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Lady Gaga: I'm crying.
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Sean: I know, it's the show.
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And just be careful around your eyes. Lady Gaga: Okay. I won't touch my eyes.
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Sean: Just be careful around your eyes, you know? Lady Gaga: Is this safe?
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Sean: Hey, what's going on, everybody?
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For <i>First We Feast</i>, I'm Sean Evans, and you're watching <i>Hot Ones</i>.
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It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
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And today we're joined by Lady Gaga.
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She's one of the most decorated multi-hyphenate stars of a generation, a 13 time <i>Grammy Award</i> winning singer, songwriter, with a pair of <i>Golden Globes</i> and an <i>Oscar</i>, as well, for her work in TV and film.
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Her latest single, "<i>Abracadabra</i>", is out now with the next studio album coming very soon.
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And of course, we can't wait for that.
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Lady Gaga, welcome to the show.
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Lady Gaga: Thank you, Sean.
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Sean: What's your mindset like going into this interview?
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Are you a spicy food fan, by nature?
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Lady Gaga: I, you know, I do like spicy food, but I'm, like, feeling like I'm saying that now, and then it's gonna be really easy to make fun of me if I, like, can't handle this, so... But, I'm focused. Sean: I can see that.
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Lady Gaga: I'm determined. Sean: Locked in. Step by step.
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Are you ready to get started? Lady Gaga: Yes.
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I just keep staring at them. Okay.
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I'm gonna eat with one hand, 'cause I'm...
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Sean: Almost by necessity. Lady Gaga: ... fashion impared. That's good. Good. I like it. What's in it?
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Are you gonna, is this...
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This is not, like, a culinary show.
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It's like, just get the wings. Sean: No. But, you know what?
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You can, you can stress test me. All right? I'm ready for it. Lady Gaga: What's...
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Okay, so you said garlic, lemon.
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Sean: Garlic, lemon, and then it has, like, an avocado oil out of Brooklyn, New York.
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And so far, it looks like we're one for one.
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Lady Gaga: I think it's fine. Sean: There we go. Lady Gaga: Good.
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Sean: So, I like how hyped you get about production.
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Like, the excitement that you express over the spicy scents on "<i>Disease</i>".
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Besides your own vocal performance and songwriting, what are the elements of production or sound engineering that you find yourself obsessing over most while making an album?
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Lady Gaga: I feel like when I'm making a record, it's about, like, figuring out how I'm going to hone in the sound, from song to song, to make the album feel holistic.
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And it's about, like, choosing the analog synths.
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It's about figuring out what guitars we're gonna use.
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It's about figuring out what the, like, the tone is of the piano on the record.
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But, always at the end of producing an album, I kind of revisit every single song to just, like, completely hone in my vision for how it should sound. "Lift Off".
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I don't think I can lift off in this dress. Thai flavors. Sean: Mhm. Lady Gaga: Yummy. Sean: Citrusy.
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You catch the, uh, kinda lemongrass. Lady Gaga: Yummy. Sean: After, there. Lady Gaga: Yeah. Really good. Sean: There we go. Two for two.
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Lady Gaga: Yeah, I like them both.
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I think I like the first one better, but it was good. Sean: That's all right.
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We'll keep the power rankings in our head, as we work our way through.
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Lady Gaga: But, this is where we're starting? Lady Gaga: Yeah. Right. Right. Yeah.
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No, it's a humbling show.
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Lady Gaga: This is at the front of the class. Sean: I know. Lady Gaga: Okay. Sean: I know. I know.
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So, in the past, I've asked actors about the qualities that make for a great film director.
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I'm curious for you, what are the most important traits that you look for in a music producer?
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Lady Gaga:: I still feel like I did when I was a kid.
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When I write songs, like, I get so excited about every lyric and every melody and what it could mean, and then talking about how to bring the song to life.
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So, I definitely feel like a collaboration is super important, child like spirit.
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Um, and uh, yeah, like musicianship.
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Sean: And sometimes you'll get just as excited talking about studios, you know, like when I hear you name check them, sometimes you'll talk about them with such intimacy, like laying down roots at "Shangri-La", for example.
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I'm curious, is there, like, a vibe or, like, a tone or things that you look for that make a studio feel like home to you? Lady Gaga: You know? Sorry, I just... Sean: Yeah.
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Lady Gaga: Swalllowed a little bit more of that out loud.
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Sean: It's, it's the show. It's the show. Lady Gaga: It's perfect.
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Um, for me, the home feeling of a studio comes from the music.
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So, I actually find that I can, like, build that home feeling wherever I go, just because I become so obsessed with what we're doing, that the space kind of takes on a new life.
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But, I do really love "Shangri-La".
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It's really close to my home.
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So, um, I do love being there.
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But, yeah, wherever the music is...
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Sean: That's home to you. Lady Gaga: I'm about it. Yeah. Gorgeous.
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So far, I think I loved the first one the most.
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But, I don't know if it's because my tongue started going numb by the time we got to this one. What was your favorite? Are you allowed to say?
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Is he not allowed to say?
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Sean: No, i can, I can say. I can talk. Lady Gaga: Okay.
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Sean: But I don't wanna...
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here's the, it's a little leading, though.
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'Cause we actually make this third one. You know what I mean? Lady Gaga: Okay.
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Sean: So, actually I don't...
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Lady Gaga: Oh, you do make... the third one? Sean: Yeah, yeah.
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Lady Gaga: So, you love the third one?
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Sean: The third one's so good.
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Lady Gaga: The third one... Sean: It is so good. Lady Gaga: Hot Ones. I see it now. "Hot Ones Sriracha". It's so funny. Sean: Thethird sauce.
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Lady Gaga: You guys waited 26 episodes before you slid yours in there? Love that.
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Sean: So, you once compared writing "<i>Born This Way</i>" to immaculate conception, saying that you wrote it in ten fucking seconds. Lady Gaga: Oh, my God. I said that? Sean: Yeah.
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That you wrote it in ten fucking minutes.
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You wrote it in ten fucking minutes.
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Lady Gaga: I did write it in ten minutes, I can... Um, sorry. Now I'm losing speech...
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Sean: All part of the show. Lady Gaga: ... from it.
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but, uh, I did write it in ten minutes.
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For "<i>Born This Way</i>", and a lot of my songs, I hear it pretty quickly, and then I just have to follow it.
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To me, when I'm making music, I'm, I say that I, I'm listening.
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So, it's a feeling of receiving, which is, probably, why I made that really dumb comment about myself.
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Sean: And then one of my favorite quotes I've ever heard from a singer, songwriter, also comes from you, where you said: "Without a good chorus, who really gives a fuck?" . And I'm curious... Lady Gaga: Oh, my God.
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Who gave you these quotes?
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Sean: But, how do you know when you've cracked the code on a hook? Like, is there a tell?
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Lady Gaga: Sometimes, I know something's done because that image feels whole to me.
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But, you really don't know if something is good until the people tell you.
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Sean: And they will tell. you.
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Lady Gaga: And they will tell you.
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You're, like, cheering me on. Okay, I like that. Oh, okay. Sean: It is. We're in the game now. Lady Gaga: Yeah. Peppery. I like it.
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Sean: That's why they call it <i>Hot Ones</i>.
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Lady Gaga: It's the most hot one, so far. Sean: Yeah.
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Lady Gaga: But it's not the "Hot Ones" one. Which is my favorite.
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Sean: Do you have a most harrowing onstage memory, reflecting back on those early days performing on the Lower East Side at places like "The Slipper Room" or "Mercury Lounge"? Like... Lady Gaga: Yes.
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Sean: Did you ever have to deal with hecklers or singe someone in the front rows eyebrows off with a hairspray fireball? Lady Gaga: No.
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I, I shouldn't have done that.
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Lighting hairspray on fire. I should not have done.
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But, um, I remember when me and Lady Starlight were given a residency at "The Slipper Room", and I was so excited.
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It was such an honor to be asked to perform there.
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I remember I made my outfit for my "Slipper Room" show. I sewed it myself.
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I just look back on that time so fondly.
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My whole day was spent trying to get those gigs. And I just used...
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I would knock on door, after door, after door and just say, um: "Can I, please, play here?" .
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Or I would call and pretend I was my manager. Sean: Successfully?
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Lady Gaga: I would tell people, I'd be like: "She's so hot right now." .
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And sometimes I would do, like, an accent.
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And yeah, I mean, I would do anything to get booked.
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Sean: What was the most valuable music or performance lesson that you learned covering classic rock songs with your band, Mackin' Pulsifer in high school? Like...
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Lady Gaga: These, the facts that you have, the quotes.
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You know Mackin' Pulsifer? Sean: Yeah.
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You would do a classic rock covers with that band. Lady Gaga: Yes. Sean: Right?
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Does that give you, like, any insight to the musicianship of a rock star or anything?
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Or how do you think that helped you?
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Lady Gaga: I used to always say that you have to put, like, music in the room to figure out how to be an artist.
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Like, you need an audience. So, I just...
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yeah, I learned so much being in that band.
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And so funny when I met Bono for the first time, and then I'm like: "I used to sing "<i>Pride</i>" in my rock band growing up." . It's cool. Like, you...
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you learn everything that came before you and you're, yeah, just a student of music. Are we halfway? Sean: We are halfway.
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Lady Gaga: I'm, like, doing okay.
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Oh, does that have a chicken that, its mouth's on fire? Sean: Yeah. Sean: Fitting logo.
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Lady Gaga: Is that gonna be me? Okay.
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These are good wings, too.
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These, I think I have the, the plant based ones.
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Sean: Me too, by the way. Lady Gaga: They're good. Sean: Mhm.
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In what ways, if at all, does being a classically trained pianist serve as, like, a superpower for a songwriter?
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Like, how might studying the classics inform your approach to making pop music?
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Lady Gaga: Beethoven, Bach, a lot of the structure of them is very similar to a pop song.
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Um, it's the the progression of the music.
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Uh, also, the way that you learn about, uh, music getting louder and softer, uh, getting faster and slower, um, holding punctuations, like, all of the expressions of music can, I think it taught me how to think about where to put the drama in a pop song. "Volkano"? Oh. That's good. Sean: Yeah. Sean: Right.
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Lady Gaga: That one has a kick.
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Sean: And that's the thing about some of these in the later half, is they have little, like, time release on them.
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Or they hear you talking about them. You know what I mean?
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Lady Gaga: Time release hot sauce?
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Sean: And then they com eback. Yeah, exactly.
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Lady Gaga: That feels deceptive. Still good. Really good.
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Sean: So, there are a few high wire acts in pop culture more impressive than threading the needle between high art and pop.
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I'm curious, how do you think about that distinction at this stage in your career?
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Lady Gaga: You know, music is something that you hear, but then, you know, when you, when you add the art to it, it really changes the way you feel and it changes the way you think about the song.
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So, I, I, to me it is, it's awesome.
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It's an awesome, awesome piece of music is the visuals. I am doing good.
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Lady Gaga: I took a big bite. Sean: I saw that.
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Lady Gaga: I don't know why I did that.
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Sean: Because you're feeling it.
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Lady Gaga: You said it was hot, and I was like...
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Sean: Because you're feeling it. It's gonna hit.
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Lady Gaga: It tastes good, though. Sean: Mhm.
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Lady Gaga: But, is it gonna come and get me, like, really soon? Sean: I'll be honest.
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It's kinda getting me right now. Lady Gaga: Is it? Sean: Yeah. Lady Gaga: Are you okay? Sean: Yeah.
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You're dancing on me on my show.
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Lady Gaga: You're eyes are watery. Sean: Yeah, I know. I know. All right?
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Lady Gaga: I'm, like, trying to be all tough... Sean: Ten years in. Ten years in... Lady Gaga: ...
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and won't drink my water.
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Sean: Well, and same with me, by the way.
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Lady Gaga: You haven't drank your water, yet.
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Sean: I always mirror the guests. Lady Gaga: Oh. Sean: You know?
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I don't know if it's, like...
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Lady Gaga: Are you thirsty? Should I drink? Sean: I'll let you know.
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I'll let you know if I need you. Lady Gaga: Okay.
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Lady Gaga: I'm just trying to be...
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Sean: To break the seal forme.
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Lady Gaga: I'm just trying to be abad bitch and, like, not have the water.
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Sean: So, when we had Shakira on the show, she talked about how she bankrupted her first world tour, because it was important for her to have this giant 30 foot cobra with her on stage, which, of course, cost millions of dollars to produce and then millions more to ship.
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As someone who's long reinvested... Lady Gaga: Respect.
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Sean: Right, I knew you'd like that. Lady Gaga: Respect.
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Lady Gaga: One set piece that we built, which was, like, really cool, actually, 3D sculpture that Nick Knight built, he put me inside a grand piano, made this huge statue, but we just, like, didn't...
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it was so early in my career, I didn't plan, like, how it would get on and off the stage.
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It was so heavy, and the crew guys were like: "We can not get this.
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This thing is as big as the arena.
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We can't put it on the stage." .
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That was pretty expensive and a bad decision.
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I, definitely, now try to be a lot more resourceful, like, just make, making less and, uh, not over, um, over producing things, like, I just wanna be more resourceful. I'm growing up. Okay. Well, ready? Lady Gaga: Oh, God. Oh, my God. Sean: Yeah. Lady Gaga: Sean. I took a big bite of it. Sean: Yeah, I know. I saw that.
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Lady Gaga: I'm trying to deny... Oh, it's growing. Sean: Yeah. And same with me.
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But, whatever you're going through, it's okay.
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Lady Gaga: Can I have a sip? Sean: Yeah, yeah.
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You don't have to ask me.
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I'm just looking for an excuse, too.
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Lady Gaga: It's still hot. Sean: I know, yeah.
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And it'll, kinda, be like that for a little bit.
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And it might even grow a little bit from here.
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But, that's just me being an honest talk show host with my guests...
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Lady Gaga: Thank you so much. Sean: You know? Lady Gaga: Oh. Lady Gaga: Oh, my God. Sean: Yeah. It's happening.
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So, one time you did a cooking segment with Alan Carr, where you tenderized a chicken breast by just beating the hell out of it with a pan.
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Do you have any other unconventional kitchen hacks?
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You know, like, that did seem to work way better than a meat mallet ever could. Lady Gaga: I'm crying.
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Sean: I know, it's the show.
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And just be careful around your eyes. Lady Gaga: Okay. I won't touch my eyes.
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Sean: Just be careful around your eyes, you know? Lady Gaga: Is this safe?
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Sean: I made it ten years. You know? I'm still standing.
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Lady Gaga: You're still alive. Lady Gaga: Okay. Do I need the milk?
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Sean: Yeah, that might help.
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Lady Gaga: You know, you really set me up, too. Really.
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Just eat shit on that one.
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Sean: We kind of set ourselves up on this show, though, too. You know? Lady Gaga: No.
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Beating, beating, um, meat with a frying pan is, like, very Italian. Um. Oh. Oh, my God. It's making me laugh. It's so hot. Sean: I know. I know. Lady Gaga: I was fine.
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Everything was going so well.
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Sean: That's how this show goes. You know?
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Everything's going so well until it's not. Lady Gaga: Okay. Lady Gaga: It's like... now I'm numb. Sean: Yeah.
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Lady Gaga: What if I stop swallowing? What do you do?
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My mouth is, like, actually numb.
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I mean, it's, like, swollen.
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Sean Remember the last one?
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Lady Gaga: I'm sorry, I'm picking my teeth. Sean: Let it go.
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Lady Gaga: Look at my nails. Sean: Lean into it.
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Lady Gaga: These things work for that.
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It was actually, I mean, it is good. It's just...
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Oh, and now my lips are burning. Sean: Yeah. No, I know. Changed.
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But, this is what we do it for. You know?
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And I, kinda, come alive a little bit. Lady Gaga: I see that. You are thriving. I'm okay. Sean: Mhm.
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Did you have a biggest customer pet peeve when you worked as a waitress at, uh, "Palma" on Cornelia Street? Lady Gaga: Oh. More fun facts you have. Okay.
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Well, when they didn't tip, that was not good. Sean: That's, yeah.
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Lady Gaga: Um, I'm, you know, I'm, like, having brain... Sean: It's a lot. Lady Gaga: Yeah. Sean: Yeah, it's a lot. It's a lot. Lady Gaga: Okay. Uh, what else did I...
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I always was confused when they didn't order the desserts, 'cause the desserts were really good, but I guess I didn't really have a pet peeve.
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I was really happy to have a job, so...
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is that like a bad answer?
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Sean: No, you can, you... No.
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Lady Gaga: I don't know if my answers are good anymore.
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I, this, I'm not entertaining right now. Sean: No. You're actually. Lady Gaga: So sorry. I'm so sorry.
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Sean: Actually, you're very entertaining right now. All right?
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Lady Gaga: I've ruined it. Oh.
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"The Last Dab Xperience".
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I fear it will be my last life experience. Oh, okay. Okay. Okay. I have to put it back.
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Sean: Lady Gaga, what a run.
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Lady Gaga: This, it's been real, Sean.
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This one may really be hot. Sean: I know.
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But, Lady Gaga, long last, the wings of death are behind us.
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Lady Gaga: Over 91% Pepper X?
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Sean: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Lady Gaga: Is that wat that says?
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Sean: Don't read the fine print.
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Not at this point in the show.
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Lady Gaga: You added more.
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I don't want anything to grow. Sean: I know. I know.
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Lady Gaga: I don't want it to grow. I don't want it to grow.
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Sean: But, you've conquered the wings. You've made it through.
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And I just have one more question for you.
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You know, you once distilled the experience, the artist life by saying: "It's a beautiful disco ball, that's somehow refracted and fractured." .
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With that in mind, I'm curious, what's, like, the closest you've ever come to walking away?
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You know, like whether it was a specific project or something more existential.
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Like, just the experience of being an artist.
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I'm curious what that's like from your side.
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Lady Gaga: That is an incredibly deep question to ask me...
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Sean: In this vunerable... Lady Gaga: ... in this panic mode. Sean: ... moment. Yeah.
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Lady Gaga: I missed the community that I had in New York, and that was really hard.
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So, there were definitely times where I felt like, maybe, I should walk away.
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But, I know for sure that I never would, because if...
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I would, definitely, say that I, like, was tested and I always, I always didn't give up. I'm still doing it.
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So, it must mean I want to do it. Sean: And you know what?
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You didn't give up today either. Lady Gaga: I did not.
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Sean: No quitin' you, Lady Gaga.
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Taking on the wings of death and living to tell the tale.
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Now there's nothing left to do, but roll out the red carpet for you.
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This camera, this camera, or this camera.
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Let the people know what you have going on in your life.
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Lady Gaga: So much hot sauce. Um.
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My throat's on fire, but I feel good. It was delicious.
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I think I did pretty good. Sean: You did great.
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Lady Gaga: Oh, am I supposed to, like...
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Sean: If you'd, if you'd like. Lady Gaga: Oh. Oh. Oh. Hello.
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I'm Lady Gaga, and my album "<i>Mayhem</i>" is coming out soon. Sean: Crushin' it.
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Lady Gaga: The hot sauce made me honest. Very honest. Thanks, everyone. Sean, bravo! Bravo! Sean: Oh.
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Lady Gaga: Have you ever gotten sick doing this?
19:37
Sean: <i>Hot Ones</i> fans, it's our 10th anniversary and we are celebrating all year long with a brand new hot sauce drop every single season.
19:44
And we are kicking things off with the pickled garlic Sriracha.
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It's got the famous Sriracha flavor bomb, you know, and love.
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Tangy, spicy, a little sweet.
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Plus, our secret ingredient that takes it to the next level, pickled garlic, and a squeeze of lime to make this twist uniquely ready for the spotlight.
20:00
We've also cranked up the heat to make it a little spicier than your average Sriracha.
20:00
To pick up a bottle, you know the drill. <i>heatonist. com</i>, <i>heatonist.
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