There’s news this morning that some parents who took their tween children to Aussie Lady Gaga concerts are gagging because of the adult nature of the concert. Rewind. Yes they are upset because a performer, renowned for her racy costumes and hybrid-burlesque-strip-show music videos, put on a concert that was probably best left to adults to see. They now want concerts to be classified just like movies and TV shows.
According to News.com.au, Linda Fitzsimmons took her nine-year-old daughter Jessica to the debut show on Wednesday and said that she was “shocked and surprised” by it.
“I couldn’t believe it. (Jessica) likes her songs and I’m OK with her listening to them. There’s no swearing in them and she’s too young to understand the hidden meaning,” she said. “But if I tried to take her to an MA 15+ movie someone would stop me at the counter. Why not with concerts?”
Linda is okay with her nine-year-old daughter listening to lyrics about riding disco sticks and she admits the songs have a hidden meaning, so how about also taking the time to research what the video clips are like that accompany each of the songs. Lady Gaga isn’t exactly what I’d call discreet. Getting an idea of the visual elements might have given her an idea of what the concert would be like. Even a browse through the magazines at her local news agent would have shown Gaga in a number of raunchy, revealing costumes. Not exactly a sign the concert will be of a Wiggles nature.
Lady Gaga's Sydney Concert. Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mixvio/4443225938/ CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
Linda aside, Promoter Michael Coppel says rating concerts won’t happen. He doubted that Australian tours would ever carry classifications, because most promoters do not see the show before they book it.
The Classification Board obviously chose not weigh in because it isn’t their area, but get this: Even Steve Fielding refused to throw his two cents into the ring. This is a man who feeds on this nonsense. It’s like water and air to him. Someone please check he is okay.
25 comments
Danny Yee says:
Mar 19, 2010
Maybe earthworm Fielding has given up on the air and water and is sticking to the earth?
Mr1979 says:
Mar 19, 2010
What a laugh maybe its time to put a classification system on some parents to rate their ability of looking after their own kids.
Amy says:
Mar 19, 2010
Agreed with Mr1979; Linda Fitzsimmons needs to immediately seek a parenting license and perhaps some classes to assist her, since she is clearly too clueless to raise a child.
Geordie Guy says:
Mar 19, 2010
So, she admits she understood that there were sexual undertones to her songs and other non-child-friendly stuff and she still took her to a concert? bad parenting, someone should call DoCS.
Dee says:
Mar 19, 2010
That mother is joking ?! surely ?!
Are we supposed to believe that she took her nine year old daughter to a concert by a singer known for her ‘shock’ clothing /clips without knowing anything about lady GaGa ( I love her style personally).
I bet mum and daughter stayed to enjoy the ‘shock’ ? : )
Stuart says:
Mar 19, 2010
I have little sympathy for auto-pilot parents. What her 9 yr old child sees is 100% her responsibility.
Her attention seeking behaviour after the fact is just the icing on the cake – parading herself and her child around in the press like she’s the one that’s been wronged. She’s a bad parent – it’s that simple. No amount of warning labels are going to help a person that doesn’t even bother with the most rudimentary prudence – we cannot save her from herself (nor should we have to).
steve says:
Mar 19, 2010
A question I would like to have answered, did Jessica enjoy the show? How did it affect her? Was she shocked or revolted? Does she still listen to the same music? Why are we ignoring the one person wjho could supposedly have been affected, surely this complaint is all about the mothers feelings? Will nobody think of the children here, pleeeeease!
CW says:
Mar 19, 2010
It makes you wonder whether she monitors what her daughter watches on TV. I think the video clips probably suggest what a concert might be like.
I think the video clips probably suggest to a responsible parent they may want to investigate it further.
Tristan says:
Mar 19, 2010
“But if I tried to take her to an MA 15+ movie someone would stop me at the counter”
Wrong again. Children under 15 can see a MA15+ movie if they are accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
Max T says:
Mar 19, 2010
This woman is living proof that some people should not be entitled to voice an opinion.
I’d have NO issues with my kids seeing this show, if they were still 9 (they’re adults).
This is the same sort of silly cow who’s too stupid to monitor their kids, and the sort who’d support the net filter to do HER job for her.
Should be drowned.
Tezz says:
Mar 19, 2010
b-b-b-bad parent.
if kevin rudd, stephan conroy or michael atkinson needs more staff i think they just found their perfect candidate.
lets all grab the bubble wrap and tape the kids up, we cant have them being exposed to anything dangerous, or sexual undertones, or air.
While we’re at it, lets keep feeding them junk food on a daily basis, because they are mummy and daddy’s little angel, but were too tired working and full of neglect to truly give a crap what we put infront of the kids to eat, just as long as they cant see anything “evil”.
Rob says:
Mar 20, 2010
When are parents going to start being parents and quit expecting the government to do it for them? Lazy woman does not even deserve to have children.
Emmerage says:
Mar 20, 2010
She certainly wasn’t the only parent to bring kids (some as young as 6) to the concert. The thing is, had she a) done any research, b) listened to her daughter (bet her friends were saying: my parents won’t LET me go, you’re so lucky) c) looked at all of us tarted up and flashing our knickers at the venue, d) watched the opening band e)actually listened to any of the lyrics in Gaga’s songs f) paid any attention whatsoever to anything at all; she would have known, or at least had the slightest inkling that Gaga is a bit more raunchy than, say, Hi 5.
When we arrived, I was surprised to see kids with parents who were obviously not into the Gaga phenomenon. I was tempted to ask them what possessed them to bring their kids here – it was pretty clear they had no idea what they were in for. But no idea is one thing (she’s a bit suggestive, but the girls like her). Absolutely no fucking idea in her head (but I thought Gaga was just another pop princess!) is just not plausible, or reasonable.
The whole show was geared towards teens and older; aside from the near nudity, gayboys grabbing their bits, Gaga thrusting her phantom penis around the place, eating bleeding hearts and neon vomit, there were a lot of motherf*&^ers etc throughout. Given this, I can see why a parent wouldn’t want a little kid to go… SO DON’T TAKE THEM!
Pharaoh says:
Mar 24, 2010
How loaded are all these parents? No such thing as a cheap concert in Australia. I’d wanna be damn sure if I was spending the kind of money tickets like that cost that I knew exactly what I was getting.
Daniel says:
Mar 26, 2010
If the daughter is 9 years old then her mother would likely have grown up in the less than subtle age of Madonna and Prince, unless she grew up under a rock.
She should have known much better.
Come on, even I (who hasn’t had time for the Top 40 since 1988) know Lady Gaga has hits with lyrics like:
“Let’s have some fun this beat is sick/I wanna take a ride on your disco stick”, and “I’m educated in sex yes/And now I want it bad”
I mean that’s hardly “hidden meaning” unless you have an IQ of 40 maybe.
How naive or just plain dumb is this parent anyway? Maybe we do actually need the government to look after kids with parents like these…
DomRoxYaMama aka Dom says:
Mar 30, 2010
So what if she has content not meant for children. if you’re taking your son/ daughter to a concert their your responsibility not Gaga’s or anyone else’s and you should know what to expect. Im sorry But Lady gaga’s the best and she shouldn’t have do anything all because someone took their child who is under 13 years of age and didn’t like it coz of the content. FACT: GROW UP!…
LADY GAGA ROX and so do all her LIL MONSTERS SUCH AS MY SELF!…
NOT HAPPY :’( with idiotic parents that want others to dance their tune, well guess what who cares about you no-one Leave Lady Gaga and other performers alone…
angie says:
May 13, 2010
I have a comment that I wish Lady Gaga would read. I wonder why lady Gaga does not just make revised versions of her songs or just realize that there are very young kids that hear the music, like it and naturally want to see the video, which is when mom and dad have to step in and say no. I am sure that she could see the marketing value in that and what better challenge to her artistic ability than to make an video and song that any somewhat conservative mom and dad would approve of. I say come over from the dark side Lady Gaga and let some sun shine on your self expression. I like the songs, they kind of remind me of Madonna, and Madonna was exploitative in her own right, and my daughter is absolutely in love with her (thanks to a sleepover), but we have to withhold letting her listen and see the videos because of their adult rating. I know Lady Gaga is not a childrens music artist, but could you just throw us a bone?
Meaghan says:
Jun 1, 2010
Ha, you take your children to see an artist who sings almost exclusively about explicit material and your getting irritated about the stuff she saw at the concert. Maybe you should pay more attention to what your child listens too instead of bringing Lady GaGa into this.
Jason says:
Jun 14, 2010
Gah, the logic of these parents is so infuriating.
She’s basically demanding that the government does the parenting for her.
Nicole says:
Jun 18, 2010
This parent is so stupid. Obiously if she knows what the meaings of the songs are and the kid doesn’t know what the songs mean, why would you still left her go see the concert. IT NOT HANNAH MONTANA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD ITS LADY GAGA!Gosh your so stupid!!!
linda says:
Jul 10, 2010
I myself who lets say am over the fifty mark find Lady gaGa tot\ally appauling. I have never seen anything so disguisting in my life and she definitely needs to be rated. She was on American idol and definitely had no right to be on that show, there were alot of young children watching. Its just sad what our society today thinks is acceptable.
will says:
Feb 8, 2011
lady gaga is an icon in today’s society. I am 13 and i LOVE her. i will be attending the concert in march with my mother. i thought maybe it will be awkward with her there, because i have seen some of the performances on youtube. i believe the performance of “teeth” is the raunchiest, because in some of the performances, she kind of sexually touches the other dancers. i saw this in the paris performance. the rest is okay but she does swear throughout.
Heidi says:
Mar 8, 2011
I am wondering how many of the comments are made by people without kids. If so, then step off your soap box because you don’t know how easily something like this could happen. To those with kids who are hasty in their judgement of other parents, consider this: We have taken our children to concerts and festivals since they were born. Music is a given in our family, and we prefer it live. We’ve lost count of all of the bands and concerts attended. But we made the same mistake. Lady Gaga is as pop culture as you get – main stream for sure. She’s everywhere. Given the generous amount of media exposure surrounding her, we were surprised that we never came across a realistic portrayal of her shows. We left after 2 songs. I’m not in favor of the suggested ratings, but going forward, we will definitely do more research – searched for a clip on you tube for sure. I have definitely come to realize the shows that need the research Are the pop ones – the ones with the background dancers and glitz – and rarely the ones just about the instruments and music. Lesson learned.
Jane says:
Mar 16, 2011
Why being quick to call parents stupid? In this case, why aren’t you also calling gaga stupid! It takes two to be stupid and gaga is one big idiot!!!
Matt_1973 says:
Dec 19, 2011
And the dumb parent of the year award goes to…….Linda Fitzsimmons!
Who is she? A parent that has no clue on how to research appropriate material for her children. Now she wants the government to classify even more events because she and other parents like her are clueless! Maybe she should try and get the online social networks banned to, so many children use them and they are full of sex predators, pedaphiles and *gasp* obscene words/pics. Just save yourself the trouble and go get back under the rock you came from.