The World Goes "Gaga" Over a Parody Video by U. S. Soldiers Stationed in Afghanistan

Talk about a viral video! The internet has exploded with talk about a new clip that just appeared on YouTube on April 23, 2010. The video has already been viewed over 1,300,000 times on that site alone and is a take-off of Lady Gaga's official - and controversial - video for her hit track featuring Beyoncé, "Telephone." The parody video was filmed by U.S. soldiers stationed in Afghanistan. So if you've ever wondered what military personnel get up to in their time off, well...now's your chance to see for yourself!

In this parody, soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division take on the roles of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, recreating their complicated dance moves from the original clip, albeit not always with a great deal of finesse. The video also features appearances by other soldiers in hilarious, low-budget costumes inspired by Lady Gaga, dancing and miming to the song. The video was apparently filmed inside a garage at the Forward Operating Base in Farah province, and currently is only a "rough cut" of what the participants hope to create. According to the notes on the video: "Right now this is the temporary version, we have more scenes to cut, and edit, however with guys always on mission it is harder to film than you think." Though originally intended only to be a video shared with friends and family back home, it has taken off and gone totally viral on-line. Major news services have been covering the story and the video has been getting re-posted all over Twitter, Facebook, LiveJournal and elsewhere.

But not everyone seems completely thrilled by the video. When I posted it to my own Facebook profile to share around with friends, I received more negative comments than positive ones. "Sad. Very Sad," said one commenter. Another remarked, "I find this a little awkwardly weird... Love Lady Gaga, but this didn't feel funny to me."

What to make of the mixed reactions? Are some male viewers put off by the homoerotic byplay of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé being recreated by two men instead? Lesbianism is always "hot" to male viewers, but apparently the same cannot be said if the genders are reversed. I'm not a huge Gaga fan myself, but I've seen people who are big (female) fans of hers comment very positively on this parody video and find nothing offensive or wrong with it. Personally I enjoy seeing these soldiers, who every day are putting their lives on the line for Americans and citizens worldwide, being able to still find humor in the middle of a war zone. Their good spirits should be seen as an inspiration.

Here is the soldiers' video itself...watch it and make up your own mind if it's cool, hot, or not.

Sources:

* Personal experience.

* Telephone Remake, YouTube, April 23, 2010.

* You think Gaga is wild? U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan post hilarious Telephone remake on YouTube, Mail Online, May 1 2010.

* Afghanistan Troops Go Gaga With Their Own 'Telephone' Remake, Yahoo Music, April 30, 2010.