Reconsidering Perez Hilton

What was your opinion on the alleged gay backlash against Gaga’s “Born This Way” single?
What backlash? The song was number 1 in America for four weeks in a row. There was a backlash, [but] I think it’s a great song. It’s been the longest number 1 single in her career and if you’re gonna be compared to anyone, being compared to Madonna isn’t a bad thing. Artists like Madonna only come along every 25 years.

You were one of her earliest and staunchest supporters. Does she credit you for part of her success?
She does, but I would never take credit for it. It’s very flattering that she’s appreciative and vocal about the role I’ve played in helping her, but I think she would have been successful without my help. I’m just glad I was able to be there from the beginning and lend my support. In addition to being a friend, I’m one of her biggest fans.

Have you heard the rest of the new album?
Yes. This is her Like a Prayer album. By that I mean that Like a Prayer was one of Madonna’s most cohesive albums and the same is true with Born This Way, The songs really inhabit this world that she created and that was co-created by her fans. Each song makes sense when listened to in relation to the others. The Fame and The Fame Monster kind of had that concept, but not really. I mean “Poker Face” wasn’t really about fame. But Born This Way, the album, is a really powerful piece of work that touches on love and freedom and liberation and politics so it will surprise a lot of people. It will make a lot of people happy, but it will piss off a heck of a lot of people, too.

What’s your response to Gaga dissolving her deal with Target over their political donations?
I’m not politically correct and just because I’m gentler and kinder doesn’t mean I’m going to be politically correct. I didn’t necessarily agree with that. I know that a lot of gay people don’t like Target because of their political contributions yet a lot of those same gay people still shop at Target. I don’t think it was a bad thing at all that she had a deal with Target. I do applaud her for feeling so strongly about her convictions and caring about her gay fans so much that she felt she needed to do that.

What’s something about her that no one knows?
I’m always astounded by how smart she is. Obviously she’s crafty and clever and creative, but she’s really smart and a great writer. What I love is that she’s so different from me, yet we're so similar that we get along. She grew up in New York City with an upbringing that was very different from mine. I don’t mean her parents were wealthy, but she had all these references growing up that I didn’t have. She grew up listening to Bowie and Yoko Ono and Grace Jones. I never listened to any of those people. I listened to Madonna and Gloria Estefan. We just talk about music all the time and art and inspiring things and what we each have going on. It’s always stimulating and I feel inspired when I’m around her. When you’re around smart people you become smarter yourself—ideally.

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