Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt


by Sunny Hundal    
June 26, 2011 at 3:37 pm

Under the headline: On Your Marx, Go For Lady Gaga, the Daily Star today reports breathlessly:

LADY Gaga has taken a turn to the left – after forming a bizarre friendship with a bearded, 62-year-old Marxist philosopher.

Pals fear the pop babe’s head is being filled with extremist ideas by Slovenia-born egghead Slavoj Zizek, who describes himself as a “post-modern theorist”.

He did? Wow!

The story comes after the New York Post also reported that the, ‘Marxist Muse’ had befriended Lady Gaga.

And what could be wrong with such a friendship? That it didn’t happen.

The story started doing the rounds after a bunch of UCL students set up an event on Facebook for the UCU strikes. It was titled: ‘UCU Strike Teach Out with ZIZEK and LADY GAGA‘.
(hat-tip @jbardrosenberg)

From there the story grew and spread across the world, even though various US media outlets debunked it.

The Daily Star becomes the latest newspaper to fall for the stunt without doing any fact-checking.

It adds:

[Zizek] declared: “There is a certain performance of theory in her costumes, videos…and even some of her music.”

And he described her infamous meat dress as “a reference to the consistent linking in the oppressive imagery of the patriarchy of the female body and meat, of animality and the feminine”.

No one knows where those quotes came from.
The Star didn’t bother checking whether Zizek actually said that.


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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Nonce Sence

“No one knows where those quotes came from.”

You probably should though, Sunny, given that the source is the first result if you Google the second one. Top notch journalism as ever.

It disgusts me that this talentless, exhibitionist pseud is being associated with Zizek/Gaga.

[deleted]

Excellent choice of pictures to illustrate the article.

Gaga looks like she’s doing a gig inside a candy floss machine, while Zizek wears the classic beard, corduroys and jumper with fag ash from roll ups down it that every Marxist should aspire to.

Well given the Daily Star doesn’t even bother with the PCC any more is anyone really surprised?

6. blackwillow1

If GaGa had said she thought the coalition were doing a bang-up job, the star and others would be praising her as a shrewd political thinker. This alleged friendship with a lefty is nobodies concern but hers. Or do the right wing media feel they can dictate to celebrities who they can be friends with. GaGa aint stupid, she’ll see this for what it is, a cheap rag pushing a non-story to try and sell more copy. I’d be delighted if she did come out as a left-leaning type, but the fact is, she’s famous for a reason that’s nothing to do with her political views, whatever they may be, so it’s just another case of a right wing rag trying to create anti-left sentiment from nothing. Perhaps the Morning Star could run a piece on EDL members spending money in Asian-owned shops. ‘WHITE BOY BETRAYS HIS KIND. BUYS FAGS ‘N’ BOOZE FROM ASIAN, ENABLING MORE ASIANS TO GET FLIGHTS TO UK. WHAT A HYPOCRITE!’ See, dead easy!

It’s because they’re BOTH ILLUMINATI!!!!

Is it any coincidence that this story comes to light when NYC allows gay marriage?

Gaga is an Illuminati puppet who wants to destroy this once great nation!

Lol, jk I’m not a nut. I mean, what would a persons political persuasion have to do with any alleged contact they have with strangers?

8. Charlieman

@3. Parasite: “Why should anyone care where the racist and anti-Semitic UCU is “striking out” to make friends with pop stars?”

The majority of UCU members are not racists or anti-semites. UCU is a trade union and it is almost a tradition in the UK that obnoxious groups try to usurp union defence of members’ rights. The only times that my branch hold a quorate general meeting are to vote down anti-semitic motions.

As I recall it, I got a ballot paper in the post last week requesting support for UCU industrial action. There is no strike decision yet. The cause is defence of our pension scheme. I will cast my vote according to whether I think that industrial action is justified. If I vote Yes, I will not be voting for anti-semitism.

“Pals fear the pop babe’s head is being filled with extremist ideas”

Proof if ever that papers just make up quotes by “friends” and “sources close to” in order to use as mouthpieces for their own agendas.

It’s the Star, what do you expect.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs

  2. Minority Thought

    Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs

  3. Ian Adamson

    Oooops. #factchecknexttime RT @libcon
    Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://t.co/StZS3VM

  4. Derek Bryant

    Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs

  5. Jon

    Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs

  6. Soph Higgins

    Hopefully if/when I'm a journo I'll fact check things before cruising in full speed ;) http://bit.ly/kaPJ2O #churnalism #bollocks

  7. sunny hundal

    Funny story: Daily Star also falls for the Lady Gaga, Zizek 'are friends' stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs (via @jbardrosenberg)

  8. Carl Baker

    This is incredible RT @libcon: Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs

  9. Aidan Skinner

    Funny story: Daily Star also falls for the Lady Gaga, Zizek 'are friends' stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs (via @jbardrosenberg)

  10. Rónán Burtenshaw

    Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://t.co/c0UbSK6 via @libcon, as @barratree would say Totes LOLz.

  11. Christopher Gurr

    Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs

  12. Keith Wilson

    This is incredible RT @libcon: Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs

  13. John H

    It'd be great if it /were/ true, though. *sigh* RT @libcon: Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://t.co/LoVqypm

  14. Jen Smith

    Funny story: Daily Star also falls for the Lady Gaga, Zizek 'are friends' stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs (via @jbardrosenberg)

  15. davidwebster

    It'd be great if it /were/ true, though. *sigh* RT @libcon: Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://t.co/LoVqypm

  16. Lena K Andersson

    Funny story: Daily Star also falls for the Lady Gaga, Zizek 'are friends' stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs (via @jbardrosenberg)

  17. Oliver Conner

    Funny story: Daily Star also falls for the Lady Gaga, Zizek 'are friends' stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs (via @jbardrosenberg)

  18. Liz K

    Daily Star also falls for Lady Gaga, Zizek stunt http://bit.ly/l58NKs





  • We have a tight comments policy aimed at fostering constructive debate.
  • We believe in free speech but not your right to abuse our space.
  • Abusive, sarcastic or silly comments may be deleted.
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  • Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy.

 
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