all about Madonna

Madonna, has decided to expose the shady wing of the fashion world by buying the film rights to the book Model: The Ugly Business Of Beautiful Women, which she will produce under her own production company.
"The screenplay has been written by David Brendel and the film is tentatively being given a release date of next year (05). At the moment Madonna is looking around for beautiful women who can play some of the world's most famous supermodels, while she is obviously hoping as many of them as possible can be prevailed upon to appear in cameo roles." Rate the music quoted a source as saying.
source : newkerala.com

A small, sick boy lies in bed waiting for death. "He is leaving this world ... I can see it in his eyes," says the mother. But Yakov, the father, has not given up. A visit to the wise old man who lives in the last house at the edge of the village ("a very small village tucked away between two mountains"), brings him hope. What happens? You'll just have to read the book.
In this book, the third instalment of a five-part series, Madonna weaves a tale of miracles set in old-fashioned times. Inspired by "a great teacher who lived in the Ukraine in the 18th century", this book carries more moral lessons and values, an already familiar facet from the singer's first two books.
Written in the style of traditional fables, it is, at times, a little in-your-face preachy. This worked while we were still reading Aesop's Fables, but it can be a little hard to swallow now that we are all "grown-up": "The thieves represent the things in us that are bad or wrong or selfish " the parts we need to change to be happy. When we want to make miracles happen, we have to recognise and acknowledge our bad traits." Then again, it is useful for children who will probably be more open to the good lessons as told by a superstar rather than a Greek slave (Aesop was said to be a slave who gained freedom by his wit " though some say his history appears to be just a legend).
One thing that can be said of all Madonna's books are that the illustrations are beautiful. With the first book, The English Roses, the touch was modern. The second, Mr Peabody's Apples, has an American feel. With Yakov, Russian painter Gennady Spirin gives your imagination enough fodder to recreate old Eastern Europe. The details evoke a sense of nostalgia, and you might find yourself picking it up just to drool over the pictures. Go ahead. You won't be disappointed.
source : emedia.com.my

Madonna reportedly refuses to perform until her concert stages have been blessed by Kabbalah leader Rabbi Philip Berg.
According to American gossip website The Scoop, the singer - an avid follower of the mystic branch of Judaism - is taking the Los Angeles-based Rabbi everywhere she travels on her current Reinvention Tour. A source tells The Scoop: "He goes out there and chants and does his routine. He blessed Madison Square Garden. He blesses them all." The source also claims Madonna gets special treatment when worshipping at LA's Kabbalah Centre, and sits behind a giant screen so other followers can't see her: "The men and the women sit separately, following Orthodox tradition. But Madonna sits in front, behind a screen so that people can't look at her. The place where she sits happens to be on the men's side."
source : iol.ie

Commanding a fee of around $20 million per film, actress Julia Roberts is the most powerful actress in Hollywood. She is also the third most powerful in the US entertainment industry, according to the trade paper The Hollywood Reporter. The actress won an Oscar for her performance in "Erin Brokovich" a decade after she was first nominated for her title role in "Pretty Woman". Her box office status rivals those of male stars like Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks and she derives her power from the "ability to get projects made", said the paper. The list was topped by Universal Pictures chief Stacey Snider, followed by Sherry Lansing, head of Paramount Pictures.
The only other performer on the list was Madonna.
The list of Hollywood's five most powerful women:
1. Stacey Snider: chairman, Universal Pictures
2. Sherry Lansing: chairman, chief executive of Paramount Pictures motion picture group
3. Julia Roberts: actress, head of Shoelace Productions
4. Gail Berman: president of entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company
5. Nancy Tellem: president, CBS Entertainment
source : newkerala.com

It was a sweet moment in what was a truly spectacular show. Yet, the entire joyously breathless affair had the feel of that dedication to the fans.
The hits-laden, 105-minute visual feast was like a mash note to everyone who's followed the twists and turns and avant garde detours on her trip from "boy toy" to Esther.
A stylish tip of the cap to the people who ponied up the ridiculously high price of $300 for last night's top ticket, to those who defended her notorious "Sex" book, went to see her movies and who have loved her in all her brash glory as well as her self-indulgent missteps.
It was firmly the former on display last night as Madonna kicked off her four-night stand with style and grace, giving good face and even better voice.
In fact, Mrs. Guy Ritchie, the first to admit that she's not the best singer, has never sounded more solid and self-assured even as she was in constant motion on moving catwalks, sliding conveyor belts and hoofing it alongside her cadre of precision dancers.
If she denied fans the hits last time out, "The Re-Invention Tour" is virtually nothing but, from the sleekly choreographed opener "Vogue" to a singalong of the enduringly cheeky "Material Girl" to the unbound closer "Holiday."
And in a neat trick that only Madonna could pull off, the 45-year-old singer gave the people what they wanted while reworking a few to suit her tastes.
That meant a little more electric guitar fire during "Burning Up," a more organic, acoustic take on the rapturous "Like a Prayer" and a burlesque reworking of "Deeper and Deeper."
An almost constant barrage of images accompanied the music and dancing on mammoth video screens on and surrounding the stage.
They ranged from photos of children in wartorn and poverty-stricken nations as she sang John Lennon's "Imagine" to Hebrew symbols during a rapturous "Like a Prayer."
source : bostonherald.com

Two words Madonna never heard from director Tod Williams: You're hired!
The man behind the camera for the upcoming film "The Door in the Floor" met with Madonna and "just about every other actress in the world over 40," he says, for the coveted role of an older woman who seduces her teenage summer helper.
"Madonna really wanted to do the part," Williams said. "I wasn't really even considering her, but I called her in because I just wanted to meet Madonna."
So how was it?
"It was a strange meeting," he says. "She asked me about techniques, how all the shots would happen in the movie."
Williams met withother A-listers, each of whom had their own problems with a role that includes seducing a teen, lots and lots of nudity and passionate lovemaking scenes. "I very seriously considered Kristin Scott Thomas," says Williams. "But she wouldn't even stand on the beach in a bathing suit in this film, let alone get naked."
He thought about Frances McDormand. "She really knows what the heck she's doing, but I wasn't sure about casting her. The part calls for someone who is stunningly beautiful." What about Susan Sarandon? ""She's just so sexual to me," Williams says. "She owns her sexuality. She's connected to herself in that way. This character -- a mother grieving the loss of her child who has this affair -- isn't so sure of herself."
Sigourney Weaver was dubbed "interesting" by Williams. So was a Chicago legend. "Joan Allen is a great, great actress," Williams says. "But she didn't seem right." He liked Michelle Pfeiffer and Robin Wright Penn. "Both loved the script, but they were uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping with a young man."
Not so for Kim Basinger, who eventually got the coveted role and now is enjoying early Oscar buzz. "She was fearless during the nude scenes," says Williams. "Yes, she was scared of the darkness of this role, but because it scared her, she did it."
source : suntimes.com

Even before the mohawked skateboarder began riding the half-pipe during "Hollywood," interest in the thin red string circling Madonna's left wrist had vanished. As well it should have. With a two-hour show this gorgeous and this artful, Madonna hardly needed to rely on a spiritual stunt to generate the sort of excitement that, 20 years into her iconic pop career, she's still capable of conceiving brilliantly and executing it masterfully.
That said, she takes pleasure in keeping us guessing. Or maybe she's just an equal-opportunity disciple, happy to give props to Hebrew script and Jesus on the cross, which were both featured prominently on video screens.
More to the point -- this is a concert, not a celebrity inquest -- in the era of over-the-top arena spectacles, Madonna has taken the concept to a new level. Without a unifying thread and in defiance of every aesthetic law known to man, she wove elements of burlesque, extreme sports, rock concerts, Cirque du Soleil, military drills, art installations, dance theater, yoga, and antiwar rallies into a whole. And seamlessness was merely the icing.
The "Re-Invention" tour, which sounded so desperately self-referential on paper, turns out to be impossibly accurate. Madonna manages to reinvent her reinventions. She gilded "Vogue" with a French court twist, delivered an irony-free "Material Girl," deepened "Into the Groove' with bagpipes and kilts, and redefined "Express Yourself" as a drummer boy's march into battle. The latter tune featured the fatigues and rifles from the proceeding number "American Life," but the jarring image neatly summed up what Madonna's career has been about: Mindful confrontation, artful provocation, and the use of every part of her body and mind to spark her own little culture wars.
She's never sounded better. The treated chirp of her early years, which morphed into the dreadful earnestness of the "Evita" era, has matured into a strong, clear singing voice. A few years ago the idea of Madonna standing alone at a microphone singing "Frozen" would have been a dubious one. Last night she commanded her spectacle and her music with equal clarity.
Describing the breath of the pageantry during "American Life," her most blatant political statements, images of firestorms, screaming helicopters, and wounded children flashed on video screens while dancers dressed in religious frocks (this being a Madonna show, the habits and burkas were minis) traversed a massive V-shaped catwalk above the audience. Sure it was preachy. Timely, too.
She's traded in her bullet bra for spangled hot pants, disco beats for finger popping, and transformed "Hanky Panky" and "Deeper and Deeper" into noir numbers. Likewise, the abstract ballroom choreography of "Die Another Day' was an elegant antidote to the rote gyrations favored by the next generation of pop stars.
A blipping, bloated take on John Lennon's "Imagine" was the evening's one misstep. But her heart was in the right place. And for the first time in a long time, so were all the artistic pieces.
source : boston.com

Pop superstar Madonna and her family were left stunned after a taxi exploded outside their New York home over the weekend. The yellow cab burst into flames and the petrol tank blew up as it pulled up outside the singer's Upper West Side property.
Madonna, who is staying in the apartment while she performs her Reinvention Tour, was nowhere to be seen, but her husband, director Guy Ritchie, was spotted watching the action from a balcony with three-year old son Rocco and stepdaughter Lourdes. Manhattan firefighters managed to put out the fire before it spread, and no one was hurt. An onlooker says, "There was obviously something wrong with the taxi when it pulled up outside Madonna's house. "Then smoke started pouring out of it and you could see flames coming from underneath it. A few minutes later there was a loud bang and the whole thing went on fire. It was very scary."
source : wbex.com

Dancers have been using it for years. Chiropractors are starting to use it to compliment their practices. And Madonna does it, Perhaps the final stamp of approval needed for a new exercise craze to burgeon in the Western world.
Gyrotonic exercises the musculature while mobilizing and articulating the joints, simultaneously stretching and strengthening the body with minimal effort. It combines the key principles of gymnastics, swimming, ballet and yoga by working independent muscle groups in an integrated manner, according to Frank Carbone, a certified instructor who opened the first Gyrotonic studio, The Movement Center, in Boca Raton in May.
For those of you who don't understand kinesiology mumbo jumbo, it's a great way to get the long, lean dancer's body that Hollywood celebrities are flaunting.
Using one primary machine, the Gyrotonic Expansion System, lengthens and tones muscles in a set of sequences similar to a dance. The System, which is built around the human body, allows for total freedom of movement, with no restriction to speed and versatility.
The best part, says Carbone, is that you're forced to use your core muscles during every exercise, the only real way to get definition in the abs.
Every movement that you do all the time in Gyrotonic, even if it's moving your pinky, you're totally using your whole body and mind, said Carbone, who just returned from a training session in Germany, where he studied with Gyrotonic founder, Juliu Horvath.
It's an exercise that is always using constant motion, said Carbone. It's almost like a dance.
With indie rock playing in the background and the smell of incense wafting through the air, Carbone's Boca studio is a relaxing space where he says he wants clients to play with their bodies, test their limits and find their own groove.
The one-on-one sessions are highly personalized and designed to work with everyone from the most advanced yogis to someone recovering from an injury. The arch and curl movements, which is the basis of each exercise, helps to elongate the spine, while strengthening the core.
As a professional dancer, Horvath was plagued with back and knee injuries, and designed the equipment to have a rehabilitative quality. European hospitals are already integrating Gyrotonic into their physical therapy programs, said Carbone.
It's always becoming popular with golfers and other athletes who are looking to increase their range of motion.
Internal benefits touted by Gyrotonic include increase circulation, better coordination, draining of the lymphatic system and increased mobility in the joints and stimulation of the nervous system.
Carbone, also a certified yoga instructor, was first introduced to Gyrotonic ten years ago in New York. After falling away from the practice for several years, he decided to take a private session last year in Delray Beach.
As soon as I got on the machine and did my first arch and curl, my chest opened and my eyes opened up and I realized I had to do this, said Carbone, a singer/songwriter who loves the peaceful side of the exercise.
His clients are also getting hooked. Boca Raton pilates teacher Denise Dorney, who has been practicing Gyrotonic for four months says the exercise has been a great complement to her running and pilates.
I just feel better. I feel more open. It helps me with everything I do, with my hips and shoulders when I'm running. There's rotation work there that I don't get from other exercise, said Dorney.
Because she is working Gyrotonic on a more advanced level, (the exercise has seven levels), Dorney is also getting the benefits of a cardiovascular and weight training workout.
The more advanced you get, the more Frank whips you through these movements and it's like a dance, except you're also using weights, she said. There's also a lot of benefits that are going on internally that I'm still learning about, but right now I love what I'm seeing on the outside. People have told me how much my body has changed in the past month.
source : bocaratonnews.com

The newly renamed Madonna has joined a long line of women drawn to spiritual life in middle age.
I always thought that Madonna would "get religion" at some point. Partly because she was raised a Catholic, and there is usually something lingering about a Catholic formation even if, like James Joyce, it later turns to passionate hostility. And partly because of her restless need to keep developing in new directions, which is often lightly described as "reinventing herself."
The third reason that I thought Madonna -- who said last week that she now wants us to call her by her Kabbalah name of Esther -- would take up religion is that she is a mother, and in her 40s. You don't expect the unattached Bridget Jones, or the average chick-lit heroine, to be drawn to the spiritual life, but it does happen to a noticeable number of more settled mothers: Suddenly, they want to transmit to their children that je ne sais quoi of a worldview with slightly more uplift than the morals and mores of reality TV.
They want to give their children values. And they quite often feel a stirring of these transcendent values themselves, at about the same time. This may be deepened when they start anxiously trying to get their progeny into faith schools. If you don't believe me, look at the evidence, and visit a church, chapel or synagogue on a day of worship: You will find that at least two-thirds of the worshippers present are women, and 90 percent of these are mothers.
"Buddhism, the 'religion-lite' of so many of the stars ... is a charming faith; very peaceable and calm and full of love for all living things. It allows you to affirm that your cat has a soul."
Stalin claimed that religion was dying out because the churches were full of women, and mostly older women too: What he forgot was that the younger women would one day grow older and eventually take their places among the churchgoers. Faith is a feminine thing, and may even be a feminist one.
It is a fairly well-kept secret that feminism originally arose among religious women in the 19th century: From Hannah More and Josephine Butler in Britain to Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in the US, feminism was an offshoot of evangelical Christianity, and that spiritual energy still hovers.
But with Madonna-Esther, I rather thought that when she came to her inevitable spiritual awakening, she would choose something like Buddhism, the "religion-lite" of so many of the stars. Buddhism is a charming faith; very peaceable and calm and full of love for all living things. It allows you to affirm that your cat has a soul. It is also agreeably "lite" on matters of sin and transgressions, with no tiresome Ten Commandments or other heavy prohibitions.
I was surprised, thus, when Madonna first announced she was drawn to Judaism, since it is notoriously difficult to become a Jew, and real Jews seldom truly accept the converted goy. But then the lady announced, further, that her religious commitment was towards a particular kind of Jewish mysticism known as the Kabbalah. The children's books that she has written are encoded Kabbalah messages.
Kabbalah no doubt answers that human -- and specifically feminine -- need for spiritual enlightenment, and "the path", as eastern mystics call it. The word is Hebrew for "received tradition", and the Kabbalah texts are all based on ancient Jewish sacred lore, which means that they are probably wise and sensible, being the accumulated knowledge of countless Jewish mothers telling their rabbi sons how many beans make five.
Kabbalah, however, has been somewhat rebranded and repackaged for a new age, and you can become initiated in its mysteries in 10 easy lessons for ?180 (US$327). (The Kabbalah headquarters in Britain are in Bond Street, one of the best parts of London. The property cost more than ?3 million, to which Madonna gave a hefty contribution. Financial contributions are usually part of the commitment of faith.)
There are those who express scepticism about Kabbalah's capacity for mysticism, since much of it seems to consist of down-to-earth advice about ways of living: how to find the right man, raise children, get the best kind of job, maintain health -- and then how to share.
Some think it endorses capitalism a little too warmly. There is a lot of drinking of water -- water as the essence of life and symbol of blessing features in all semitic faiths, including Christianity -- and there is religious jewelery, like pretty rosary beads.
Some go further than skepticism, and criticize Kabbalah as a cult. The Jewish British TV personality Esther Rantzen has claimed that her own daughter was at one point near to being exploited by the Kabbalah "cult."
But if Madonna herself feels -- now, apparently supported by her husband, Guy Ritchie, in this movement -- that Kabbalah has given her enlightenment and supplied her with "creative guidance," fair play to her. For many women, some form of religious sensibility is what gets them through the night, and helps them lead the examined life, too.
Annie Besant campaigned with Charles Bradlaugh for atheism and birth control, but afterwards turned to theosophy. Sylvia Pank-hurst became a Catholic in later life. Nora Joyce went along with her husband's insistent secularism while he was alive, but once he died she quietly went back to church and devotions. It's a girl thing, you see.
source : taipeitimes.com

Pop queen Madonna has developed a saucy post-show ritual, she massages and bathes her director husband Guy Ritchie to help her unwind. The American Life singer - currently trekking around the world on her Reinvention Tour - admits she relies on her raunchy bathroom antics to help her get to sleep after her stage show. She says: "Guy's waiting for me to come home and give him a massage. He talks to me in the bathtub, though. "That's my ritual. I come home and get in the bathtub and he talks to me."
source : iol.ie

Bill Clinton may just have lost himself a few readers after he reportedly angered 2000 fans who were waiting in line to get his signature on their copies of his recently released autobiography "My Life," by giving preferential treatment to VIP's. According to The New York Daily News, VIP's were allowed to skip the line and even personally escorted in some cases. His VIP list also included Madonna's Re-Invention tour crew. The former president has now come under fire for his hypocritical behavior, as he had claimed that he represented the common American citizen, while he was fighting the elections. "I stand for all the people who do the work, pay the taxes, raise the kids and play by the rules the hardworking Americans who make up our forgotten middle class," Clinton had reportedly said at he 1992 Democratic Convention.
source : ani

The Jewish Madonna?
As the Material Girl well knows from her many incarnations, the path to spiritual provocation is marked with sacred signs.
On the road with her Re-invention World Tour, Madonna seemingly has moved from the New Testament to the Hebrew Bible, incorporating signs and symbols from Judaism and kabbalah, a mystical and esoteric study of the faith.
On a recent news-magazine show, she discussed her interest in kabbalah and how she has adopted a Hebrew name, Esther. She has worn a red string on her wrist to ward off the "evil eye," and used sacred prayer accessories and symbolic Hebrew letters in music videos and concerts.
"What Madonna is doing " whether or not she wants to do it " is making certain aspects of Judaism more well known in the public," said Rabbi Barry Gelman of United Orthodox Synagogues. "She is probably the anti-Joe Lieberman."
As Gelman sees it, Lieberman is an example of Jewish values, and his 2000 vice presidential nomination raised public awareness about Judaism, including rituals of the Sabbath and the high holy days.
For some Houston-area rabbis, Madonna's contribution as a Jewish representative is cause for concern. There's the history of men; there's Britney; there's the nudity.
"If she were a woman of valor, that might be one issue," said Rabbi Yakov Polatsek, executive director of TORCH, Torah Outreach Resource Center of Houston. "But she is Madonna."
Madonna is a student of the Kabbalah Centre, a worldwide education organization with a center in Houston. The center does not require students to be Jewish, and the study can be incorporated into any faith, said Robin Davis, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles-based organization.
"The aims of the center are to help people navigate through the wisdom of kabbalah and to help them understand it and embrace it and help them incorporate it into their lives so their lives can be more meaningful," she said.
Madonna has been a serious student for more than eight years, Davis said.
"This is not a trendy thing she has picked up as a whim for the moment," she said.
But Gelman and other local rabbis are concerned that such study is rooted less in traditional Judaism than in New Age spirituality.
Rabbi Daniel Plotkin of Congregation Beth Tikvah in the Clear Lake area is a self-described child of the 1980s and owns Madonna's album The Immaculate Collection " a remnant from a different time and faith. Of course, he has not personally peered into the pop star's thoughts and deeds, he said, but he doubts she is working on repentance, t'shubah in Hebrew.
Her interest, however, may have a silver lining, said Plotkin, who is leaving the synagogue for St. Louis next week.
"Certainly, anything that causes a young Jewish teenager or an adult to say to his parents or rabbi or her cantor, 'I saw this. What is it?' that can't hurt," he said. "But at the same time, it is important not to cheapen the value of it."

Here's a guide to the Jewish Madonna.
- Esther: A very important woman in Judaism. Esther has her own book of the Bible, and her story is the basis for the holiday Purim. She was a queen of Persia who revealed her Jewish identity to save the Jews within the kingdom from a plot to exterminate them.
- Tefillin: Worn for morning prayers, usually by Orthodox and Conservative Jewish men, as a reminder of the presence of God. Tefillin consists of two black leather boxes containing four portions of the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. The boxes are attached to the head and to the arm with black leather straps.
Plotkin said he is familiar with Jewish feminist artists who have used symbols such as Tefillin in their work. But to use them in a video or concert is "an odd decision, at the least," he said. Gelman doesn't see it only as odd. "To use that in a pop concert or any way is highly offensive," Gelman said.
- Kabbalah: The study and practice of a form of Jewish mysticism. The origins of kabbalah are disputed, Gelman said. Many date the development of kabbalah to the 11th or 12th century, Plotkin said. It became more widespread in the 13th century, especially in Spain, he said. According to Gelman, kabbalah isa secret branch of Judaism, and those who study it are supposed to be older than 40 " some say male " and must have extensively studied the Torah, the Talmud and many other Jewish texts before delving into the mystical practice.
"Kabbalah outside the rooted traditions of Judaism, kabbalah in a vacuum, is not real Jewish spirituality," Gelman said. "When you have people who are studying kabbalah who don't know the ABCs of Judaism, you have to really wonder what they are doing."
- 72 names of God: A concept from kabbalah, Plotkin said. There are also 70 unpronounceable names of God. Those who seriously practice kabbalah meditate on the Hebrew letters that make up the names, reciting mantras, he said. "It is something you would do in a room alone or in the woods or a desert," Plotkin said, "not on a stage at a rock concert."
- Red string: Protection against the evil eye. It serves as a reminder to others not to think negative thoughts about the person wearing it, lest those thoughts reverberate and become bad luck, Polatsek said. Some say it protects the negative force of ill will from others.
source : Houston Chronicle

Guests at Madonna's Re-Invention tour launch party literally got a taste of the pop diva's newly adopted religion, kabbalah, as she served them cocktail's mixed with kabbalah water.
According to Ratethemusic.com, at the "American Life" singer's party, guests were served with a cocktail called "Damn," which was a mix of gin and soda lime. However, Madonna made sure that all the ice cubes in the drinks were made out of special kabbalah water.
source : newkerala.com

The queen of pop has become the queen of ancient Persia - and she's got the Judaic trappings to prove it.
When Madonna - now also known as Esther (as in the Jewish queen who saved her people) - blows into town Sunday for the Boston leg of her Re-Invention Tour, she'll be schlepping more than the string of hits that made her 22-year career. She'll also be flashing the symbols of her newfound faith: Kabbalah, with a capital K, an offshoot of ancient Jewish mysticism.
The Hebrew letters lamed, aleph, vov (which together, as LAV, supposedly form one of the 72 names of God) will light up giant video screens behind Madge's dancing minions. A red string with seven knots (said to ward off the evil eye) will encircle the left wrist of the ex- (she says) Material Girl. A T-shirt reading "Kabbalists Do It Better'' will cling to her yoga-toned body. Memories of tefillin - scripture-filled leather pouches worn during prayer, which Madonna uses in her music video 'Die Another Day' - will hover over the turntable that spins center-stage. The house will be dark on Friday night and Saturday - the Jewish Sabbath.
What, we wondered, would local rabbis and scholars make of Madonna's Jewish routes?
None we asked questioned her intentions, though one did wonder whether she'd been drawn into the fold by the promise of immortality through potential DNA restructuring - a tenet, he'd heard, of the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre, where Madonna, 45, practices. The same kind of molecular magic, performed by Centre leader Philip Berg, is rumored to transform upstate New York spring water into healing pre-Flood Kabbalah H2O.
But the experts did marvel at her lack of scholarship. "I think she's a spiritual seeker and not just a faddist,'' said Arthur Green, professor of Jewish thought at Brandeis University and a Jewish-mysticism scholar. "She uses letters and they inspire her, and I have no objection to that. But I can't say there's any knowledge reflected there.''
Moshe Waldoks, rabbi of Temple Beth Zion, an Independent congregation in Brookline, was more skeptical. "It's a very strange phenomenon to get involved with the Kabbalah without getting involved with Judaism,'' he said. The Kabbalah Centre, which boasts 50 branches, including one in Newton Centre, proclaims on its Web site that "Kabbalah is about 'light' not religion!''
"I think one of the main issues that conventional Jewish leaders have with the Kabbalah Centre approach is that Kabbalah is historically and most traditionally something that was preserved for scholars who had achieved a fluency in rabbinic thought and literature,'' said William Hamilton, rabbi of the Conservative congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline.
Rabbi Hamilton has no problem with the letters LAV being projected on a screen, because, he said, it's "not one of God's names that cannot be erased,'' that is, one of the seven names that, when they appear on paper, can't be discarded because they have an "inherent sanctity.'' Rabbi Waldoks doesn't think most people will even be able to distinguish the letters from "pig Latin'' or "a design.''
The tefillin binding her arm in the music video are another matter. "That I'd be more critical of because I think that gets into perhaps other associations with leather straps and the like, and I don't even want to go there,'' said Rabbi Hamilton.
"A lot of people must think this is a bondage film,'' Waldoks cracked.
Though the pop icon's brand of worship doesn't appear to put much stock in the central Jewish principle of mitzvot (good deeds), said the experts, good can still come from her embrace of Kabbalah, which has attracted Jews and nonJews alike for hundreds of years.
"Kabbalah has always attracted very serious followers and trivial, superficial followers, because it makes promises that sound very close to magic, like rewards for study that are not always spiritual but sometimes good fortune and magical powers,'' said Green. "That is not at all the true meaning of Kabbalah, but the element has always been there. Madonna is turning out to be surprisingly serious in her orientation.''
"Often it's the nonJew that gets fascinated who brings Jews to re-examine,'' said Waldoks. "Madonna's interest might ignite more Jews to rediscover. Shabbat observance is not one of the top things Jews do. God works in mysterious ways.''
source : bostonherald.com

A man who has been stalking Madonna was ejected from Madison Square Garden on the first two nights of the Material Mom's six-night run last week, The Post has learned.
On the first night of her "Reinvention" tour last Wednesday, security guards found the man just outside the arena and booted him, a Garden source said.
He had been identified from a photo handed out to all guards, according to the source. The next night, the stalker was kicked out of the building itself even though he had a ticket for the concert.
The source said the stalker has pestered the singer with calls to her office. Madonna's security guards alerted the NYPD, which got the Garden involved.
Madonna does not have an order of protection against the man, so Garden security was only able to eject him. He was not arrested.
"We will not comment on her security issues," said NYPD spokesman Detective Kevin Czartoryski.
A spokeswoman for Madonna could not be reached for comment.
It's not the first time Madonna has been scared by a stalker. In 1996, Robert Hoskins was sent to jail for 10 years for violent threats against the singer.
Madonna had testified that Hoskins rang the doorbell at her California home and said that "if he couldn't have me, he would slash my throat from ear to ear."
Yesterday, a police squad car escorted Madonna's three-car motorcade from the singer's Upper West Side apartment to the Garden. The motorcade wove through Midtown in an attempt to find a clear route to the arena. The traffic finally opened up when the squad car started flashing its lights and blaring its siren.
Police escorts for celebrities are not uncommon, a source said, but Czartoryski said that in this case, the NYPD was merely "assisting her move through traffic."
Still, it was hardly an isolated incident, the MSG source said: Madonna has had a similar escort on at least one other occasion during this tour.
Tonight is the last show of Madonna's run.
source : nypost.com

A piper who was hand-picked by Madonna to perform on her world tour is having the time of his life, his father said today.
Lorne Cousin, 31, was working as a lawyer in Edinburgh when he received a telephone call from the superstar asking him to play the bagpipes on her five-month Reinvention tour.
Mr Cousin, who is from Campbeltown, Kintyre, is now appearing with Madonna on stage in America, after taking leave from his job.
His father Alastair said his son was loving every minute of performing with one of the world's most famous women.
"I spoke to him a few days ago, and he seems to be enjoying the experience of being on the tour,"? said Mr Cousin Snr.
"He is having the time of his life - he gets on really well with Madonna, there are no problems there."?
Madonna first noticed Mr Cousin when she heard him playing the bagpipes at her friend Stella McCartney's wedding on the Isle of Bute, last year.
Mr Cousin Snr, who is a vet in Campbeltown, became a friend of the McCartney family after looking after some of their animals.
He added that his son would continue with the tour of America and Canada until the middle of July, when he planned to take a 10-day break, before flying back for Madonna's European concerts.
Simon Mackintosh, a partner at the Turcan Connell law firm where Mr Cousin works, said today: "We are delighted that Lorne has been given this opportunity.
"He is recognised in piping circles as an outstanding piper and is also a valued member of our rural property team.
"It is not easy to lose him for six months, but for Lorne it really is a chance of a lifetime."?
Another Scots piper Callum "Spud"? Fraser from Aviemore, was initially reported to have been chosen as piper for Madonna's tour.
Mr Fraser had played the bagpipes at Madonna's wedding to Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle in 2002.
It was reported he had been approached by the singer's staff during the wedding celebrations and asked to come on the tour but he had no contact again.
source : scotsman.com

Wanna have a face like Madonna? Well, here's all the dope on what products the Queen uses to remain the Queen of pop.
According to The Daily Mail, Material girl Madonna uses Alterna's Enzymetherapy Caviar shampoo and conditioner, make-up from the MAC range and Laque Lustres and perfume is Fluerissimo. She wears Prada and Burberry and clothes by her friend Stella McCartney.
source : newkerala.com

Instead of the birthday boy, it was Madonna who hogged the limelight at Rabbi Michael Berg's 31st birthday bash.
According to New York Daily News,a host of celebrities came to wish The co-director of the Kabbalah center in a private room gathering at the kosher midtown restaurant Solo.
However it was Maddona, one of the most ardent followers of the cult who got the most attention, so much so that it even sidelined the host.
source : newkerala.com

The Vatican has been holding a special conference of international Catholic leaders to deal with the challenges that New Age spirituality poses to traditional Christian beliefs. Special attention was reportedly given to "kabbala as espoused by Madonna."
The Catholic-born singer's public involvement with the Los Angeles-based Kabbala Center, accused by some of being a cult-like distortion of Jewish mystical beliefs, has intensified in recent months. It has been reported that Madonna had decided to observe kashrut dietary restrictions, and not to perform on Friday nights (Shabbat eve). Last week, the entertainer announced that she was adopting "Esther" as an additional name in honor of the heroine of the Purim saga.
"I don't go by the name of Esther, but yes, that is my Hebrew name. I chose it," she told the ABC-TV news show 20/20. "I was named after my mother. My mother died when she was very young. I wanted to attach myself to another name. So I read about all the women in the Old Testament, and I love the story of Queen Esther."
This week the singer released her third children's book, Yakov and the Seven Thieves, about the travails of a Jewish family in 18th century Russia.
In the on again, off again saga of Madonna's planned visit to Israel, the latest news according to a well-informed member of the local entertainment industry is that she will be coming - but in a private capacity.
"She'll fly in when she's somewhere in the region," he said, "but she won't be performing here."
Madonna will be performing in Europe from mid-August as part of her new "Reinvention" tour.
source : jpost.com

Madonna is casting a range of beauties to play Naoimi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Cgristy Turlington in a film- adaptation of a tell-all book about the supermodels. The 45-year-old superstar has acquired the film rights to Micheal Gross' revealing fashion industry tome Model. David Brendal wrote the movie treatment for Madonna's Maverick Films, and the movie is expected to air on an American cable network next year (05). A range of other supermodels are expected to be included in the movie, including Sylvester Stallone's ex-girlfriend Janice Dickonson.
source : breakingnews.iol.ie

The new issue of the french magazine Spotlight - entirely dedicated to Madonna's re-Invention World Tour - is now available.
Spotlight #26 contains:
An homage to the late Christophe Coatanoan
An intorduction to the "Re-Invention World Tour 2004"
The complete review of the opening night in L.A. by Fred Gilloteau
An exclusive interview to Christian Lacroix
An interview with Mike McKnight, the keyobards player of the tour band
All the latest news
The pictures from the "Re-Invention World Tour 2004"
A walk through memory lane to the past Madonna's tours.

A Vatican meeting has singled out Madonna's latest religious curiosity as a potential threat to the faithful, MSNBC reported Monday.
The lapsed-Catholic diva and former Material Girl has recently embraced a mystical form of Judaism called Kabbalah and announced she had taken the hebrew name Esther.
The Vatican has been holding a special summit with Catholic leaders from around the world, hammering out a way to deal with New Age religions and spiritual fads that pose a threat to the historic Christian faith.
Last week that summit singled out "Kabbalah as espoused by Madonna," plus several fad, quasi-Eastern religions.
"In the past, the Pope has criticized Madonna for the contents of her concerts," said cult expert Rick Ross, who has closely followed the activities of the Kabbalah Center. "Now, ironically, it's become a theological issue."
source : beliefnet.com

She's off again - for her "Reinvention Tour" (from May 24th to September 5th), Madonna, the uncontested queen of pop and fashion icon always at the cutting edge of the trend, will be revealing her best assets.
This time the singer approached CHANEL, and Karl Lagerfeld designed two fringed bodysuits in a music-hall singer style - one in black and white stripes, the other in red and black. His comment was, "I love Madonna.
She is a source of inspiration for us all - always ready to be transformed. Who could refuse to work with her?"
The items have been designed in a stretch fabric to accommodate the star's body movements, embroidered with some 200 000 sequins, each one set in place individually using a hook! An amazing achievement that took more than 250 hours of work by the nimble fingers in the Haute Couture workshops.
In all, three copies of each of the two outfits have been made, to make allowance for the little accidents that are likely to occur in the course of a six-month tour.
Madonna will be performing in Toronto, July 18, 19 and 21st, 2004.


source : cnv.ca

Madonna hopes to have her next feature-length documentary ready to debut at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. A sequel of sorts to "Truth or Dare," the film chronicles her current Reinvention Tour and the "new" Madonna, among other things. Director Jonas Akerlund ("American Life," "Ray of Light") said that after each night's concert, he heads back to his hotel room to start editing, because the amount of footage he's collected so far is massive "” some 150,000 feet in just the last two months. His crew said that the hardest part is keeping up with the Material Mom, who seems to have endless amounts of energy to dance, do yoga and run. ...
source : mtv.com

Madonna's Yakov and the Seven Thieves is the most visually magnificent of her three children's books, but the dreary and inappropriate story is lackluster and verbose. The luscious, wonderfully ornate illustrations, which convey a sense of 18th-century Ukraine, were created by the prolific and gifted Russian-born artist Gennady Spirin, who has illustrated 33 children's books and won a number of prizes.
Putting the name of the illustrator on the cover of a children's book is a traditional practice when the illustrator and writer are two different people.
Apparently, however, when one has an ego fatter than the onion domes topping Moscow's skyline, giving credit to others isn't part of the program. Spirin, like the illustrators of Madonna's previous two books, must settle for having his name listed on the book's title page.
Ego also plays a huge part in this moralistic tale. We're not talking about the ego of the characters. They are far too underdeveloped for that. It's the ego of Madonna, who apparently sees herself as destined to improve the world's moral tone.
The tale involves a dying little boy named Mikhail whose desperate father, the cobbler Yakov, and distraught mother, Olga, consult doctors but cannot find a cure. In desperation, Yakov visits a wise old man who claims that his prayers are powerful enough to pass through heaven's gates. When this doesn't happen, the old man has his grandson, Pavel, gather the village's pickpockets, thieves and other criminals. When this gang prays, the little boy miraculously recovers.
Unfortunately, Madonna violates several rules of children's literature, including don't be wordy and keep it appropriate. And parents will enjoy explaining the occupation of one particular character: an arsonist. Most of all, get off your high horse, Madame Morality. This tale is humorless and heavy-handed.
In fairness, Madonna did write an appealing children's book with her first, The English Roses, published in 2003.
She writes best when drawing upon personal experience. Roses effectively explored the difficult situation of being a motherless girl snubbed by her peers.
Her second book was weaker. Mr. Peabody's Apples addressed gossip and lies. A cloying stench of self-pity about the media's obsession with Mrs. Ritchie could be detected. Not that Madonna "” or is it Esther, now that she has adopted a Hebrew name? "” ever seeks the public's attention.
But this book, the third of five, is the worst. Dying children, prayers, criminals praying to open the gates of heaven. It's positively Grimm. Yakov will either bore or frighten children.
So if Madonna wants to jump-start her morality campaign, she could start with her own ego and at least put the illustrator's name on the cover of her next book.
source : usatoday.com

Callaway Arts & Entertainment is pleased to announce the release today of Madonna's third book for children, Yakov and the Seven Thieves.

Madonna spins another lesson-teaching yarn in her third picture book for children '(even grown-up ones),' this time drawing inspiration from an 18th-century Ukrainian teacher for a tale about overcoming selfishness to help others.
Paired with ornate, awe-inspiring illustrations by award winner Gennady Spirin, the author's tale - 'dedicated to naughty children everywhere' - centers on a cobbler, Yakov, who looks toward a wise man to help cure his deathly ill son.
Although the wise man's prayers alone cannot help Yakov, the cobbler's sincerity drives the old man to round up seven of the town's thieves and scoundrels, including the malodorous Stinky Pasha and a one-legged rascal named Ivan the Arsonist.
When a surprising group effort leads to the son's recovery, an explanation from the wise man reveals the miraculous reason, giving a jubilant Yakov and us readers plenty to ponder.
In her first children's book with a pre-20th-century setting, Madonna combines storytelling resourcefulness with a non-Western theme for a read that will sit comfortably alongside her previous two books.
Without a doubt, Spirin's artwork is the tour de force here, bringing to life Ukrainian landscapes and culture in a way that reflects the artist's remarkable attention to detail.
For those who enjoyed The English Roses and Mr. Peabody's Apples, this story, which follows a familiar format of old-fashioned fables, makes a fine addition to your Madonna 'literary' collection.
source : barnes & noble

Word on the street is, Madonna's grown up.
Her latest children's book, Yakov and the Seven Thieves, due out tomorrow, isn't quite what you'd expect from a star known for racy club queen antics and concerts with as much shock value as singing. But if you know anything about the 45-year-old pop chameleon, you know you can't put a label on her .
(In fact, as she revealed Friday, you can't even just call her Madonna any more. A follower of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, she's adopted the name Esther as her religious name.)
The book's release coincides with Madonna's aptly named Reinvention tour, one buzzed about for its lack of carnal content and abundance of political symbolism.
The slim, $19.95 hardback from Callaway Arts & Entertainment features a colorful cast of characters, enhanced by Russian artist Gennady Spirin's ornate and lively illustrations.
For starters, there's Yakov, a humble shoemaker overwhelmed by the beauty of his 18th-century eastern European village and the sorrow of his young son's illness.
Add a miracle-working old man, his young grandson and seven lively criminals - including Stinky Pasha (smells like the horses he steals) and Boris the Barefoot Midget (pint-sized pickpocket who's afraid of the dark) - and what results is a tender, albeit peculiar, tale of how to make a miracle happen.
The moral lies in the thieves' ability to heal Yakov's son through prayer, even when the nameless, magical old man is stopped short by heaven's locked gates. A blurb from Madonna inside the front cover is gently profound: "When we go against our selfish natures, we make miracles happen, in our lives and in the lives of others. We must never forget that hidden behind a large amount of darkness is a large amount of light."
But don't be fooled. Even though Madonna has shifted to humble advice-giver, Yakov and the Seven Thieves - the third in her series of five children's books - won't make its way modestly into bookstores. A major international media campaign will accompany the release, beginning with interviews on 20/20 and Good Morning America.
Publisher Nicholas Callaway said the media attention comes from Madonna's success and talent. "Her first two books have been global best sellers," he said . "She has an unusual gift for communicating with people."
Callaway might just be right. Her books, promoted as "stories for children of all ages (even grown-up ones)," the singer's tales clearly appeal to readers. In Yakov, she aims to capture some universal elements of humanity - vulnerability, honesty and even dishonesty.
"This is a well-told story that has a timeless message," Callaway said. "I hope it will be not only as well-received, but as popular as the first two books."
Those books, The English Roses (September 2003) and Mr. Peabody's Apples (November 2003), are available in 38 languages, plus a Braille edition, and in more than 110 countries. The English Roses was a New York Times best seller for 18 weeks, and Mr. Peabody's Apples remained on the list for 10 weeks.
Two more books are already in the works. The Adventures of Abdi is scheduled to hit shelves in November. The other book, due out next April, at least suggests that the old Material Girl hasn't completely vanished. Its title: Lotsa de Casha.
source : baltimore sun

Madonna bent over backward - literally - to give a crowd-pleasing performance at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night, but she still wasn't happy.
The singer, who's been hounded by rumors of ill-health after canceling her first tour date due to the flu and reports of backstage fainting spells, didn't get a wink of sleep Wednesday night.
The Material Mom showed up for preshow preparations on Thursday in a "really foul mood," according to a backstage source.
But her dancers, who started rehearsing for the tour with the famously perfectionist performer back in March, celebrated anyway. They held a private party at Show on Thursday night while a camera crew captured their off-stage antics for "Truth or Dare 2," a sequel to the infamous 1991 rockumentary.
source : NYPost

Madonna has said US President George Bush and ex-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein are alike because 'they are both behaving in an irresponsible manner'.
She pulled the anti-war video for her American Life single last year because there was a 'lynch-mob' patriotism in the US at the time, she told ABC News.
'I have children to protect and I just didn't think it was the right time.'
Madonna's American Life video depicted Mr Bush kissing Saddam Hussein, and her tour has a strong anti-war message.
During the US interview Madonna tried to draw a line under her wild days, vowing to be 'part of the order, not the chaos, of the world'.
She said: 'The stance of a rebel is 'I don't care what you think'. But if it's just for the sake of upsetting the apple cart, you're not really helping people.'
'You turn the apple cart over and then what? Then everyone's looking at an apple cart that's turned over and they're like, well, now what do I do?'
The 45-year-old mother-of-two said her days of shedding her clothes on stage or in front of the camera are also over.
'I thought I was liberating mankind but, like I said, I wasn't really offering an alternative.'
'To a certain extent I was saying 'Look, you know, why do men only get the job of objectifying women in a sexual way? I want to do it too.'
'There was an element of that, but there was also an element of being an exhibitionist and saying 'look at me'. It wasn't that altruistic. I can admit that.'
Madonna - who was named after her mother - said she now wanted to be called Esther as part of her following of the Kabbalah religious teachings.
'My mother died when she was very young of cancer, and I wanted to attach myself to another name,' she said.
'This is in no way a negation of who my mother is. I wanted to attach myself to the energy of a different name.'
source : BBC

Madonna will appear in a taped interview on Friday's edition of 20/20 with Cynthia McFadden - where she talks about her tour, her family life, Kabbalah and explains why she has taken on the Hebrew name of Esther.
Madonna, the master of self-invention, has come a long way since her 'Material Girl' days. While she has no regrets about her moves on her climb to pop diva status, she tells ABC News' 20/20, 'I brought a lot of chaos to people's lives, because of my selfish behavior.'
In her latest incarnation, the wife, mother, children's book author and still-touring pop star says the ruling philosophy in her home is 'pick up your s--t.'
Madonna may have made a career on rebellion, irreverence and sexually charged performance, but when it comes to her children, manners are important. 'Even my children have to clean up their mess, clean up their rooms. Manners, thank you, please, take your dishes to the sink. I mean....gratitude, being grateful, that is, that has to happen....If it's traditional to be a decent human being, then I'm traditional,' she told ABC News' Cynthia McFadden.
Madonna married film director Guy Ritchie in 2000. They have a son together, 4-year-old Rocco, and Madonna has a 7-year-old daughter, Lourdes, whose father is Madonna's former personal trainer, Carlos Leon.
Madonna says her favorite aspect of getting older is 'getting smarter' and gives a rare glimpse of her private life with Ritchie. She tells McFadden she believes the key step to a successful marriage is 'learning to apologize.' She also shares one of the couple's daily rituals, saying that after her grueling performances, she goes in the tub and her husband talks to her about the day.
Madonna also speaks candidly with McFadden about her study of Jewish mysticism known as Kabbala, which she believes is 'incredibly punk rock' and anti-establishment.
'Kabbalists believe in immortality. They believe that you can overcome death, overcome illness, whatever, so, it's....incredibly good to be a rebel,' she said.
Madonna also reveals that she has also taken on the Hebrew name of Esther, explaining that, 'I was named after my mother. My mother died when she was very young, of cancer, and I wanted to attach myself to another name. This is in no way a negation of who my mother is. I wanted to attach myself to the energy of a different name.'
Madonna also discusses her third and latest foray into children's literature, Yakov and the Seven Thieves, which hits bookstores June 21.
Madonna has dedicated the book to 'naughty children everywhere,' saying that, 'Even the naughtiest person in the world, big or small, has the capability to do something good in the world.'
Describing herself as 'naughty child, number one,' she espouses the power of prayer. 'I pray every day and I believe that it is a very powerful way to communicate, to heal, to affect change.'
20/20 will also air exclusive footage from Madonna's Reinvention tour, which comes to New York City's Madison Square Garden today.
Watch Cynthia McFadden's exclusive interview with Madonna on 20/20 Friday night at 10 p.m.
source : abcnews

Assuming a newly modest public image more in keeping with that of a nice Jewish girl than a "Material Girl," pop star Madonna says she has adopted the Hebrew name of Esther.
The Catholic-bred singer/actress said in an ABC News "20/20" interview airing on Friday that her identification with the Biblical queen celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim stems in part from her adherence to the study of Jewish mysticism known as Kabbalah.
The performer, born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, recalled that she was very young when her mother, for whom she was named, died of cancer.
"I wanted to attach myself to another name," she said according to excerpts from the interview released by ABC on Thursday. "This is in no way a negation of who my mother is. ... I wanted to attach myself to the energy of a different name."
The 45-year-old mother of two also insisted that despite her celebrated MTV awards kiss with Britney Spears, she has moved beyond the raunchy pop vixen image first cultivated two decades ago in such music-video hits as "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl."
"I did spend, you know, at least a decade taking my clothes off and being photographed, saying bad words on TV, and, you know, that sort of thing," she told ABC's Cynthia McFadden. "I don't regret it, but it's just ... I mean everybody takes their clothes off now. And then what? You know? And -- and then what?"
Acknowledging that her association with Kabbalah has drawn criticism in some quarters as a celebrity trend, Madonna said her practice of it is sincere.
"I'm a little bit irritated that people think that it's like some celebrity bandwagon that I've jumped on," she said. "I'm very serious about it."
As for day-to-day life on the domestic front, the wife of British director Guy Ritchie said one of her biggest mantras of motherhood has been: "Pick up your s--t."
"Even my children have to clean up their mess, clean up their rooms," she said. "Manners, 'thank you,' 'please,' 'take your dishes to the sink.' I mean ... gratitude, being grateful -- that is -- that has to happen. .. If it's traditional to be a decent human being, then I'm traditional."
source : CNN

The supporting acts for Madonna's show at Slane Castle on 29 August have been named by the promoters ww.mcd.ie as The Darkness, Iggy & The Stooges and Paul Oakenfold. More acts are to be announced soon.

source : madonnalicious.com

She might still be a Material Girl, but Madonna's no longer a Maverick.
Ending a nasty legal battle over the future of her Maverick Records, Madonna and Warner Bros. have reached a deal that removes her from control of the label she cofounded 12 years ago.
Madonna and her partners, Guy Oseary and Ronnie Dashev, teamed up with Warners to form Maverick, essentially a vanity label for Madonna to play music mogul. Madonna, Oseary and Dashev controlled 60 percent, while Warners owned the remaining 40.
Despite some huge early success with Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill and a roster that now includes Michelle Branch, Maverick has struggled of late.
With the partnership deal due to expire this year, Madonna and her two pals reportedly tried to sell their stake in Maverick to Warner Bros. for $60 million. But those talks fell apart and in March Madonna & Co. filed a $200 million lawsuit accusing Warner Music and parent company Time Warner of breach of contract, gross mismanagement and creative accounting.
Warners in turn launched its own lawsuit against Madonna, Oseary and Dashev, claiming Maverick was a poorly run black hole sucking to the tune of $66 million in red ink since 1999. Warners said Madonna and her partners would have to cough up close to $100 million if they wanted sole control of Maverick.
Monday's deal scotches the dueling lawsuits. Terms of the payouts were not disclosed, but reports say that Warners bought out Madonna for less than the $20 million she initially sought.
Under the new deal, Madonna will have no say in Maverick, but she will keep recording for Warner Bros., her home base since 1984. Warners also bought out the shares controlled by Dashev, who was Maverick's chief operating officer. Oseary will keep his shares and stay aboard as the label's A&R chief.
"This new joint venture agreement is clearly a win-win for both WMG and Maverick," Warner Music boss Lyor Cohen said in a statement.
In the same press release, Oseary thanked Madonna and Dashev and said he welcomed "the new independent spirit at Warner Music." (The label was acquired in November by an investor group led by Edgar Bronfman Jr.)
There was no immediate comment from Madonna, who is in the midst of her re-Invention Tour in support of her underwhelming latest disc, American Life.
Even without Maverick to worry about, Madonna still has plenty of extracurricular activities to amuse her. Aside from the touring, recording and child-rearing, she is getting ready to publish her next two Kabbalah-flavored kiddie books, Yakov and the Seven Thieves, due out next week, and The Adventures of Abdi, slated for release Nov. 8.
source : eonline.com

THE wait was officially over for Madonna fans today as the queen of pop's first-ever Irish concert was officially confirmed.
The Material Girl is to stage her much-anticipated concert at Slane Castle in Co Meath on Sunday, August 29.
There had been much speculation that Madonna would bring her re-Invention World Tour to these shores.
Although it was widely known that she was being lined up for the gig, promoters MCD/Wonderland refused to confirm it.
However, a spokesman said the tour would now go ahead, subject to license.
He said it was common for tickets to go on sale prior to a final decision being made on licensing.
Tickets for the concert go on sale this Friday morning, priced 88.50 euro.
Madonna's re-Invention tour has won critical acclaim so far, with her sold-out debut being described by the New York Times as "dense, dizzying and exhilarating".
The multi-Grammy Award winner is one of the biggest pop stars in the world - and one of the most controversial, provoking fury from the Catholic Church with her sexually explicit stage shows and videos.
In her two-decade career she has sold over 250 million albums and had more top ten singles than any other female artist in history.
Hits have included, Like A Virgin, Material Girl, Like A Prayer, Erotic, Vogue, Frozen and American Life.
In addition to her music, the star has also acted in movies like Evita and Desperately Seeking Susan and has published an adult sex book and children's book.
Other acts for the Slane concert have yet to be announced.
Tickets go on sale at 8am and are limited to six per person.
source : belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna have allegedly had an argument after the actress refused to join the trendy Kabbalah religion.
Sources claim mother-of-two Madonna called Gwyneth as soon as she gave birth to baby Apple, insisting she join the Jewish faith, popular with the Hollywood jet-set.
But, according to Britain's News of the World newspaper, the blonde beauty and her Coldplay husband, Chris Martin, refused Madonna's plea.
A friend revealed to the paper: "Madonna barely congratulated Gwyneth on Apple before she was going on and on about Kabbalah. She said that now Gwyneth was a mom, the time was right for her to join. But Gwyneth just doesn't want to get involved and told her that in no uncertain terms."
Madonna has successfully converted a host of celebrities, including Britney Spears and Demi Moore, to the mystic Jewish faith.
source : BANG Showbiz

After reigning over the hearts of millions for quite some time, pop queen Madonna, has added another feather to her cap.
The 45-year-old mom of two has been voted the best dressed woman by the Good Housekeeping magazine.
The homemaker's bible declared Madonna the leading fashion icon for women over 40. "The great thing about Madonna is that she constantly looks good and constantly reinvents herself and sets trends," editor Lindsay Nicholson is quoted as saying by news.com. 'Absolutely Fabulous' star Joanna Lumley was highly commended while fellow actors Helen Mirren and Judi Dench and model Jerry Hall were on the short list. Hall's one-time partner, crooner Bryan Ferry, was named Britain's best-dressed man, relegating soccer star David Beckham to second place. Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine, the austere hosts of the television series What Not To Wear reproduced for an Australian audience recently by Channel 7 - were judged worst-dressed women.
source : sify.com

Madonna has left many of her fans worried after recently collapsing at the end of one of her performances in Anaheim, California.
"She had just said thank you to the crowd and was coming off stage when she took a dive," a backstage aide told The Sun.
The 45-year-old mother of two has a lot on her plate with a current North American tour, a role as a gunslinging 1920s movie star in an upcoming Martin Scorsese film, and a third children's book in the works. However, Madonna's spokesperson reassured fans that all is well by downplaying the incident, saying:,"Madonna didn't faint, but she was certainly suffering from exhaustion."
source : andpop.com

The singer reportedly collapsed and had to be looked after by her aides after a gruelling two-hour performance in Anaheim, California.
An onlooker is quoted by MSNBC as saying: "After she thanked the crowd, she fainted backstage in full sight of those sitting way above the stage." A backstage worker is quoted by Britain's The Sun newspaper as revealing: "She claims she's OK but there are real fears she is over-working. She is pushing herself really hard - and she's not been sleeping well. She's very fit but she's not as young as she used to be." The mother-of-two's personal doctor has now been ordered to accompany her during the rest of her 're-Invention' tour and her nutritionist has also revised her strict diet to ensure she is eating well-balanced and vitamin-packed meals.
The star's spokeswoman played down any health worries but did admit Madonna is exhausted, saying: "Madonna didn't faint but she was certainly suffering from exhaustion."This is the second time Madonna has fallen ill during her world tour, which started last month in Los Angeles.
source : teenmusic.com

Pop icon Madonna has joined Kabbalah enthusiasts Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher in introducing a line of Kabbalah candles.
Harry Slatkin, who is nominated for two 'FiFi' fragrance awards will produce the candles. The Kabbalah candles have exotic and interesting names like the 'Evil Eye' and 'Sexual Energy'. According to The New York Daily News, Madonna will burn the candles on stage during her Madison Square Garden shows next week.
source : webindia123.com

Madonna will play the gunslinging 1920s movie star Texas Guinan in a new musical being produced by Martin Scorsese.
She will fill the leather chaps originally occupied by Courtney Love. The troubled rock star was cast as Guinan and even wrote a number of songs for the film before being dropped following her recent drug problems, according to the Sun.
The film, Hey Sucker!, takes its title from the infamous catchphrase which Guinan always delivered at the start of her baudy stage shows. The silent movie star was a legendary horseback rider who appeared in a wide range of Hollywood westerns and also became a prohibition-flouting nightclub hostess.
Madonna, who bought the rights to the film in 2001 through the movie arm of her production company Maverick, will co-produce with Scorsese. She will also take on Love's songwriting duties.
It will be directed by Jeremy Scott, the music promo director who made Madonna's high-profile anti-war video for her single American Life.
source : film.guardian.co.uk

Madonna's third book for children, Yakov and the Seven Thieves, will be published June 21 by New York-based Callaway Arts & Entertainment.
Yakov and the Seven Thieves is among five children's books planned by Madonna, each set in a different time and place.
By Frank Micelotta, Getty Images
Written for readers age 6 and up, Madonna describes the book as "a story about how all of us have the ability to unlock the gates of heaven no matter how unworthy we think we are. For when we go against our selfish natures, we make miracles happen, in our lives and in the lives of others."
Yakov and the Seven Thieves is among five children's books planned by the singer, each set in a different time and place. Her fourth book, The Adventures of Abdi, will be published on Nov. 8.
The announcement was made Monday by Nicholas Callaway, publisher and chief executive officer of Callaway Arts & Entertainment. The book will be distributed in the United States by the Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
source : The Associated Press