Ever since they handed Madonna a microphone at the Venice Film Festival, she’s been on a virtual rampage. Even hydrangeas haven’t been immune to Madge’s scornful attitude, and it certainly doesn’t help matters when journalists ask her about Lady Gaga. Until now, Madonna’s stayed pretty quiet about Gaga, but I think that Gaga’s success has led to the very-rehearsed appearance of Madonna seeming honored or at least content with the obvious stream of homage. Yes, Gaga overdoes it at times, especially with the “Alejandro” video as well as the “Born This Way” song. Maybe Madge has been pushed to the limit, or maybe she’s just being indirectly nasty:

Lady Gaga has spoken openly about her love for the Material Girl and has paid homage to the pioneering pop star both in song and performance style. But it appears that her admiration society isn’t a mutual one.

When a French newspaper recently asked about her superfamous adoring fan, Madonna didn’t have much to say in the way of encouragement-or appreciation.

“As for Lady Gaga, I have no comment to make about her obsessions having to do with me because I don’t know whether her behavior is rooted in something deep and meaningful, or superficial,” Madonna reportedly told Le Soir.

Madonna’s rep, Liz Rosenberg didn’t immediately have a comment regarding the interview, but she told E! News, “I do know that [Madonna] has said many supportive things about Gaga over the years.”

The other diva’s rep hasn’t yet returned a request for comment, but…any perceived Madonna diss has got to kind of suck for Gaga, who, when “Born This Way” came out, was accused by the hoi polloi of ripping off Madonna’s “Express Yourself.”

After performing the hit tune at the Grammys, Gaga said on The Tonight Show that she had received an email from Madonna’s camp in support of the song.

“You know, there is really no one that is a more adoring and loving Madonna fan than me,” Gaga said. “I am the hugest fan personally and professionally.”

Madonna’s rep later told E! News, however, that she did not know of any such email coming from their corner.

[From E! Online]

So was what Madonna said really a diss, or was Madonna sort of passive-aggressively trying to extract herself from really answering the question? Probably both, and I also feel like Gaga would probably describe her own behavior as both “deep and meaningful” and “superficial” as well. However, but I think that Madonna could have answered the question better (probably by not mentioning the word “obsession”) without coming off so bitter, although something might have been lost in translation.

While it’s no secret that Gaga has based much of her persona upon earlier Madonna incarnations, I’m sort of wondering whether Madonna isn’t also fixated upon Gaga as well. For what it’s worth, the now-defunct News of the World published a story last year that stated, “Madonna is absolutely obsessed with GaGa” and really wanted Gaga to open for her on world tour. Obviously, that didn’t happen in part because Gaga’s been on her own never-ending Monster Ball Tour, but I tend to believe that Madonna probably did make the offer in the interest of placing Gaga under her thumb and letting her know who’s still in charge, you know? I also think that Madonna is more worried than she’d ever let on about Gaga eventually taking over Madonna’s pop crown. I’m probably in the minority here with my opinion that, sure, Gaga might be a complete hack, but she’s a pretty talented hack. Gaga also knows a lot more about music than Madonna, who is merely a songstress that can occasionally play a few chords on a guitar. Madonna is worried. And Madonna should be worried.

Admittedly, it’d be great if Gaga could drop the “ART” obsession for a little while because that particular routine is getting old. In these stills (which are not unlike her latest Bazaar cover shoot) from the set of her “You and I” video, she makes a decent start of looking semi-normal, but don’t expect it to last. Gaga will be back to freaky and annoying very soon, and I’ll probably have to eat my words.

Photos courtesy of Fame and WENN