Madonna. One Word for Hype…
Madonna seems to have a case of Girls Gone Wild-itis. Five years after swapping spit with Britney and X-tina, The Material Mom has proven again there’s an insecure college freshman in all of us….. Doing her seemingly bored jaunt hyping her new collection of quickly-thrown-together dance tunes, Madonna indulged in an onstage girl-on-girl kiss while performing in Paris. Turns out all the money and success in the world can’t buy better judgment – no judgment, of course.
Once upon a time this was totally Madonna’s thing. Her image was sex and it worked. That’s it. From her cone-shaped bras to those onstage simulated sex antics, Madonna was not only controversial, but captivating too. We couldn’t look away.
That was then. One marriage and three children later have changed things. Earth to Madonna, this stuff no longer shocks or amuses us. It’s confusing. Not the good kind of confusing. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but things have changed.
Her last book was a children’s book, not a sex book (there is a G-d), and she has replaced the likes of Sandra Bernhard with Lourdes, Rocco and the one she stole from Africa (how on earth did Access Hollywood manage to get that guy to talk?).
Madonna is married to Guy Ritchie. Last time I checked, publicly kissing another person is cheating. Male, female, on or offstage – remember this, Madge, a kiss is still a kiss.
How does Mr. Madonna feel watching his wife declare to her audience, “I’m always drawn to working with French people - and frenching French people. Vive la France!” Her awkward declaration led to a make out with her not-so-French back up dancer. Hmmm. Yeah. As if the guy doesn’t feel emasculated enough.
Point is, Madonna should be passed this by now. Yes, sexuality has always been a part of her image. She’s done enough of everything to forever cement that not only in our minds, but also in history. We get it.
What we love(d) about Madonna is her ever evolving, reinventing self – please, let’s have the sex stuff follow that. It’s icky.
Even if we weren’t so weirded out by her behavior, without having to go into this more—it’s simply old. This too needs to evolve. We’re not captivated, we’re bored. There’s no greater sin than boredom, M.
Instead of approaching the Big 50 like a 19-year-old desperately seeking attention, welcome it as an icon. Think of what Roseanne said at the TV Land Awards: “This is awesome! In old age you are congratulated, no longer that obnoxious bitch.”
Tags: Britney, Girls Gone Wild, Guy Ritchie, hype, Lourdes, Madonna, Sandra Bernhard, sex as sales, TrendSpotting
June 16th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Oh dear…she wins again. The only way she could lose is if you stopped writing about her — which you didn’t. Silly boy…she’s still got a hold on you.
July 5th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Good observation you’ve made. Though I must say, I am more drawn to her actual music in the era of Erotica and before than the hypes she is trying to create. In fact none of the hype actually works for me, maybe it is how she looks, maybe it is her age.
Reinventing, ever evolving her image is fine. Only if there is substance (in this case, great music) that goes along with it. But if you put yourself into her shoes as you are approaching the Big 50, what else can you do to lift up your career? Especially when your career is built on hype rather than your actual music capability?
It is a desperate act, for sure. And I would blame her team of image consultants for not positioning her well. Perhaps.