Posted on 08/29/2003 4:59:40 PM PDT by Pokey78
The utterly contrived, lingering kisses with which Madonna chose to draw the cameras at the MTV Awards show that she is desperate to revive our waning interest, writes Sam Leith
These were smackers smacking of desperation. What was Madonna's last single? No, I can't remember either.
Did you see her film? No. Best not. Do you give a monkey's about her love of English tweeds and her conversion to clay-pigeon shooting? Do you hell.
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The problem is, we have lost interest in Madonna. But Madonna has not lost interest in our interest. Hence the lingering, sexy, utterly contrived kisses with which she chose to draw the cameras at the MTV Awards.
We can assume safely that this was pre-arranged. Madonna is too fly by far to risk, in front of an audience of millions, having the younger, prettier Britney Spears grab her by the shoulders and push her away.
The question is, however, whether both Britney and Christina Aguilera knew that she had come to an arrangement with the other one. My money is on not.
The headlines that this gap-toothed, career-on-the-slide, ageing pop legend had in mind will have been "Madonna in sexy snogfest", not "Madonna anoints chosen successor - and it's Britney!"
In snogging them both, she confuses matters. Britney and Christina, when they were on the way up seven or eight years ago, were rivals.
Now they have both been superseded by Beyonce Knowles. So they are vulnerable to getting involved in this sort of silliness - but too foolish to hold out for exclusivity. Madonna got her headlines.
I worry for her, however. Seldom is the contrived public snog a prelude to good times. Remember Piers Merchant? The unappealing Tory MP, caught bang to rights, attempted to brazen it out by allowing himself to be photographed apparently fishing a bit of food out of Mrs Merchant's dentures with his tongue.
He was swept from office on a tidal wave of public disgust.
A couple of years ago, the comedienne Caroline Aherne went through a phase of being photographed snogging woman friends in nightclubs. There was great tabloid excitement. Rehab and My Booze Hell followed.
Lord Archer's attempt to kiss his wife on his release from jail, she not apparently being in on the plan, was far more humiliating than it would have been had he simply shaken her by the hand.
So pity Madonna, betrayed by a kiss.
Sam Leith is correct. Frankly, when I saw this publicity stunt, I rolled my eyes. Madonna & Britney kiss on stage. Oooh. Wow. I'm shocked it hadn't happened before.
Was it intended to excite, to thrill, to entice? Yep. Did it? Nope. Unless you're a 13-year old boy who doesn't know any better.
I mean, what's the age difference here? 20+ years?? Show me a nubile teen girl who wants to french kiss her mom's bridge partners. Gimme a break.
There have been moments, in my opinion, of Madonna doing some genuinely decent pop art. She was particularly well-directed and believable in "Evita". But there are so many lapses of tastefulness in her career, that once she's passed from the scene she'll be remembered more for her failures than her successes.
She seems anymore like a once-brilliant sportsman who is trying so hard to salvage a career once his knees or shoulders are shot. Except in this case, a woman her age should know better; the difference between right and wrong shouldn't be that muddled in the mind of a 40-something adult.
Doncha just luv British understatement!
I'm sure there is a porn site for just that! lol
Outstanding post -- couldn't have said it better myself.
I think there's two or three guys in Ohio she hasn't slept with....
Is it just me or am I the only one who doesn't care why it was done, just as long as it was done...I didn't see it live, but the pictures seem cool enough.
If you enjoy funny, just look for anything posted by mhking....
I've noticed that a lot of aging female femme fatales, when they reach a certain age where they no longer attract men, start embracing lesbianism. Sharon Stone and Cher come to mind, though I guess Sharon Stone is married now so apparently the lesbianism (a la George's fiance on Seinfeld) didn't take.
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