Over the past few years especially, I’ve started paying more attention to sports. I find that sports gossip is a lot like celebrity and fashion gossip, only sports gossip has the gloss of “real news” because it’s mostly men doing the gossiping. Still, at this point, I only really care about basketball and tennis. I don’t care about football and I really don’t care about the Super Bowl. But I’ll watch it because of this year’s Super Bowl Half-Time show, which I feel will be gloriously messy. Lady Gaga is this year’s Half-Time performer and my biggest concern right now is still “Is Gaga at the point where her fans and Super Bowl fans overlap in the VENN diagram of fandoms?” That is why I think it’s going to be messy – because Gaga is all “you are all my Little Monsters!” and the Super Bowl audience is going to be “who?” But as it turns out, there’s a lot of NFL gossip about Gaga’s performance and whether or not she’s going to try to do or say something political. And more.
When Lady Gaga hits the Super Bowl stage, at least one subject will be off limits: Politics. A source close to the halftime show tells ET, “Lady Gaga was told by the NFL that she cannot say anything or bring anything up about the election, or mention Donald Trump.”
A rep for the NFL calls this “nonsense from people trying to stir up controversy where there is none. The Super Bowl is a time when people really come together. Gaga is focused on putting together an amazing show for fans and we love working with her on it; we aren’t going to be distracted by this.”
As for a report that Gaga is plotting a potentially dangerous performance, aiming to sing from the roof of Houston’s NRG Stadium, ET’s source says that speculation about cutting a hole in the roof are inaccurate.
“The roof at NRG Stadium is retractable,” they said, “so I’m not sure why they would need to cut a hole in the roof.”
Regarding the rumors, a representative for the NFL said: “People will have to wait and see what we have in store – we never comment on speculation about the show because there is so much misinformation that surfaces. But we are confident Lady Gaga will put on a tremendous show for fans.”
One thing fans should also expect is a special guest performer, though there’s no word yet on who that might be.
“She is having a guest join her during a song,” ET’s source confirms, noting that it’s been “tough getting a guest to sign on. Two artists said no when they were asked to join her.”
ET suggests that Gaga might have asked or will be asking Beyonce to perform. While a Bey appearance would certainly perk things up, I doubt Bey will do it. Right? Why would Bey do it again? She already strutted her Black Panther Realness last year when we all got in FORMATION. Still, I think it’s funny (in a mean way) that Gaga has apparently already approached two other artists and they’ve turned her down. I wonder…
As for Gaga avoiding politics… if I was in charge of the NFL, I would actively encourage Gaga to say or do something political. The backlash would be amazing and it would at least be an iconic moment, good or bad. Now my big worry is that Gaga’s performance is just going to be mundane, Bey-free, politics-free and totally boring.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Instagram.
I’m excited for her performance because I know she will do everything to put on a good show. Richy has been posting vids of rehearsals so it will be everything. Now whether it will be political I don’t know. But LG speaks her mind quite a bit in performance so hopefully she does go radical.
I think she will get political, with her songs and some statement. Love her.
What has she done to her face. I didn’t recognize her. New everything except eyes. lol just saying.
Come on, is Beyoncé the ONLY person who can be political?
If one has to go Knowles, invite Solange.
Solange isnt an arena artist nor does she want to be. She says herself she prefers her performances to feel intimate and her music not coincidentally fits best in smaller gatherings. Beyonce on the other hand knows how to bring spectacle and marry it with statement, thats why she fills stadiums.
I understand where the NFL is coming from, and let us not forget NFL only cares about itself and the game.
Maybe I’m just worn out, but I would love to be able to just watch the half time show and commercials for the super bowl and not have it be a,political nightmare. I’m just exhausted by it all.
By all means Gaga shouldn’t be muzzled, I’m just tired. I’ll be uproared again based on individual laws and policies as they come up.
Right there with you.
i agree. I want trump to not infect one more thing I enjoy. I need a break. Because if something’s done it will also be covered ad nauseum and there’ll be tweets, etc. starve the attention beast of oxygen.
I’m at the point where I think we’re just wasting outrage then something REALLY bad will happen and it’s just standard operating procedure by that point.
I’m just exhausted. I read the crap he says now and I’m just unphased. I’ve been outraged since November, I’m done now. I have a life and family. I just can’t anymore with this seeping into everything. I can’t even see a movie anymore without it being political.
I think Lady Gaga will surprise everyone, which is why I am looking forward to seeing the NFL super bowl half time performance.
At this point, saying “love” is political.
Gaga is a fantastic stadium performer, she’ll be great. It is Gaga, I’ll be super surprised if she doesnt make a political statement. She markets herself as a rebel and theres no way Madonna 2.0 would live down failing to utilize her biggest stage to shock and upset the heartlanders.
For myself, I wish artists would start boycotting this head-banging spectacle that is nothing but a cynical manipulation of masculine insecurity that rakes in billions, rips off taxpayers by making them pay for arenas, degrades women by exclusion and grossly gins up US militarization. It is a game, alright. And we lose every time. Is this really the best thing we can come up with for a “coming together as Americans” activity?
How does it “exclude women”? Men and women are never going to play on the same team if that’s what you mean.
As for paying for arenas, taxpayers need to stand up against that. Here in the Boston area, as crazed a sports city as any, we have four major sports teams who play in 3 arenas, one a venerated ancient shrine, 1 a fairly standard late 1990-early 2000s hockey/basketball arena, and the 3rd, a state-of-the art giant football stadium. Not one was paid for with tax dollars. The baseball team, which some worship as a religion, sought $ and land for a new stadium and were told no. So they renovated the shrine. The hockey team threatened to move and demolish its ancient building if it didn’t get a new stadium paid for in tax dollars, which would have made the basketball team homeless, and while the Republican governor was ready to hand it to them but the senate president (Billy Bulger) said no. He worked out a deal in which the state would provide infrastructure, which it needed to do anyway because the train station was crumbling, but the team would pay for its own stadium. Same with the football team, which was actively negotiating with other cities. The state agreed to build a new road and widen another in an area that desperately needed better roads, and the team paid for its own arena. And the 4 teams have won 9 championships in the last 15 years. Taxpayers need to stand up!
That’s awesome, I wish we did that when the Yankees insisted on a new stadium and the mets. New York is ridiculous with its taxes and impossible rents etc. The stadiums/rent are too damn high!!
I hope she does, and big time.
Politics are all people have talked about since Nov. And she wont say anything that hasnt already been said by 12 thousand other people. I hope she just sings, but knowing Gaga…
The NFL is all about money, and will NOT want her to say anything political. They don’t want to alienate ticket buying fans, many of whom are conservatives. I mean, they allow men who: punch women in the head on public elevators, sexually assault women, have multiple concussions that may kill their players later in life… to keep on playing games. Goodell and team have no reason to suddenly want a platform to stand up for anyone’s rights.
It’s a half time show not a political convention. Leave that for another forum. Otherwise put someone else on who will perform and allow people to enjoy what the half time show is all about…. Like Bruno Mars… That was a half time show.
I dunno, am I the only one asking why she needs to get political? It’s a football game, she’s performing music. Can’t she just be an entertainer and sing, and leave the politics out?
Ok the sports thing is ridiculous and true and very frustrating.
I came to the conclusion gossip and sports shows are the same recently while
Listening to a sports broadcast. Sport shows are ‘real news’ but really it’s just gossipy men, they even talk shit on other broadcasters, not just current athletes.
Try telling a guy they are the same though.
Oh man. Icy stares and denials all around
I bet she brings Elton John. Just my guess.
If your contract is to sing without political theatrics, just do it or step aside for someone who will.
I agree. I’m so sick of not being able to enjoy anything without politics. And I’m even more tired of celebrities feeling like they always need to go on about politics as though we peasants aren’t smart enough to/can’t figure things out on our own. Just perform the show. People want a lighthearted performance to hear good music, not political opinions.
Can it please be Bruno Mars. Why can’t he just do it every year? God, I hope she doesn’t have Miley up there with given that #cantstopwontstop under her pic. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
The only reason I think Beyonce may perform is because the show is in Houston, her hometown, which she loves.
I am both a huge football fan AND a huge Gaga fan so I am SO souped for this!! If the Pats make it to the Super Bowl I honestly just might explode from excitement.
But seriously – I can not f -in wait for this!!! Re: guest I really think it will be Beyonce. #1 it’s in H- Town #2 the iconography for Telephone is very Americana and I’ve seen some things that make me think she’s going that route with the theme – grunge/Americana. While I’d love to see a nice big mash of all her Eras I really just want to see her sing Diamond Heart full out.
As for who said no – trying to think of any duets she’s had and all i can think of is R Kelly and Tony Bennett and Beyonce. Maybe Twista & TI but I doubt she’s going to be playing Jewels & Drugs…
Ahhh man I’m SO EXCITED!!!!!!!
“But we are confident Lady Gaga will put on a tremendous show for fans.”
The Big Orange One has ruined the word ‘tremendous’ for me….