Lady Gaga had a manic Monday in her native New York, making a surprise appearance at the International Emmys last night after attending a ribbon-cutting earlier in the day to promote her new Gaga's Workshop at Barney's.

The Telephone singer attended the Emmy event to present American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe with the honorary Founders Award. Gaga praised Lythgoe, who also produces So You Think You Can Dance, as someone who's "always helped to nurture and foster [her] ideas, no matter how crazy or demographic-unfriendly they may have been.

PHOTOS: Lady Gaga At Barneys

“He always spoke poetically about the pursuit of widening the boundaries of love and acceptance in TV," the socially-conscious singer told the crowd of Lythgoe, who she called her "favorite producer."