"We're Gonna Dance" (w/ Lady Gaga)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang featuring Lady Gaga
Episode Title: "We're Gonna Dance"
Release Date: March 12, 2025

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Introduction

In this electrifying episode of Las Culturistas, hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang welcome the iconic Lady Gaga to delve deep into her latest projects, creative processes, and the cultural influences that shape her artistry. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartPodcasts, this episode offers listeners an intimate glimpse into the mind of one of today's most influential artists.

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New Album: "Mayhem"

Creation Process and Themes

Lady Gaga discusses her newest album, Mayhem, highlighting its intricate development and the profound themes it explores. She emphasizes the album's focus on mortality and the juxtaposition of chaos and celebration.

Lady Gaga [12:19]: "It's a celebration of all of that [her multifaceted influences]."

Sequencing and Unique Elements

Gaga elaborates on the non-linear sequencing of Mayhem, explaining how each track represents different emotional states and experiences.

Lady Gaga [36:25]: "By the end of the album, you've gone through joy, partying, anger... it's a journey."

Collaborations with Producers

Lady Gaga praises her collaborators, particularly Andrew and Circuit, for their exceptional musicianship and innovative production techniques that bring Mayhem to life.

Lady Gaga [41:28]: "Circuit is an amazing musician... tailoring the instruments to be unique for the album."

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SNL50 Experience

Hosting the Show

Lady Gaga shares her heartfelt experience hosting Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary, focusing on her performance and the emotional connection she felt with the live audience.

Lady Gaga [10:36]: "It was the thing that I wanted to do the most to promote my record and to just make people happy."

Performing "Shallow"

She recounts performing "Shallow" alongside The Roots, reflecting on the significance of the song and its impact on both her and the audience.

Lady Gaga [12:37]: "Shallow's an important song to me because it helped me connect with people who otherwise might not relate to me."

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Connection with the Queer Community

Importance in Her Life and Artistry

Lady Gaga delves into the profound influence the queer community has had on her personal and professional life, underscoring how it has been pivotal in shaping her identity as an artist.

Lady Gaga [51:59]: "I don't think I would be Lady Gaga without the queer community."

Impact and Advocacy

She highlights her commitment to supporting and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, emphasizing the reciprocal relationship between her and her fans.

Lady Gaga [60:50]: "We can all do our small part... to show people filled with hatred and ignorance that they should look up to the queer community."

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Creative Process and Approach to Fame

Being a Student of Entertainment

Lady Gaga describes herself as a perpetual student of entertainment, always seeking to learn and evolve within the industry.

Lady Gaga [16:41]: "I warm up my voice twice a day, practice piano every day... working harder than ever in the dance studio."

Vocal Warmups and Recording Techniques

She reveals her rigorous vocal regimen and meticulous recording process, often performing multiple takes to achieve the perfect sound.

Lady Gaga [19:17]: "I would sometimes do, like, 50 takes... because I want to get the best possible vocal."

Balancing Multiple Roles

Gaga discusses balancing her roles as a performer, musician, and actress, emphasizing the importance of maintaining authenticity across all platforms.

Lady Gaga [16:12]: "Being the host, the monologue... separate from being the artist on stage as a musical guest."

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Mental Health and Personal Growth

Addressing Mental Health in Her Work

Lady Gaga openly talks about her struggles with mental health and how Mayhem serves as a vessel for conveying her journey toward healing and peace.

Lady Gaga [42:17]: "Having personal mayhem and struggling mentally is a kind of chaos that I hope people hear and know there's peace at the end."

Personal Experiences and Growth

She reflects on her personal growth, the challenges of fame, and the importance of being authentic both publicly and privately.

Lady Gaga [24:24]: "I am getting better at my craft... it's our vision. We made ourselves."

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Upcoming Projects and Performances

Coachella Performance

Lady Gaga expresses immense excitement for her upcoming performance at Coachella, hinting at innovative stage designs and a unique musical experience.

Lady Gaga [63:16]: "I'm putting everything that I have into it. I'm really excited."

Potential Musical Theater Involvement

She hints at her desire to write and possibly star in a musical, combining her passion for music and theater.

Lady Gaga [73:32]: "I think I would love to write a musical... crafting all the music and working with amazing writers on developing the story."

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Conclusion

As the conversation winds down, Lady Gaga emphasizes the importance of community, authenticity, and continuous personal and artistic growth. She reiterates her commitment to creating art that brings joy and fosters connections among her diverse fanbase.

Lady Gaga [61:33]: "It's more important to me that I live them in my life... that's the work."

Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang wrap up the episode by highlighting Lady Gaga's contributions to culture and her unwavering dedication to her craft, leaving listeners inspired and eagerly anticipating her future endeavors.

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Notable Quotes Highlight

• Matt Rogers [04:30]: "We're gonna dance."

• Lady Gaga [10:36]: "It was the thing that I wanted to do the most to promote my record and to just make people happy."

• Bowen Yang [16:41]: "You are a student of entertainment."

• Lady Gaga [51:59]: "I don't think I would be Lady Gaga without the queer community."

• Lady Gaga [42:17]: "Having personal mayhem and struggling mentally is a kind of chaos that I hope people hear and know there's peace at the end."

This episode serves as a comprehensive exploration of Lady Gaga's multifaceted career, her deep-seated connections within the queer community, and her relentless pursuit of artistic excellence. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to her work, this conversation offers valuable insights into what makes Lady Gaga a true cultural icon.

Transcript

[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

Wow. Is that culture?

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

Goodness.

[Matt Rogers]

Wow.

[Bowen Yang]

Las Culturistas Ding dong.

[Matt Rogers]

Las culturistas Calling. It's tough to be speechless on a day when you have to record a podcast. Cause the art form requires you talk.

[Bowen Yang]

It feels unfair. Like I don't want to be at work right now because I'm very much like transcending existence like physical space. Right. It's all really kind of led up to this.

[Matt Rogers]

Honestly, Beau, maybe this has to be the series finale of Lost series.

[Bowen Yang]

This is the last episode of Lost Culture. Thank you all so much for Benign.

[Matt Rogers]

For joining us all these years. It had to end this way. Will always remember us this way.

[Bowen Yang]

Always remember us this way. And you started off the show saying speechless, too. You're.

[Matt Rogers]

You're really. Let's.

[Bowen Yang]

We have to say you're rattling them off third. Let's see art pop. There we go.

[Matt Rogers]

We nailed it.

[Bowen Yang]

We nailed it. We nailed it.

[Matt Rogers]

This is. Why don't you say how you feel?

[Bowen Yang]

I mean, this is one of the most important people to me. One of the most. I said this at the Radio city show for SNL50. My favorite artist in the world. I left my body. Well, we'll talk about this. I left my body because we said hi, and then you turn around and go, wait, Cher's on stage.

[Matt Rogers]

Hearing that, you guys watch Cher together was a huge moment for me even.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, for everybody. But, I mean, we're just so happy she's here. The album Mayhem might be out already.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, it's out depending on when this comes out. So you have to have grace, everybody, because we've listened to the album one and a half times, where we were brought to a secure location where we were basically told, okay, we're gonna listen to this, and if we wanna go back, we can listen to parts.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, it was a bunker. It was like, where they keep all the designated survivors in case of, like, fallout.

[Matt Rogers]

We're the Mayhem Designated Survivors.

[Bowen Yang]

We're the Mayhem Designated Survivors.

[Matt Rogers]

But it is perfect. We were ecstatic listening to it. And as you all know, at this point, it's brilliant. We think it's our guest's best work, which is saying something and a half.

[Bowen Yang]

Which is saying a lot. She's a 14 time Grammy winner, Academy Award winner. Academy Award winner. So many more accolades on top of that. Everyone, please welcome into your ears Lady Gaga.

[Matt Rogers]

Thank you so much.

[Lady Gaga]

I am so, so happy to be here.

[Matt Rogers]

This is the joy of our lives.

[Lady Gaga]

I. No, it's the joy of mine. I was so excited to see you both and I just want to say also congratulations to both of you.

[Bowen Yang]

Thanks.

[Lady Gaga]

You are doing such amazing things. It's amazing to watch. No, seriously, you've had an amazing year and I'm just, like, really excited to be here. You're also wearing a Joanne era T shirt, which is really killing me. I can't.

[Bowen Yang]

I've. I feel like I've Only ever, like, dry cleaned this shirt because I want to preserve it.

[Lady Gaga]

So I don't think I dry cleaned anything during that time.

[Bowen Yang]

You still got the Bud Light on you.

[Lady Gaga]

Not even that hat?

[Bowen Yang]

Not even that.

[Matt Rogers]

No, no.

[Bowen Yang]

Those are being sold at auction in like 20 years.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

You know what I mean.

[Matt Rogers]

You have to tell Gaga about your Joanne tour experience.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, okay.

[Lady Gaga]

So. Oh, no.

[Bowen Yang]

You played MetLife here.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

It was pouring rain. I don't know if you remember.

[Matt Rogers]

Rain show.

[Lady Gaga]

I love a rain show.

[Bowen Yang]

I love a rain show, too. So Diana Ross. I was. Oh. Cause I remember you said at the show, it's free production.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes, exactly. You don't pay for the rain.

[Bowen Yang]

You don't pay for the rain.

[Lady Gaga]

No.

[Bowen Yang]

And the rain kind of follows you. Because I feel like Mary the night. It was the same thing too. The video for that.

[Lady Gaga]

It was like, oh, yes, that was. I was. I can't believe that I got away with that. We were exploding cars on the roof of the building.

[Matt Rogers]

You had the production value.

[Lady Gaga]

And it was raining. And they were like, you know, we have to stop production. Cause it's raining. And the cameras. And I said, roll the camera. Let's go.

[Matt Rogers]

We're gonna miss it.

[Bowen Yang]

You had a Vevo interview. This is the three Throw Our back to the vo. And you were just in an amazing outfit. You had sunglasses on. You're telling this anecdote about Mary the night. And at one point you just pull your glasses down and go, we got free reign.

[Lady Gaga]

It's a big deal. Well, because, you know, when you're putting a music video together, there's so many things you want to do. I mean, and everything is, you know, adds to the budget. And I'm trying to, like, weigh. What thing is more important than the other? And that wasn't actually supposed to be a rain scene at all. But then it happened.

[Bowen Yang]

Then it happened that way.

[Lady Gaga]

Like rain on fire. Come on.

[Matt Rogers]

Come on. No, too much like Universal Studios esque things happening.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes. It was exciting. And then naturally, I thought it would be a good idea to hang upside down from the sunroof of the car. Yeah, the Trans Am.

[Bowen Yang]

The Trans Am.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

That was a gorgeous Trans Am.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

I was sick as a dog.

[Matt Rogers]

He was so sick.

[Bowen Yang]

That Citi Field show. Oh, no, no. I said. What did I say? MetLife. I said. I meant Citi Field.

[Lady Gaga]

Okay. But I agreed to MetLife because we've.

[Bowen Yang]

Also seen you there.

[Lady Gaga]

Well, but I, you know, I. When I play shows, like, I get so tired on the road that, like, sometimes I forget the venue for which tour?

[Bowen Yang]

Of course.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. You know, I would imagine it's like one of those schedules where it's like, you don't want this to happen, but you could yell out Barcelona and you're in Brussels.

[Lady Gaga]

No, we can't do that.

[Matt Rogers]

We can't do that. That would be horrible.

[Lady Gaga]

That is not good.

[Bowen Yang]

No, no. We've seen you. Gosh, we've been lucky to see you in multiple venues now. Cause It's Citi Field, MetLife. We saw one of the shows with Tony at Radio City.

[Matt Rogers]

Radio City. The last show we were there.

[Lady Gaga]

What? You know, it's so funny. At the SNL50 concert the other night, I was nervous to do Dick in a Box.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

Because, like, I feel like, you know, if you're a comedian, being asked to do who's on first is probably like, really, like, you know, so enter me. Dick in a Box is a classic.

[Matt Rogers]

Of course.

[Lady Gaga]

So I was like, oh, my God, why did I agree to do this? And then I was, you know, walking through the theater and I remembered that I had been. The last time I'd been there was with Tony. And I was like, you know, Tony would have just said, don't be nervous. Or if you are nervous, it's because you care. And I do care.

[Bowen Yang]

Absolutely. Okay. But a comedian doing who's on first is like you. It's like you singing La Vie en Rose or something on film. It's like, I feel like you've inhabited all of these classics for your entire life. I feel like you were playing Rachmaninoff at 4 or whatever the fuck. Like you've been doing this your whole life.

[Lady Gaga]

I have been. I have been. And it's. It's. But I love so much being a part of entertainment. Like in like, the truest sense. I. I don't mean any more than the thrill of the good old fashioned hard work with other actors, other musicians, stage designers, costume makers, makeup artists, wig makers. The lighting. And like, backstage at SNL50 was insane. So we were all like, getting ready to go on. And then like, you know, a human squid would walk by and like, then the B52s would be there, and then, you know, someone would be getting their wig thrown on. And it was just. I don't know. I think that that's my favorite part of show business. Right. Is the show of it all.

[Bowen Yang]

The show of it all. Because something about that concert which we talked to Kevin Mazur, who, by the way, photographer.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

You want to hear something?

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

My mom's boyfriend from high school can you believe.

[Lady Gaga]

Oh, that's some piping hot tea.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Piping hot tea.

[Matt Rogers]

I'm from Long Island. He took my mom to prom. And every time I see him now, Matt, he comes over like, he's just.

[Bowen Yang]

He's. He's.

[Matt Rogers]

He's the guy.

[Bowen Yang]

He's the guy. But, y'all readers. Katie's Publicist. Finals. Kyle's Kevin Mazur, the, like, live event photographer.

[Lady Gaga]

I've known him for so long. Can I ask your mom his name?

[Matt Rogers]

Katrina.

[Lady Gaga]

I'm so. You know, when I see him, I'd be like, so I heard about Katrina.

[Bowen Yang]

You're gonna love it.

[Matt Rogers]

Katrina Claritas. She had an iconic high school name.

[Lady Gaga]

Sweet.

[Bowen Yang]

I was checking with him on Sunday. I was like, oh, my God, Friday. Like, what was that about? I go, you're. You. You go to all of these things, Kevin. Where does that rank among your nights? And he was like, that is one of the top three events I've ever done. Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

It was one of the greatest nights in entertainment.

[Bowen Yang]

Absolutely.

[Lady Gaga]

And I heard it took two years to plan.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

And I felt really emotional. I, like, couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted to say on stage. I ultimately decided to shout out Mark Ronson and the Roots because Mark and I wrote Shallow together, and the Roots were playing it with me, and I love them so much. And I was. I almost said, like. And thank you to Lauren and SNL because, like, thanks for giving me a shot on the show years ago. Because, like, SNL also helps break artists, and it's a huge deal. I don't know if people. I mean, I know that people know this, but I don't know that they know how much it means to the artist when we get booked for the show.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

I mean, to this day, when I got called to do double duty in a couple weeks, full panic, tears.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

So, so happy, so elated. I couldn't be more proud. It was the thing that I wanted to do the most to promote my record and to just make people happy.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, it's gonna happen. We're recording this before snl.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

We're coming right off of the celebration of the 50th. But, I mean, when they told me that they booked you for double duty.

[Matt Rogers]

You'Re gonna be incredible.

[Bowen Yang]

The Scream I scrumpt. I just. The scream I scrumpt.

[Lady Gaga]

I was so excited. To me, like, I say to people, I'm in the business of making people smile, and that is 100% how I feel about SNL. It's just that it is a night devoted to making people laugh at home. And I'm all about it.

[Bowen Yang]

But you literally embodied and captured that in the last time you hosted, which was that, like, jazzy applause cover. I still watch. It's like a pitch perfect. It is everything the monologue should be.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

It sets the tone for the show. It introduces. Not that you need an introduction, especially at that time, but. Or now, but it's like, that was the perfect way to build confidence for the audience that the show was gonna be great.

[Lady Gaga]

It was, like, such a privilege to do that. And I'm a theater kid from New York, so doing the SNL monologue is a big deal. It is a huge deal. And, you know, I just. I don't. I don't know that I ever imagined that I would end up doing that. I think I had a lot more confidence that I would, you know, just be a songwriter, singer, producer for as long as possible, but I didn't know that I would get embraced in that way. And it's. And that's what's co. About hosting and doing musical guests, too, is being the host. The monologue. The monologue is separate from being an actor in the skit.

[Bowen Yang]

Absolutely.

[Lady Gaga]

And then that's also separate from being the artist on stage as a musical guest. So it's like I get to kind of do all the things that I love. Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

I'm just thinking about how, like, you talk about what an amazing moment that is as an artist to be asked to do that show. And even in Star Is Born, it's almost like an emotional, like, moment in the film when Ally is told you're doing snl. It's like that and getting a Grammy nomination are both moments for that character in that movie.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

Did anything from that experience influence the decision to do shallow on SNL50? Because you have so many songs you could have done, but you chose Shallow.

[Lady Gaga]

Well, first of all, one of the reasons that that was included in A Star Is Born is because a lot of A Star Is Born was inspired by my real life. And I worked really, really close with Bradley and Eric on making sure that the story of these two musicians felt real. And so that kind of feeling around SNL and around a Grammy is. That's just, like, how it actually felt.

[Matt Rogers]

Truly important to you. And so that's reflected in that.

[Lady Gaga]

And Shallow, to me is the song I wish I had done on snl. And when Andy and I started talking about doing Dick in a Box, he came to me and he said, I have this idea that we Started off, and you start with Shallow, and I started, and it's like, doesn't sound good. And then, you know, and we did the whole thing. And when I watched the rehearsal, I was like, oh. Like. But now maybe they kind of. They might want to hear it. Cause I started as we started, and it doesn't go. So I thought it would be a chance to do that and also to kind of put some of my best work forward on a show that deserves your best work. You know what I mean? Like, to me, when I see artists perform on snl, we all try to put our best foot forward. And so, yeah, I just. I wanted it to be, like, a heartwarming moment, hopefully for people at home, too. I mean, I do, like, lots of different things. You know, I'm also into the dark arts and the poetry of pop music. And Shiloh is very different than a lot of the music I've done in my career. But it's an important song to me because it helped me to connect with people that otherwise maybe didn't know if they could connect with someone like me. Like, maybe they didn't relate to me as much, or maybe they didn't know someone like me in high school. So, you know, Shallow's an important song to me for that reason. And it just felt like there was.

[Matt Rogers]

I remember the Chromatica Ball, like, that, which was such a party, but we went with, like, 15 of our friends. And when you started Shallow, we all were, like, checking in with each other. Like, this is really happening. Like, we're hearing Shallow. It is like, a high point of culture.

[Bowen Yang]

60,000 people at MetLife. A hush fell, you know what I mean? Like, you could hear a pin drop, you know, it was just one of those sublime moments. And I think I remember, like, looking up at the crowd, just being like, I was shooting a movie in Charlotte. I flew back for that show. I was like, I'm not missing Gaga.

[Matt Rogers]

No, never.

[Bowen Yang]

It was just a culmination of, like, that era, which was, like, kind of was a glorious era that got kind of messed up by the pandemic. And, like, it just felt like this victory lap and this, like, culmination of, like, what everybody wanted to celebrate together with you.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you. It was a really special tour to me. I hadn't seen my fans really on tour since I had to stop the Joanne World Tour. And I was, like, really not well during that time. And it totally broke my heart to have to keep. And that was the second tour that that happened on, so I was a little bit Nervous about going out for Chromatica. I was like, am I gonna be able to do it? Am I gonna be in pain when I'm on stage? What's it gonna be like? And it was amazing. I had the best time. Also, my amazing partner Michael was with me. He came with me the entire tour. We were together during the prep for the tour. We lived in Leeds while we put the tour together. Which is like, very funny, having a brutalist stage in the middle of Leeds.

[Matt Rogers]

That set was incredible. So good.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you. But it was, you know, it was special and healing and I think in a way it kind of set me up for this next time.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

I gotta say, just hearing you talk about being in service of the idea of entertainment, I think it means to me, what I hear is that, like, for a while, I always thought about you as like someone who is perpetually being a student to the concept of fame. But I think what it's very quickly become, and even sooner than I realized, was you are a student of entertainment. And it's not the same thing, obviously. You know what I mean?

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah. Thank you. I mean, I think you're right about earlier. Earlier in my career, I was a student of fame and I was fascinated with it and it was a part of my art and I studied it. I was like, really, really fascinated with Andy Warhol. And I tried to sort of take the spirit of Warhol into my pop shows. Like even, like, the choices of, you know, the music with the lighting and a, you know, a piss yellow wig that would have been one of, you know, his screen prints. Like, it was all about this idea that anyone could become a star if they studied how. But the thing that I didn't know that would happen was my fans. Like, I didn't know who they would be. I didn't know how it would make me feel. I also did not anticipate, but I'm so glad that I did hear the stories of people all over the world. I mean, I would stop outside my hotel rooms and I would talk to fans. I would invite fans backstage after the shows. I would play demos for fans years before I released music and be like, what do you think of this? Let's talk about it. What's your home life like? And they would tell me about their lives. And so I've grown up. It's almost been two decades in the public. It's definitely been two decades for me as a recording artist. But I kind of grew up and I changed. I was a student of fame, but I ultimately decided that the reason I want to do this is to make people happy with art. And then, like, now, I mean, I don't know if my fans really know this about me now, but I warm up my voice twice a day, and I practice piano every day. And I am, like, working harder than ever in the dance studio, so I, like, keep up my chops.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

Because to me, that hard work is what my fans deserve. And also, it's. To me, that's, like, the privilege of being an artist, is that you get to work on your craft. And I want to be able to say that I'm getting better at it, not that I've done it already, and that's that.

[Matt Rogers]

You know what? We have to talk, though, about your vocals on this new album. Like, we listen to it, like we said. I turned to Bobby. I was like, how do you do it? It is so Olympic, what you do with your voice. And I would imagine you said you're warming up twice a day. I would imagine your vocal warmups are, what, like, half hour long? So you're really in the pocket on this. Like, the rock vocals that are not easy to do, the passion with which you sing. When you're recording and you're putting songs like these together, do you go back and back and back vocally or how can you do that?

[Lady Gaga]

Yes. I actually. Poor Andrew and Circuit in the studio and Guisafelstein, when we were doing vocals, I would sometimes do, like, 50 takes.

[Bowen Yang]

Wow.

[Lady Gaga]

And they were very supportive, and it was fine. But the reason is because when I'm writing music, I'm sometimes imagining someone else is singing it.

[Matt Rogers]

Of course. Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

Because it helps me to kind of embody the spirit of a superstar. Cause I didn't always feel very confident as a kid, and that stayed with me my whole life. So during the writing process, like, when I wrote Born this Way, I was actually thinking about Whitney Houston.

[Matt Rogers]

Wow.

[Lady Gaga]

And so I love that you knew that. No, but I. So I was thinking always about different people. But then when I get there to sing it, I'm like, okay, I could sing this in a lot of different ways. How should I sing it? So take one, I do it one way. Take two, I do it another way by take eight, I've sunk into it differently. Take 16, I go, I'm gonna try something completely different. Scratch it all.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

And so I think what you are hearing on this album is that I was actually pretty. Pretty bossy, actually, in the studio about getting the best possible vocal and also pushing myself to do things that I've never done on a record before. I don't think I sound on this album like I sound on any record.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

So many vocal discoveries on this. And this is crazy to say because you're always so many different characters in your music which you're speaking to, but so many more than ever. And new characters that we're hearing.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes. And which character is gonna tell that story and why?

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. I mean, I remember there was this very early, early interview of yours where it was for V magazine. It was like you were in, like, Mario Testino made you get all, like, tanned and, you know, it was a very, like, Testino look, and it was incredible. But I think it was someone. I think it was John Norris at Fuse who was asking you about, like, you brought up Faith no More. And I was like, okay, this is not what I expected Gaga to, like, love and, like, zero in on. This is, like, the real musical taste that she has. And then it would shift to, like, oh, but then this bitch knows the Great American Songbook like the back of her hand. And then it's like, like, wait. And then she also, like, she's like, a classically trained pianist, and she, like, knows, like, all of these. I'm sorry, I didn't not mean to call you a.

[Matt Rogers]

No, you said this colloquially.

[Bowen Yang]

You know what I'm saying?

[Matt Rogers]

No, girl from New York.

[Bowen Yang]

Wait, hold on. My. My soul just left my body. This bitch knows. This bitch knows the Great American soft book.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes, I do. Thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

Period. And, like, I just think the characters are not so much characters as they are the knowledge and this. And being the student of music, of entertainment, you embody all these things. And so I think with mayhem, I think with this album, it's like Bobby was saying that this is probably the most authentically you album you've ever put out. That makes me think, well, then there's something to Gaga being an amalgamation of all these different things and these genres and these studied, detailed musical exercises, I guess. But, like, that's who you are. Because I couldn't boil you down to one thing, and I'm sure you couldn't either.

[Lady Gaga]

No, I mean, I am definitely all of these things. And that's what mayhem is. It's a celebration of all of that. And, you know, it's so funny as you're talking about this too. I'm thinking about this moment where Michael was in the studio every day. Michael executive produced the record with me, and there was at one point I was like, really into this electro grunch sound, like, on Perfect Celebrity.

[Bowen Yang]

Perfect celebrity. It's like, whole. It's making a whole.

[Matt Rogers]

We were saying garbage. Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

So I'm like. I'm like, okay, we're gonna make the whole album like this, and I'm gonna change everything. And he was like, no, you are not. You can't do that. But he was right, because I am. All of the different genres, all of the different approaches, all the different processes, that's why it ultimately is mayhem, is cause it. If you're stepping really far back, it doesn't make sense. But when you put it all together, it's me. And I appreciate you seeing that in me. I feel like since the beginning of my career, there was always some type of criticism coming from somewhere of like, but who are you?

[Bowen Yang]

Right?

[Lady Gaga]

You know, and, like, what is Lady Gaga? And can you explain it to me? And what's your style? And, you know, what genre really is it?

[Bowen Yang]

What should I call you?

[Lady Gaga]

What should I call you? What's your.

[Matt Rogers]

What are we supposed to feel?

[Lady Gaga]

What do you really like? You know, And I think that, first of all, I was terrified to make a pop record again, and I decided to do it. And I felt very supported in doing it by Michael, by my family, by, you know, everyone around me. But feeling like people think you're chaotic is. There's something. There was a joy in that for a while, but there was also, like, a pain in that, too.

[Bowen Yang]

Was that where the fear was coming from? Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

Well, it's like, especially as a woman, people are like, you're chaos. Like, it's kind of like part of me is like, huh? You know? And then the other part of me is like, but what. Like, what do you mean by that? Right?

[Matt Rogers]

It's dismissive.

[Lady Gaga]

It's kind of like, you're a mess. And, like, you're a mess because I can't figure out how to organize you.

[Bowen Yang]

Right.

[Lady Gaga]

And I don't know how to think about you. And I think what I want my fans to know is, like, that's other people's problem. That's not your problem. You can be the whole you. And that was. That was a part of this record. And I felt excited as a female producer, too. Like, just doing whatever I wanted, when I wanted to, in the way that I heard it. And I'm so happy, like, even before we started, that you brought up Killa, because it's, like, my favorite record.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. It's amazing.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you.

[Matt Rogers]

But you're gonna die tonight. Well, no, you don't even know we're gonna lose. We heard it twice and we been grabbing onto that in our brain this whole album. Let's talk about the album. It's like, face melty, brain scratchy heart screamy pop dance with this theme of mortality throughout.

[Bowen Yang]

Decay, chaos.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes. And I wanted to. I know you've said before, like, you listen to a horror. You watch a horror movie every night before you go to bed. I don't know if you're in that zone now, but the theme of death and like dancing in the face of it is obviously all over this. What I've always wanted to ask you, though, is how much are you laughing while you're creating? Like, how much is joy and humor and laughter a part of your creative process when you're making music?

[Lady Gaga]

It's all of it. Yeah, there's a lot of humor on Killa, especially.

[Matt Rogers]

We're laughing. Yes.

[Lady Gaga]

What a funny record.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Lady Gaga]

Hilarious, right? What a funny record. I'm like, not that confident. The person that wrote that record is confident. But I would say also, though, that it's like the process is a little bit manic'cause I also get really serious. And I know I can be difficult because I'm a very warm hearted person. But when I'm songwriting, I get like.

[Matt Rogers]

You want what you want.

[Lady Gaga]

I'm trying to listen to what I'm hearing and get it out as fast as possible. But then maybe I'll. Yeah, the lyric, I'm a killer and boy, you're gonna die tonight. And like. Right. And then that's funny. And then that comes out. But then I get serious again because I'm trying to figure out if the guitar lick is right and I'm like, no, it's not that one, it's this one. Do it again. Like, it's kind of a. Yeah. The process is chaotic and I'm not also a very linear thinker. I'm very tangential.

[Bowen Yang]

Love it, love it.

[Lady Gaga]

And sometimes if I can't get one part of the song right, I will need to stay on it for three days.

[Matt Rogers]

Gotcha.

[Lady Gaga]

Like a bass line or a guitar riff. And then other times I will move on from it and go. I'll go like, no, no, let's go to the pre chorus now. You know, it's sort of. It's a very nonlinear process and I love it. And I love it. That's a fantastic. Of course, I'm so, like, also appreciative that my partner, like, he. You know, the first few years that we were together, I wasn't in the studio and when he saw me start to make Music. He was like, oh, my God, I've never seen you happier than when you're making music. And that was. I felt very seen by that. And I think why it is so important to me is when you grow up in the public eye, as you know, there's things that people grow to like about you, but there's things that they don't know about you. Like, they don't know the you that's like, maybe deep in reflection at home, working on something. They know the outward facing you. So it feels really nice to be seen by someone for the thing that. The thing that you do alone that makes you special. That's your gift. Right? Like the thing the world doesn't see.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

I mean, I think you even alluded to this in the Oscar acceptance where you were just like, this is hard work. There are sacrifices that need to be made to get to this point. Like, the reason I'm on this stage is because I worked so hard. And that is the essential thing about you, Lady Gaga, is that you're. I can't believe you're here.

[Lady Gaga]

I love being here. I love it. I love also community. So, like, being with you and talking with you and bonding over music is like, this is the thing I probably miss the most from my time before I became famous. I did an interview downtown last week and I picked the location and I was like, we gotta go to this bar that I used to write music at. And we did the interview there. And I like cried during the interview, talking about all my friends down there.

[Matt Rogers]

What par.

[Lady Gaga]

Welcome to the Johnsons.

[Matt Rogers]

Nice.

[Lady Gaga]

I went to, like, there was a lot of bars down there that we went to, but that was just one of them. And I used to go there during the day. Like, I'd go at like 1:00 and like, order a, you know, Pabst Blue Ribbon and a shot of whiskey and write on a napkin. But living around artists, being around writers, songwriters, comedians, photographers, actors, musicians, go go dancers, club promoters, you know, we were all like, we were all like our own little group and we supported each other. And it was actually really hard to go to Hollywood and do what I was doing there because it was just not like New York at all. Commodify, you know about New York. And so this is actually hugely, like a deep, A deep joy for me to be here because we get to. I get to like, do the thing that made like it's part of who I am. Right. It's like talking about it all.

[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Bowen Yang]

We'll talk about your current community, which is like Watt Circuit, Gesafelstein, which, by the way, Killa. When I see Killa featuring Gestifelstein, I'm. Well, I think I have an expectation what the song is. Did not. Totally blown away by it.

[Lady Gaga]

I know he flipped the script on everyone.

[Matt Rogers]

Both of you did.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Gusafel Stein is very, very talented. He's very specific. I won't give away any of his secrets of how he works, but I loved working on that record with him. And it's so funny. Every time we talk to each other, we always go like, oh, man, I love this song.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, man. This song, it's a very special.

[Lady Gaga]

It's an industrial funk song. The only live instrument on it is. Is the guitar.

[Bowen Yang]

Is the guitar. I was gonna ask. Everything else electronic.

[Lady Gaga]

That's right. That's right. It's just really. It's so different for me, and I think there's areas of mayhem that are the tip of the iceberg of where I might even go next, you know, like, that was some of the joy of making the album, was going like, oh, I'm not done with this.

[Bowen Yang]

Right.

[Lady Gaga]

You know, now I have to take this further.

[Bowen Yang]

Talk about sequencing this one, because I feel like that was its own process.

[Lady Gaga]

It Sequencing the album was. I mean, Michael was, like, worried about me. He was like, are you okay? And I said, no. I just kept listening to the songs in every conceivable order, right?

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

Lots of permutations, because there's versions. It's, you know. Do you do it by bpm? That's, like, the most. To me, the most obvious first version is like, for it to feel like one night at a club, Right. And then there's the other version where it's like, okay, but do you do it based on the story? And, like, is there a story that I'm telling here? Which there is. So I did kind of a mixture of both of those things. And the album kind of starts out with the devil on your shoulder whispering to you, like, would you like to make some bad decisions tonight? Cause I'll help you.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

I can fix this feeling that you're having. And by the end of the album, you've gone through joy, you've gone through partying, you've gone through anger. I mean, perfect celebrities. Maybe the most angry song I've ever made.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

Then Vanish into youo is a song about wanting to disappear into someone. It's a happy love song, but it's also dark. We're happy just to be alive. And then Killa keeps the party going. But it's like that. It's that moment at the party when you're, like, a little numbed out, and you're like.

[Bowen Yang]

The end of the Outros. Yeah, the outros are fucking incredible.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you. Thank you. I am a very big fan of the outros, too. We actually had a thought to release the Outros like, two days before the album, just. But I don't think I'm gonna do it.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. What's the hesitation?

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, just.

[Lady Gaga]

Cause I feel like when you hear them as an actual outro, then it's an outro, but if I give it, then it's a snippet.

[Bowen Yang]

But then it's a snippet, and then it kind of is decontextualized from the actual work.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah. I mean, Kayla, you really experienced that outro because of the beginning. You kind of need the beginning. Cinderella's got to walk up the stairs before the glass slipper before she can.

[Matt Rogers]

Leave in a hurry.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, that's right.

[Matt Rogers]

The other song that I feel like was, like, we listened to several times, and the build on this one is just amazing. But it's so different for you. We feel is how bad do you want me? We love how bad you want me.

[Lady Gaga]

Oh, my God. I just didn't put that on the album.

[Matt Rogers]

No, we're so happy you did. Because it's, like, throwbacky for you because it's very pop. It really very much is, like, a.

[Lady Gaga]

Total hyper pop song.

[Matt Rogers]

But I was like, I hear, like, a high school girl singing this with her rip. Like, you're. How bad do you want?

[Lady Gaga]

Like, bad.

[Matt Rogers]

Like, it just. It feels. You know what I mean? We can see and hear the character in this. Like, tell us about that song.

[Lady Gaga]

Okay, so very funny story is Michael and I started that song at home, but I had. I started it first, and he heard me singing it, and he walks in from the kitchen, and he goes, is that about me? I was like, no. And then he came on in, and we started to, like, finish it together. And, you know, that song embodies a feeling that I've had probably my whole life, which is that I always felt archetyped as the bad girl. And it's why the lyric is kind of funny. You like my hair? My ripped up jeans. That's so stereotypical. The girl with ripped jeans is bad, right? It's so kind of silly and humorous, but I've always felt this kind of, I don't know, shame that I've always been at war with this feeling that if I am interested in someone, that they're actually longing for a good girl, but they're stuck with me and I'm who they really want. But we're in this three way relationship and there is no actual other good girl. But the good girl's in their head and they're kind of comparing me the whole time.

[Bowen Yang]

That girl that you like ain't real.

[Lady Gaga]

How bad you are how bad you.

[Matt Rogers]

Want me for real?

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, exactly. Oh my God. You love it.

[Matt Rogers]

We love it. No, I'm telling you, we've been just texting it to each other. How bad do you want me for real?

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah. The good girl in your dreams is mad you're loving me I know you wish that she was me how bad do you want me? So, yeah. And I like, it's so funny too. Cause it's a fun pop song, but I cried when I wrote it.

[Matt Rogers]

Like, was like my favorite kind of song. Emotional pop.

[Lady Gaga]

I have some voice recordings of it somewhere that I have like from the original that. Yeah, maybe I'll just drop those one at some point.

[Bowen Yang]

That's the tease, I guess.

[Lady Gaga]

But I also was also not sure I should put that on the record. And Michael was like, you have to. Your fans are gonna love that song.

[Bowen Yang]

What was the hesitation around that about?

[Lady Gaga]

I just, I don't know. Sometimes when things are really super pop, I get like. I don't know, I get a weird reaction.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

Where do you think that comes from?

[Lady Gaga]

I don't know. I felt this way about Just Dance. Thank God I didn't listen to myself then. Yeah, yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Cause I was gonna ask, is it about the prior work? But I think there's something about this current team around Mayhem between Watton, Circuit and Paris. It's like these are all people who understand what came before, but are facing and have a vision for the future for you.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes. I mean, Andrew, what was great about working with him is he also plays a lot of different instruments and I know how to write on all those different instruments. So if I, if we were in the studio, I would just be like, okay, like, play the guitar this way, do the bass line this way. And then we would do it over and over and we would riff back and forth. Circuit is an amazing musician also. He's. He's Also, like, the fastest producer programmer that I've ever seen, ever. He's wildly fast. He also does amazing analog synth work. We had, like, every iconic analog synth possible in the studio. Andrew also had a mechanic there that was working on the synths to kind of like bring out the low end in certain areas and, like, sort of like tailor the instruments to be unique for the album. And Gustafelstein, I will share nothing.

[Bowen Yang]

Okay.

[Lady Gaga]

The man is a mystery. And I'm gonna. I'm gonna.

[Matt Rogers]

He shall remain also die with a smile at the end of the album. It's this beautiful moment of, like, first of all, the first line being I just woke up from a dream really kind of works after what's happened. And then it does feel like a beautiful cinematic, like, credits roll. Well, what's the waltz too. Which I love.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you. You know, as a personal choice, I really wanted the mayhem to end.

[Matt Rogers]

That's beautiful.

[Lady Gaga]

You know what I mean? Because Blade of Grass is a beautiful song, but you don't get the feeling that the mayhem is over.

[Bowen Yang]

No.

[Lady Gaga]

With Blade of Grass. Blade of Grass is a song about saying, I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with you. But I just want you to know that now that you've asked me to spend the rest of my life with you, all I can think about is how hard it was to get here.

[Matt Rogers]

Wow.

[Lady Gaga]

So I did make the decision that I wanted there to be a message of hope on the record because I. And like, I don't. I feel nervous about speaking about mental health issues at this stage of my life. I think only. Cause I talked about them so much for so many years. And I'm so passionate about mental health and people getting help. But I'm also, like. I like, deal with my own sort of nerves about people only talking about me in that way.

[Matt Rogers]

Right.

[Lady Gaga]

Like, I don't wanna be defined by that time in my life. But I will say that, like having personal mayhem and like, struggling mentally, that is a very particular kind of chaos. That I hope that people who do struggle hear this record and then know that there's peace at the end of it and that it can get better because it truly got better for me. And I just really wanted that to be a part of it. And also, and working with Bruno, who, like, 100% collaborated with me, like, head to head, musician to musician. And I'm usually the only woman in the room when I'm making music. And to be treated with that kind of respect really meant a lot to me. And it felt like the Only way to put a period on the end of the album, if that makes sense. And also then I'm sure you've heard the phrase reheating your nachos.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, right.

[Lady Gaga]

I had never heard that. And I was like, what is this?

[Bowen Yang]

It's running rampant.

[Matt Rogers]

People raising it.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, it is. But I have to say, like, there's something beautiful in it. Because I think being a female artist, there was always pressure on me. What is she gonna do next? How is she gonna reinvent herself? How is she gonna change? Well, you know, she's gonna do the same thing forever. And then I would reinvent myself and I would change, and they'd be like, we wish she was like, you know, she used to be. Right? And I think what I realized making this album is there is a sound and a style and a way of creating music that I did come up with, and I am owning it on this album. And it's. To me, I did it in a new way. And I also took myself to musical places that I've never been to before. And I was a student of music. But I think it's okay for anyone to own their own inventions and be like, this is me, and I'm the creator of me. And a lot of female artists, we know this. That people say, well, that record was successful because of this producer. Or this thing was successful because this is so unfair. And it's not fair to women to do that. Women are creators. We are the creators of our lives. And it's our vision. And, you know, we weren't made. We made ourselves.

[Bowen Yang]

I think out of all your albums, this one stands as, like, a true artistic statement for you. It is. You're painting with every color on the palette. You know, it's like, I don't think you should ever. Well, first of all, I don't think you will ever be defined by any of the mental health conversation. It's only been helpful to people. You. You have literally. You've saved my life. I would listen to Mary the Night in very dark times. I still do. Oh, my God. Tuesday night, writing it at snl. Sometimes I'll just. I'll hit that track. I gotta marry the fucking night. Cause it's 4am And I gotta. I have a sketch to finish. You know what I mean?

[Lady Gaga]

I do.

[Bowen Yang]

Like, I completely understand this relationship you have with the people. The way people talk about your life and what you've gone through, it is only enriching what the work is, truly.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you. Thanks for sharing that. I'm so sorry that you go through those times. I think it's, you know, it's like something I have to work through because it really was true that for a while. And I don't know if you can relate to this anyway, but sometimes when you get to that place, talking about it is the healthiest thing for you. And like, you have to get it out. And if you don't get it out, you're just living in silence about it. And it's like this secret that is making you feel more sick. So, yeah, I'm, you know, I'm a work in progress. It's like I'm just, you know, I'm not an authority on anything really. I just am a person and I love making people happy and I hope that people will put on mayhem start to finish and just have a good time because it's ultimately meant to be a celebration of you. But I think I did make it. For those that feel like maybe they don't always know how to make sense of themselves and I'm saying, like, that's cool, it's okay. You don't have to make perfect sense of it.

[Bowen Yang]

That's what the sequencing is about. In the end, that's probably why you landed on this order of songs, because that's the statement.

[Lady Gaga]

That's right.

[Matt Rogers]

These days it feels like everyone is talking about how the American dream of.

[Bowen Yang]

Owning a home is dying that so many hardworking Americans have been locked out of home ownership.

[Matt Rogers]

And if you're one of the the millions yearning to own your home, Rocket.

[Bowen Yang]

Is here to give you back the keys.

[Matt Rogers]

They're working to lower down payments to.

[Bowen Yang]

Lift us up, giving first time buyers a head start on their starter homes.

[Matt Rogers]

And fighting for homes for those who fought and served so we can have ours.

[Bowen Yang]

The American dream isn't dying. It's just been out of reach.

[Matt Rogers]

Everyone in this country deserves to own a piece of it.

[Bowen Yang]

And Rocket isn't going to stop until.

[Matt Rogers]

Everyone can own the dream. Visit Rocket.com today or quote 804 Rocket Spring is the season of love and new beginnings.

[Bowen Yang]

Looking for love this spring? Whether you're looking for a spring fling or something more serious.

[Matt Rogers]

Steamy soup, refreshing salad, savory sandwiches. Find your perfect pairing.

[Bowen Yang]

It's easier than you think to find love on a nap or at least a lunch. You love on the DoorDash app.

[Matt Rogers]

Whatever you're looking for, DoorDash and Panera Bread are teaming up to help you find your perfect match.

[Bowen Yang]

Panera's yous Pick Two offering lets you pair two items like a cup of soup, half salad or half sandwich together from Panera's menu.

[Matt Rogers]

I. I literally love the two that you pick two. I love.

[Bowen Yang]

You pick two.

[Matt Rogers]

I do a tuna. Tuna sandwich. And of course, their best soup. Broccoli cheddar.

[Bowen Yang]

I was just gonna put respect on the name of broccoli cheddar.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, it's really good. I knew you loved broccoli cheddar. With over 800 possible combinations, it's easy to find your one true lunch.

[Bowen Yang]

You pick two. Delivered right to you with DoorDash.

[Matt Rogers]

Get 20% off your Panera. You pick two, order on DoorDash with code TRULAUNCH March 3rd through March 12th. Terms apply. For full terms, go to the Panera store, PA Doordash.

[Bowen Yang]

You know, a good wedding is like an amazing symphony. From the food to the music to the fashion, honey to the style.

[Matt Rogers]

When it all comes together, all these things, you can expect love to grow. And that's good because the wedding should all be about that. Creating an atmosphere and an environment where love can. What's the word? Flourish.

[Bowen Yang]

Flourish. You know, a wedding is all about achieving the vision. And with Zola, you can plan your entire wedding in one convenient place. From the day you get engaged and search for the venue, the day you send out your save the dates, make your registry, and even taste your cake, Zola has literally everything you need to make the whole process super easy.

[Matt Rogers]

The first and only stop you need to make on your wedding planning journey is Zola. They've thought of everything you'll need and have built every tool to get you to I do.

[Bowen Yang]

Zola will give you expert guidance and unparalleled support. Their wedding pros are on call to walk couples from question to answer. Any time.

[Matt Rogers]

Every Zola wedding is as unique as the couple planning it.

[Bowen Yang]

Start [e-mail] that's zola.com this show is sponsored by Liquid Ivy. And you know, Matt, you and I have had many things to celebrate recently, like you selling out Webster hall on your tour.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, my goodness. Needed a lot of energy for that show. And that's why I was happy to consume Liquid IV that day. Seriously, when you have Liquid iv, you don't need coffee, I'll tell you that.

[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

Pull a glass out of the cupboard, fill it up to the top with ice. Put my little Liquid IV packet in there. I agree with you. I love that sugar free raspberry lemonade. And then I fill the thing up with water. Next thing you know, no, I'm in bliss because I'm drinking liquid IV and baby, I'm better for it.

[Bowen Yang]

Baby, there's two zesty things in this kitchen. Me and the liquid IV.

[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

That's 20% off your first order with code [e-mail].

[Matt Rogers]

Well, we have the central question of our podcast that we ask everybody that we're going to ask of you, Lady Gaga, which is, what was the culture that made you say culture was? For me, this can be anything from a film you saw that moved you in a certain direction. A song, an artist, something environmental. If you could think, I became something close to Lady Gaga. If not full on Lady Gaga.

[Lady Gaga]

In this moment, I have a few different ones.

[Matt Rogers]

I feel like we love that.

[Lady Gaga]

I think the one that is the most important to me is I had gay friends in high school and I didn't have a lot of friends in high school and I went to an all, which means that when school was over, I used to walk like eight blocks away to the boys school and they weren't out yet, but we were friends and we would do the musicals together and I found my people. And then later in my career when I started performing out and I had LGBTQ fans, I was like, oh, this is the community that loved me when I was a child and this is the community that I'm meant to be a part of now. And so I don't think I would be Lady Gaga without the queer community.

[Matt Rogers]

Wow, you're such an important friend in the life of a gay person when you are that person. You know what I mean? Like, that's like such a silly way to sequence those words, sequencing. But I'll just never forget my safe spaces when I wasn't out. When I was in high school, when I felt like I could talk about my influences Talk about the music. I wanted to talk about, you know, like, telling all the boys in my school that I liked Limp Bizkit and all love to them, but I wanted to talk about Christina Aguilera and then finding the girls and being like, don't you love the last track? Obvious on the self titled. You know what I mean? Like, it's just like being able to share a language and share a humor and you have grown into such a maximum version of that. And it was, I mean, jumping around. We just have to say it was so beautiful. And thank you so much for saying what you said on the Grammy, for speaking to our community and speaking to the trans community, people that need it the most.

[Lady Gaga]

That was my absolute privilege. And I promised myself that if I won a Grammy that night, I was gonna say something that was in support of something that is so, so important, which is to be protective and loving to a community that is experiencing violence.

[Matt Rogers]

Yep.

[Lady Gaga]

It's my privilege to be a part of this community. And. And it's the language that we speak to each other. And it's also like, thank you for teaching me so much about the world. I couldn't be the person that I am without the stories of all of the people that I've met and the authenticity and the realness. Like, I have so many gay friends that just share with me their truth. And that's a real gift. Like, how many people do you meet that don't do that?

[Bowen Yang]

Right? Everybody.

[Lady Gaga]

Right. And it's like that can be also not a great way to move through the world. So to me, this is my privilege to be a part of it. And I know I wouldn't be the same. And I think Born this Way for me was. It's easily my favorite album that I ever created. And what's interesting is the second answer to the question that you asked me. If I could think of another culture, it would be that culture of friends on the Lower east side. And Born this Way was a mixture of the inspiration of the queer community, my love of the queer community, as well as this techno rock, electro rock, underground New York metal scene that I was a part of. So all of those things, that blender is truly what makes me me. And it still is. And I think this is an important time for us all to be real with each other and ask for what we need from each other.

[Bowen Yang]

Well, something about that night where you won the Grammy with Bruno, that was so impactful. Cause I was just watching at home, kind of just. Cause a couple of hours had gone by in the show already. And I was just like, I guess no one's really addressing what's going on in a real important way. And you broke the seal on that. And then the immediate response from the audience and from people at home was, thank God you said something.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. So grateful.

[Bowen Yang]

Because I will always think about the way you handled the rumors and the way you even talked about it with Anderson Cooper, which was like, would that be such a bad thing? Like, the fact that you were even talking about this recently, where you're like, you had to decide whether or not you would, quote, unquote, fix the rumor. But how would that make someone feel if they were trans? And why would you inject more shame into that situation? Because I think there was some turning point in Lady Gaga as an artist who was studying fame. Because that's a moment where, I don't know, we experience this on such a smaller scale than you, obviously, but it's like, there's nothing more frustrating than someone saying something about you that isn't true and you don't have the opportunity to address her or you're not. And all you want to say is, that's not true. But for you to flip that on its head and be like, if it were true, who fucking cares? It's huge.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, Well, I think that was probably the most responsible I ever felt for the words that were going to come out of my mouth at that point. I really kind of did understand that the way that I would react to that would, I thought, be meaningful. But to be frank, I didn't think about it for very long. Even better. No, but seriously, it was outrageous to me that it was also kind of a weird thing. Like, so how do you feel about these rumors? I'm like, what are we talking? What are we talking about? These are people's lives. These are people's real lives. And that's what makes me so upset about it today, is when I see people peering down at others and making it, like, socially acceptable to peer down. And to say that the trans community should be treated this way is wrong. It is wrong. It's violent. It is everything I hate. It is everything I hate to just.

[Bowen Yang]

Go after the most vulnerable people.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

That's why community is so important, though, because had you not been exposed to community and had you not, like, had this understanding of people's humanity, someone may have been put in that situation as, like, a pop star that's being rocketed to fame and, like, you know, aggressively trying to be defined by this thing that the media is like, you know, inherently saying is like some negative thing, but because you had that exposure to community and because you knew the reality that these are people's lives, you were able to be in that position and be so gorgeous and responsible. And that's important.

[Lady Gaga]

The blessing is when I was accepted by the queer community, that was the gift to me. Because then I get to learn and I get to experience and have real relationships that change my insides. And sometimes people ask, how can I do this better? Can. And you explain this to me. Like, people want to learn more. And I always have the desire to say, be friends with more people in the queer community. That's the best. The best way to learn is to just be a part of the world.

[Bowen Yang]

And it's quite easy. We're all pretty friendly.

[Lady Gaga]

That's right. The best.

[Bowen Yang]

I mean, you are such an important part of that conception for people. Because I think I had come out of the closet again when Born this Way came out. Cause went to conversion therapy. Obviously did not work out.

[Lady Gaga]

I didn't know that.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

And so Matt had come out in college, so we've known each other since college. Matt had come out around the same time. We were both doing comedy. He was in the sketch group. I was in the improv group. Born this Way came out the same. The single came out the same week as this college comedy festival. We would drive from nyu.

[Matt Rogers]

Skidmore. Yep.

[Bowen Yang]

Up to Skidmore, and we were just blasting that song for 48 straight hours. Being wasted. Just like, in some, like, tool shed in the background. Grungiest. Just like that is.

[Matt Rogers]

And he felt emboldened to come out that weekend.

[Lady Gaga]

That's really special. That's really, really special.

[Bowen Yang]

You're so important to a huge swath of people who only want the best things for you and for each other. And if there is community in this world, it is fully embodied in that sector. But also those people need leadership. And you've always been that leader. Culturally, artistically, in so many ways, you've always been that person.

[Lady Gaga]

I appreciate you saying that. But you know what? More than being a leader, I just want to do my part. And I really believe that we can all do our small part. And then when we all do our small part, it makes a big part. And I believe that. That we will continue to show people that are filled with hatred and ignorance that they should be looking up to the queer community and following and learning about love, learning about grace, learning about kindness. I really believe that. And I'm not giving up.

[Bowen Yang]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Matt Rogers]

And we know, and neither are we. And it's so interesting that the answer that you gave to the question was almost like the very simple, beautiful answer that felt like was coming out in the results of the election. And everything is. People were just saying one word. Community. Look around you. Water the flowers. Build those connections. Maybe find new connections. Community. That is really what it's all about. An exposure to the humanity of everybody.

[Lady Gaga]

That's right. And I know that it feels important for me to say, too, that, yes, I say these things publicly, but, like, it's actually even more important to me that I live them in my life.

[Matt Rogers]

Right.

[Lady Gaga]

Like that. That is the work.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

The category is Dance or Die. The only way forward is to just. Is to be joyous and to celebrate each other in that way. Because, like, I think abracadabra is, like, my interpretation of it. Is it. Is this duel between it's death or love. It's the only alternative.

[Lady Gaga]

There's really only one option in that video, really. She announces the category, but you kind of know, no, we're gonna dance.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, it's an easy choice for me.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, we're gonna dance.

[Matt Rogers]

Speaking of dance. Okay, so we'll be at Coachella. I'm going weekend one. Bowen has to work. He's gonna go weekend two. I think I may go again. Is there. Cause we're listening to the album and we're like, oh, my God, in the desert. This is gonna be insane.

[Lady Gaga]

Could you drink some water and.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, of course. We will.

[Lady Gaga]

Be safe.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes. So how long have you been thinking about that performance?

[Lady Gaga]

All night, every night, since I said yes. And also, you know, before then, I mean, I didn't really get a chance to do Coachella the way I wanted.

[Bowen Yang]

To, because you came in heroically filled in.

[Lady Gaga]

You know, it was great. It was actually great for A Star is Born too, because Coachella agreed to let us use the stage, the movie, as. You know, making movies in production, like, having, you know, places to film is a positive thing, was great for the film.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

I had, like, three days to get ready for it.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, my God.

[Lady Gaga]

Which is absurd.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. It's unfair.

[Lady Gaga]

But for this, I am just putting everything that I have into it. And I'm really excited. And I do. I. But I don't want to give anything away because I truly want it to be, like, big. A big surprise.

[Bowen Yang]

I feel like I have heard you say in recent interviews that you have been moving in the direction of something slightly more stripped down because there was a time in your career where the set Pieces would be unmanageably big. You know what I mean? And now you are thinking in terms of sustainability and in terms of, like.

[Lady Gaga]

I do.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

I do think a lot more now about, like, not wasting and not over producing things. Because when I was younger, I used to get, like, so nervous that we would, like, run out of props, you know, or run out or costumes would get ruined or something wouldn't work well, so we would have a backup. But now, you know, I have an archive with a lot of, like, costumes from all my previous tours and TV shows. And so now I try to reuse those and repurpose them. And in the abracadabra video, we did some of that, as well as, like, the white cap that I'm wearing.

[Bowen Yang]

Wedding dresses.

[Lady Gaga]

It was all vintage wedding dresses.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, that's so cool.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah. So, you know, I'm trying to. Yeah, I'm changing.

[Bowen Yang]

I don't think you need the overproduction, obviously, which is what you're saying. It's like, people will just be fucking gagged to see you in any kind of stage picture, you know? Well, the thing about the Radio City show with Tony Bennett is, like, we were with our friend Studi, and we just. The three of us kept saying, she just always knows her stage picture.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you. But, you know, I do believe when it comes to stage performance, and this probably has to do more with me, like, loving theater so much, too, is that you can do a lot with, like, a black box theater and a spotlight. And, like, it's how it's lit. It's your pose. It's the way that you say the first line. You know, more adornment and more money doesn't necessarily mean better.

[Matt Rogers]

Certainly.

[Lady Gaga]

You know, it's like how you think about it and how you bring it. I think simplicity is actually very, very powerful. But that also is not indicative necessarily of what Coachella will be. So I.

[Bowen Yang]

Sure. I just brought that up as a Maybe a little.

[Matt Rogers]

You were talking on Hot Ones, actually, about, like, performing at the Slipper Room way back when, which is crazy.

[Bowen Yang]

Cause we've done shows there.

[Matt Rogers]

We've done shows there. And, like, I was just thinking to myself when you were talking about that. Some of my most formative, memorable theatrical experiences have been in rooms with seven or eight other people watching someone create fantasy.

[Lady Gaga]

That's right.

[Matt Rogers]

When you shouldn't be able to. But yet it is lighting choices, the way things sound in rooms like that.

[Lady Gaga]

That's right. It's the stage.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

It's like the magic of the stage that. That because when you do things, like, I mean, there are clubs where people perform. Right. Like in the room, like on the floor.

[Matt Rogers]

Right.

[Lady Gaga]

But to me, the context changes on a stage. You know, it's elevated. It's elevated. And, you know, like, I'm gonna see a show and there's gonna. Something's going to try to move me.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

And I do find in New York, actually, at some of those downtown clubs that, like, there is immense talent.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Lady Gaga]

Immense talent. And. And it's so much fun. And I've always, like, also been so in awe of the drag shows in New York.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, the best.

[Lady Gaga]

It is unreal. And I've been watching some of the recreations on TikTok of the video, and it's just like, it's. I mean, mind blowing.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, it's Jan. Jan did it with. Yeah. The next day after the video was launched, how they just. I mean, they just got all of, like, the.

[Lady Gaga]

No, but also, like, the lacing is perfect on the corset, and then the hat and the. And I saw people making, like, the spiked hat out of plastic and then hand spray painting it. Cranberry.

[Bowen Yang]

Cranberry.

[Matt Rogers]

I mean, when you came to Drag Race and did that workshop with them, that was just taking it the extra mile. And I think that telegraphed to everyone that it is about the details. I mean, like, that is such a. Of course, it's about so much more than that, but the details do matter. You were so detailed in the way that you walked through with those queens.

[Lady Gaga]

I mean, I loved being a part of Drag Race. That. That was so much fun and also a privilege. I loved it so much. I mean, I think that I have, like, just the ultimate respect for drag as an art form. I also think drag very often does it so much better than we do it on red carpets. Honestly, like, I think it's just on another level.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

How much of what you do do you think of as drag?

[Lady Gaga]

I mean, that's interesting. I probably wouldn't use that word just because I do feel like it's a very specific art form that I don't do. But there is, to me, also a drag element in what I'm doing. But I don't think that wigs and makeup and costumes always mean drag. Sure. I think it is a very beloved and specific art form. But not. No, certainly not.

[Bowen Yang]

No.

[Lady Gaga]

But certainly not. No. It's kind of. Sometimes people will ask me that and I just, like, it's hard to say yes because I would never want to take away from someone that's devoted their life to it.

[Bowen Yang]

Sure.

[Matt Rogers]

You're coming from a place of respect.

[Lady Gaga]

For what they do. Exactly.

[Bowen Yang]

That's my sort of rationale. Whenever someone's like, what would your drag name be? I'm like, I don't know because I've not thought that far. Because. And I honestly think it's because I love the form so much that I'm like, I don't want to insert myself in that without earning my chops. Without like.

[Lady Gaga]

That's right. Well, if I was going to do it, I would have to like step it up in a big way.

[Bowen Yang]

Right. So there you go.

[Matt Rogers]

These days it feels like everyone is talking about how the American dream of owning a home is dying that so.

[Bowen Yang]

Many hard working Americans have been locked out of home ownership.

[Matt Rogers]

And if you're one of the millions yearning to own your home, Rocket is.

[Bowen Yang]

Here to give you back the keys.

[Matt Rogers]

They're working to lower down payments to.

[Bowen Yang]

Lift us up, giving first time buyers a head start on their starter homes.

[Matt Rogers]

And fighting for homes for those who fought and served so we can have ours.

[Bowen Yang]

The American dream isn't dying, it's just been out of reach.

[Matt Rogers]

Everyone in this country deserves to own a piece of it.

[Bowen Yang]

And Rocket isn't going to stop until everyone can own the dream.

[Matt Rogers]

Visit Rocket.com today or quote 804 Rocket Spring is the season of love and new beginnings.

[Bowen Yang]

Looking for love this spring? Whether you're looking for a spring fling, situationship or something more serious.

[Matt Rogers]

Steamy soup, refreshing salad, savory sandwiches. Find your perfect pairing.

[Bowen Yang]

It's easier than you think to find love on a nap or at least a lunch you love on the Doordash app.

[Matt Rogers]

Whatever you're looking for, DoorDash and Panera Bread are teaming up to help you find your perfect match.

[Bowen Yang]

Panera's U Pick 2 offering lets you pair two items like a cup of soup, half salad or half sandwich together from Panera's menu.

[Matt Rogers]

I literally love the two I love you pick two. I do a tuna. Tuna sandwich and of course their best soup. Broccoli cheddar.

[Bowen Yang]

I was just gonna put respect on the name of broccoli cheddar.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, it's really good. I knew you loved broccoli cheddar. With over 800 possible combinations, it's easy to find your one true lunch.

[Bowen Yang]

U pick two delivered right to you with DoorDash.

[Matt Rogers]

Get 20% off your Panera. You pick two. Order on DoorDash with code TRUL March 3 through March 12 Terms apply for full terms, go to the Panera store page on doordash Ready to transform your space with new original art you love? At Saatchi Art you can discover thousands of curated one of a kind paintings, sculptures and photography for your home from today's top emerging artists worldwide. Whether you're looking to complement your home decor, fill a blank space on your walls or start an art collection, you can find the perfect piece for your specific style and budget. At Saatchi Art Art, you'll get carefully packaged art delivered straight from the artist studio to your door in days, often with a personal note from the artist. With hassle free delivery plus Saatchi Art's 14 day satisfaction guarantee and thousands of five star reviews mean you can buy with confidence. Their expert art advisors are there to help both first time buyers and seasoned collectors with unlimited personalized recommendations that fit your unique vision. Always complimentary. Visit saatchiart.com today to bring the beauty of art into your home. Plus get 10% off your first work of original art with code culture priestess. That's 10% [e-mail] that's S A A T C H I art.com Bo I don't think I have to tell you or our listeners about all the hidden fees and everything nowadays. It feels like there's always an extra price tacked on to whatever it is. If I'm at the movies, if I'm flying somewhere, if I'm seeing a concert, playing a game on my phone, it's just like, how did that get to that price? I don't understand.

[Bowen Yang]

I'm catching fees left and right when we're trying to make progress. Life's curveballs often feel like taking one step forward and two steps back.

[Matt Rogers]

Well, a Chime checking account makes financial progress easier with features like no maintenance fees, fee free overdraft up to 200, or getting paid up to two days early with direct deposit.

[Bowen Yang]

You know, I just like Chime because it is community forward. It's a financial institution, sure, but it has a sense of community because I love sharing boosts with my friends. Or the Pay Anyone.

[Matt Rogers]

I was going to say the Pay Anyone feature. I knew you were my best feature outside of my amazing amazing.

[Bowen Yang]

But friends give friends a boost.

[Matt Rogers]

They sure do make progress towards a better financial future with Chime. Open your account in two minutes at chime.com forward/culturistas. That's chime.com forward/cultuRistas.

[Bowen Yang]

Chime feels like Progress Banking services and Debit card provided by the Bancorp Bank NA or Stride Bank NA Members FDIC Spot ME eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply. Boosts are available to eligible tribe members enrolled in Spot ME and are subject to monthly limits. Timing depends on submission of payment file fees. Apply at out of network ATMs.

[Matt Rogers]

To speak on another art form because we went to NYU here. You did a semester at Cap 21.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

So we had a bunch of friends in Cap 21 when we were there, and that was legendary that you had graced that studio for even a second. Is there still a part of you that would do musical theater and a mainstream sense? Like, would you go and do Broadway? And if so, is there a role?

[Lady Gaga]

I think so, yes. I think I would love to write a musical.

[Matt Rogers]

Well, of course.

[Lady Gaga]

I think that.

[Matt Rogers]

A new one.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, a new one.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, I think. I mean, that would give me the ultimate joy of, like, crafting all the music and working with amazing writers on developing the story and the script and then, you know, the stage design and the costumes. And, like, maybe I'd be in it, too, but, you know, just, like, the idea of writing one that sounds really. I mean, that's. I mean, come on.

[Matt Rogers]

The Cyndi Lauper bag.

[Lady Gaga]

Because all my albums basically want to be musical.

[Bowen Yang]

Of course, you're in the pocket already, so why not? Okay, we're gonna close things off with. I don't think so, honey. This is where we take one minute each to rail against something.

[Matt Rogers]

I'm trying to think if there's anything else I wanna ask.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, I know, I know, I know.

[Matt Rogers]

I have one more thing.

[Lady Gaga]

Okay.

[Matt Rogers]

Okay. So you talk about when you do films.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

Your commitment to that and, like, your. I don't know if. Have you described yourself as method? Yes.

[Lady Gaga]

That sounds like something I would say.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

But embarrassingly remembering. Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

No, but I want to know, because your performances are so brilliant.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you.

[Matt Rogers]

I mean, you and star. I saw Starspawn five times opening weekend.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you.

[Matt Rogers]

I love House of Gucci. I mean, I wonder, have you approached acting now in a way that you can feel is sustainable? Or how do you feel when you are approaching a role now in terms of what you've learned and what you've done? Cause you've done such incredible stuff, I think.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you. I think that I love making films.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Lady Gaga]

I love being an actor. It's been a privilege working with such amazing actors and actresses in every film that I've been a part of. I learned a lot working with Joaquin, actually. It was. It was a very, very enriching experience, I would say. I don't know that it's Acting, you're really feeling it when you're doing it, and it's real. So I would say the thing I've learned the most is to put yourself fully in the moment and to really be in it as if it was real life and that it is a performance, but that it's not pretend.

[Matt Rogers]

Right.

[Lady Gaga]

You know, I was actually working with. It's really sorry to interpret this moment. I was working with my niece on something related to Wicked. Oh, she sings. And I was talking to her about, you know, thinking of a moment in her life where it made her want to cry because she felt so changed inside. And what I want to say about acting is it's not far from singing, you know, that you have to go to a place where you're really, truly connecting to what you're saying. And it's not just about the words on their own. It's about the human being behind it. Right.

[Matt Rogers]

But when you play characters that go through such harrowing stuff. Yeah, yeah. Do you think that going forward, I don't know if you have anything on the books or whatever, but would you ever do. Because you love comedy so much. Like, does the lightness appeal to you in terms of that art form?

[Lady Gaga]

It actually does. Michael's always like, can you please do.

[Matt Rogers]

It with me to come instead of absolutely punishing yourself.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes. I would love to do a more lighthearted film. I would. But, you know, I love the dark stuff too.

[Matt Rogers]

That's me.

[Lady Gaga]

I don't.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, that is mayhem.

[Bowen Yang]

It's mayhem.

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, it's mayhem. I'm like a pretty soft person that adores intensity. So I don't really know where that comes from. I always thought it was funny when I was making this album. Cause like, I would, you know, like I'm at home, like making breakfast for me and Michael and then go to the studio and I'm like kind of soft spoken and like just being myself. And then like the music was so hard and it's like, it doesn't really make a lot of sense. But, you know, I guess that's the way that I deal with myself. It's like the way I deal with my anger. It's the way that I deal with my intense feelings.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, got it. God, we just love you. At all. For you. Whatever.

[Bowen Yang]

Like.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, it's just. Anyway, I. We. This is amazing having you here, but we're gonna do our silly little segment now. I don't think so, honey. And I guess I'll start it out. I do have something. Last night I sort of was like, I had nervous energy. So I was like, I want to take myself on a YouTube wormhole that I've never experienced before. I want a new educational experience. And I got one.

[Bowen Yang]

I'm excited to learn. This is Matt Rogers. I don't think so many. Time starts now.

[Matt Rogers]

I don't think so many people don't respect elephants. You don't understand how complicated their communication is. This is a fact. Elephants can communicate from miles away with each other without seeing each other. They speak, and it is speaking at a decibel that is so low. Do you understand? I don't think so, honey. You understand they can't be heard by the human ear, but they are always speaking.

[Bowen Yang]

Elephants.

[Matt Rogers]

Elephants have processes they go through for their grief. They honor their dead. They will walk in succession and grieve. And there is different ways of communicating. They're in a matriarchal society. People don't know that, period. It's not just Mom. It's mom and all her friends raising a child.

[Bowen Yang]

Community, the aunties.

[Matt Rogers]

15 seconds. It's the aunties. It's the friends. They will mimic what it is to feed a child, even if they're not feeding it just to give the child comfort. Elephants are unbelievable. They are not just gorgeous. Gorgeous. And think about their trunks. That is amazing. Can you do something like that? I don't think so, honey.

[Bowen Yang]

That's one minute.

[Matt Rogers]

You gotta get on my level when it comes to YouTube at this point. I've never been so connected to the animal world. And, you know, sometimes I fear animals.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes, you do.

[Matt Rogers]

Just the wild ones.

[Bowen Yang]

But the elephants are important.

[Matt Rogers]

But these elephants. Have you ever really gotten into elephant culture?

[Lady Gaga]

Dead over that rant? That was. No.

[Matt Rogers]

Have you been to Africa to see them?

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

You're very lucky. You're very lucky.

[Lady Gaga]

Oh, my God.

[Matt Rogers]

No, I'm.

[Lady Gaga]

That was amazing.

[Matt Rogers]

Thank you so much. I just wanted to give them their shine because. And I actually almost came in here today. I, you know, I changed my outfit six times. Gaga. I landed in a white polo. But I was going to wear a red sweatshirt with a panda on it.

[Lady Gaga]

Oh.

[Matt Rogers]

And I just. Because they're my next target. I need. I was like, I need to find out what's happening with them.

[Bowen Yang]

There's a lot. There's a lot going on.

[Matt Rogers]

And by the way, elephants, when they say they never forget, they really don't. And that's why it's so important to keep them safe. Because when they are attacked or they have a family member attacked, the trauma lives in them forever.

[Lady Gaga]

Oh, my God.

[Matt Rogers]

And they remember it and they won't go places where they've. It is so sad, but it's. But the knowledge will. Will embolden us to protect them.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you for your service to the elephants. That was beautiful.

[Matt Rogers]

I just care for them so much and they're so tender and emotional.

[Bowen Yang]

Absolutely.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. Okay, so with that Bowen Yang, do you have an I don't think so, honey on today? Okay. Wonderful to hear. I love when that is true. This is Bowen Yang's. I don't think so, honey. His time starts now.

[Bowen Yang]

I don't think so, honey. Hot ones. You made Lady Gaga cry and you're gonna give this woman da bomb. I've had it. I. I had the privilege, quote unquote, of tasting da bomb. And it is battery acid. Rancid stuff. Just kidding. Sean Evans, we love you.

[Matt Rogers]

You love everybody.

[Bowen Yang]

At first, being feast. One of the funnest things I've done personally. You were a champ. It was. It did not feel right to make you suffer in that way while you were trying to talk about the album, while you were trying to talk about your career. I can't. We need to put respect on Lady Gaga's time in her promotional bag. She needs. You can't be making this woman trump on plant based wings. I think 15 seconds. Do it off camera. Just say, Sean, how about this? Say before we recorded we had Lady Gaga try these wings.

[Matt Rogers]

Five seconds.

[Bowen Yang]

We're not gonna put the indignity of her sweating and crying and you know, chugging down milk on film for you. That's not. For Some things are too precious and that's one of them.

[Matt Rogers]

And that's one minute. Bone Yang said your show change the format so that we can. No, but you were amazing.

[Bowen Yang]

You were incredible on it.

[Lady Gaga]

Oh my God.

[Matt Rogers]

What was the process of it like?

[Lady Gaga]

What?

[Matt Rogers]

No, you. You're still in. You're still absorbing that.

[Lady Gaga]

I know. I can't. It's. These are like. This is amazing.

[Matt Rogers]

No.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

We're just speaking from the heart.

[Lady Gaga]

It's. It's special.

[Matt Rogers]

You blown away by I don't think so honey is so funny. Sort of legendary. You're going to be great.

[Bowen Yang]

You're going to be great.

[Matt Rogers]

Just. It's not harder than hot ones.

[Lady Gaga]

Okay. Okay.

[Matt Rogers]

I mean. But hot ones. Was it a good experience?

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. I had a great time.

[Bowen Yang]

I'm just kidding, by the way.

[Lady Gaga]

Spicy.

[Bowen Yang]

It was spicy.

[Matt Rogers]

But do you. And you. You do spicy?

[Lady Gaga]

I do. I do do spicy. Yeah. I mean what I thought was funny was that I did like seven and they were sort of fine. And then eight out of nowhere.

[Bowen Yang]

Eight out of nowhere kills you.

[Lady Gaga]

I was like, like, what a sneak attack, though. Like, at least let me know at 4 and 6 is gonna get back.

[Matt Rogers]

Had you not seen the show?

[Lady Gaga]

No, of course I had. I just. I just, like, I. I don't know if I'd seen, like, know 30 episodes.

[Bowen Yang]

Right. But watching from Home, you're like, oh, like, I guess it's a linear.

[Lady Gaga]

I thought it would be. I kept laughing at myself because I was like, it's like, not actually a contest.

[Bowen Yang]

It's not a.

[Matt Rogers]

No, it's not.

[Lady Gaga]

I'm like, am I winning?

[Matt Rogers]

But, like, if you get to the end, you win. And you do win.

[Bowen Yang]

You won. I love that you totally forgot. You were so in the heat of the moment, literally, that you forgot to promote the album. You were like, oh, yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

You were like, oh, that was fun.

[Bowen Yang]

What am I here to do? That was amazing. That was one of my favorite episodes. And I again, again, purely ingest. That is one of the favorite, My favorite things I've ever done. He's got to do it.

[Matt Rogers]

I'll do it one day.

[Bowen Yang]

You gotta do it.

[Matt Rogers]

I'm manifesting it.

[Bowen Yang]

It's gonna happen. But he really.

[Matt Rogers]

What? We're doing the verses.

[Bowen Yang]

We're doing. We're doing verses. Matt and I are gonna do the ones where you face. Where that is a game of contest where you face off against each other.

[Matt Rogers]

But he's gonna win.

[Bowen Yang]

Well, I think it's so sweet. Is that he mirrors you. Is that he. He'll drink if you drink. He. He eats the wings the same. The same time that you do. I think that's lovely.

[Lady Gaga]

I mean, he was really nice.

[Bowen Yang]

He's so nice.

[Lady Gaga]

I think he's really nice. Yeah, he. He was so sweet. And I just. I was expecting more spicy.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. Until.

[Lady Gaga]

Until I was praying for it to stop.

[Bowen Yang]

Until you were great. Yeah, absolutely. Well, anyway, I just had to put. Take them to task and it's. It's now time for yours. If you'd like to do one, you're.

[Matt Rogers]

Going to do one.

[Lady Gaga]

I'm so afraid this is going to backfire.

[Bowen Yang]

No, it's not.

[Matt Rogers]

You just say, I don't think so, honey. Then the thing, and then you just kind of let it go.

[Bowen Yang]

Let it go. One minute goes by fat. This is Lady Gaga's I don't think so, honey, that sentence and her time starts now, basically.

[Lady Gaga]

I don't think so, honey, that you guys are putting me on the spot to do this. I don't think so. I don't like to rant. I hate ranting. I hate confronting people.

[Bowen Yang]

You're really good at it.

[Lady Gaga]

I'm super uncomfortable. I right now am shaking. Seriously. I like, would love to just go on stage and sing and change my outfits and pick my wigs and write songs and make albums and go on tours. Serious. But I do not want to rant about anything.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, no.

[Lady Gaga]

It is so scary to me. I feel scared. I want to cry.

[Matt Rogers]

No, please don't cry.

[Lady Gaga]

But I love you both so much. But I don't think so that you're putting me on the spot. I can't. I'm just going to do whatever you say whenever you ask me to do it. When you tell me to do things, it makes me want to cry. It makes me insane.

[Matt Rogers]

We shouldn't have done this. We shouldn't have done this.

[Lady Gaga]

I love you so much. And also I don't think so. Don't you ever put me on the spot ever again. But I love doing this.

[Matt Rogers]

10 seconds.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you so much for having me here. But please, please, please don't make me get angry about anything.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, that's one minute. Lady Gaga. Honestly, hot ones, you should have gotten rid of your hot sauce. Lost coach. We should have not done. I don't think so. We should have done.

[Bowen Yang]

I mean, we have to. The show's done. This is the last episode ever.

[Matt Rogers]

This is it.

[Bowen Yang]

How can we beat this?

[Lady Gaga]

Is that funny? Yes. Are you kidding me?

[Bowen Yang]

As if you have to ask Gaga. You're about. You're.

[Lady Gaga]

You're so put the.

[Matt Rogers]

Did you break in a sweat?

[Lady Gaga]

I.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Lady Gaga]

I. You know what I like to plan.

[Matt Rogers]

I know.

[Lady Gaga]

I'm such a control freak. I like to plan everything. I like to know everything.

[Matt Rogers]

Where is the team they were told about? I don't think so.

[Bowen Yang]

I know.

[Lady Gaga]

And I panicked then and now we're so sorry.

[Bowen Yang]

But you look and on real level you crushed it. So there you go.

[Matt Rogers]

You know, all the best, Adam. Thanks to honeys have been the one that kind of drags us. Tina Fey.

[Bowen Yang]

Tina Fey dragged us.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Truly the people who come after us tend to succeed. So well done.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

Very well done.

[Lady Gaga]

I think I got like my voice got very high and loud.

[Matt Rogers]

You're warmed up now. Have you already done. No. You haven't done your vocal yet. Even on days when you don't perform, you do your warm up.

[Lady Gaga]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. It's fun, right?

[Lady Gaga]

Yeah, yeah, it's nice. It's grounding and then. And like then sometimes. Yeah. Okay. I Can't give too much away. Can't give too much away. I'm in, like, the danger zone with Coachella where, like, it's going to start slipping soon.

[Bowen Yang]

Totally. Because it's. It's. It's getting closer. It's happening. You. You're seeing the visuals. We cannot fucking wait.

[Lady Gaga]

I'm so excited. Are you both coming?

[Bowen Yang]

We're coming.

[Matt Rogers]

Yay.

[Lady Gaga]

We will take care of you.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, no, no, no, no.

[Bowen Yang]

I'm coming weekend, too. He's coming weekend one.

[Matt Rogers]

But I will go again because I have to be there with him to watch it.

[Bowen Yang]

I'm not missing this for the fucking world.

[Matt Rogers]

So literally what it was was we had. I had tickets for the first weekend, and he was like, I'll just come Sunday. And on the odds.

[Bowen Yang]

Cause I'm working on Saturday.

[Matt Rogers]

Saturday, famously, on the odds that she's performing on Sunday night. I'll just come. The Friday announcement. We love it. You're going to kick off the weekend so incredibly well. But I was like, okay, now I'll go back the second weekend so that I get to go.

[Bowen Yang]

Mayhem is out March 7th.

[Lady Gaga]

That's right.

[Matt Rogers]

Two days after my birthday. By the way, this kicked off Pisces season in the best way.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

It's February 19th. Deep in the feels. This is really, really good stuff.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Thank you so much for coming on.

[Lady Gaga]

Thank you so much for having me. I loved this so much. I love you both so much. Thanks for being so kind to me. And it was such a nice hang, too.

[Bowen Yang]

It was.

[Lady Gaga]

It really was. Yeah. I hope that we can do it again without microphones.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, yeah. We'll get rid of these things. We love that. We do end every episode with a song.

[Bowen Yang]

Killer. I'm a killer.

[Matt Rogers]

Or you're gonna die tonight. Killer, killer, killer, killer. Oh, my God.

[Bowen Yang]

Listen to ma'am.

[Matt Rogers]

Bye.

[Bowen Yang]

Las Culturistas is a production by Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeartRadio podcasts.

[Matt Rogers]

Created and hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, executive produced by Anna Hosnier.

[Bowen Yang]

And produced by Becca Ramos, Edited and mixed by Doug Bateman, Monique Laborde and.

[Matt Rogers]

Our music is by Henry Kabirski. Check engine light on. Take the guesswork out of your Check engine light with O'Reilly Variscan. It's free and provides a report with solutions based on over 650 million vehicle scans verified by ASE certified master technicians. And if you need help, we can.

[Lady Gaga]

Recommend a shop for you. Ask for O'Reilly Veriscan today.

[Bowen Yang]

Auto parts.