Video: Annual Bent On Learning Benefit
Friday, 30 April 2010
I'm not sure if this is possible for you but Melissa Crow asked me in helping get the message out that the eBay auctions of her stuff are absolutely not endorsed by her! She is:
1) Doing everything she can to get these items back into her possession.
2) She wants to make sure that people know it is NOT HER selling these items!
3) And she asks fans NOT to bid on the items.
It would be totally awesome if Madonna fans would honour and respect her request. Thanks!
And to show what a smart business women she is by opening up her back catalogue to Glee - her greatest hits Celebration sells 6,192 copies up 219% from the week before putting her at #83 for the week.
Thanks to Don
Tom Munro’s new book is chock-full of celebrity portraits: Jennifer Lopez, Dustin Hoffman, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Johnny Depp, Ashton Kutcher. But it’s Madonna that he seems most smitten with: Madge is on the cover, scattered throughout the book, and even wrote the foreword. Her poetic summation of the photographer’s art? 'To have your picture taken by Tom Munro / Is kind of like smoking a bubblegum cigarette. / You can strike a pose, look cool / Get all of the sweetness, / And not suffer any side effects.'
Getting Madonna to write your introduction is pretty major. What is it like to work with her? When did you meet, and how did you become such close collaborators?
I first met Madonna on an editorial shoot for Elle. I think Madonna was keen to work with me as I had worked with her stylist Arianne Phillips before, and my ex-boss Steven Meisel put in a good word for me. Working with Madonna is really inspiring and a privilege. It’s rare to work with someone who is so driven, who brings so much to the creative process.
After the shoot, Madonna asked if I would be interested in collaborating on her music video 'Give It to Me.' This was my first introduction to film and I jumped at the opportunity. We did another video, 'Die Another Day,' and I shot the tour book for Sticky and Sweet.
Also I had been involved with a Charity in Kenya called MEAK (Medical and Education Aid for Kenya) and knew of Madonna’s charity work in Malawi, so I asked Madonna if I could tag along on one of her visits to Africa. What she is doing there is quite extensive. It was a wonderful and moving experience to go with her, so I asked Madonna if I could list her charity as one of the beneficiaries of the book, along with MEAK.
From contactmusic.com
May I suggest that if you don’t want to miss one of the best hours of TV you’re likely to see all year you be sure to watch Glee tonight: 'The Power of Madonna' is like having the finest Broadway jukebox musical ever made in your living room, except that Glee has better jokes and more involving plotlines.
The premise is simple: Sue Sylvester worships Madonna, 'the most powerful woman ever to walk the face of the earth,' says Sue vehemently, and who’s going to argue with her?
Not Will, who brazenly steals Sue’s idea: Both teachers assign their glee club and cheerleader charges Madonna-based routines to win their respective competitions. This leads to a lot of wittily arranged and powerfully performed covers of Madonna hits, from 'Vogue' to 'Express Yourself.'
Glee excels at dealing with themes that drag down more ordinary shows, issues of gender and power, hairstyles and hormones. The episode is crammed not only with music but nonstop one-liners that sting with the sharpness of a Madonna hit-single hook.
Directed by creator Ryan Murphy, 'The Power of Madonna' pays its title subject the highest compliment possible: It doesn’t merely express admiration, it demonstrates a potent understanding of why Madonna matters.
As Kurt says, 'It’s gonna be Madge-ical.'
My grade: A
The show will be repeated on Channel 4 on Friday 30 April at 08:00pm.
Thanks to Michael
From Billboard.com
From Ausiello / EW.com
madonnalicious wants to know - What tracks would you like to see covered next, and by which character? Hit the 'Comments' button below to add your thoughts.
Also a highlight? The girls' take on 'Express Yourself,' which was rife with awesome '80s choreography and details inspired by Madonna's original video, like corsets, power suits and microphone headsets. Mercedes gets another standout solo, and even Quinn's light and sweet vocals work on Madge's empowerment anthem.
From TheWrap.com / msnbc.com
From VH1.com
Let madonnalicious know what you thought about the episode by hitting the 'Comments' button below.
From Vogue.com UK
Thanks to Kirsten
Thanks to Gareth
Thanks to Kirsten
The clip finds the Madonna making fun of her late ‘80s Pepsi scandal. In the video footage Madonna has her arms covering her bare chest, looks at the camera smiling, and says, 'I wear what I want and I do what I want. Ask Pepsi.'
With the last remark, the entertainer references the 1989 controversy, in which she was paid a then-record $5 million as part of an endorsement deal, that included the filming of a commercial for the soft drink. The deal was scrapped by Pepsi executives due to threats of protests from right-wing Christian groups, such as the American Family Association, due to perceived sacrilege in her 'Like A Prayer' video, now considered one of the creative high points of Madonna’s storied career. The singer was allowed to keep the $5 million and her commercial aired only once on network television.
From UsMagazine.com
Thanks to Pishpose
By the way, have you seen Suedonna's 'Vogue' video? Ah-mazing, no? And Jane tells us that fact is not lost on her. 'I am so proud of it. When I first saw it, and you don't see my face for a while - you just see the shoulders, and you can maybe believe they're Madonna's shoulders - and all of sudden it was me!' she laughs. 'It just freaked. Me. Out!'
And sorry, Glee, but Jane's only got room for one great thing in her life, and that slot belongs to a famous undergarment. 'That cone bra was the best thing that ever happened to me. The power that I felt wearing that thing. Everybody was like, Ooh, hands off Jane.'
From contactmusic.com
From Billboard.com - thanks to Jimmy
Jane Lynch spoke to MTV recently about recreating the video:
I do the 'Vogue' video in the Madonna episode, and we replicated everything down to the set pieces, the hair pieces, the wardrobe, the lighting. It’s in black and white, and you’re gonna love it. It’s amazing. 'Oh yeah, the cone bra, the Gaultier bra, I wear that in one scene. And it’s the most powerful I’ve ever felt in my life. Well, you know what, I wore the cone bra with the track suit, so it worked. It was a win, win.'
The magazine hits US newstands on Thursday 15 April.
Photo Credits: Art Streiber for TV GUIDE MAGAZINE / www.tvguidemagazine.com
Thanks to TV GUIDE
In 'The Power of Madonna' episode, airing Tuesday 20 April (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), Mr. Schuester is concerned that the girls in the glee club are being disrespected and bullied by the male members. Looking to Madonna and her musical message of equality as inspiration, he challenges the entire team to choose Madonna songs as their next assignment in the hopes that the girls embrace Madonna’s strength, independence and confidence so that the guys will see the errors of their misogynistic ways.
The glee club takes the assignment to heart and performs some of the Material Girl’s greatest hits, including 'Express Yourself' and 'Like a Prayer.' Meanwhile, Kurt and Mercedes give Sue a vote of confidence with a Madonna makeover that is definitely in 'Vogue.'
From FOX Press Release - thanks to Christopher
On her early memories of Madonna, Lea Michele remembers attending Madonna's Drowned World Tour three times and styling her hair like Miss Ciccone when attending Bat Mitzvahs.
Matthew Morrison recalls: 'I wasn't a big fan of Madonna; never got into it. As a heterosexual guy, she didn't have much impact on my life.'
Chris Colfer: 'I was not allowed to listen to Madonna when I was younger. My mother and grandmother had all the CDs but didn't want me to hear about sex.'
Mark Salling grew up in a strict Christian home in the South: 'Madonna was considered the she-devil.'
Jane Lynch recalls: '....sitting at a bar all drunk on Long Island ice teas watching her 'Material Girl' video and thinking, 'How Ballsy.''
The magazine hits US newstands on Thursday 15 April.
Fans can also watch this behind-the-scenes video of the TV GUIDE photoshoot:
Photo Credits: Art Streiber for TV GUIDE MAGAZINE / www.tvguidemagazine.com
Thanks to TV GUIDE
From contactmusic.com
The clips featured include 4 Minutes, Open Your Heart, Express Yourself, Like A Prayer, Like A Virgin, Vogue and What It Feels Like For A Girl
The Power of Madonna episode will air in the US on Tuesday 20 April on FOX.
Thanks to Kevin
Thanks to Kirsten
madonnalicious reader Johnny has put together a montage of pictures and footage from the tour to celebrate it's 25th birthday!
Thanks to Pieter
From AFP Via Yahoo! News
Pictures from Reuters Via Yahoo! News
From BBC News
From AFP Via Yahoo! News
Pictures from Reuters Via Yahoo! News
From AFP Via Yahoo! News