(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Lady Gaga stunned the audience at last nights Grammy Awards by thanking Whitney Houston as she accepted the best pop album prize.

The flamboyant singer had earlier amazed onlookers by arriving at the ceremony at Los Angeles Staples Center in a giant egg. She then hatched from the vessel on stage, before giving an impassioned performance of her new track Born This Way.

The 24-year-old was amazed when her name was read as the winner of the best pop album prize, and while receiving the accolade for The Fame Monster she gave some insight into her writing process.

I need to thank Whitney Houston, she said. I wanted to thank Whitney, because when I wrote Born This Way, I imagined she was singing it - because I wasn't secure enough in myself to imagine I was a superstar. So, Whitney, I imagined you were singing born this way when I wrote it.

Gaga had competed with Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Susan Boyle and John Mayer for the prize.

Her inspiration wasnt the only surprising secret Gaga divulged over the weekend. The star gave an interview to Anderson Cooper for CBS 60 Minutes in which she revealed she smokes marijuana when penning her lyrics.

I still smoke a lot of pot when I write music, she explained. So Im not gonna, like, sugar coat it for 60 Minutes that Im some, like, sober human being, 'cause Im not.

I dont want to encourage kids to do drugs. But when you asked me about the sociology of fame and what artists do wrong what artists do wrong is they lie. And I dont lie. Im not a liar. I built good will with my fans. They know who I am. And Im just like them in so many ways.

Gaga is famed for her over-the-top outfits, most notably the dress created from raw meat she wore to the MTV Video Music Awards last year. She was asked about the frock on the programme, and attempted to explain the meaning behind it. The star revealed it was actually linked to the US militarys policy on homosexuals in the service, known as dont ask, dont tell. The star was trying to show the strategy which was repealed last year - was outdated.

The moral and ethical and political implication of that outfit was far beyond what most people think, which is, 'Eew,' right?" she said.

But the reality of it is I was there with four soldiers that had been discharged under the pretence of don't ask, don't tell. And, you know what? What I was really trying to say was dead meat is dead meat. And anyone that's willing to take their life and die for their country is the same. You're not gay and dead, straight and dead. You are dead." (C) Cover Media