Lady Gaga Protests: Will She Perform In Jakarta Alone?

Becky Bain | May 22, 2012 12:50 pm

Days after new protests clouded Lady Gaga‘s ongoing tour of Asia, Mother Monster took to Twitter to address the turmoil surrounding her performances and the potential trouble she may face if the Born This Way Ball show goes on as planned in the Philippines. (And in typical Gaga style, she managed to speak out on the controversy with a wink). “If I get thrown in jail in Manila, Beyonce will just bail me out,” she tweeted, nodding to her partner in 2010’s blockbuster “Telephone” video. Just how serious is the situation? Details below.

Gaga’s brief Twitter commentary came on the heels of protests last Friday (May 18) in Manila, where dozens of young Christian protesters called for her upcoming show to be canceled amid objections to its racy stage wardrobe and her song’s sexually suggestive lyrics. About 70 members of the Biblemode Youth Philippines organization rallied in front of Manila’s city hall, where some told reporters they specifically object to Gaga’s “Judas”, which likens Jesus and his disciples to a motorcycle club.

But Gaga had faced other trouble in Asia as well. While Gaga had booked a show at Jakarta’s massive Gelora Bung Karno venue, Indonesian authorities have declined to issue a concert permit for her planned appearance there in the wake protests from conservative Islamic groups and local lawmakers.

Gaga told her Twitter followers that “The Jakarta situation is 2-fold: Indonesian authorities demand I censor the show & religious extremist separately, are threatening violence.” She added that “If the show does go on as scheduled, I will perform the BTWBall alone.”

Gaga isn’t simply addressing the controversy online — she also spoke out from the stage, saying (via Gaga Daily):

“I know that everybody, you know, thinks that I stand for, well not everybody, not everybody, I shouldn’t say that, but some people think that I stand for like, really inappropriate things that are really bad for… *crowd screams* Listen, I am slightly irresponsible, let’s be honest, okay? It’s okay. But they’re not completely right and the truth is I want the fucking best for you. I want the best for every single one of you. I love you with all of my heart and all my soul, I really do, and all the things that I think about and the way that I am, it’s my lifestyle, it’s just part of this one big giant performance art statement of liberation. So, I hope that you feel tonight, as free as your hair. And to those of you that don’t feel free, take the best opportunity to free yourselves.

I just feel like, you know, so many people have been protesting and it really doesn’t bother me truly because I know that there has to be change, but for all those kids all over the world that take their lives when they’re so young because they feel bullied or they’re afraid because they’re gay and they don’t want to tell anybody, don’t you think that some of us should FUCKING STAND UP AND SAY THE GODDAMN TRUTH? It’s true. It’s not about the music, it’s not about, it’s not about anything, it’s not about my clothes, it’s not about having a hit record, it’s the fucking goddamn truth that people in the world need to be free of who they are and be proud and feel valuable no matter where they are.”

How important is it for Gaga’s blockbuster show to go on? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.

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