Madonna crosses a line but antics fail to shock

The Times ^ | May 23, 2006 | Chris Ayres

[MadIvan]

MADONNA’S world tour began in typically provocative fashion when the pop singer hung from a cross, shouted an obscenity at an image of President Bush, showed video footage that seemed to compare Tony Blair to Adolf Hitler, and writhed around on a device that combined a horse’s saddle with a stripper’s pole.

As if that were not enough, the singer also wore a crown of thorns, dressed up as various male icons — James Brown and John Travolta included — and even briefly played the electric guitar. Early reviews of the event on Sunday night were positive, but the show failed to produce the reaction so beloved by Madonna: shock.

“Throughout the night Madonna worked hard, not just to stay on pitch and dance well, but also to connect emotionally to her material,” Ann Powers wrote in a Los Angeles Times review that was positive but avoided superlatives.

Lyndsey Parker, on the Yahoo! Music website, was less reserved. She wrote: “Despite the surprising and disappointing lack of an encore (what, no Like A Prayer?), during her breathless two-hour set the Divine Miz M justified not only her audience’s love, but her somewhat exorbitant ticket price. It can safely be said that those 16,000 fans got their money’s worth, and then some.”

The Confessions tour opened in Los Angeles and will travel across North America before resuming in Wales in July. From there it will move through eight cities on the Continent, then to Japan. With tickets priced at up to $380 (£200), the tour is expected to earn more than $200 million — a record for a solo female performer. The tour comes amid rumours that the 47-year-old singer’s marriage to the British film-maker Guy Ritchie is under strain. He is reported to be making a behind-the-scenes documentary about the tour. The last film he made with his wife, Swept Away, a box-office disaster, was ridiculed by critics.

In true showbiz fashion, the concert began 50 minutes late. During the Christian-baiting crucifixion sequence, the singer was suspended on a giant mirrored cross, on which she sang the ballad Live to Tell. Video screens showed images of suffering children in third-world countries.

BAD TASTE

# Michael Jackson performed at the 1996 Brit Awards as a Christ-like figure in a crucifixion pose

# In 2004 a US church group staged a disturbing show for children in which the Easter Bunny was whipped and crucified

# Will and Grace announced a role for Britney Spears as the host of a cookery show titled Cruci-fixins

# Online game Roma Victor said that it would crucify cheaters in the virtual world

# Every Good Friday eight pious Filipinos volunteer to be nailed to crosses on a hill north of Manila

[MadIvan]

The term "has been" springs to mind in so far as Madonna is concern.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[Pistolshot]

If it had not been for MTV, Modonna would have been a "never-was".

[Judith Anne]

Pathetic.

[MadIvan]

She built her reputation on shocking her audience. She's merely run out of things to shock and repulse people with and therefore is doing something rather desperate.

Regards, Ivan

[Pharmboy]

She probably spends more time thinking about how she can be the most outrageous/obnoxious than she does with her dance routines. She is boring...

[Dave Elias]

"If it had not been for MTV, Modonna would have been a "never-was"."

Shows how much you know. Even despite the infamous 'hand of god' incident. He was the most talented footballer the world has ever seen.

[atomicpossum]

Start dissing Islam, wench. That would be 'cutting edge' (as you would find out).

[TheWasteLand]

Look, it's hard being a fifty year old village bicycle. The old grey mare ain't what she used to be, and she's got to drum up attention. So, when in doubt, go with the classics - mock Christians - after all, they don't cut people's heads off.

[MadIvan]

I wonder what she is going to try next. The only thing I can think of is for her to try and perform an ancient Roman augury, by dissecting a live sheep on stage.

Perhaps I shouldn't give her ideas.

Regards, Ivan

[Restorer]

Always was, to my mind.

As long as she keeps selling tickets, she can't really be called one from a financial standpoint.

For about a hundred years now, the primary intent of much of our "art" has been to "shock the Bourgeoisie." It moved from avant garde art to mainstream fine art to popular culture.

One would think this seam pretty well mined by now!

But the "artists" keep digging away, meanwhile congratulating each other on their courage for doing so.

[fzx12345]

The easter bunny thing was a hoax.

[Military family member]

# Every Good Friday eight pious Filipinos volunteer to be nailed to crosses on a hill north of Manila

I wouldn't include these folks with the rest. The rest of them use the cross as a cheap gimmick. The last is designed as a form of worship. Even though I disagree with that particular belief, the goal and intent is quite different.

[BallyBill]

I think this kind of stuff shocked people in like the 1960's. I missed the part where she showed the Mohammed cartoons.

[LibLieSlayer]

She is of the species Slutus Maximus, from one of the dumbest branches of the tree!

LLS

[sobieski]

She looks like an old Madam, trying to keep up w/ her charges.

[Bon mots]

MADONNA’S world tour began in typically provocative fashion when the pop singer hung from a cross, shouted an obscenity at an image of President Bush, showed video footage that seemed to compare Tony Blair to Adolf Hitler, and writhed around on a device that combined a horse’s saddle with a stripper’s pole.

YAWN!

...and the world yawns...

[Arpege92]

"Start dissing Islam, wench. That would be 'cutting edge' (as you would find out.)"

Exactly what I was thinking. Seems Moandonna doesn't have the balls to offend the muzzies.

[MrBambaLaMamba]

Who's Madonna?

[AppyPappy]

Madonna? Maddona....maybe? I can't place the name.

[KosmicKitty]

She built her reputation on shocking her audience. She's merely run out of things to shock and repulse people with and therefore is doing something rather desperate.

If she really wants to shock her fans, she could put on say 20+ pounds, come out on stage wearing more than her underwear & sing songs middle aged women could relate to - about dragging kids around in minivans to sports & ballet & music lessons while trying to keep up w/ the dirty laundry, clean the bathroom, and cook dinner. All while having hot flashes and having a groups of real mean background dancers, resembling Larry the Cable Guy, shirtless, with beer guts swaying the rhythm.

That would be shocking (and true to her age!)

[Berlin_Freeper]

She obviously has a diseased mind.

[TalBlack]

"The term "has been" springs to mind in so far as Madonna is concern."

Judging her as a singer 'never was' springs to my mind.

I write songs and will be recording some of them with young, female singers and I can tell you ANYONE with Madonna's pipes wouldn't COULDN'T be considered.

To me she has always been a talentless pig who spends her time inflating her various perversions into "broadmindedness" and "art".

[exnavy]

I was thinking that this person called "madonna" crossed a line years ago, but, who really cares?

[ovrtaxt]

Dear Madonna:

You're boring.

love, ovrtaxt

[mtbopfuyn]

"Has been" - you beat me to it. I never understood her appeal.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

"Hey, what's that old lady doin' up there anyway?"

[Flyer]

It took some creative Googling, but I figured out what the heck you were talking about.

[Mac1]

exactly

[Recovering Hermit]

Geez...how many times is she going to jump the shark?

[Jameison]

"YAWN!

...and the world yawns..."

My reaction exactly.
She's like an old jaded hooker trying to make a living on her looks.
Not only does it not work, its just plain sad.
Like most of the Hollyweirdos, she is seems to be getting even more stupid as she gets older and uglier.
Poor girl.

[n230099]

"So, when in doubt, go with the classics - mock Christians - after all, they don't cut people's heads off."

Bingo. The sure sign of getting lazy, do something with a Cross.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

[Solamente]

Does Madonna have rickets? In every picture of her these days, she's got bow-legs...!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Does Madonna have rickets?

No...she got her bow-legs by other means.

[relictele]

Or the local drunken floozy wearing too few clothes hanging on the corner of the bar eyeing up the young men, who are embarrassed for her and only want her to cover up.

[freedomson]

[soupcon]

Her mad quest for relevency, the La Vinci Coda Tour.

[dfwgator]

When there is no more envelope to push, it just becomes boring.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Madonna: Still trying to be sexy, stretch marks and all.

Madonna: Still trying to be controversial, lobotomy and all.

[karnage]

Good one! Maradona lives!

[Edgerunner]

She is a fine representative of the political left...anti-god, amoral, conceited, and pornographic. What a fit example of liberalism!

[MD_Willington_1976]

Saw her childrens booka at the dollar tree 2 for 0.50... she's a "winner".. lol NOT!

[Aquinasfan]

antics fail to shock

A lot is packed into those four words.

[RepoGirl]

If she really wants to shock her fans, she could put on say 20+ pounds, come out on stage wearing more than her underwear & sing songs middle aged women could relate to - about dragging kids around in minivans to sports & ballet & music lessons while trying to keep up w/ the dirty laundry, clean the bathroom, and cook dinner. All while having hot flashes and having a groups of real mean background dancers, resembling Larry the Cable Guy, shirtless, with beer guts swaying the rhythm.

I don't know if I'd pay to see that, but boy howdy, I like how your mind works! ;-)

[IronJack]

Is there anything more pathetic than a shopworn glam queen trying to relive her glory days, by pandering more and more to the pedestrian tastes of a brain-dead audience?

This must be the "new" Madonna the tabloids have been prattling about. You know, the one who takes her "religion" and her role as a mother so seriously ... Lots of moral instruction to be gleaned from on a stripper-pole/saddle and two-bit profanities hurled at the leader of the free world.

[isthisnickcool]

I remember one night in Houston Sam Kinison got a little too drunk and was thrown out of one of the local comedy clubs. Sam went across the street and "crucified" himsef on a sign out in front of a convenience store until they let him back in the club. Sam could be very bad but very funny. He was a preacher before he found comedy and some of Sams jokes relating to religion were way over the top.

Hey, what do you get when you stip Madonna nekkid and stand her on her head?

ANSWER: A brunette.

[Sabatier]

I couldn't agree more. Her poor kids must be embarrassed by her. She's acting like the "cool" Mom, who insists on wearing her teen daughter's crop top and hip huggers, no matter how ridiculous it looks.

[MadIvan]

The whole thing is incredibly boring. There is nothing more pedestrian than some "artist" heaping insults on conservatives and religion. It's almost a rite of membership in Hollywood, yet they still clap each other on the back for their supposed bravery.

Regards, Ivan

[tsomer]

“Throughout the night Madonna worked hard, not just to stay on pitch and dance well, but also to connect emotionally to her material,” Ann Powers wrote in a Los Angeles Times...

Reading between the lines....