Watched the SuperBowl. Had been wondering how Lady Gaga would handle her airtime, in this tensest of national moments. To me, she hit it exactly right. Her surprise opener — “God Bless America” on the rooftop of NRG stadium was at once unifying and pleading. Subtle enough to resonate without offending.
And after that, no statements were necessary, because her set list spoke for itself. “Born This Way,” awash in red and blue, celebrated the LGBT community, but also people of faith. Arabs, Asians, and everyone busy with the hard work of learning to love themselves. In other words, all of us who call ourselves Americans. “A Million Reasons”… well, we’re back to pleading, praying, and trying with all our might to make the worst seem better. The candles were an obvious but still soul lifting touch. As to ending with “Bad Romance” — well, perhaps there’s something subversive there, or in the mic drop, but I’ll leave it to others to analyze. As for me, I’m just thankful that Gaga brought the tears of joy.
Also, my team made a historic comeback, and that wasn’t too bad either.
