Madonna's brother living on street

QMI Agency ^ | October 23, 2011

[rickmichaels]

Madonna's older brother is homeless, living under a bridge in remote northern Michigan.

Anthony Ciccone, 55, told the Michigan Messenger newspaper that he lost his job more than a year ago at his father Silvio's winery near Traverse City, a resort community of 14,000 on upper Lake Michigan, about 215 kilometers south of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Ciccone says he has been living on the street ever since.

"My family turned their back on me, basically, when I was having a hard time," Ciccone told the Messenger. "You think I haven't answered this kind of question a bazillion times — why my sister is a multibazillionaire, and I'm homeless on the street? Never say never. This could happen to anybody."

Ciccone said he eats evening meals at Traverse City churches, and his only source of income is scrounging bottles and cans to return for their deposit value, and odd jobs.

Madonna Ciccone, 53, was born and raised in southern Michigan, the third of six children to an Italian immigrant father and a mother of French-Canadian descent. Madonna left the Detroit area for New York City in 1977, at age 19, to seek fame and fortune. By 1983 she had found it. Forbes magazine this year estimated Madonna's earnings from 2007 to 2010 alone to be $280 million.

[presently no screen name]

So what are you saying - they have heated cubbyholes under their bridge?

[mikrofon]

Either their “Papa don’t preach” proper family values (familial compassion or personal responsibility), or there’s some other reason she couldn’t “Open her heart” to her bro.

[Abathar]

Family IS family, and unfortunately you have no say on who you’re stuck with.

My feelings are you never, ever, screw over family because when it all hits the fan you at least have them to turn to.

Madonna is a whack job but she’s not an evil or bad person. If she is doing this then there must be one hell of a past between them to have caused this, and I think I can safely say this because her image means everything to her.

Even if she is a horrible person she would rather save face and her image by helping him than letting this story get out, for her own benefit in the circles she hangs with than anything else. I wouldn’t want to associate with someone that would do that to their own brother, and her fans and friends probably feel the same way, so she must be able to justify doing it for that reason alone.

[discostu]

Blood is blood but sometimes blood is an idiot and you can’t fix stupid. I have a nephew-in-law that’s going to be homeless a few months after his mother dies, he’s 27 going on 12, he’s had a job a total of about 6 months since turning 18, refuses to have any concept of responsibility, all attempts to help him end with him doing nothing so it all comes to naught. Assuming his mother outlives his grandparents when she dies the wife and I will be the last of his relations and unless there’s a massive change in his personality our door will be closed. Even if I am in a position to take in a 40-something loser I won’t do it, it would be wasted effort, he won’t help around the house (he doesn’t now), he won’t get a job, he probably will steal from me (he’s done that repeatedly from other members of the family). I only put up with him now as part of general familial politeness, once he’s the last one to be polite to forget it.

Blood is thicker than water, but toxicity is thicker than blood.

[Political Junkie Too]

Too much sampling of the product?

-PJ

[Jonty30]

Some people think the solution to homelessness is through mass graves.

[Yaelle]

It is not that easy to end up on the streets. Especially if you worked for your own Dad and your sister is a billionnaire. I think he has probably done something to cause it, or perhaps he is bipolar and won’t stay on his meds. I am sure madonna could throw down $500K for him to have a paid for house forever and she wouldn’t feel it. There must be a reason.

[skinkinthegrass]

The Immaterial Boy.

that's gonna leave a mark!

[bgill]

He should get together with Obama’s brother and pool their resources.

[presently no screen name]

The chances are that he was, essentially, having his room and board covered at family expense with no impact whatsoever on his "issue"--and I guarantee, he has an issue of some kind,

You don't know that. He had a job until a year ago. You don't force change and say your time is up now. A small apt is NOT enabling him and that doesn't make him not accountable - in your eyes only but I doubt his. You don't think he knows his own issues brought him to where he is - so now kick dirt in his face will someone wake him up?

Seriously, I don't see how your argument is any different than the "gimme" attitude of the flea baggers. Something for nothing.

I'm glad of the way I was brought up - for I certainly wouldn't want to be like you. May you never be in need because of your own actions. You assign him as a fleabaggers and you don't know his whole story - you make it up to suit yourself. I'm a giver, not a taker. That's the difference between us. That's why I say Madonna, who can well afford to provide him with a small apt, should. If she can adopt a kid from another country who has a his own father to give him a better life, she can take care of her own flesh and blood. Now take your fleas and hope for the best for yourself because with your attitude, you'll need it.

[RedMDer]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks rickmichaels.

Anthony Ciccone, 55, told the Michigan Messenger newspaper that he lost his job more than a year ago at his father Silvio's winery near Traverse City... Ciccone says he has been living on the street ever since. "My family turned their back on me, basically, when I was having a hard time,"

[jennings2004]

A long time ago, a man of somewhat ill reputation coined this philisophy...”Am I my brother’s keeper?” And, so it continues...

[jennings2004]

Uuuuuhhhhh, exceeding the allowable number of “taste tests?”

[ontap]

I have better things to concern myself with than a multimillionaires son or brother. They know him better than me and evidently don’t think he’s worth further consideration.

[jennings2004]

Now you are just being “heartless!” /s

[lonestar]

He might have been drinking the profit.

[jocon307]

LOL! Thanks, but I already have a brother to worry about. Not that I’m saying anything bad about my brother, but I do worry about him.

Then there’s hubby....

If I had Madonna’s money I might take you up on your offer, but as it is.....

[SuziQ]

And what does it take to get fired from daddy's winery?

I was wondering that, myself.

[onedoug]

Judeo-Christian values over blood any day. Tough it´s obvious that they share no commonality on either.