all about Madonna

During Howard Stern’s show on Tuesday, he played Neil Young’s version of the John Lennon classic ‘Imagine’ comparing it to Madonna’s recent performance on the tsunami telethon over the weekend of the same song. Stern said it means something when Neil Young sings it, adding that he got the chills listening to Young’s version. He said he doesn’t feel anything when Madonna performs it. He played Madonna’s version and talked about how she’s not a singer.
source : popdirt

Iconers – Great job on last weeks contest! Madonna is reviewing the submittals now and we will have a winner shortly. Are you ready for your next challenge? Madonna.com’s intro page has a new pic!
Please send an email identifying the date that this picture was taken, including day, month and year.
You aren’t done yet!
Who designed the dress Madonna was wearing on this special night?
One more question right and you could be picked as a winner!
Once you have identified this annual event, please name the other times Madonna has been a guest and if she has ever been honored.

E-mail your answer to icontest@moov-u.com before Thursday January 20th, 6.00 PM Pacific Time. Your email must also include your name, address and your valid ICON member number. Prize this week? A Girlie Show DVD & a Drowned World Tour DVD! Ready . . . Set . . . GO!!!!!!

Official Contest Rules
By entering or participating in the Icon Classic Madonna Collection Contest Part 2 (the “Contest”) you agree to all of the following rules How to Enter: No purchase is necessary to enter the Contest. The Contest will be announced on the Madonna web site. Members of the Madonna fan club may enter the Contest by emailing their entries to icontest@moov-u.com. Please include in the “subject” line of the email: “Classic Madonna Collection Contest Part 2″ In the body of the email include your full name, address, and member ID #, along with the entry. Any error or omission in the information in the entry will void the entry. All non-members may enter by mailing a 3″ x 5″ postcard containing the individual Contest name, which must be exact, your name, home address and telephone number or e-mail address and date of birth to Classic Madonna Collection Contest Part 1 c/o Musictoday, P.O. Box 1873 Charlottesville,VA 22903. On the postcard please include your entry. Any error or omission in the information on the card will void the entry. There is a limit of one (1) entry per person. If multiple entries are received from any person, only one entry can qualify to be chosen as a Winner. By participating, all entrants agree to abide by these Official Rules.
Eligibility: The Contest is open to members of the Madonna Fan Club, who are US residents and 16 years of age or older. Residents from other countries may not be eligible dependant upon the governing laws of their jurisdictional residence. This contest is void where prohibited by law. Proof of age may be required. Employees and affiliates of Madonna and Musictoday, Inc. members of such affiliates’ immediate families or households are ineligible to participate in the Contest. Winners of the contest must already have tickets for the show.
Prize Deadlines: All entries for the Contest must be received by midnight Eastern Time January 20, 2005. One (1) winner will be chosen by Madonna and/or Musictoday staff members and notified by January 24, 2005. The winner name will be posted on the Madonna fan club web site by January 24, 2005.

Winner Selection and Notification: The odds of winning are dependent upon the number of eligible entries received. The decisions of Madonna and Musictoday are final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest. Any attempted second entry shall be discarded and the entrant may be disqualified from the Contest at the discretion of Madonna and Musictoday. Entries are the property of Madonna and Musictoday and will not be returned. Winners will be notified by email. If a winner cannot be reached after a reasonable effort has been made, or if an entrant is found to be ineligible, an alternate winner may be selected. Winners will be selected from all eligible entries received. Winners may be required to sign and return a release and affidavit before claiming prize, at the discretion of Madonna and Musictoday.
Prizes: One selected winner of the “Classic Madonna Collection Contest Part 2″ contest will win a merchandise package featuring one(1) Drowned World Tour DVD(1) Girlie Show DVD. Approximate retail value (”ARV”): $40.00. Prizes are not redeemable for cash or transferable. If the winner is unable to accept the prize for any reason, the winner will forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be selected.
General Conditions: The Contest is void where and to the extent prohibited by law and is subject to all applicable laws, including, without limitation, federal, state, and local laws and regulations. In the event of non-compliance by any winner with the official rules of the Contest, an alternate winner may be selected. Prizes are non-transferable. Return of any prize or prize notification as undeliverable will result in a disqualification of the winner and an alternate winner may be selected.
All prizes will be awarded. Except where legally prohibited, acceptance of any prize constitutes permission for Madonna and Musictoday to use each winner’s name, photograph, likeness, voice, address (city and state) and testimonials, in printed, broadcast or other media, whether now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity, in any manner it deems appropriate in connection with promoting this or any other Contest and/or promotion sponsored by it, without further compensation to the winner.
Releases: By participating, entrants agree that Madonna and Musictoday, and those involved in the development, production (including prize suppliers), implementation and distribution of the Contest and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, service providers, and agencies, and their directors, officers, agents, employees, attorneys, and any other person or entity associated with such entities and/or promotion (hereinafter collectively called “Promoters”), shall not be liable for any claims, damages, losses or injuries, including any third party claims, arising from or relating to, in whole or in part, the Contest, including entry and participation in the Contest and acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prizes. Promoters shall not be liable for entries that are delayed, lost, misdirected, misdelivered, marked postage-due, illegible, mutilated, incorrect or incomplete, and such entries will not be eligible for the Contest. Promoters shall not be responsible for any technical malfunctions of any telephone network, computer on-line system, computer equipment or software; program malfunctions or other failures; delayed computer transactions or network connections; any errors of any kind, whether human, mechanical or electronic; or any combination thereof, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to the computer of any entrant or any other person related to or resulting from downloading any part of the Contest. Any person attempting to defraud or in any way tamper with the Contest will be ineligible for prizes and may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Madonna and Musictoday reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel or suspend a Contest should viruses, bugs or other causes beyond its control corrupt the proper administration or security of a Contest. Madonna and Musictoday reserve the right to modify the rules of the Contest in any way or at any time, as long as reasonable notice is given. All taxes on any prize won are the sole responsibility of each winner, including, without limitation, any federal, state, or local taxes, which may be deemed applicable in such winner’s jurisdiction of residence. Each Contest shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States of America. By participating in this contest, entrants agree that the state and federal courts located in the Commonwealth of Virginia shall have jurisdiction over any dispute or litigation arising from or relating to this Contest and that venue for such litigation shall be only in the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond, Virginia, or the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, or, at the election of Madonna or Musictoday, any dispute or claim of any kind will be resolved by binding arbitration, such arbitration to be held in Charlottesville, Virginia, and sha
ll be held in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association.
Rules/Winners List: A list of winner’s names may be posted on the web of each drawing. To receive a copy of these Official Rules or the list of winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Madonna Fan Club Contests- Winners List, P. O. Box 1873, Charlottesville, VA 22903. Specify “winners list” or “rules” on your request. WA and VT residents may omit return postage.

source : madonna.com

Here’s a small preview of their first magazine

Pop star Madonna has been given a coveted Blue Peter badge by the long running BBC children’s TV show. Presenter Matt Barker interviewed the singer about her fourth children’s book The Adventures of Adbi.
The interview will be shown on digital channel CBBC on Tuesday and on BBC One on Wednesday. Other famous Blue Peter badge-holders include the Queen, Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park and actors Brad Pitt and Joseph Fiennes.
Madonna’s Blue Peter award came for her appearance on the programme and is the same honour bestowed upon viewers who contribute an idea to the show or appear as a guest.
Kabbalah faith
There are five Blue Peter badges in total. Others include a gold award for outstanding achievement, a silver award for a special contribution, a green award for conservation efforts and a competition badge.
Madonna’s book is based on the Kabbalah faith which she has embraced in recent years, alongside husband Guy Ritchie.
In November Madonna gave a public reading to the launch the book on London’s Oxford Street.
The illustrated story, part of a series of five tales, centres on Italian greyhound Lotsa de Casha, a wealthy dog who is still unhappy.
Blue Peter has been on air since 1958 and is screened five nights a week.

With Norah Jones singing “we’re all in this thing together,” movie and music stars contributed their talents for a hastily arranged benefit for tsunami victims televised live on Saturday.
The two-hour program aired on NBC Universal-owned stations, with all donations going to the American Red Cross International Response Fund.
“We have a choice,” actor Clint Eastwood said. “We can either look away or we can help.”
The benefit wasn’t without a glitch: Singer John Mayer uttered an expletive that got on the air even though NBC was using a five-second delay to protect against such things.
Women had their choice of heartthrobs answering phones and taking pledges in the NBC Universal studios in Los Angeles: Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Nicolas Cage, Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Tom Selleck and James Caan.
The concert was reminiscent of a similar benefit that ran on more than 30 television networks less than two weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. That benefit raised nearly $130 million for that cause.
In an echo of that concert three years ago, Madonna sang John Lennon’s “Imagine,” dressed in a black dress. Singer Neil Young performed the same song at the 2001 benefit.
Actors told stories about the tsunami, and NBC showed pictures of the effects of the devastating waves and the agony of children left behind.
Morgan Freeman told of a 60-year-old man in Sri Lanka who survived for two weeks before being found by rescuers.
“Miracles do happen,” he said. “You can be that miracle also.”
While he was singing “Bold as Love,” Mayer swore while backing away from the microphone during a guitar solo. The audio briefly cut out about a second or two after he had said it.
NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks acknowledged the incident and said NBC’s standards people had been too slow on the button to remove it. She said it would be bleeped out when NBC showed the telethon by tape delay on the West Coast.
NBC is only two weeks removed from a New Year’s Eve telecast where Motley Crue’s Vince Neil swore while wishing bandmate Tommy Lee a happy New Year — instigating a Federal Communications Commission investigation.
Appearing also was Fox News Channel commentator Bill O’Reilly, who had questioned on his show whether participating stars would follow through to see if the money made it to its intended beneficiaries. Clooney immediately challenged O’Reilly to do his part and participate.
When people are in trouble, “they turn to friends who become their lifeline,” O’Reilly said. “Who are their friends? You are.”
Gloria Estefan sang “There’s Always Tomorrow,” former Beach Boy Brian Wilson sang “Love and Mercy” and Lenny Kravitz sang “Let Love Rule.” In pre-taped performances from London, Elton John sang “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters sang “Wish You Were Here,” accompanied by Eric Clapton.
Viewers were continually urged to call 1-800-HELPNOW or log on to the Red Cross’ Web site. Besides NBC, the program was carried on CNBC, MSNBC, USA, Bravo, Telemundo, Pax TV, Trio and the Sci-Fi Channel.
NBC said it had no immediate estimate on how much money was raised.
Sony’s Connect music store will offer downloads of live performances from the concert, with proceeds going to the American Red Cross. SBC Communications is underwriting the commercial-free program.

Madonna has persuaded Britney spears to appear in the animated film version of her children’s book The English Roses.
The Material Girl superstar pleaded with the Toxic singer to voice the story’s heroine Binah – and Spears was eager to accept.
Madonna, 46, has also managed to secure the vocal skills of David Bowieand rapper Snoop Dogg for the big-budget movie, which will be produced by her husband Guy Ritchie.
The pop veteran herself will voice the Fairy Godmother in the tale of a girl – based on her eight-year-old daughter Lourdes – excluded by a group of schoolmates who are jealous of her beauty.
source : contactmusic

Madonna’s status as an international icon of fashion, film and music is undisputed, and her signature hit, “Holiday,” took the world by storm in 1983 and eventually became a classic.
Twenty years later, singer Mary J. Blige came out with “Not Today,” with rapper Eve and produced by Dr. Dre. The song was featured in “Barbershop 2.” But now Mary J, Eve, Dre and others connected to the song are being sued by the people who own the “Holiday” copyright, who think “Not Today” sounds a little too similar to Madonna’s song.
In court documents, the publishing company claims “Not Today” contains several unequivocal points of duplication, including sections of the rhythm and much of the harmonic content. But are they singing the right tune?
Judith Finnell, a New York musicologist and expert witness on copyright infringement who, in the past 20 years, has testified for the likes of Michael Jackson and Julio Iglesias, compared the two songs for “CJ.” “It sounds similar enough to bear further consideration,” she observed. “Both the pitches and the rhythms sound closely related. I don’t think they’re identical, because Madonna’s song is in what we call “~major key’ and Mary J Blige’s song is in a minor key.”
If this ever does go to a jury and jurors decide “Not Today” sounds significantly like “Holiday,” the plaintiffs could win at least $15 million.
source : celebrityjustice.warnerbros.com

Mer Girl – Madonna Best Links, Click the image to visit site.

The webcast will stream live at the time of the event at 8PM EST, Saturday, January 15th and will be repeated at 8pm PST to coincide with the West Coast airing. Watch it on Yahoo and MSNBC.