The Star Tribune has confirmed that Lady Gaga has ended her exclusive deal -- insert "bad romance" quip here -- over the Minneapolis-based retail giant's support of the MN Forward political action committee and gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer in Minnesota's elections this past November. Those political donations, of course, did not mesh with Gaga's staunch support of gay rights, a cause that Emmer and MN Forward were known to be against. Gaga sounded tentative about the deal from the start, telling Billboard magazine soon after it was announced, "Our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they've made supporting those groups."

The relationship has officially come unhinged. The Advocate was the first to quote "a source close to Lady Gaga" who said, "She and Target didn't see eye to eye on Target's policy of political donations and how they affect the LGBT community."

It is not yet clear how this divorce would proceed, since Target was supposed to have exclusive copies of a deluxe edition of Gaga's new album when it arrives on May 29. The retailer even started taking pre-orders for the album a month ago when the single "Born This Way" arrived -- coincidentally or not, a song that has become a new gay-rights anthem. Stay tuned on that front.

Clearly, this is a case of Target needing Gaga more than she needs them. After already selling 15 million-plus records off her first two albums, the pop star stands to sell millions more and leave all other pop stars in her dust when the new one lands. She will do that with or without the record being available at Target check-out counters. Also, she stands to gain a lot more. The move will greatly add to her Madonna-wannabe reputation as a provocative singer who doesn't compromise. Although, in a way this deal was a compromise from the start.

Target will lose all those exclusive sales, plus it already took a hit to its image from the PAC donations (about $30,000 total, including money to conservative MN Reps. Erik Paulsen and John Kline, who've also been singled out by gay-rights groups for being against their cause). On the other hand, it's hard to imagine many of Target's customers jumping ship to Wal-Mart for their laundry detergent and paper towels just because the Gaga bonus CD isn't available there.