Gaga On Stern

Howard's the new buzz.

Used to be you did Stern last, Gaga was smart enough to do Stern first.

Yes, yesterday, the day her new album was released, Lady Gaga appeared on Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show to talk and play, and the Internet and mainstream media are abuzz about it.

Howard may be unavailable to most listeners. But that just adds fuel to the cult. My inbox was dinging with reflections on her appearance yesterday. And now mainstream media is distributing the highlights and dissecting the details, like Gaga's feud with Perez Hilton.

That was what was stunning about the interview, Gaga's honesty.

In a world where fake stars and has-beens will never say a negative word (are you listening to me Jon Bon Jovi?), Gaga talked Madonna and bisexuality and her father and if you don't think this was riveting radio, you probably don't like Gaga to begin with. Then again, she was great even if you're not a fan.

Because Stern understands great radio.

In an era where late night television hosts are afraid to speak the truth for fear of being locked out on guests (Jimmy Kimmel had to get nice, he's gone on record about this), Stern's taking the opposite tack, digging deep. And those who appear on his show gain traction with his listeners, a group larger than almost any other audience.

Yes, you can target people, but can you reach them?

Stern's been doing it for decades. His way. It's only now, approaching sixty, that the mainstream has caught on.

A mainstream whittled away by cutbacks dominated by good-looking people worried about ratings and salaries.

Credit "America's Got Talent." A worthless show that demonstrated to the mainstream Howard Stern was not an ogre, but actually nice. Suddenly, the PR people have deemed him acceptable.

And he may do one more AGT season, to cement his place in the firmament, but the tide has turned. Howard Stern is the go-to place to promote your product. Because no only do his fans listen, they buy.

"Dope" may have been a disaster on the YouTube Awards, but it was a triumph on Stern. On the Wrap-Up Show callers were testifying how they were closed.

That's how you convert people. By doing your act.

But in most circumstances you're hamstrung by time limitations, competing with others for publicity, whereas Stern tends to have only one A-lister a day, and yesterday Gaga got ninety minutes, including a bathroom break...stars aren't supposed to pee, are they?

I will say that all mystery behind Stefani Germanotta was stripped away. And unlike so many of today's stars she's got some, credit the outfits and the artifice. But we do live in an era of honesty, so she is playing the modern game.

So this is the new paradigm.

You hype your product the day it comes out on Howard Stern's radio show, where you demonstrate you've got real talent by playing live.

It's your first best choice.

I'm telling you now.

Los Angeles Times: "Lady Gaga-Perez Hilton feud rages on in latest Howard Stern chat": http://goo.gl/5c68gH

You track the impact of a story by seeing how many news sources went on it in Google News. Search on "Stern Gaga" in Google and hit the News tab. Everybody from the "New York Daily News" to Fox to E! to US! to MTV is spreading the word.

Howard Stern Show : Lady Gaga Full Interview + Live Performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc0NAOErcNw


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