Lady Gaga’s “Judas” video leaks early: why was it so controversial?

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Okay, so the most epic and important music video event of our lifetime is upon us. This video is THE NEW JERUSALUM, remember. It will start a global conversation about religion, and faith, and weaves. Behold, Lady Gaga’s video for “Judas”:

**If you’re having trouble with this video, you can also watch it at Gawker.

My thoughts:

*Oh, the disciples are bikers. That makes sense, I guess.

*The platinum crown of thorns on Jesus looks good!

*Mary Magdalene/Gaga is dressed like a budget harem girl?

*This is like if Jesus was actually Hay-seus, and was in a latin gang, right?

*Judas has a dirt lip.

*God, this is so sacrilegious that even I’m offended.

Sidenote: This video wasn‘t supposed to come out until later today, and Gaga is royally pissed that it got leaked early. She went on her Twitter and yelled: “Stop leaking my motherf**king videos.” Gaga, stop making stupid, ridiculous, fake-controversial videos in which Jesus is a gangster.

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82 Responses to “Lady Gaga’s “Judas” video leaks early: why was it so controversial?”

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  1. teehee says:

    The song is horrible, IMO.

  2. whitedaisy says:

    You know, I used to really admire her. Not the outrageousness, but her amazing talent at the piano…. her music.
    But her weirdy-weirdo-ness and intent to be controversial has pushed her true gift to the back burner.

  3. cz says:

    is the guy playing judas, i guess, the dude from boondock saints?

  4. cz says:

    it is him…Norman Reedus from Boondock Saints. sucks for him to be doing a Gaga video.

  5. curegirl0421 says:

    A) She’s fairly terrifying in her hyper-chola makeup, no?

    B) This song is… not bad exactly, but just not my cup of tea. Kind of makes my ears bleed a little.

    C) I respect GaGa as an artist, but she needs to stop drinking her own kool-aid. She’s surrounding herself with flunkies who tell her how awesome and avant-garde she is, when really she’s just starting to become a parody of herself. Just my humble opinion of course.

  6. Unbeweavable says:

    Awful song. Awful video. I can’t wait until she goes away. Ugh.

  7. L says:

    Awful song.

    But then, the only reason I even watch Gaga video’s anymore is for Marc from So You think you can dance (he’s one of her main backup dancers) Seriously-I could watch that kid dance all freakin day.

  8. Sumodo1 says:

    At a certain point in his career, David Bowie got rid of all the shit and performed in black pants and a white shirt. Gaga should do the same.

  9. Jackson says:

    The song was even worse than I thought it would be. Ju-dah-ah-ah. Ga-gah-ah-ah. Wow. Both the song and video reek of TryTooHard-itis. I think she sat down and tried to come up with whatever would create the most attention, regardless of content or meaning. Maybe next she’ll write a love song to Hitler and tell us how deep and meaningful it is. I hope she just goes away after all of this.

  10. Nick says:

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Gaga! I was your biggest fan! I ADORED YOU! Why are you giving me two awful cheaplooking skanky music videos in a row for two cheapsounding boring and derivative songs? STOP THE INSANITY, FOR THE LOVE OF – err…GAGA!!

    I’m going to listen to Monster and Bad Romance on repeat until I feel clean again.

    Ugh, I feel nauseous…

  11. kris says:

    wow what an awful song. and the video is stupid.

  12. original kate says:

    about as awful as i expected.

  13. liz says:

    I’m with ‘whitedaisy’

  14. Victoire says:

    Gaga is very ugly untalented Lady, and everything she knows is to dress provocatively and yes she has probably best PR team in the whole world… That’s it…

    Her fans are teenagers, because only they are stupid enough to believe in her ” I’m an artist ” stories

  15. wtf? says:

    i don’t get the whole three ring circus schtik to sell a song, true talent speaks for itself.

  16. lisa says:

    i think she brings interesting story lines and symbols to the surface that are a part of history/society…and since joe shmoe may not be an intellectual, he still gets to be exposed to the watered down version. maybe that’s a good thing, despite the tackiness, the lack of insight, etc. : maybe posers and bad art still make a good contribution.

  17. Eleonor says:

    I miss funny Gaga.

  18. CaseyCannolis says:

    Since when is taking a swipe at the Catholic church or using religious imagery interesting any more? It’s been done to death. Is Gaga just hoping that this younger generation doesn’t remember far back enough to recall MTV when they played videos?

  19. curmudgeon says:

    So…
    Didn’t Madonna already do this too? Does this stupid broad have an original thought? I don’t even like Madonna. I actually like Gag’s music better. But she so full of crap I can’t even bring myself to listen.

  20. RocketMerry says:

    @curmudgeon
    I agree, and the thing is, I’m starting to think she’s so (coked?) out of her mind that she actually believes she’s doing something new and original!
    Man, yes-people are beasts. Look what they’re making her do.

  21. Mindy says:

    I guess if you’re young and haven’t seen it all the first (Bowie & Grace Jones) or even the watered down second time around (Madonna), this is “original”. To me.. BORING. How about someone puts together a great documentary about the glam/punk movements and SHOW the youngun’s out there how dull and uninspired she actually is?

  22. Bronson says:

    what happened to her new growth face bones?

  23. Britsburgh says:

    Instant thoughts: First scene (the highway) — was this really shot in Jersualem? All of Gaga’s group dance scenes look the same. Overall, still love the song but the Jesus, disciple, and Mary Magdeline thing (IMO) was stupid and way too blatant, I prefer her obscure illuminati symbols any day. A seven year old could have directed this video.

  24. ghoulish_moose says:

    I actually quite like this video. I like the song too, its grown on me.

    But I too miss the days of fun, quirky gaga. I’ve said it before in another thread on here, but she was much better before she became consumed by her own fame and believed her own hype.
    She’s so serious these days, its a shame =/

  25. lolas says:

    Was the video supposed to look that cheap and tacky? Or is it like super ironic on some level that only dogs can hear?

    Song is ass. So is video. And wardrobe. Choreography looks ripped off early Britney Spears (but very small kudos to Gaga for dancing at all on those shoes.)

  26. katiemarie says:

    Is that Norman Reedus (from Boondock Saints) as Judas??? He’s looking hot…but yeah I’m not a fan of the video

  27. Nanea says:

    The Eighties called and want their disco dancin’ back.

    And I want the minutes back I wasted on watching this.

    As people have already mentioned, Stefani is a gifted musician, but Gaga is fast running out of any original thought.

  28. harfang says:

    I think it will be controversial, and I also think it really really should not be. We’ve had “Like a Prayer,” we had Tori Amos’ first 2 albums and at least one really edgy video in this vein from the 2nd one… Female singer-songwriter du jour questions Christianity’s grip on her society. Yawn. …I do give Madonna credit for doing something valid.

  29. Martha E says:

    Judas is one of the guys from The Walking Dead awesome show when is it coming back???

  30. jover says:

    The lyrics are a joke incoherency passing as profundity. Yes, victoire, i would like to know how many millions are spent for pr on this wannabee. As has been said, when you advertise this much about how “controversial” something is, it’s not; it is mundane, forgettable, and done to death. Isn’t there anyone around her that will tell her straight up to drop this crap and try to make good music.

  31. Anon says:

    I miss the days when every music video didn’t need some ‘deeper meaning’ behind it.

    This entire video is messy.

  32. Solveig says:

    @Martha E. (29), thank you, I was trying to understand where I already saw him, with no success.
    I too am waiting for the new season of The Walking Dead, by the way.
    Boring song, boring video. Was it supposed to be outrageous?

  33. tanya says:

    Cosign @Harfang, @Mindy, and @pretty much everyone else…

    The music sounds like bad late 90’s/early 00’s Danish Dance Dance Revolution crap hardened slightly with an electro crunch and injected with more or less the same hook as Bad Romance.

    Sad thing is, I think she really does take herself THAT seriously…

  34. mew says:

    Lady Gaga, a question: Why not for example a music video of muslims and Muhammed being surfers and burning down Mekka? Or burning down Buddha statues? Now wouldn’t that be true art? Huh? What? Art? Anyone? They could wear pig meat skirts while doing it?! Oh man, that would be A. R. T.!!!

    So stupid. So meaningless. So worthless. But hey, good for her making loads of money with that crap.

  35. kiko says:

    enough with this gaga shit!NEXT!!

  36. Janna says:

    I like the video for the most past, save some of her geeky dancing. But the middle choreography is great with the hand movements.

    Her two singles have been average off this new album. Fame era was better so far.

    I’m beginning to tire of the tone of her voice. I don’t know why, but it always sounds the same.

  37. Janna says:

    @Anon, like this video? Just sweet and fun.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q2WS6ahCnY

  38. Momo says:

    Daryl Dixon!

  39. fallen says:

    Really awful song and music video.

  40. gee says:

    All she is is a Madonna knockoff.

  41. MSat says:

    Absolute Garbage. There is no amount of synthesizer and autotune that can cover up the crap lyrics and tired backbeats. Sigh. Wake up, people! She’s all gimmick, no substance.

  42. DetRiotgirl says:

    Yup. As suspected, it sucks.

  43. DetRiotgirl says:

    I’d just like to add one thing. Her new album has a song on it called “highway unicorn”.

    THIS IS HIGH ART, PEOPLE!

    Someone better call Mariah Carey and Taylor Swift and let them know Gaga is horning on their territory.

  44. Silver says:

    Ok so the only thing I took from this video….

    WTF IS THAT NORMAN REEDUS???

  45. Mairead says:

    Needs less dancing and moar sacrilege!

    And Biker Jesus is definitely better than Skeevy Judas.

  46. Cherry Rose says:

    Dressing up in silly costumes and trying to be controversial does not make a great artist. Gaga should realize this if she was a true musician. But she’s after the attention and infamy more than she is about creating good music.

    Let’s hope this is the end of her career and she fades back into obscurity.

  47. Deb says:

    I guess I am not the only one who thought this video was incredibly stupid. I have read a few interviews with Gaga, and she strikes me as a smart lady. However, I think the whole “shock” element of her image is a slippery slope. It gets harder and harder to keep the public’s attention with each new song and video.

  48. Shy says:

    You know she settled such a high mark with brilliant Bad Romance. It was such a fresh air among all those awful videos they make these days. And then everybody started to await that her every new video will be like that.

    We all waited for Alejandro so much. Such a good song and such bad video. And then Born this way came. And it was even worse. And now this stinker… I turned it off around 2.30. So boring it was.

    At least before she was singing good superhit songs. But these last two are just awful.

  49. Allison says:

    “i think she brings interesting story lines and symbols to the surface that are a part of history/society…”

    @Lisa: I agree. Obviously she does a lot of things for controversy’s sake, but she makes things a hell of a lot more interesting.

    I kind of love it. I know its trying very hard to be deep and artistic- but I actually think its succeeding at that. I watched it twice to get the whole picture and I’m really impressed with her attention to detail. It makes you think and feel. Plus it keeps the eyes interested and I actually like the song in a pop/dance way. And despite all the costumes, fantasy, and spectacles I feel like she brings something much more true and real to her music.

    …and I’m not some crazed fan. I just appreciate what she’s doing.

  50. apsutter says:

    I dont hate it but I am sick of her being weird for weirds sake. It’d be nice if everything she did wasn’t weird or controversial. But, I like all the dancing that she features in her videos and her back-up dancers are consistently amazing! Saw her in concert in February and I was just blown away by them and her live singing was quite good as well.

  51. TeeTee says:

    I agree Mindy!

    its horrible and good luck to this mess!

    those nails are spooky!

  52. wendy says:

    Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  53. notsoanonymous says:

    I hate this song. I really liked a lot of her first record, then I bought Fame Monster and was like, eh some of these are okay. This song just blows. Shut up about religion and make some more club tracks that I can play while I dance around in my undies and clean my house.

  54. girl says:

    I heard an HBO promo for her concert being shown this weekend where she sings Born This Way a cappella with her back-up singers. It sounded pretty good without all that “mitosis of the future” bullshit that is in the video.

    I’m kind of meh on Gaga but I was totally disappointed in this video. Silly song. Tired old trope of taking swipes at the Church to be “controversial” and “thought provoking”. The only thought it provoked in me was, “Why did I watch the whole thing?”

  55. blouson says:

    Ok, thinking positively..Judas and Jesus are hot….No?

  56. Kat says:

    What’s with the lipstick gun?

  57. Stephanie says:

    This song sucks a big fat one and I really like almost all of her music. (Hides from things being thrown at me LOL)

  58. Heather says:

    Looks like she took off her ‘inspiration face bones’.

    WHole video was dumb. Norman Reedus…wtf man?

    Edit: WHY AM I BEING MODERATED? SERIOUSLY?

  59. Swan Hockey says:

    Sheer cheese, steeped in idiocy.

  60. launicaangelina says:

    Who is that hot-ass man playing Jesus? Anyone? Damn, he’s the one I kept watching!

  61. Hakura says:

    I gotta say. I never pictured Jesus as a hispanic man with corn rows, the leader of a biker gang rip-off of the ‘Hell’s Angels’. Or Mary M. as a biker’s …Uh, ‘woman‘ (The B-word feels so wrong in this context)… cheating with another member of the gang, Judas. (Who they SURE AS HELL should’ve used Jesse James for! How could they not?)

    I get that using ‘Judas’ is something a lot of people do when drawing a comparison in situations about similar betrayals. If she had just hinted at that, It wouldn’t have been this offensive, I don’t think. Gaga is obviously allergic to subtlety.

    I’m extremely disturbed that my first thought was ‘Wow, Jesus is kind of… hot.’ I know, I’m going to hell. x_x

    Basically, decent concept, bad execution.

  62. danielle t says:

    I used to think she was somewhat entertaining,but the she goes gone past blatantly ripping off madonna into something and turned into something just funny to me. Anyone remember the pop star characterture from “music and lyrics”? shes seriously just come a character of a pop star. I’m waiting for her to turn up in jeans and say “ha ha, it was just a joke” joaquin phoenix style

  63. Kimberly says:

    So bored with GaGa. She’s burnt.

    Really thought she would continue to show us some great music, but it’s disappointing because she’s too consumed with shocking everyone that her music is suffering and just yawning.

    All she does is copy Modonna over and over, then gets pissy when people call her on it.

    She didn’t turn out to be the original my sister and I though she’d be.

    Well if I’m 22 and know this then it should take the teens another 2 years to figure out that Lady Gaga is dead. Kids are slow.

  64. Kimberly says:

    Agree with above!!

    GAGA Stop trying to “make people think”, we don’t want that from you copy cat, we want club songs to dance to, not your agenda.

  65. Cait says:

    Wow, this is really inane and offensive. I’m not even very religious but when did making light of others’ beliefs become ok?? Gaga needs to stick w/what she knows and drop all this pseudo-philosophical s***.

  66. June says:

    I like this song. The vid is ok, a little boring. People seem to be overreacting.

  67. Dizzybenny says:

    is she dancing or trying to get rid of an itch that wont go away?

  68. Rasputina says:

    You heard this sound, you guys? This is “lame” cheering. It just got a new definition!

  69. Hakura says:

    @Cait” I’m not even very religious but when did making light of others’ beliefs become ok??”

    To be fair, I don’t think she’s necessarily ‘making light’ of (or making fun of) christianity. I’m not very religious either, but come from an extremely religious family of pastors. I can see why it’s being found offensive by a lot of people, & I do think she should’ve been a bit more subtle (though I doubt she knows the meaning of the word).

    But I don’t think there’s any sort of ‘mean spirited’ or ‘superior’ feeling behind it.

  70. McKenzie says:

    The best thing about this video was Rick Gonzalez as “Jesus”. The song is awful.

  71. Glohearts says:

    It’s nothing much, the dancing is just bad, bad. Like something from the 80’s, ohh the arm swinging, what is that about.

  72. tmbg says:

    I’ll admit her tunes can be catchy, but so far this album is disappointing. I was around for Madge’s Like a Prayer and got tired of that quickly. Why does all of the OMG controversial stuff center around Christianity? How about using some Jewish or Muslim symbolism for a change?

    Oh crap, I just realized I might be reliving this again in another 20 years. By then I’ll be in my 50s and probably listening to Benny Goodman thankfully.

    Life really is like Groundhog Day.

  73. Addie says:

    Agree with @ Anon. I miss the 80’s and 90’s music video’s where most were light hearted and interesting to watch just for enjoyment, not pushing any agenda.

    This is just tacky and sad.

  74. margaritachum says:

    david bowie, madonna and marilyn manson already did it, gaga. and they did it better. what you’re doing we already seen it and we’re not impressed.

  75. NM says:

    Judas, the song and the music video is hands down the worst of any artist this year. I’m so over Lady Gaga. She’s just a talentless unoriginal hack. She tries so hard to be Madonna it’s embarrasing, especially since Madonna is a trillion times better & cooler than this ugly drag queen. Lady Gaga should just get lost and so should her silly little monsters.

  76. Saor says:

    The horror of the choreography. “Born This Way” was like aerobics too.

  77. Hakura says:

    @McKenzie“The best thing about this video was Rick Gonzalez as “Jesus”. The song is awful.”

    Is that what his name is? He’s so pretty *_* . What other things does he do, is he an actor?

    @tmbg“I’ll admit her tunes can be catchy, but so far this album is disappointing.”

    ITA… I haven’t liked ANY of her songs from this album. They made such a big deal out of how this one was going to be even better/more creative. Set herself up for a fall, on that one.

    @NM” She tries so hard to be Madonna it’s embarrasing…”

    I was really confused about the ‘Born This Way’ song… Gaga flat out denies that she used ‘Express Yourself’ as inspiration (Even though we all know it’s BS)… But if that’s really the case, why would Gaga appear at the end of the video with a gap between her front teeth (like Madonna’s were before she had them fixed)?

    If she’d just been honest, & said she was paying ‘homage’ to Madonna, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, & wouldn’t have gotten such a backlash.

  78. Minx says:

    My dad’s really pissed that lady xerox stole his arm-swing dance moves…..See you in court gaga

  79. Hakura says:

    @Minx – LOL, Lady Xerox! That’s pretty clever, & oh-so-fitting…

  80. Mothermonstersfavlilmonster says:

    Honestly gtf over it. The video and song are amazing all u stupid haters go back in ur dark gloomy rooms and read a harry potter book or hate on ur under achieved lives. Gaga is clearly an amazing artist and u all can suck it if u don’t like it. KEEP THIS SHIT TO URSELF, NO ONE NEEDS HATERS. People should be happy for one another and unite and get on the same page, this is why people get mad cause it’s haters like u that can’t be happy for someone when u know they are doing what they like and what makes them happy.It’s not about religion in a sense to all of u, it’s what and how she thinks about it. We all have different ways how we imagine it and what it might be like and we don’t all read or practice the same way, so just stfu and Gaga’s not copying anyone. She makes her own shit and does her own thing,k u snobby sob’s just stfu! losers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  81. Hakura says:

    @MotherMonstersWTFever – This comment is obviously a ‘troll’, but what the hell, I’m in a mood. Admittedly I had a difficult time understanding your comment, seeing as you’re apparently allergic to punctuation.

    Dear, you’re on the wrong site if you don’t like people to express their opinions. The only ‘Hater’ here is the one telling everyone to ‘suck it’ & STFU. Everyone has a right to their opinion, whether it happens to coincide with yours or not.

    If anyone, Lady Gaga is a prime example of someone representing ‘freedom of expression’. I daresay she’d frown upon someone oppressing other’s (expression) in her name.

  82. Hakura says:

    @MotherMonstersWTFever – This comment is obviously a ‘troll’, but what the hell, I’m in a mood. Admittedly I had a difficult time understanding your comment, seeing as you’re apparently allergic to punctuation.

    Dear, you’re on the wrong site if you don’t like people to express their opinions. The only ‘Hater’ here is the one telling everyone to ‘suck it’ & STFU. Everyone has a right to their opinion, whether it happens to coincide with yours or not.

    If anyone, Lady Gaga is a prime example of someone representing ‘freedom of expression’. I daresay she’d frown upon someone oppressing other’s (expression) in her name.