Advertisement

David Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, throws Twitter shade at Lady Gaga’s Grammy tribute

Lady Gaga performs her David Bowie tribute during the Grammy Awards ceremony at Staples Center on Feb. 15.

Lady Gaga performs her David Bowie tribute during the Grammy Awards ceremony at Staples Center on Feb. 15.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Share via

The reviews are in, and nobody seems to agree whether Lady Gaga’s tribute to David Bowie during Monday’s Grammy Awards ceremony was any good or not.

Rolling Stone wrote that it was “astonishing.” Billboard’s quick-react take was that “Gaga loves a challenge, and she was more than up to the job.”

Grammys 2016: Full coverage | Best and worst dressed | Red carpet | Show highlights | Nominees and winners | Top nominees

Advertisement

On the other hand, Vox vehemently disagreed, writing that “her kinetic energy made the performance feel more like ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ or ‘Monster Mash’ than a tribute to Bowie.” (Disclosure: This reporter suggested that the performance felt like an audition for a low-budget Las Vegas show.)

And though everyone is entitled to an opinion, some are more relevant than others.

Specifically, Bowie’s son, film director Duncan Jones, offered his take in a single, sideways-glance tweet.

Advertisement

Jones didn’t directly call out either Gaga or the Grammys. Rather, he alluded to the performance with the dictionary definition of “gaga.”

The online reaction was swift, especially from Lady Gaga’s army of fans. Within minutes of his tweet, her defenders were responding. Most questioned Jones’ musical bona fides.

Advertisement

Bowie fans offered compassion for what they considered an insult to their hero’s memory.

Granted, representatives of the Bowie estate likely had to approve the use of his music in the tribute, so they understood the gamble. The Grammys never showed much love to Bowie when he was alive, after all. Though he was nominated often starting in the ‘80s, his only Grammy was in 1984 for his short-form video, “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean.”

randall.roberts@latimes.com

Follow @liledit

MORE:

Grammys’ David Bowie love fest: Better late than never?

Advertisement

Wait, hold on: Did Joe Perry really perform twice on the Grammy Awards?

Compton mayor celebrates Kendrick Lamar’s Grammys -- and disses Drake

Review: The Grammys’ energy shortage: Kendrick was fierce but what happened to Bieber, the Weeknd and Adele?

Advertisement