Exemplification Essay: Lady Gaga's Success

From the first time I saw Lady Gaga interviewed on the Oprah Winfrey Show, I decided that she was not only a musical genius, but also so brilliant she probably possessed an actual genius IQ. I was struck by her confidence, especially in light of the fact that she is so young. I never had that kind of poise or self-assurance in my early 20's. Heck, I often feel that I barely have that now!

As I watched another Oprah interview with Lady Gaga, I was again struck by how totally together she seems. Despite Lady Gaga's experiences as an outcast and the victim of bullying as a teenager, she has become the most famous pop star on the planet right now. But unlike other pop stars that find themselves all over the media lately, Lady Gaga's notoriety and fame are strictly a result of her immense talent and dynamic stage presence.

It is also very obvious that her parents are, and have always been, unquestionably supportive of her. Which is probably why she's not a train wreck as a result of her whirlwind rise to fame. She seems so incredibly grounded. Above all, there is no denying how intelligent she is, which was proven when she told Oprah that she completely avoids all news stories, social media blurbs, and any other gossip about her. She is wise enough to understand that even if she truly does not care what

others think, the NOISE of the Haters still has a way of infiltrating one's psyche, and it's best to stay away from it all together.

In another Oprah interview with Gold Medal Olympian, Gabrielle Douglas, they discussed the big social media frenzy over Gabrielle's hair during the 2012 Olympics.

This was the first time I had heard of the "controversy" and I was both shocked and disgusted by it. I, along with millions of other fans, watched with pride and fascination as she jumped, vaulted, twirled, and flew her way to Olympic Gold! Consequently, to hear that people were dissing her hair while she was making history as the first African American woman to win the All Around Gold Medal in Gymnastics, is simply beyond asinine. But as Oprah said, "That, is the yin and the yang of

success."

It's clear that those who make it and manage to maintain their sense of self are those who find a balance between using the constructive criticism and coaching of people they trust, and tuning out all the other white noise from those who find pleasure and define themselves by trashing others. The ones who make it are also capable of hearing the truth about themselves, as spoken by those who love them.

Incidentally, I received an email from the director of the film for which I auditioned a couple of days ago. I didn't get the part, but she thanked me for my time and preparation. I have gotten enough of these emails to know when it is a standard, "Thanks. Don't call us, we'll call you." and when it is a sincere thank you and expression of regret that they weren't able to use me at this time. The latter is always nice to get because I know that I may not be right for every role, but at least I left them with a positive impression. I did my best and that's all I can do. The rest, especially in casting, is completely out of my control.