On July 13 at the Sydney Town Hall in Australia, Lady Gaga took the stage singing “Yoü and I” from her album Born This Way.  However, it might be difficult to decide whether to call this her opening song or her opening act.  Rolling onto the stage in a wheelchair dressed as her alter-ego mermaid named “Yuy,” Gaga fired up not only her audience but also several members from the disabled advocacy group Life Rolls On.

Jesse Billauer, founder of Life Rolls On, was among the more civil critics of Gaga’s wheelchair performance.  Billauer said on Radar, “I invite [Gaga] to learn more about the 5.6 million Americans who live with paralysis. They, like me, unfortunately, don’t use a wheelchair for shock value.”  Other, more disgruntled individuals responded by throwing eggs at Gaga.

Whether or not Gaga intended to offend these people with her wheelchair stunt is not the point.  This certainly is not the first time her appearance and actions have caused controversy throughout the public.  Take her appearance at the 2010 MTV Music Awards as she strolled onstage in a dress made entirely of meat.

And it’s not just her appearance; it’s her lyrics and music videos too.  Her single “Judas,” told from the perspective of Mary Magdalene, gives a contentious account of the relationship between Jesus Christ, Magdalene, and Judas.  Conveniently, she just happened to release it on Easter of 2011.  And of course, Gaga couldn’t help but turn the image of the Holy Virgin Mary into a provocative, sexy dancer and the disciples into a biker gang for the music video.

This is the Lady Gaga Effect, the ultimate ploy she and many other artists have developed to promote their publicity—and any publicity is good publicity.   It’s been around for generations of musicians since its 1956 debut on the Milton Berle Show on which Elvis Presley thrust his hips around while singing his song “Hound Dog.”

Shock is the most immediate and long-lasting form of fame.  How many YouTube stars arose from doing something crazy and unexpected?  How many American Idol contestants got their 15 minutes of fame by dressing up in some ridiculous costume?  Perfect example, while some people may have difficulty remembering the 2005 American Idol runner-up Bo Bice, many could recall Katrina Darrell who auditioned in a skimpy bikini in 2009.  It’s all about the shock value.

The Lady Gaga Effect has some painful repercussions.  While many individuals have been caught in the trap to give their attention to such artists as Madonna, Ozzy Osbourne, and today’s Lady Gaga, there is a large group of more conservative fans of music.  This is why we find simple piano ballads like Adele’s “Someone Like You” topping American charts for weeks on end.  This is why the generally conservative country music genre is incredibly popular, especially in more conservative, Southern areas.

Now, for me at least, Lady Gaga is an anomaly.  I will admit that Gaga does have strong vocals, catchy beats, and some impressive songs.  Personally, I think “Yoü and I” is her best musical representation, but even that song is disrupted by its music video, complete with plenty of nearly nude individuals throwing themselves provocatively on each other.  Call me close-minded, but I find it difficult respecting artists who can’t rely on their raw musical talents to gain fame.