Liz Smith on Madonna's significance to celebrity culture

US columnist Liz Smith took time to answer questions the public had been sending her about the changing nature of gossip and celebrity at entertainment.excite.com. A question about Madonna was of course featured:

'Madonna said, 'I love Liz Smith, she has big balls, like me.' What is her significance to celebrity culture?'
'Madonna! I couldn't believe it when she said that - I am nothing near as brave as Madonna. And this was at an event that was hers, the premiere of 'Truth or Dare.' I was being followed around by an ABC camera crew for a story. And I kept saying, 'I don't think she's going to cooperate.' I hadn't met her yet, though I'd been writing about her since 1984. But she looked right into the camera and said it.
Her cultural influence has been epic, in every way - sex, fashion, self-promotion, self-confidence, oh, and that little thing - her music! People want to forget that she is this giant figure in pop music, that she has written most of her big hits. She JUST DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN what people think. She won't beg her audience for their love. And that's why they love/hate her.
She doesn't care - or at least she'd never admit it publicly - that she was hurt by the idea that her charity work and adoptions are a publicity ploy - as if she needs more publicity! She ain't retiring, ever! And she sure doesn't care that she's 50 and her latest lover is 22. She's doing what men do, and not apologizing for a second. I like her a lot.

Comments

[khosrow]

So true and right to the point. Madonna= queen of the universe. And Liz knows that better than most. Ladies with balls. Go ladies.

[diego]

in '90 madonna was guest in an italian tv show called "partita doppia" to promote "body of evidence". ad when the anchor man (Pippo Baudo) tell her what Liz Smith told about Madonna (i say not! i say that she's not bad..i like her) madonna replied: " I know liz, she's not scared by me, she's brave and she not what she say..." i'm itlian and i have the tape of this show...

[Road]

Love Liz Smith, I remember that interview shes talking about, its when Madonna has that short black retro slicked hair in the embelished leotard with Niki & Donna, and she says Kurt Truth or Dare do want to Fuck Us. Anyway Liz Smith has always had Madonnas back.

[alice]

that's true, madonna writes her music and most of the time it's a success on the charts and of course, her influence's been huge, really huge in various aspects of culture.