The hits of 1987? Kimmel offers to DJ Lady Gaga’s wedding
LOS ANGELES — Jimmy Kimmel invited himself to Lady Gaga’s wedding on Tuesday night. He also hired himself as DJ.
“Would you sing at your wedding”? Kimmel questioned. “Or would you have someone? Who sings at your wedding? There’s so much pressure”
“I don’t know!” Gaga answered, laughing.
“You know, I was a DJ in college,” said Kimmel, who attended UNLV. “I would be more than happy to …”
“I”ll take you up on that!” Gaga said, pointing at Kimmel.
Gaga said that she and fiancé Michael Polansky “talk a lot about, just going to a courthouse and ordering Chinese food.” Vegas chapels might want to be on alert for a visit from the Polansky-Germanotta party.
Kimmel suggested the couple could be legally married at the courthouse, then have a big party where, as he said, “I’ll be there, spinnin’ the hits.”
“I will warn you, my knowledge of music stopped in like 1987,” Kimmel explained. “So, a lot of New Edition …”
“That’s excellent!”
“And a serious amount of Kool & The Gang,” Kimmel added. “You’re good with that?”
“I’m ready!” Gaga said.
Kimmel’s set-list examples actually hit on two current Vegas headlining acts, one the reason yours truly was to interview Bobby Brown of New Edition, ahead of NE’s return to Encore Theater at the end of the month. And Kool & The Gang is performing this weekend at Westgate’s International Theater, and expect some significant news from the new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees this month.
Earlier, Gaga had performed “Happy Mistake,” from the just released “Harlequin” companion album from “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which celebrated its L.A. premiere Monday night. Once more Gaga was backed by Brian Newman on trumpet, Steve Kortyka on sax, Daniel Foose on bass, Alex Smith on keys and Tim Stewart on the guitar.
Gaga wore a dress she designed for the performance, and also during the interview.
Having said she will return to residency performance in Las Vegas, Gaga teased to a video shoot that coincided with her return to L.A. She and the band played “Harlequin” in its entirety. Kimmel asked about a “secret” performance after Monday’s film premiere that was so secret, even he didn’t know about it.
“We did a secret show — that’s not a secret anymore,” Gaga said, explaining that she and Polansky teamed on the “Harlequin” concept. “So keep your eyes peeled for when it’s coming out.”
Gaga also said “Happy Mistake” shows the relationship between her film role and real life as a superstar.
“It was inspired by the movie, it was inspired by my character Harley, and just also kind of this reflection on my life as a performer,” Gaga said, noting that “Lee” is not a trained singer, so she adjusts her vocals accordingly. “It’s meant to be a really personal song about how sometimes we can go through dark times and feel like happiness is an accident when it happens.”
Kimmel brought up the Gaga-Bruno Mars single, “Die With a Smile,” and asked if it was on “Harlequin.” It isn’t. As Gaga said, “That’s like it’s own, stand-alone.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.