When Did Being Weird Become Mainstream?

Inspired by a recent issue of Bust magazine, I ask the question-when did being weird become the norm? Case in point: the article was called "Weird Sister: Why Lady Gaga is a Superstar for our Time." Let me just give you some of the salient details of the article. Here's the opening line:

It's 2010, and we still haven't gotten our flying cars or robot servants, but by God, we have Lady Gaga as proof that the future has arrived...The world of the past thought Bjork's swan dress at the 2001 Oscars was a fashion "faux pas," but now we live in the FUTURE, we can accept someone like Lady Gaga for who she is: a weirdo. That's right, the former Stefani Germanotta is the first weirdo-American woman to achieve major pop-star success.

So when did our tolerance for weird change? In the past, ladies like Cyndi Lauper and Courtney Love were seen as crazy and creepy and weird, either because of their raging drug habits combined with overly depressing lyrics, or just their bizarre fashion sense. But lately, it seems that celebrities everywhere are getting weird, and people are loving it. Let's just take a quick look at some of the "weird" and crazy folks and occurrences of the last few years:

*the hipster movement- more on this another time, but basically, the idea is to be as invididual and unique as possible, while shopping from the Goodwill chiffarobe and drinking espresso. (Yes, tights with shorts are a brilliant idea, as long as the shorts are high waist, ripped, and the tights are slightly see-through.)

*Crazy ass celebrities with bizarre lives-scientology as a mainstream actor religion? Seriously? (Created by a sci-fi writer?)

*Strangely Morbid Television Shows: Dexter, True Blood...apparently being into death is no longer goth, it's mainstream! Thanks, Twilight!

*High profile crimes as comedy: Dexter, Weeds, Breaking Bad. Selling weed, making Meth, and being a serial killer is mainstream these days, apparently.

*the death of Michael Jackson-the king of weird has passed. lady gaga has taken the baton.

(misshapen plastic surgery people populating this earth freak me out as well).

*Geek as mainstream cultural icon. Seriously.

*American Idol is still syndicated on television, and people still watch it. Didn't that show pretty much kill music as we know it?

*Gagaism #5000: "I hope when I'm dead, I'll be considered an icon."

While this is not by any means all encompassing, it seems that being weird is the way to go these days. Granted, the youth have been apportioning unfortunate style choices for decades, so that, in itself, is not so strange. Weird and crazy has always been around-it just seems that mainstream america is embracing it, right after they finish watching glee. is that so strange? either way, it makes me feel better about occasionally being awkward. I'm just trying to make it big.