Retro pop sensation Cyndi Lauper may "just wanna have fun" - but not with the Bush administration, evangelists or the "gullible" American people.
The singer slammed George W. Bush as a "criminal," dismissed evangelism as "bullshit," and mocked Americans during an interview with Xtra!, Canada's Gay and Lesbian News on July 20.
"The past - this year's getting a little better, but the past eight years, it was so dark," said the blonde popstar. "[I]t was like a fire sale, just before Obama came in ... And then this guy goes in and it's ‘his fault.' But it's not his fault - it's the other two. The criminals that never got charged."
"[T]he way he would go on television - that George Bush, and speak hate. I mean, just unabashed hatred," Lauper continued.
But former President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney weren't the only people in Lauper's crosshairs. She also had a few choice words for the evangelical community.
"[T]hey took everyone's attention and said ‘gay marriage is a terrible thing.' But let me tell you, while they're saying ‘I believe in God,' and your hands are up, they fleeced our pockets. They took everything these poor people had and based it on religion," said the singer, before asking derisively, "What religion is that?"
The interviewer, Elvira Kurt, then chimed in, asking "But why are they so gullible? Why are people so eager to believe it?"
"Because people get desperate, and especially Americans - that whole evangelist baloney," Lauper replied.
"You can say bullshit," offered the interviewer.
"Bullshit," said the bubbly songstress before launching into a rambling historical and philosophical discussion of her views on God and religion.
"Because here's the thing, if you look at history, and you look at how people are taking over, well, they knock down one church and they put another church on top of that. And they tell you ‘praise the lord,'" Lauper continued, in a mocking tone. "Well let me tell you something, you can't blame God for all the shit that goes on in this world. It's people. And people don't own heaven ... Don't tell me you're not the devil in the name of your God. Cus it ain't your God."
This is not the first foray into politics for the singer, who topped the music charts in the 1980's with hits like "Time after Time" and "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." In 2008, Lauper called former President Bush the "true anti-American," and said that his views on gay rights "makes my blood boil."
The songwriter also urged her fans to vote for President Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election. "Don't vote insane," said Lauper during her concert at Denver's Fillmore theater. "As my friend Rosie O'Donnell says, ‘Listen to mama, vote for Obama; John McCain, same, same, same."
