It’s dawn for morning TV’s Summer concerts once again, with Lady Gaga in Central Park for “Good Morning America” and Rihanna at the “Today” show’s Rockefeller Plaza. Two of the biggest acts on the planet, a mile and a half apart, performing on competing morning programs before an audience of more than 10 million at home and thousands more in person.
TVNewser headed to Central Park early this morning for the Lady Gaga performance. With her #1 billboard hit and #1 Forbes listing, and her ravenous Little Monsters, this is sure to be the biggest draw of the summer. George Stephanopoulos announced it’s already the biggest crowd in the three years GMA has been holding its concerts in Central Park. The 6,000 free tickets sold out in 12 minutes.
Lara Spencer was the lone GMAer at the park in the early going, while George, Robin and Sam anchored most of the first hour from the Times Square studio. By 8am, they’d made the trek uptown
to Central Park to introduce the first of four songs Lady Gaga performed. Newsreader Josh Elliott would join by the end of the show.
After a zip-line entrance (video below) and performance of her signature song “Bad Romance,” Gaga sat down for an interview with Roberts and Stephanopoulos. She talked about how she grew up just 5 blocks away and as a child walked through the park dreaming one day she might perform there.
After the interview, as the show went to a commercial break, Gaga continued chatting with the anchors until the stage manager hurried her off for a costume change for her second song, “Judas.” During rehearsal earlier, Lady Gaga — directing as much as performing — implored the crowd of 6,000 to hold up their arms for the Monster Claw during the song, “just to get a little controversy going.”
We also spotted ABC News president Ben Sherwood, and ABC News anchors Chris Cuomo and daughter Bella and Christiane Amanpour and son Darius, in the crowd.
Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos interview Lady Gaga in between songs.
