady Gaga now. "So Happy I Could Die" makes me so happy I could die. It's all good.
posted by blucevalo at 11:02 AM on May 12, 2010
posted by blucevalo at 11:02 AM on May 12, 2010
[snark about lady gaga without even clicking on links or reading the entire post]
I'll have you know I clicked on the link and read the *entire* post and I stand by my original comment.
posted by mazola at 11:02 AM on May 12, 2010
I'll have you know I clicked on the link and read the *entire* post and I stand by my original comment.
posted by mazola at 11:02 AM on May 12, 2010
Good question hippybear, I thought that might fall under advocacy of a cause, or promotion rather than pointing people to an interesting link and letting them work it out themselves. Perhaps not.
posted by jardinier at 11:08 AM on May 12, 2010
posted by jardinier at 11:08 AM on May 12, 2010
jonmc still hates her.
I still love jonmc, though.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:08 AM on May 12, 2010
I still love jonmc, though.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:08 AM on May 12, 2010
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit, you know I read it in a magazine.
posted by longsleeves at 11:09 AM on May 12, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by longsleeves at 11:09 AM on May 12, 2010 [5 favorites]
Gaga gaga gaga. Gaga gaga? Gaga GAGA gaga gaga gaga. GAGA gaga gaga gaga gaga gaga gaga gaga. Gaga gaga.
Too much gaga. Needs more ra-ma-ma.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:09 AM on May 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
Too much gaga. Needs more ra-ma-ma.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:09 AM on May 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
Generalissimo Gaga is still alive.
posted by Babblesort at 11:09 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Babblesort at 11:09 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Holy fuck. I distinctly remember liking her, but the very marrow of that sentiment is being sucked from my bones.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 11:12 AM on May 12, 2010
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 11:12 AM on May 12, 2010
> LGBT activists
Lady Gaga's Boy Toy activists?
sorry.
posted by ardgedee at 11:13 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Lady Gaga's Boy Toy activists?
sorry.
posted by ardgedee at 11:13 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Definitely recast this post as a "here's this hotel that did a thing and here's some people that are agin it and lol also gaga". That's not advocating anything.
posted by DU at 11:19 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by DU at 11:19 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Definitely gaga this gaga as a "here's this gaga that did a gaga and here's some gaga that are gaga and lol also gaga". That's gaga gaga gaga.
gaga
posted by shii at 11:23 AM on May 12, 2010
gaga
posted by shii at 11:23 AM on May 12, 2010
site:metafilter.com -gaga
posted by jimmythefish at 11:24 AM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by jimmythefish at 11:24 AM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
She's got electric boots...
For the longest time I thought Elton John was singing" "She's got electric boobs, a mohair suit. You know I read it in a magazine ..."
posted by ericb at 11:24 AM on May 12, 2010
For the longest time I thought Elton John was singing" "She's got electric boobs, a mohair suit. You know I read it in a magazine ..."
posted by ericb at 11:24 AM on May 12, 2010
DU: If you can read that - isn't that content already there?
Or perhaps Lady Gaga has become a topic like, say... Police Behaving Badly that just can't go well on MeFi now?
posted by jardinier at 11:27 AM on May 12, 2010
Or perhaps Lady Gaga has become a topic like, say... Police Behaving Badly that just can't go well on MeFi now?
posted by jardinier at 11:27 AM on May 12, 2010
flarbuse: “Yes, particularly if you frequent Metafilter.”
jontyjago: “Well, you ain't making it any easier are ya?”
Afroblanco: “Hey, I heard there's this person named Lady Gaga! Anybody ever heard of her?”
Daddy-O: “BLERG”
Look, I appreciate the sentiment, and I understand the phenomenon of link fatigue, but y'all need to check the fucking links before shitting. That video is awesome. Lady Gaga is lame as hell, yeah, stupid pop drivel, yes it's true. But using a pop song and a marching band in a direct protest that totally disrupts an entire large downtown hotel lobby in the name of worker's rights? Fucking awesome.
Thanks for the post, jardinier. Yeah, there are two many links – you really only needed the last one – but this is great.
posted by koeselitz at 11:28 AM on May 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
jontyjago: “Well, you ain't making it any easier are ya?”
Afroblanco: “Hey, I heard there's this person named Lady Gaga! Anybody ever heard of her?”
Daddy-O: “BLERG”
Look, I appreciate the sentiment, and I understand the phenomenon of link fatigue, but y'all need to check the fucking links before shitting. That video is awesome. Lady Gaga is lame as hell, yeah, stupid pop drivel, yes it's true. But using a pop song and a marching band in a direct protest that totally disrupts an entire large downtown hotel lobby in the name of worker's rights? Fucking awesome.
Thanks for the post, jardinier. Yeah, there are two many links – you really only needed the last one – but this is great.
posted by koeselitz at 11:28 AM on May 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
From one of the sites linked in the last video, it seems that the APA is pulling some of their meetings out of the Hyatt (and taking the cancellation hit), and at least some of CSUN's participants are pulling out.
Well done.
posted by Lemurrhea at 11:29 AM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
Well done.
posted by Lemurrhea at 11:29 AM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
jimmythefish: “site:metafilter.com -gaga”
+("DIDN'T WATCH THE LINK")
posted by koeselitz at 11:30 AM on May 12, 2010
+("DIDN'T WATCH THE LINK")
posted by koeselitz at 11:30 AM on May 12, 2010
Here's a sixth grader covering "Paparazzi."
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:30 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:30 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Thanks koeselitz, I guess I thought I had to do the 'previously' links - otherwise I would have left them out - thought I needed to acknowledge the point that yes, we've had too much Gaga, but this is different. I'll avoid that next time.
posted by jardinier at 11:30 AM on May 12, 2010
posted by jardinier at 11:30 AM on May 12, 2010
y'all need to check the fucking links before shitting.
Mercy -- why would anyone want to do something as tedious as that?
posted by blucevalo at 11:32 AM on May 12, 2010
Mercy -- why would anyone want to do something as tedious as that?
posted by blucevalo at 11:32 AM on May 12, 2010
I thought that this was awesome and charming.
It's partially because Lady Gaga's music is overexposed at the moment that this works so well -- adapting an track from the new CocoRosie record just wouldn't have the same populist effect, you know.
posted by desuetude at 11:36 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
It's partially because Lady Gaga's music is overexposed at the moment that this works so well -- adapting an track from the new CocoRosie record just wouldn't have the same populist effect, you know.
posted by desuetude at 11:36 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Not to derail the Gaga hate, but in case you're wondering about the larger politics, this was organized in part by the good folks at Pride at Work. Here's their description of why they did this. Sleep with the right people is the overall campaign that this is a part of and here's their helpful list of which hotels to patronize and boycott.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:36 AM on May 12, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by gingerbeer at 11:36 AM on May 12, 2010 [7 favorites]
I mean, seriously – I wish I had the guts to do something like this. When the two that start it off yell initially, there that moment of nervousness – they are yelling in a quiet hotel lobby – and the woman that starts singing "OOH..." is clearly a bit jittery, and I'm sure everybody wondered what the hell was going on. Then everybody else starts... and then the marching band... wow. Awesome.
Good for them.
posted by koeselitz at 11:37 AM on May 12, 2010
Good for them.
posted by koeselitz at 11:37 AM on May 12, 2010
I find Lady Gaga interesting. I sympathize with the plight of hotel workers. I'm all about LGBT protesters.
Yet, like eating garlic toast with a mango smoothie, sometimes two great tastes do not go together.
posted by Muddler at 11:39 AM on May 12, 2010
Yet, like eating garlic toast with a mango smoothie, sometimes two great tastes do not go together.
posted by Muddler at 11:39 AM on May 12, 2010
Here's a sixth grader covering "Paparazzi."
i so wanted to fpp that.
the kid has an amazing voice and really projects emotion, i got chills at 3:02
No rhythm, though, but he can learn that.
Too bad I'll have to hate him in a year when he's all over the tv.
posted by empath at 11:41 AM on May 12, 2010
i so wanted to fpp that.
the kid has an amazing voice and really projects emotion, i got chills at 3:02
No rhythm, though, but he can learn that.
Too bad I'll have to hate him in a year when he's all over the tv.
posted by empath at 11:41 AM on May 12, 2010
What koeselitz just said. This was a ballsy stunt, but also totally charming.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:41 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:41 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Thanks gingerbeer - I wanted to write the post in just that way - but the other week that FPP on the campaign to legalize pot in Washington state was deleted - so I figured I had to steer clear of framing it in terms of the political cause (to avoid boosterism) and make it about pop music instead...
Lesson learned.
posted by jardinier at 11:44 AM on May 12, 2010
Lesson learned.
posted by jardinier at 11:44 AM on May 12, 2010
If you're in San Francisco, and wondering what to do before the metafilter meetup tomorrow evening, you can even join me at Pride @ Work's benefit.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:46 AM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by gingerbeer at 11:46 AM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
The group that did this is the Brass Liberation Orchestra, San Francisco's radical marching band, and the arrangement was done by their sister group in New York, the Rude Mechanical Orchestra. Come see us play sometime!
posted by Jon_Evil at 11:47 AM on May 12, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by Jon_Evil at 11:47 AM on May 12, 2010 [3 favorites]
But using a pop song and a marching band in a direct protest that totally disrupts an entire large downtown hotel lobby in the name of worker's rights?
What if Hyatt was named one of the best in the country for both gay and worker's rights?
Seems like some people don't know how to choose their battles.
posted by shii at 11:47 AM on May 12, 2010
What if Hyatt was named one of the best in the country for both gay and worker's rights?
Seems like some people don't know how to choose their battles.
posted by shii at 11:47 AM on May 12, 2010
I'm still on the fence about Lady Gaga. I wonder what Roger Ebert has to say about her.
posted by brundlefly at 11:49 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by brundlefly at 11:49 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the links gingerbeer. To further derail your derail I am shocked to see the Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago is still on strike. They were on strike when I stayed there in 2004! (Normally, I wouldn't cross a picket line but I was there for an event and didn't find out until the last minute.)
posted by JoanArkham at 11:49 AM on May 12, 2010
posted by JoanArkham at 11:49 AM on May 12, 2010
There's also been some conversation about the utility of this as a protest, and an earlier example, also with the fabulous BLO, targeting Whole Foods.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:52 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by gingerbeer at 11:52 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Seems like some people don't know how to choose their battles.
The Hyatt you link to is a non-union hotel... this action was about bargaining for union workers. Also, a company or institution can be easily be very "GLBT friendly" and union busting at the same time - Whole Foods is a great example.
But I would argue that labor is a queer issue too - and ignoring that is a big risk for the GLBT community.
posted by jardinier at 11:52 AM on May 12, 2010
The Hyatt you link to is a non-union hotel... this action was about bargaining for union workers. Also, a company or institution can be easily be very "GLBT friendly" and union busting at the same time - Whole Foods is a great example.
But I would argue that labor is a queer issue too - and ignoring that is a big risk for the GLBT community.
posted by jardinier at 11:52 AM on May 12, 2010
I mean, I'm largely indifferent to Lady Gaga's music -- they're certainly not albums I'll ever buy -- though it's not my least favorite pop music ever.
As we're apparently all here living in Gagaville for the moment, it's clear that her songs are enjoying some crazy mass appeal. I have a hard time being a snarky bitch about repetitive facile dance music while watching a sixth-grader in a striped polo shirt belt his little heart out fabulously while the older girls gasp in the bleachers.
posted by desuetude at 11:57 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
As we're apparently all here living in Gagaville for the moment, it's clear that her songs are enjoying some crazy mass appeal. I have a hard time being a snarky bitch about repetitive facile dance music while watching a sixth-grader in a striped polo shirt belt his little heart out fabulously while the older girls gasp in the bleachers.
posted by desuetude at 11:57 AM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Let me amend my Lady Gaga theory: She's a socially conscious time travelling alien hermaphrodite. We are all going to look AMAZING in the interdimensional socialist worker's utopia of the year 2510.
posted by KingEdRa at 12:02 PM on May 12, 2010
posted by KingEdRa at 12:02 PM on May 12, 2010
shii: “What if Hyatt was named one of the best in the country for both gay and worker's rights? ¶ Seems like some people don't know how to choose their battles.”
Oh, yeah – the workers at half a dozen hotels have been working without a contract since the middle of last year because their employer refuses to give them good health care... but screw 'em, right? Their parent corporation has a high rating.
posted by koeselitz at 12:04 PM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
Oh, yeah – the workers at half a dozen hotels have been working without a contract since the middle of last year because their employer refuses to give them good health care... but screw 'em, right? Their parent corporation has a high rating.
posted by koeselitz at 12:04 PM on May 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
The question is, in 2510 will you live in Bregna or Monica?
posted by jardinier at 12:05 PM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by jardinier at 12:05 PM on May 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm still on the fence about Lady Gaga. I wonder what Roger Ebert has to say about her.
If Lady Gaga could sing, she'd have it all.
posted by empath at 12:16 PM on May 12, 2010
If Lady Gaga could sing, she'd have it all.
posted by empath at 12:16 PM on May 12, 2010
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Yes, particularly if you frequent Metafilter.
posted by flarbuse at 10:52 AM on May 12, 2010 [6 favorites]