In modern society, it is common to see celebs perform whatever it takes to gain publicity. For example, the young singer, Miley Cyrus, stripped down for her Wrecking Ball music video, which shows her swinging nude on a wrecking ball designed for demolition, not burlesque. Justin Bieber, another teen pop sensation, is frequently in the news because of drug, alcohol, or behavioral issues. Believe it or not, these tactics actually do achieve results and sell records. Many celebs now force themselves to push the envelope and to tackle the next crazy thing they think of. Their goal is to see what they can and can’t get away with. While some of these antics are not illegal or even morally wrong, they are foolish.

In this case, Lady Gaga’s so called “revolutionary art” has gone too far. During her performance at the festival South by Southwest on March 13, “vomit artist” Millie Brown vomited on Lady Gaga. To have someone vomit on you to prove a point is gross enough, but to glorify vomiting or even Bulimia when thousands, maybe millions of teen girls are dealing with the issue is downright awful. Millie Brown, Lady Gaga’s accomplice, has defended herself by saying this is her art, and both Ms. Brown and Lady Gaga have said this is just another way they like to collaborate. To think that someone would want to collaborate in such a fashion is unartistic in my opinion.

Furthermore, Lady Gaga has defended herself by saying that she has overcome her health problems and that she regards food as healthy. Regardless of whether she has overcome her health issues, this is not the right way to teach girls or her audience to solve their problems. Lady Gaga’s music may be up to artistic interpretation, but the way she carries herself in public is shocking and immature.

From her outlandish outfits to her hedonistic lyrics, she has never been one to shy away from the spotlight. Early on in her career, she was a true entertainer, gracing the stage of small clubs in New York with a keyboard or piano, and her voice. Lady Gaga was not only good, she was great, and that’s what propelled her into her stardom. There has to be a line drawn for entertainers, because whether or not they want to admit it, they are a role model for today’s young adults and teens. This is what kids hear from radio, and see on TV. When kids surf the web, these celebs are front page news. One does have to appreciate Lady Gaga’s good intentions to help others overcome their problems, but this is not the solution.

If in fact, if she wants to be a role model and wants to help her fans, I’m sure she can find various other more appropriate solutions to make her point. Certainly she has the resources and direct channels to promote her views. Credit has to be given to Lady Gaga, because she has drawn attention to unhealthy eating disorders albeit through this grotesque act. Bulimia/Anorexia is tremendously unhealthy, but unfortunately the image of the skinny girl is glorified by today’s men and women. With Lady Gaga’s charity Born This Way, also undergoing scrutinity for misallocation of funds, is Lady Gaga doing more damage than good? Lady Gaga has tremendous talent and marketing power, but she needs to clean up her act.

By Jack Lin