Church goes GaGa about Judas video

LADY GAGA's new music video has been slammed by outraged religious groups - before it's even been seen by anyone

The controversial clip for single Judas sees the singer star as Mary Magdalene.

And The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights have branded the forthcoming effort, due to be premiered on April 19, as a stunt.

The pressure group's president BILL DONAHUE stormed: "People have real talent, and then there is Lady Gaga. I find Gaga to be increasingly irrelevant.

"Is this the only way to jet up her performance? This isn't random, we are getting closer to Holy Week and Easter."

Mary Magdalene is an important figure in the New Testament, and is revered as a saint by some Christian sects.

A reformed prostitute, she was one of Jesus' most loyal followers, and the first person to see him after his resurrection.

Hollow-cheeked actor NORMAN REEDUStakes on the title role of Judas.

Norman is best known for his role in TV zombie drama The Walking Dead, and for his four-year relationship with Danish supermodel HELENA CHRISTENSEN. They split in 2001, and have a child together, MINGUS.

LAURIEANN GIBSON, GaGa's creative director and co-director of the video, has said that the promo will 'change the world', but is not blasphemous.

Already people are drawing comparisons between Judas and MADONNA's 1989 video for Like A Prayer, which the Vatican tried to ban as it depicted a black Jesus.

It's not the first time GaGa has been accused of copying Madge, with single Born This Way being described as a rip-off of her 80s hit Express Yourself.