While critics and music industry bean counters are keeping tabs on the stats and sales of Lady Gaga's first 'ARTPOP' single 'Applause,' the Mother Monster herself couldn't give a hoot.

She knows people are saying she is finished because the song hasn't hit No. 1 yet. Think she's sweatin' it? Not even close.

In a chat with The Guardian, Gaga opened up about all the trash talk. "I certainly feel that at this time it's almost as if people are surprised they haven't already destroyed me," she said about her detractors.

She demonstrated no disappointment over the fact that her single has not topped the charts yet, saying, "It's literally not even been two weeks since my first single came out and it's all, 'She's over' or because I'm not No. 1 yet, [it's] 'She's finished.' People focus less on the music and focus more on how the music's doing; how it's faring from a numbers perspective, from a financial perspective."

Gaga further shut up critics by making a weighted and important statement: "If you think I give a damn about money then you don't know me as an artist at all."

Amen, sista!

She is satisfied with having had previous chat toppers, confessing, "I think that once you've had a few No 1s in your career that you've kind of proven yourself and I don't feel the need to prove anything anymore." Still, that doesn't mean she'll stop scratching and clawing or giving her all for her lil' monsters.

In other Gaga news, the rumor that she will pull a Justin – Timberlake and Bieber, that is—and host and serve as the musical guest on an episode of 'Saturday Night Live' this season has surfaced. NBC would not confirm, saying the fall schedule is still being finalized. But we'd love to see Gaga host. She was amazing in her 'Three Way' digital short with the aforementioned JT and Andy Samberg. She performed on the 2011 season finale.

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