VMAs 2011: Lady Gaga Accused of Ripping Off Annie Lennox with Jo Calderone Routine
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Lady Gaga has long introduced her latest alter ego to the fans, a car mechanic from Italy who claims to be dabbling in modeling, Jo Calderone. At Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards, it was Calderone who took to the stage to perform, prompting talk of how Gaga is ripping off a similar Annie Lennox routine.
As the video below will confirm, the audience was shocked to see that, instead of Gaga, it was a man who stepped on the dimly lit stage.
Calderone, puffing carelessly on a cigarette, proceeded to talk about his troubled relationship with Lady Gaga, recalling how he’d been dumped because he wanted more of her than she was willing to give him.
He said Gaga told him that she couldn’t be truly honest with him because “you and I are theater” and this was “just rehearsal.” After that, he launched into a gorgeous rendition of the single “You and I.”
With some help from a troupe of backing dancers dressed just like him and Queen guitarist Brian May, who stepped on the stage for a gorgeous solo, Jo Calderone did a wonderful job with Gaga’s single.
In fact, he fared so well that he’s already gotten people talking about how he’s nothing by a fraud.
Word on Twitter has it that Gaga found her inspiration for the VMAs routine in Annie Lennox’s 1984 Grammy performance of “Sweet Dream” and that she should at least acknowledge it publicly, the Daily Mail informs.
“I love lady gaga but I wish she would start giving credit where credit is due!” Kelly Osbourne wrote on the social networking website after the awards, linking to the second video embedded below, at the end of the article.
“Is annie lennox suing gaga for ripping off her look from 2 decades ago?” another Twitter user asks, joining in the discussion.
“Madonna, Bette Midler, Annie Lennox! Does Gaga have any ideas of her own or is she hoping everyone is too young to remember the originals?” asks another.
As of now, Gaga hasn’t said anything in relation to the latest controversy. Below are the two videos – you judge for yourself whether she’s a copycat or not.
Once again, this "GAGA" person hides behind someone else's great idea. She is a talented vocalist, but her need to copy what worked for other artists really doesn't sit well with me. What ever happened to "orginality".
It's a shame that GaGa allows her thirst for the limelight to drive her to sacrifice integrity for art. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Give credit where credit is do! No one minds a makeover done well, only a thief of intellectual/ artistic property. -pr
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