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Madonna news - March 2005
← Feb. 2005 | April 2005 →
Madonna is no Desperate Housewife
Source: ContactMusic - 25 March 2005Pop queen Madonna has dashed the dreams of Desperate Housewives fans hoping she would make a cameo appearance - she is actually totally unaware of the hit show's existence.
Rumours that the Material Girl was keen to appear in the series have been proved false, and it seems the British-based icon is too preoccupied with her devotion to Kabbalah to watch TV.
Her spokesperson tells website The Scoop, "I can guarantee you that she's not even familiar with the show."
Cover art and synopsis of Lotsa De Casha
Source: Madonna.com - 24 March 2005Callaway Editions has released the cover art for the highly anticipated Lotsa De Casha children's publication by Madonna. Lotsa de Casha is the fifth book from Madonna's children series. It will be on sale June 7, 2005.
Here's the synopsis of the book:
"Money can't buy love and being the wealthiest person in the world doesn't guarantee happiness.
Lotsa de Casha is the richest -- and most miserable -- man in the world. No matter how colossal his castles, how fast his horses, nor how big his sandwiches, he remains a gloomy old sourpuss -- until he embarks on a fantastic adventure that leads him to the discovery of life's greatest treasure.
What is the secret to happiness? Read Lotsa's story and find out..."
Click here to pre-order Lotsa De Casha.
10 best MTV moments
Source: New York Daily News - 24 March 2005Most networks shy away from controversy, but MTV revels in it. Over the last 23 years, the channel has crafted a multitude of the most obnoxious, over-the-top (and occasionally inspiring) moments in pop culture history. Here's a definitive list of the landmark events that simultaneously defined MTV and America.
10. The Smooch Seen 'Round the World (2003)
In an utterly calculated moment of "shock TV," Madonna plants big, wet, tongue-tinged kisses on Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. The media go wild, but for once nobody really seems to care - not even the Christian right. In the wake of this desperate plea for attention, all three see their careers plummet.
1. The "Virgin" Madonna (1984)
Presaging the controversy she'd generate with her outrageous Like A Prayer and Justify My Love videos, Madonna creates a scandal at the first-ever Video Music Awards. With a crucifix around her neck, she writhes in a wedding dress, simulates sex and stimulates legions of religious conservatives to protest. With a single performance, Madonna gives MTV an indelible identity, and the modern, post-MTV era of pop begins.
Andre 3000 in awe of Madonna
Source: ContactMusic - 22 March 2005Rapper-turned-actor Andre 3000 was so starstruck when Madonna paid an unexpected visit to the set of her husband Guy Ritchie's upcoming movie Revolver he was unable to continue filming.
The Outkast star - who has now turned his attention to achieving Hollywood stardom - only regained his composure after engaging Like A Virgin singer Madonna in conversation. He says, "After I got over it, we sat and talked for awhile. She's cool, though, real cool."
Madonna.com strikes a pose
21 March 2005This weeks update at Madonna.com shows us a nice image of two shots from the Vogue video.
Virgin-Ambition petition
21 March 2005Madonnafan George has informed us that he's holding a petition to get the Virgin Tour and Blond Ambition Tour released on DVD.
The 1985 Virgin Tour has only been released on VHS, while the 1990 Blond Ambition Tour was released on Laser Disc.
As the latter is concerned, an official VHS was never released to promote the movie Truth Or Dare instead. But now it's time to get both these tours out on DVD.
Donnatella talks about Versace campaign
Source: The Star Online - 17 March 2005
What do you get when you cross a former Material Girl with a fashion label that shouts out glam – a glam material girl? Well, not quite, but how about a chief executive with sophistication and fashion savvy?
Well, that's apparently what Madonna is trying to portray in the new ad campaign for Versace's spring/summer 2005. Or so says its creative director Donatella Versace in her exclusive e-mail interview with StarTwo.
"Madonna represents a modern executive woman who has great style and flair," says Donatella. "Not only is she in control of her career but also of her 'fierce' wardrobe.
"The advantage of using a celebrity like Madonna is that she becomes associated with our brand. This personification can in turn reinforce our brand image as well as the public perception. Her aesthetic image, style of life, values and what the celebrity communicates as a public person is capitalised and used towards the brand's advantage."
As for the ad campaigns, there is some confusion over what Madonna is supposed to represent. The theme is "women in the office" but what sort of woman is she? A secretary living beyond her means (hello, it's Versace – how many secretaries not kept by the boss can afford the items?) or a stylish woman in a managerial position? Also, which CEO has to lick an envelope while kneeling on the carpet (however plush the carpet is)?
Why, a CEO that is represented ironically (cue: Alanis Morissette's song), says Donatella. Hmm, right!
"The woman I have in mind when designing is one whose individuality and inner confidence shines on the outside. She is also sophisticated, sexy, smart and always dynamic and charismatic. The contemporary woman is not afraid to be a woman. She can still be powerful by keeping her femininity and sexiness."
This does seem to be what Madonna represents or has been trying to portray herself all this while. It is a match made in designer and advertising heaven. It seems a sure thing and they have after all seen it work before when Madonna first appeared 10 years ago for Versace in the 1995 campaign.
There is also some continuity as the photographer then, Mario Testino, is the photographer now. Testino was already a noted fashion photographer then but the Kabbalah-practising Madonna was the first to specifically request that he be used. So now he is a celebrity in his own right and, according to Donatella, the two were joking and laughing during the shoot (they are old friends, after all). In fact, reveals Donatella, it was at the launch of Crystal Noir (the new Versace women's fragrance) last October that Madonna had dinner with her and Testino and they broached the subject of the ad campaign and came out with the idea and Maddie agreed to appear on it.
The shoot was done in Westway Studio (which belongs to Testino) in London and it was completed in one day. It was reported that they wanted an office with lots of space but couldn't find any (tsk, tsk, "crampy" London?). Spaces like that are apparently plentiful in Los Angeles, so they resorted to building a mock-up in the studio.
Daughter Lourdes (apparently fondly known as Lola) paid Ma Madonna a visit on set in the afternoon. According to Donatella, she wanted to know what her mother was doing and the dutiful mother, erm, dutifully explained.
"She (Lourdes) is very nice; she already loves fashion and dresses. Madonna is very sweet with her children."
There were also some reports that Madonna complained about the cold and had to take breaks to do her Kabbalah thing. Nay, says Donatella. "We worked all day without having lunch. Madonna is very professional and wanted to check and overview every photo. She arrived perfectly on time and then we worked all day."
Sigh, where have all the divas gone?
After all, adds Donatella, she and Madonna go way back (13 years) and Maddie was also a friend of Donatella's late brother, Gianni. So, she says, there were no problems working with a good friend and it helped that they have worked together before.
" She's a great artiste, an incredible woman and a fantastic mother," affirms Donatella. When asked what Madonna would say about her, she replies: "Hopefully the same."
Still, friendship is not cheap as the grapevine has conjectured that Madonna was paid US$10.5mil (RM39.9mil) although Donatella has refused to comment.
When all is said and done, what about the clothes then? (We think they are the main item, no?)
Well, there is a draped jersey dress split to almost the nether regions and gathered at the waist with a gold buckle – very nice. A shirt that shouts Versace and worn with body-hugging jeans or loose cream pants – very nice too. Strappy, strappy, sandals – excellent! And the bags, they are Versace – what more is there to say?
So, even though the platinum wig makes you do a double-take, the clothes win you over. They can make almost anyone look good and you don't even have to resort to heavy touch-ups. Think about it.
Madonna to release New York tribute song
Source: Dance Front Door - 16 March 2005Madonna will pay tribute to New York on her next album with a new song called I Love New York. She has already recorded the track for the as-yet-untitled follow-up album to 2003's American Life.
The 46-year-old popstar left her Michigan home in the early 80s to pursue her musical dreams in the Big Apple.
Madonna is once again working with French producer Mirwais who collaborated on American Life and 2000's Music albums, as well as Stuart Price - her musical director on her Re-Invention Tour on the album.
The mother-of-two today lives with husband Guy Ritchie deep in the Wiltshire countryside and enjoys spending time in London's pubs.
There is still no confirmed release date for Madonna's album.
Liz denies acting rumours
Source: MSNBC - The Scoop - 14 March 2005Looks like Madonna may return to the silver screen.
The spiritual girl is being coached by her Kabbalah advisers that now would be a good time to get back into acting in a big way, says a well-placed source.
"There was some hope that she might become the main pitchwoman for Kabbalah energy drink, but then it was decided that now was the opportune time for her to furthering her acting career," says the insider. "So they're hoping that Ashton Kutcher will step up to the plate and pitch it."
Madonna's rep dismisses the talk. "I've heard this rumor before. I can't imagine where it came from," Liz Rosenberg told The Scoop. "Madonna is currently in the studio working on a new album, editing a documentary film of her last tour, working on a sequel to The English Roses, her best selling children's book and of course busy with her family. I wouldn't rule out acting in her future but her plate seems pretty full at the moment."
Madonna.com latest re-invention
14 March 2005This week's splash page on Madonna.com shows a beautiful Steven Klein shot from the Re-Invention Tour book. Links to the tour subsite and Tsunami relief have been taken away; instead only a link to join ICON. The news section mentions winner #5 of the Classic Madonna Contest.
Latest on tour DVD and new album *rumour*
14 March 2005From fansite DrownedMadonna: "Madonna's DVD will be released around the world on November 14 with the name: "Get Up Lisbon - Madonna - The Re-Invention Tour Live From Portugal". It will be a double DVD.
Before publish this piece of info we thought to ask our insiders what's going on to get any sort of confirmation. Being this a delicate subject with great expectation from Madonna's fans, we chose to treat this topic with utmost care.
Our insiders told us that the November 14 date was correct - but as with all "things Madonna", it could change by a week or 2. The title of the dvd hasn't been confirmed yet nor have the extra's.
Madonna's new album is in the works and may be half way done - but Warner doesn't have it on the release schedule for 2005 as of yet. The label really wants to put it out before the holidays but Madonna may want to put it out spring 2006!
Maybe there will be a song to go along with the documentary but it's still unsure.
Madonna is still very unhappy with all the changes at WB."
Re-Invented Process in June?
Source:Madonnalicious - 14 March 2005"News is coming in from Warner France that Madonna's Re-Invention Tour documentary is provisionally called The Re-Invented Process and that a premiere of the film is currently scheduled for Saturday 21 May at the Cannes Film Festival.
Premieres in London, New York, Los Angeles and Paris are hoped to follow in June."
Madonna responds to hypocrite claims
Source: Digital Spy - 14 March 2005Madonna has responded to Boy George's claims that she is a hypocrite for practising Kabbalah.
The former Culture Club singer thinks that the religion is homophobic, as it states that homosexuality is a curable disease.
He recently complained, "After making all those millions of dollars out of gay people, pretending to kiss girls, pretending to be a lesbian! I think she's cynical."
However, a spokeswoman for Madonna has hit back Boy George's claims, branding them "ridiculous."
"There's not enough room to list Madonna's longstanding passion, love, commitment and devotion to the gay community, which has not changed for 20 years," the spokeswoman told the New York Post.
"I wish Boy George would go back to writing songs. Does he ever have anything nice to say about anyone?"
Penn has blank of Madonna marriage
Source: Ireland Online - 14 March 2005Hollywood actor Sean Penn has only bad memories of his stormy marriage to pop superstar Madonna: in fact can't remember ever having a proper conversation with her.
Penn endured a turbulent relationship with the Material Girl, now married to British film director Guy Ritchie in the 1980s.
He recalls: "It was a miserable marriage. I don't recall having a single conversation in four years of marriage."
Madonna named in sexual harassment case
Source: Zap2it - 14 March 2005Madonna, who's made a career of exploiting her sexuality, has been named as a defendant in a sexual harassment suit.
Yael Oestreich, a former vice president of development at Madonna's Maverick Films, has sued the company's executives over sexual harassment and wrongful termination, reports the AP.
The woman claims Maverick CEO Mark Morgan had promised her a raise, but instead fired her in July without cause. Earlier in November 2003, Morgan allegedly called her "uptight" for not participating in talks about sex and accused her of sleeping with three agents at her previous job at United Talent Agency.
"Inappropriate sexual inquiries" continued in the months following, and when she reported the alleged harassment, she was accused of being insecure.
The suit alleges that Maverick's co-founder Guy Oseary and Madonna "failed to conduct a reasonable investigation into defendant Morgan's background before hiring him and knew or should have known of his propensity for sexual harassment and discrimination."
Oestreich is seeking general damages, medical expenses, loss of earnings and punitive and exemplary damages.
Madonna's Maverick Films has produced the "Agent Cody Banks" movies.
Conseco: 'I sent Madonna saucy photos'
Source: ContactMusic - 14 March 2005Madonna once adopted the pseudonym Melissa while she was dating baseball star Jose Conseco - so none of his teammates knew who she was when she telephoned him at the club house.
The pop superstar, who has recently adopted the name Esther for her Kabbalah studies, used to call the Cuban sports star daily when he was at the height of his career, pretending to be a female pal called Melissa.
Conseco, who writes about his brief romance with Madonna in his controversial new autobiography Juiced, admits his fling with the Material Girl was a badly-kept secret.
He says, "Her codename at the time was either M or Melissa, so it wasn't really a big secret. When she called, the clubhouse kids or the clubhouse manager would say, 'Jose, it's Madonna on the phone.' I was like 'Shhh, be quiet, nobody's supposed to know that.'"
Conseco believes Madonna was smitten with him from the beginning, even though he insists they never had sex.
He recalls, "I sent her a few photographs. She wanted to know what I looked like under my baseball uniform.
"The team photographer, he was a good friend of mine, and I told him exactly what it was about and I took some very provocative pictures and sent them to Madonna, so if any of them surface you know where they came from."
Conseco, who has stirred up a storm of controversy with confessions of steroid use in baseball in his tell-all, accepts that many people find his Madonna confessions hard to believe.
But he says, "She'll say, 'Jose has told the truth completely.'"Liz confirms Cannes premiere
Source: MTV - 10 March 2005Madonna's follow-up to Truth or Dare, an as-yet-untitled documentary about her Re-Invention Tour, looks "very likely" to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, to be held May 11-22, according to the singer's rep.
The documentary was directed by Jonas Akerlund, who chronicled her tour and the "new" Madonna. A theatrical release is planned for later this year.
William Orbit launches new official site
10 March 2005William Orbit has a great new official site. It reports on all the latest in William's career, with a full discography as well. You can listen to dozens of preview samples of new and unreleased tracks, and watch his videoclips.
Check out the photo gallery; you'll find a shot of him and Madonna at the 1999 Grammy Awards. Certainly a site worth checking out: williamorbit.com!
News on tour DVD extras *rumour*
10 March 2005Fansite Madonnalicious reported following rumours on the Re-Invention Tour DVD: "Extras [that] are being considered for the Re-Invention Tour DVD due out in October/November this year:
- 20 minute featurette entitled: Jamie King: Creating a Re-Invention
- tourbook gallery
- And most interestingly something that is described as 5 Stage Film Features.... could this be the background videos we all want to see? Let's hope so!"
Meanwhile, fansite MadonnaTribe hints at a possible release date of November 14, 2005. They also claim that one of the titles under consideration is: "Get Up Lisbon! Madonna - The Re-Invention Tour Live From Portugal".
New album sound: danceable rock
10 March 2005From yesterday's USA Today - Chat with Edna Gundersen:
Burbank, California:
I work in the music industry (a rather degrading, low paying job) but was able to hear two new Madonna tracks. Unfortunately, if I heard them, they should leak to the net soon. The best way to describe them is "danceable rock." They reminded me of Chumbawamba, but much better musically.
Needless to say, I'm pretty impressed and I haven't been impressed by Madonna since 1998. My question is..do you think she will be blacklisted by the radio again for supposedly being "Anti-American" and for being "too old?" If so, I think the music industry is in a pretty sad state.
Edna Gundersen:
I haven't heard any of the new Madonna tracks, though I hear she's modeling some of the sound after The Darkness and is going for a rock beat (could she be upgrading to electric guitar now?). Radio will shun her if the music falls outside its narrow parameters, but I doubt if she'll be blacklisted on the basis of age and politics only.
Actually, I don't think radio programmers are clever or perceptive enough to think that deeply. They hone in on a beat, decide if it will catch the ear of a listener with enough money to buy Clearasil or Whataburgers or whatever the station's advertisers sell and that's the end of the test.
Madonna and Rosie
7 March 2005Madonna.com has announced the winners #4 and #5 of her Classic Madonna Contest and continues with the following picture of Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell on her splash page. Check the newspage for the contest questions linked to this picture.
Mother and Father remix on new album
7 March 2005A new Peter Rauhofer remix of Mother and Father will be featured on the Peter's new disc LIVE@THE ROXY 4. You can pre-order it here.
Madonna: One of five essential acts
Source: Madonna.com - 7 March 2005The April issue of UK music magazine Q features Madonna as one of the Five Essential Acts in music. Madonna is joined in this list by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, U2 and The Velvet Underground.
The magazine lists Like A Prayer as her definitive album saying:
"And if you only buy one album.... Like A Prayer. Always more interesting when not seeking novelty, Madonna hit artistic and commercial gold with Like A Prayer, her best and least contrived album. The title track, all swirling choruses and kitchen-sink production, remains her major statement, but Express Yourself was ferocious dance, while on the rarely lauded Dear Jessie she had never sounded so human."
The magazine also lists what they consider to be Madonna's essential singles:
"Holiday, Borderline, Material Girl, Like A Virgin, Crazy For You, Into The Groove, Papa Don't Preach, La Isla Bonita, Open Your Heart, Live To Tell, Who's That Girl, Causing A Commotion, Vogue, Justify My Love, Ray Of Light, Frozen, Drowned World/Substitute For Love, Beautiful Stranger, Music, Hollywood."
No Razzie for Madonna
4 March 2005Once a year we are glad to hear when Madonna did NOT win an award and that's when the annual Razzie Awards are announced. Even without having had a movie out in 2004, Madonna did get a nomination for Swept Away as 'Worst Drama of Our First 25 Years', but it "lost" against Battlefield Earth.
"Winners" of this years Razzies, which were held on February 27th in Hollywood, were Catwoman and the cast of Fahrenheit 9/11, notably George W. Bush as worst actor. The entire list is available at Plume Noire (thanks to Mandy MacNevin and the MIR)
Madonna.com likes to boogie woogie
1 March 2005This week's new splash page is a tribute to the fantastic Jean-Baptiste Mondino photo shoot for the 2000 Music album.
Madonna's Thunderbird auctioned
Source: Indianapolis Star - 1 March 2005A cigar cutter shaped like a guillotine sold for $250. A 1956 Ford Thunderbird convertible once owned by Madonna was the biggest sale at $53,500.
They were among items from the land of the wealthy up for grabs Saturday at the Hilbert auction in Carmel. Hundreds of bidders ratcheted up prices while competing against one another and an Internet audience.
The day's auction attracted more than 1,000 people and unfolded in the sports barn and on the grounds of the $25 million estate of Stephen Hilbert, co-founder and former chief executive of Conseco Inc.
A legal battle with his old company prompted Hilbert and wife Tomisue to vacate their mansion in January and to auction their household possessions.
Bids routinely climbed into the thousands of dollars.
The Thunderbird went to Merrill Roberts and girlfriend Symone McEwen after a breathless, back-and-forth battle.
Prices listed on Internet sites offering 1956 Ford Thunderbirds range from $35,000 to $93,000. The crowd of about 500 in the barn at the time yelled, "Sell it, sell it," as auctioneer Norman Gallivan's assistant, Dennis Jackson, tried to coax $1,000 more from the losing bidder over a borrowed cell phone.
The crowd cheered as Roberts and McEwen, who live near Speedway, were declared the winners. "It's awesome," said McEwen afterward, who wanted the car "because it was Madonna's."
Boy George and Francoise Hardy slam Madonna
Sources: ContactMusic, ContactMusic - 1 March 2005Gay pop star Boy George has slammed Madonna for embracing Kabbalah, the mystical offshoot of Judaism which preaches homosexuality is a disease.
The former Culture Club singer is horrified the Material Girl flirted with lesbianism - most famously in her controversial kisses with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at 2003's MTV Video Music Awards - yet supports a religion which believes homosexuals can be cured.
He fumes, "I have a problem with Madonna's devotion to Kabbalah, because I watched a documentary that said that Kabbalah believes that gay people are diseased and can be cured.
"She's such a hypocrite. This is the woman who has embraced homosexuality and used it to her advantage."
Veteran French singer Francoise Hardy has labelled Madonna a "vulgar" woman with a detestable face.
The 1960s icon - now 61 - is so offended by the Material Girl's physical appearance, she's lost all interest in listening to her music.
Hardy - legendary for her stunning looks in her heyday - blasts, "I don't like her face. It's not her fault but I don't like it!
"I'm not attracted to her. I don't like the way she moves. She is very - what's the word - vulgar. It doesn't appeal to me to get to know her work any better."
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