all about Madonna

50,000 people are dying, needlessly, every day of extreme poverty.
At this year's G8 summit meeting, it is within your power to put an end to this tragedy. It is an extraordinary opportunity which it would be shameful to ignore. We urge you to take these 3 steps to make extreme poverty history...
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Visit Madonna-TV to download exclusive 5 minute fan video report of Madonna in New York City.

from Madonnalicious : The latest issue of World Of Interiors talks to photographer Tim Walker and at the end of the feature they mention his next projects which include:
Tim is off now to meet Madonna to discuss him photographing Ashcombe House - Madonna's country house in Wilshire - for American Vogue.

Madonna plays a game called 'disco tag' with her kids in order to tire them out before bedtime.
The pop superstar insists the night-time playtime helps her children Rocco and Lourdes get rid of any extra energy so they'll sleep soundly.
She says, "It's a fun game. There's a whole performance involved, and you dance, and you're supposed to fake the other person out that you're not interested in tagging them by dancing.
"We all play - I play, my husband, the nanny... My son uses all his adrenaline and then passes out. That's a good night."
source : contactmusic

Live 8 has just announced it's teaming up with music giant EMI for a worldwide deal for the Live 8 performances happening on July 2. According to the agreement, EMI will provide a large financial contribution to the Live 8 organization in exchange for the worldwide DVD rights to its concerts in the UK, Canada, US, France, Germany and Italy.
The concerts include performances by Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Coldplay, Sheryl Crow, Deep Purple, Dido, Green Day, Jay-Z, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Linkin Park, Madonna, Maroon 5, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, REM, Scissor Sisters, Sting, Joss Stone, U2, Keith Urban, Velvet Revolver, Robbie Williams, Brian Wilson and Stevie Wonder.
"We are very grateful to EMI for their financial contribution which helped to make the July 2nd concerts happen everywhere on the planet and thus nudge the world a little closer towards our shared aim," said Bob Geldof. "I hope this will be the biggest selling DVD of all time. It deserves to be."
Geldof isn't the only one excited. EMI Music Canada President Deane Cameron is just as keen. "On its own, the Toronto area show already boasts an astonishing line-up of artists," he said.
source : chartattack

Live 8 organisers have announced the release of 55,000 extra free tickets to the star-studded concert.
The additional places will allow people to watch Saturday's event at Hyde Park live on giant screens.
Pairs of tickets will be handed out free of charge from Wednesday at selected venues in London and around the UK, organisers said.
Bob Geldof said: "This is going to be the biggest event in Hyde Park's history and the biggest ticketed event ever in the UK.
"The park will be filled to the brim. In other cities around the country and around the world, millions of people will be joining in to make poverty history. It will be one of those defining moments that come around once in a generation."
The announcement followed "detailed discussions" with the Royal Parks, Westminster City Council and police, organisers said.
Space for the additional numbers has been allocated south of the Serpentine Lake. The finish time for the event has been extended from 8pm to 9.30pm.
Organisers urged people without tickets not to come, saying that room was limited due to "the massive infrastructure and huge numbers with tickets".
Saturday's show, with an actual audience of 150,000, will include Madonna, Robbie Williams and Sir Paul McCartney. The concert will highlight poverty and debt in developing countries, just days before the leaders of the world's richest countries meet in Scotland.
The 55,000 extra tickets will be available from 3pm on Wednesday June 29, with doors closing at 7pm and reopening at 10am next morning.
source : reuters

Rock 'n' roll is all about excess - so with MTV providing selected TV coverage, AOL Webcasting the entire event (at aolmusic.com) and XMsatellite radio broadcasting all the shows as well the hardest part of this historic event is deciding when too much is just enough.
*The London concert begins at 6 a.m. local time July 2 on Saturday. Take a breath: Pink Floyd, Bob Geldof, U2, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, R.E.M., Sting, Mariah Carey, Travis, Snoop Dogg, The Killers, Keane, Joss Stone, Dido, Robbie Williams, Elton John and Pink Floyd.
Okay, Pink Floyd was mentioned twice but that's how musically historic this reunion - after nearly a quarter century - is. No individual gig times have been announced.
*The Philadelphia show starts at noon on Saturday, and has one of the best line-ups. The Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Wonder, Kaiser Chiefs, Linkin Park, Bon Jovi and Destiny's Child headline. While Jay-Z has been announced as a participant, rumors persist that the rap mogul has bowed out of the event.
*Selections get easier outside of London and Philly. In Paris at the Palais de Versailles, sexy Shakira is the act that'll make the French go oo-la-la, but no doubt the rejuvenated Cure featuring a decidedly non gloomy Robert Smith will also be a favorite. Lauryn Hill plays Berlin, and Rome has probably the weirdest lineups - a spaghetti western featuring Tim McGraw and his wife Faith Hill. Visit live8live.com for more.
source : newyorkpost

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Thanks to horn from MadonnaNation

Live 8 concerts organized by Bob Geldof to raise awareness of African poverty could become the largest global broadcast as they hope to attract more than the 3.9 billion viewers who were able to watch the Athens Olympic Games.
Organizers said on Saturday they were confident they could beat that figure after attracting 140 television networks around the world to show next week's anti-poverty concerts.
They said millions would also watch the likes of U2, Madonna, Stevie Wonder and Sheryl Crow via the Internet.
Twenty years ago, Geldof organized the Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia, which raised more than $100 million to help fight famine in Ethiopia and attracted an estimated 1.5 billion viewers.
This time, rather than raise money, he has organized eight free concerts to raise the profile of African poverty and increase pressure on world leaders to act.
The concerts will all be held on July 2, days before a Group of Eight (G8) summit of the world's leading industrialized nations opens at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland.
Organizers of the concerts say the addition of the Internet will have a huge impact on viewing figures and point to an American soap that last week attracted more viewers via the Internet than through television.
"This ... live broadcast ... will be the first to truly embrace the powerful broadband Internet," Live 8 executive producer Kevin Wall said in a statement.
The International Olympic Committee estimates that 3.9 billion people "had access to the images of the (2004) Games."
The concerts will be staged in Japan, Germany, France, Italy, the United States, South Africa, Canada and Britain.
A ninth may be staged in Moscow, organizers said on Friday, and a separate concert is being held in Edinburgh on July 6, some 40 miles from where the G8 leaders will be meeting.
"Everyone in the world will have the opportunity to view ... this event and collectively we will come together to have our voices heard," Wall said.
source : reuters

40 - It's Still Rock And Roll To Me - Billy Joel
39 - Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go-Go's
38 - Making Plans For Nigel - XTC
37 - I Ran - A Flock Of Seagulls
36 - White Lines - Grandmaster Flash
35 - Radio Free Europe - REM
34 - Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
33 - I Will Follow - U2
32 - Take On Me - A-HA
31 - Tainted Love - Soft Cell
30 - Never Say Never - Romeo Void
29 - Mirror In The Bathroom - The English Beat
28 - Blister In The Sun - Violent Femmes
27 - Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order
26 - Let's Go To Bed - The Cure
25 - Burning Up - Madonna
24 - Satisfaction - Devo
23 - Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
22 - Debaser - The Pixies
21 - Warm Leatherette - The Normal
20 - Pop Musik - M
19 - I Found That Essence Rare - Gang Of Four
18 - Pump It Up - Elvis Costello
17 - Enola Gay - OMD
16 - House Of Jealous Lovers - The Rapture
15 - One Way Or Another - Blondie
14 - The Look Of Love - ABC
13 - Roadrunner - The Modern Lovers
12 - This Charming Man - The Smiths
11 - Life During Wartime - The Talking Heads
10 - Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode
9 - Good Times Roll - The Cars
8 - Opportunities - Pet Shop Boys
7 - Pretty In Pink - Psychedelic Furs
6 - Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
5 - Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
4 - Don't You Want Me - Human League
3 - When You Were Mine - Prince
2 - 52 Girls - B-52's
1 - Cars - Gary Numan

Thanks to Holidayguy from MadonnaNation and DVDManians.net

Madonna has something very special lined up for her Live 8 performance.
The Queen of Pop will sing Like A Prayer with a gospel choir of African children.
source : thesun

Thrilled with the success of the Mylène Farmer Weekend that took place on April 9th and 10th, the DeeJays web radio decided to repeat the experience by dedicating two days of broadcast to one of the greatest singer ever: Madonna. It is a wonderful oportunity to pay tribute to the Queen of Pop and to (re)discover this multifaceted artist through original mixes and remixes devised by Paris One Deejays and remixers.
On this weekend, one-hour sets consisting of official "˜night-club' remixes will be played by many of the radio's resident deejays for Paris One's audience. Yet another large part of this weekend will be dedicated to "˜non-official' remixes and bootlegs devised by amateur remixers.
source : parisone.com

Donna De Lory will head London this weekend where she be will accompanying Madonna at this years Live 8 benefit concert in London's Hyde Park! After she spends a week in rehearsals, she will hit the stage with Madonna on July 2nd to put on what is sure to be a spectacular show! Other artists taking to the stage during this benefit are: Sting, U2, Annie Lennox, Coldplay, Dido, Sir Elton John, Keane, Mariah Carey, REM, Robbie Williams, Travis, and many more.
source : donnadelory.net

"Fallen idol"
What's Madonna doing writing yet another moral-heavy children's book? And why has she become such a vocal supporter of Kabbala? Dina Rabinovitch, a long-time fan, jumped at the chance to ask her straight out - but was left distinctly unimpressed by her answers.
A day in the life of the Ritchies. Kids at school, Madonna at her computer. She has a book deal to write children's stories - the only problem is, there's nothing on the screen yet. "It didn't come easily," she says. "I'm methodical, so I set aside time to sit at my computer - of course, in the time that the children are at school - for four hours every day, but nothing came out. My husband [the film-maker Guy Ritchie] said: 'Write what you know about, and it will come, and then you edit out the bits you don't like.' And he was right - that worked."
Article continues
Madonna, the original material girl, is on the fifth of her moral-heavy children's books. Lotsa de Casha is published this week and the message is, money can't buy happiness. Her first children's book, The English Roses, was launched in London, with a celebrity-studded rooftop party. The author - much prettier in real life than in photos, and very tiny - was surrounded by heavies and nobody was allowed to approach. This time she is publicising her book in New York, but she has decided to give two UK interviews, to the Guardian and Grazia magazine. Madonna will phone me, I'm told, not the other way around, and it will be at 9.40pm British time. And sure enough, to the second, she does: "Hi, this is Madonna."
She sounds just like a regular New Yorker - quiet voice, clear American accent. So, fellow American, I don't do the English dance of politeness, but come straight out with the questions I'm really curious about.
I ask about the Kabbala Centre, of which she has become an habituée. To Jews, I say to her, it's a little odd that someone with the kind of business acumen she obviously has has been drawn into the Kabbala Centre, which is regarded within the Jewish community as being run by charlatans. "Is it?" she says. "Yes," I say, "the selling of water at ludicrous prices, and claiming holy properties for it ... selling bits of red string ... claiming to teach Kabbala [a branch of Jewish mysticism], not something you can study without an in-depth knowledge of Hebrew, and Judaism ..."
"I have an incredible teacher who is very wise," says Madonna. "The last thing you'd accuse him of is charlatanism. I do think lots of the ones who started the centre, they're not worldly-wise, they've been naive about marketing themselves. What I say is, don't listen to the messenger, hear the message." A message I keep reading back to myself from my notes of the interview, and still can't make sense of, actually.
But what about the financial shenanigans? "If people want to delve into the veracity of religious organisations," Madonna says, "have a look at the evolution of Christianity; or hop over to the Vatican. Where does all that money go? Have you seen all the gold on that roof? Not that I'm picking on Catholics; God forbid, my father would never forgive me."
Her father was very strict when she was growing up, she says. It's left her with a certain regard for discipline and method which she applies to work, and to parenting. She passes on a household tip which I think is little short of brilliant. Her daughter Lola (Lourdes) leaves clothes all over the bedroom floor. So how does that play when your mom is Madonna? Not good, apparently. Floor-bound clothes are bagged up and Lola only gets them back if she keeps the room tidy for the rest of the week.
Wow, I say, how did she think that one up? "Uh, I was talking to my housekeeper, you know, telling her not to pick all the clothes off the floor, and then I just suddenly thought of it - this is how to deal with it. And it works, mostly."
So she was a pretty tidy child herself, then? "Yes, very." And she never rebelled, did that teenage thing, dropped clothes on the floor? "Well, obviously I did rebel, as you know, but not in that way. I was never untidy."
Really, all through the rebellious years? "Yup, tidy, and ordered and meticulous."
Madonna's five children's books are beautifully produced, each illustrator vying to outdo the other. Gorgeous frontispieces, and yes, meticulously detailed drawings. All five stories are laden with Jewish imagery, from the heroine of The English Roses, called Binah, which is Hebrew for understanding, through the use of "everything is for the best" - gam zu le'tova - a saying of a Jewish scholar, nicknamed Nachum Ish Gamzu, because of his habitual use of the phrase. Two of the tales are credited to the Ba'al Shem Tov, a Hassidic leader in the 1700s.
"I didn't get the stories from the Kabbala Centre," Madonna says sharply. "Well, some I gleaned from my studies, but I've adapted them to a modern vernacular. Some I made up. The idea of sharing is not unique to Kabbala. The story of The English Roses is universal. You know," she says with some feeling, "people jumping to conclusions about other people."
She was attracted to the Kabbala Centre, she says, because her Catholic school never answered any questions: what is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of creation? If there is a God, why is there suffering? How do you reconcile Genesis with Darwinism? "When the student is ready," she told me, "I guess the teacher appears."
"Here's exactly what happened," she says, sounding like someone who is relieved to set the record straight. "I was pregnant with my daughter and I went to this dinner party where I heard someone talk about Kabbala, which seemed to address questions I'd started asking.
"I've been studying for nine years. I know there's all this fuss about it now, celebrities and so on. When I started, there were no celebrities, and I just sat at the back of the class."
She then tells me that the Kabbala Centre has nothing to do with Judaism really, or indeed religion, because, she says, she has a problem with religion - "people just doing stuff because they're told to, no explanations". The Kabbala Centre is something else entirely. "I don't consider it Jewish or religious, because I meet all kinds of people there - Hindus, pagans, Buddhists ..."
The centre has profoundly changed her, she says. How? "Ten years ago, I never thought I'd be writing children's stories and giving the money to charity." But the money goes to the Kabbala Centre, I say.
"Well, it goes to something they've founded, Spirituality for Kids, which is, you know, doing work with families all over the world, the occupied territories, even in London ... well, outside London. Ken Livingstone's trying to help set one up." She heavily emphasises the words "occupied territories".
By now, big fan that I am, I am feeling rather depressed. Madonna's a keynote figure in our household - my husband's daughter Chloe dresses up as Madonna on the Jewish festival of Purim, and any other day she can get away with it. Desperately Seeking Susan is my all-time favourite movie. Bagging this interview with Madonna was like winning the lottery - only cooler.
But I'm really floundering now at the news that Kabbala is nothing to do with Judaism at all, at the parroted stuff she keeps spouting about reconciling science with spiritualism. I loved Desperately Seeking Susan, but now it turns out she was acting more than we realised - messy bedrooms are so not her thing. I wanted this woman, my generation, my aspirations, to be great. But it doesn't turn out that way.
"Do you want to ask me any more questions?" Madonna says, very levelly indeed. "No, no, it's enough," I splutter. "You must be tired," I think I say.
source : guardian

Live 8 is close to finding a TV home. AOL, which is handling the U.S. broadcast rights for the Bob Geldof concerts, is nearing a deal with MTV, sources said. The cable network will air some of the performances from five concerts set to take place on July 2.
AOL is also expected to announce a deal with XM Satellite Radio and has held discussions with ABC and Premiere Radio Networks, sources said.
AOL will stream the five concerts live for free on the Web at AOLmusic.com and will offer free on-demand access to the shows for six weeks. The concerts are aimed at raising awareness of poverty in Africa.
source : newyorkdaily

Madonna is featured on the cover of Autograph Collector magazine's July 2005 issue :

Visit AutographCollector.com for more info.

Thanks to Cherise

The international superstar Madonna announced today the launch of englishrosescollection.com, the premier destination for The English Roses, Madonna's hugely successful debut children's book and for The English Roses(TM) girl's collection based on the book, including girl's apparel, footwear, rainwear, collectable dolls, teas and tea sets, charm bracelets and necklaces, calendars and more.
"I am excited about the launch of the English Roses Collection website," said Madonna. "The site makes it easier for girls who are fans of the book and the collection to correspond directly with me."
The website features Fun & Games for young girls, including instant messaging buddy icons, computer wallpaper and printable coloring pages, and even a page where English Roses fans can give their feedback on the collection. It also includes a Characters section with background information on their favorite English Roses friends and a section with important English Roses news. Young fashionistas can also easily access a link to their favorite English Roses merchandise in the Shoppe section.
To support the website, Madonna's official website, Madonna.com, will link to the English Roses Collection.
About The English Roses book
The first of five children's books written by Madonna, The English Roses tells an inspiring story about the importance of compassion and the rewards of friendship through five little girls. The English Roses debuted at #1 on the New York Times Children's Bestseller lists and was the #1 seller for Barnes & Noble online (http://www.bn.com). Published by Callaway Editions, The English Roses was printed in 30 languages and over 100 countries, and became the largest children's book release in publishing history with a first printing of 1 million copies.
About The English Roses(TM)
The English Roses(TM) collection was introduced in Fall 2004 in select Nordstrom stores, Neiman Marcus stores and specialty boutiques nationwide, and continues to be a huge success. The line features a vibrant line of girl's apparel, matching footwear, rainwear, collectable dolls, teas and tea sets, charm bracelets and necklaces, calendars and more, all based on the characters and images in the book.
source : yahoo news

Madonna's "Bedtime Story" and "Rain" videos will be on the upcoming "The Work Of Director Mark Romanek" DVD (release date September 13).

Click here to pre-order it from Amazon.com

Madonna is on the cover of british magazine "Grazia"

Visit Drowned Madonna to see hq scans from this magazine.

When the queen of pop isn't busy dressing like a Sunday school teacher and plugging her latest kid's book, Madonna is heading back to her dance roots.
Never one to follow fashion, Mad's has decided to team-up with some top producers for her forthcoming album, rumoured to be out late November.
"It's all dance music," she recently blabbed. "No ballads, no slow songs."
Which is a shame, because we know there's another This Used To Be My Playground in there, just waiting to get out.
After surprising her critics in 1998 by working with William Orbit and releasing the excellent Ray of Light, Madge went all semi-dancey on us and brought French producer Mirwais Ahmadzai onboard for both Music and American Life.
Stuart Price (a.k.a. Jacques Lu Cont), her musical director on the Reinvention Tour, who co-wrote X-Static Process on American Life is also said to be involved.
While Swedish producer-songwriters known as Bloodshy & Avant (Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg), who wrote and produced Britney's Toxic hit are also lending a hand.
source : megastar.co.uk

Madonna wants to go back to her roots, so she's planning to get into the groove on her next album. "It's all dance music," she revealed recently. "No ballads, no slow songs."
The Material Mom has been working on her 10th studio album with several collaborators, some of whom have lent a helping hand before, such as French producer Mirwais Ahmadzai, who lent his retro-electro style to both Music and American Life, as well as Stuart Price, her musical director on the Reinvention Tour who popped up on American Life by co-writing "X-Static Process." His '80s electro-pop sound will be showcased even more prominently on the upcoming, still-untitled album, she said, because she did "a lot" of it with Price (a.k.a. Jacques Lu Cont).
But Madonna isn't just tapping into the well of the tried and true " she's also borrowing a bit from Britney by experimenting with a duo of Swedish producer-songwriters known as Bloodshy & Avant (Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg), who made a name for themselves by writing and producing Spears' "Toxic."
Madonna's album is due in late November, and she plans to tour by next summer.
source : mtv.com

Madonna reportedly vetoed Guy Ritchie's plan to hire Rick Astley to liven up one of her husband's parties.
Guy wanted the 80s crooner to sing at the wrap bash for his latest film, Revolver, reports the Mirror.
The paper quotes a source as saying: "Guy and the production staff on the movie thought hiring Rick would be a cool thing to do for his cast and crew, who had worked so hard on the gangster flick.
"They were discussing how to make it a bit different and somehow came up with the idea of hiring Rick."
The cast thought it a great idea and were already looking forward to dancing to Never Gonna Give You Up - until Madonna vetoed the idea.
"She wasn't into the idea at all and didn't find it amusing... No one can understand why Madonna didn't approve of him being the star attraction."
The Mirror speculates Madge is still harbouring a grudge from 1987 when his cover of Nat King Cole's When I Fall In Love outsold her The Look Of Love.
source : ananova

2 puzzles are added to Downloads :

15 websites are added to Web section.

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Madonna has produced five children's books in the past 18 months in a deal with Callaway Editions, and the fifth, "Lotsa de Casha," was supposed to be her last. But now she has decided to do a sequel about the tween girls who starred in her first book, "The English Roses."
It's already written and illustrations are under way, she says. The expected publication date is September 2006.
She decided to revisit the young girls who were jealous of a beautiful yet insecure classmate because it was the book closest to her heart -- and it's the favorite of her daughter Lola, she says.
"When I first started out (writing the books), I knew what the first book would be about, jealousy and envy, which I did in 'The English Roses.' ... Girls can be especially hard on other girls," Madonna said in a telephone interview.
Publisher Nicholas Callaway said Madonna still has many stories to tell. He also pointed out that "The English Roses" was on The New York Times' list of best sellers for 18 weeks. "Lotsa de Casha" has also made the Times list, debuting at No. 3.
"She identifies with the English Roses. She wants to help guide girls through that crucial stage of life," Callaway said.
All of Madonna's books, however, teach a little lesson, and they've all been inspired by her own life.
"Mr. Peabody's Apples" was about the downfall of a rumor monger. "The whole idea of gossiping, speaking badly of each other and spreading rumors is a subject that's very near and dear to my heart," she said.
And in the new "Lotsa de Casha," a wealthy Scroogelike greyhound finds happiness only after he is forced to work for a living. He sees the other half lives a rich life without gold or jewels.
The former "Material Girl," who sold millions of records and became one of the most powerful women in the music industry, is the right person to tell that story, she said.
"The ideas for all the books ultimately came from my own life experiences. This one was my realization that material things don't buy you happiness. ... If you don't have great success, how could you come to this conclusion? I had to go through this, and there were times in my life where I was perceived to have everything, yet I didn't feel fulfilled," she said.
What has brought her happiness, she said, is her family -- Lola, son Rocco and husband Guy Ritchie. Raising children has taught her how to share and take chances for the greater good, which aren't always at the forefront in the minds of most celebrities, she said.
"You have to be a lot less selfish. For me, real sharing and the growth of sharing is when you do something ... outside your comfort zone."
The children's books embody that philosophy for her, she said, noting that she doesn't take any money for writing them, instead she makes a donation to the Spirituality for Kids Foundation, an education and outreach arm of the Kabbalah Center.
source : ap

Madonna's new album is expected to be released late November this year. We can confirm that the album will be an all dance record! Madonna also hopes to go on tour again by next summer.

IPC Media's women's weekly magazine Now is publishing a Live8 pull-out in its 22 June issue to support Bob Geldof's campaign to cancel the debt in the world's poorest nations.
The 12-page section will feature interviews with Madonna, Status Quo and Bob Geldof, plus a detailed programme and gossip section.
Editor Jane Ennis said: "Now readers will be hugely interested to get the inside track leading up to the event and this brilliant preview covers everything from the concert line-up and gossip to interviews with the stars and people behind Live8."?
Live8 is part of a day of action which is taking place across the world and kick starts The Long Walk to Justice, calling on the leaders of the world's richest countries to act when they meet at Gleneagles, Scotland, on 6 to 9 July.
Performers at the London Live 8 concert include Madonna, Robbie Williams and Coldplay.

Click here or on the image bellow to download Re-Invention Tour Documentory (I'm Going To Tell You A Secret) Teaser.

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1 Oprah Winfrey (Pay Rank:2 Web Rank:2 Press Rank:8 TV Rank:4)
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source : forbes

Rap star Missy Elliott was horrified when she witnessed Britney Spears and Madonna kissing at the 2003 MTV VMAs rehearsals - as she knew her mother would be offended.
The Work It singer first suspected she had spied a spontaneous smooch between the pair, but she was amazed to learn they were rehearsing the kiss for the evening's award ceremony.
She says, "At first I thought they were just ... into each other.
"Then Madonna was like, 'Okay, let's take it again.' And, you know, we probably did that rehearsal 15 or 20 times.
"All I was thinking was, 'Oh my God, my momma gonna watch this, and all the church people gonna call her up.'"
However, Elliott is not ruling out any lesbian lip-locking action herself.
She adds, 'I would never say what I would never do. Never say never."
source : contactmusic

from DrownedMadonna :
A rep from Warner Vision in the UK has said today that a release of the Blond Ambition Tour on DVD could be happening this year. Following pressure from the fans, the release of the title has been discussed and things are looking hopeful this time. Warner Vision now has the rights to the show filmed in Nice, France which was originally used for the Grammy Award winning Laserdisc release.

from Madonna tribe : MadonnaTribe has been informed that the people who attended the screening of Madonna's documentary last week in New York left the theatre ecstatic.
The event, that took place in the Greenwich Village district of Manhattan, was attended by Madonna, Guy Oseary, Ingrid Caseras, Rosie O'Donnell, Liz Rosenberg, Angela Becker, Rabbi Berg & his wife Karen, Rit dancer Seth, Nicholas Calloway, Stuart Price, Stefano Dolce and many more.
As the news of the screening was kept hush hush there weren't paparazzi around but just a handful of fans to whom celebrities smiled while entering the theatre.
Some of these fans turned themself into "red carpet journalists" and asked celebrities what they think about the film. Rosie O'Donnell confessed that the movie is "extremely good" and another guest said it's "amazing" and "very emotional", adding that the way the music was presented is awesome. Asked about when the fans will get to see the film Madonna's manager Angela answered that it will be "very very soon".

Pop icon Madonna admits she took her sexy image too far in the early stage of her career.
The 46-year-old singer and actress says her attitude - which included suggestive songs such as Like A Virgin, daring concerts and releasing the provocative book Sex in 1992 - may have misled fans.
"Sometimes I was being overtly sexy for the sake of showing off when I didn't need to be. I think I hurt myself.
"Ultimately none of us wants to be judged, or approved of, or loved because of the way we look, or how sexy we are," the singer tells US magazine Ladies' Home Journal.
"One minute I was saying 'believe in yourself' and the next minute I was saying 'just be sexually provocative'.
"I was letting it pump up my ego, thinking 'aren't I great, they're writing about me, my picture's on the cover of every magazine, I'm so fabulous'," she says.
The admission comes only days after the pop star released her fifth children's book, Lotsa De Casha.
But the over-40 Madonna is anything but dowdy. Last year she played all over the world on her Reinvention tour, which included a series of revealing costume changes to go with the hits.
She also recently fronted a £5m ad campaign for fashion house Versace.
source : skynews

... Madonna left Kabbala Centre rabbis Yehuda and Philip Berg cooling their heels Thursday night. Donna Karan and other friends came to Solo, the glam kosher palace on Madison, to celebrate Philip's birthday. Her Madgesty? She was tied up giving Warner Music honchos Edgar Bronfman, Tom Whalley and Lyor Cohen a listen to her new album ...

Click on the image bellow to visit Madonnafan.dk (Nordic Madonna fan site)

Queen of pop Madonna is on a promotional tour for her new Kabbalah-inspired kids' book, "Lotsa de Casha," and when the singer purchased a new London home, the British papers speculated she was about to go from the music business to the hotel business. But is it true?
No - while recent reports have suggested that Madonna intended to use the $2.9 million, five-story Georgian-style house in London as a "Kabbalah hotel," "Extra" has learned that, while the house may be used for members of the religion to stay at when they're in London, it's not a hotel.
source : extratv

Madonna is featured on the cover and in an exclusive 15-page fashion spread in housewife mag Ladies' Home Journal, hitting newsstands Tuesday, the same day her latest children's book, "Lotsa de Casha," drops in stores. In the magazine's story, she talks about her reformed wild ways, the poison of television and the struggle of balancing a successful marriage with motherhood. "I can assure you, five years ago, there's no way I would have said, 'I'm going to write kids' books and give all the money to charity,' " the singer said in the interview. "I never thought I'd be doing that [but] I like the idea people can change, and that everybody has to go through a painful process before they can realize they're idiots." On her former wild escapades, Madonna admits, "Sometimes now I sit back and say, 'What was I thinking before I was thinking?' There were times I really had an altruistic goal and wanted to help people. And then other times I just wanted to show off. Let's just call a spade a spade. I knew I could get people to pay attention to me." ...
source : mtv.com

Pop superstar Madonna moved to London for the sake of her marriage to director Guy Ritchie - and she's stunned she's fallen in love with the British capital because she once detested it.
The Material Girl gave up her life in Los Angeles five years ago, because she knew she had to move to London if their relationship was going to be a success.
She says: "I moved (to London) for love. I never thought in a million years I'd live in London. I quite disliked the place. Then I met my husband. I realised that if I didn't live here I wouldn't get to see him very much.
"We had a long-distance relationship for a year. I thought, somebody has to compromise - which I did. Then I fell in love with London and Guy started taking me to the countryside and I started to feel comfortable here.
"I'd go to America and start to really miss London. It's funny the way things turned out."
source : iol.ie

A pair of knickers worn by Madonna are being sold for £1,000, it emerged today.
A lapdance club boss has struck a deal to sell the black lacy underwear to a Madonna fan from Connecticut in America.
Tony Cochrane, the owner of Private Eyes Gentleman's Club in Aberdeen, first bought the pants, worn by the 46-year-old star in her 1993 film Body of Evidence, from a costume shop in Hollywood six years ago.
They have been kept in a glass case on the wall of his club but following a refit, he decided to put them on internet auction site eBay.
The nightclub boss was shocked when the site contacted him to say they could not sell the pants because they do not allow the sale of any worn garments.
But Mr Cochrane revealed today he had got back in touch with a bidder who had offered £1,000 for the knickers when he first saw them on eBay, and they agreed a private deal.
He said: "We are delighted to have sold them and are just sorting out final fees so the underwear can be transported to America.
"It was a bit surprising when eBay got back to me and said I couldn't sell them - surely the whole value of them is the fact Madonna wore them in a movie.
"It was always the plan to sell them on eBay, so when we were told we couldn't, we contacted one guy privately as he had already shown an interest.
"It was always our intention to sell them to a true fan and we are happy with the sale."?
source : scotsman

Click on the image bellow to download interview with Madonna on The View (NBC)

(codec : WMV9 95 kbps, WMA9 16 kbps 16 kHz / lenght : 15:26 size : 10.6 MB)

Thanks to Jei

Video captures from the show are also uploaded here

Every couple of years, Madonna reemerges. Sometimes it's with a CD; sometimes it's with a movie; sometimes, unfortunately, it's with a fragrance. This time, the 46-year-old expatriate pop star is back with a children's book, her fifth in the past three years. If there was any doubt, the black-clad boy toy who squirmed so memorably on MTV 20 years ago is long gone. As one wag wrote recently, Madonna has become Mamadonna. The superstar singer lives happily in England these days with her director husband, Guy Ritchie, and her two children, Lola and Rocco.
But this week, Madonna is in New York, doing what she does better than just about anybody else -- publicity. Reached by telephone yesterday, she took a few minutes to chat about her new book, parenting, recording, and of course, religion.

Interviewer : Why are you doing press? Aren't there millions of people who'll buy whatever you do?
Madonna : Are you kidding? No way. I still have to make an effort. You're being incredibly presumptuous and naive to think that people just run and get whatever you do.

I : So you don't think that way.
M : Hell, no.

I : Hell, no?
M : Yes. . . . I'm still a girl from Michigan.

I : How much time do you spend actually writing?
M : Haven't been writing books lately, because I've been busy recording. But when I am writing, I set time aside, maybe four hours in the afternoon, when it's quiet and my kids are at school. I sit at my computer, and I have this little statue on my desk. . . . She's a kneeling woman who's got her eyes closed, and she's very meditative. She's my muse.

I : If you're not writing or recording, what does your day look like?
M :There's always the bit where I have to get my butt out of bed in the morning. (Laughs.) That's at 7:15 a.m. I wake up, go downstairs, have breakfast with my kids, and argue with my daughter about combing her hair. Then I get them off to school. Sometimes I take them, but it's not my favorite thing to do, let's be honest. I don't like the whole getting up and make myself look presentable for school routine.

I : Tell me about motherhood. You like it? Is the idea better than the reality?
M : Isn't the idea of everything better than the reality? No, actually, I love it. My children aren't with me right now, and I miss them terribly. They fill up my life. I don't know where I'd be without them.

I : It's hard to talk about your children's books without at least mentioning your rather notorious first book (1992's picture book ''Sex"). You've said it was a different time. Does that imply regret?
M : No, no. You know me better than that. I don't regret it. What's the point of regretting anything you've done? If I didn't do everything I did, I wouldn't be who I am now.
I mean, so I took my clothes off for a few pictures. That's the norm now.
You have to put your clothes on to get attention these days.
That's what I'm doing. (Laughs)

I : Tell me about your religious beliefs.
M : It's not religious beliefs. Don't call it religious beliefs. I was raised a Catholic, my husband's a member of the Church of England, I've studied Buddhism, Hinduism, and I was, briefly, an atheist. I don't think studying Kabbalah . . . It's not about a monotheistic religion. Everyone calls it Jewish mysticism, but that's absoutely not what it is. Nobody knows what it's about.

I : What's been Kabbalah's effect on you?
M : To me, the definition of religion is not asking questions. In England, soccer is the religion. In America, Christianity is the religion. It's really just what a group of people tends to do because everybody else does it. . . . If you want to talk about corruption and violence and pain, let's talk about the Catholic Church. Let's talk about the Crusades, when they annihilated anyone who wouldn't convert to Christianity. That's religion, but that's not what I'm interested in.

I : I'm relieved to hear that. The new book, ''Lotsa de Casha," is about a man who's rich but still miserable. Doesn't money make life easier?
M : I'm not complaining about having money, or that I have a roof over my head and can afford airplane tickets. I know I'm in a very privileged position, but I know ultimately material things won't bring you happiness. Most very wealthy people are not happy. Why? They have too much of something they don't need, and they don't share it with other people.

I : Do you miss living in New York?
M : London is a slightly more laid- back city, and that's preferable with kids. It's so hard-core in New York. In London, people don't get all up in your face, but sometimes I miss that. (Laughs.)

I : Is it important to you that the books are taken seriously, and you're viewed as more than just a multinational celebrity?
M : I hope I'm more than that.

I : It sounds like you might be, but I wonder if reviews matter.
M : I want children to read them. If good reviews mean a bigger audience, yes, it's important.

I : What do you call yourself when you're filling out an application for a CVS card?
M : I call myself an entertainer. That kind of covers it.

I : And how do you relax?
M : I love to ride horses and go for walks. We have a house in the country, in the middle of nowhere, where we go for long walks. We have chickens and build tree forts there. And I like to go to pubs with my husband.

I : You played Live Aid and you're playing Live 8. What are you going to sing?
M : I think I'll do 'Ray of Light' and 'Like a Prayer,' and the rest is a secret. The concert's in Hyde Park, and I live right down the street, so it's terribly convenient.

I : You can ride your bicycle to the show.
M : I'm thinking of dressing like a police officer and just walking in.

I : Are you wearing what you wore in 1985? Those embroidered pants, and that long jacket?
M : Ugh. Scary Larry. That was my Venetian period. (Laughs)

I : One last thing. Jose Canseco, to whom you were briefly linked in the '80s, wrote a book in which he said he spent most of the '80s taking steroids.
M : So?

I : Did you take steroids?
M : What? Are you mad?

source : boston.com

Take it from Madonna, the self proclaimed "Material Girl," money can't buy happiness.
That's quite a lesson from the 46-year-old pop diva, whose fifth children's book in the past 18 months "Lotsa de Casha," hit store shelves this week.
"Lotsa was by far the richest man in the country. He had everything that money could buy," is the opening line of her latest book. "But there was a teeny, tiny problem. No matter how much money Lotsa de Casha made, he wasn't happy."
The short book concludes with the moral, "When you learn to share, you will not only find happiness. You will also find a friend."
Renowned as much for her catchy dance anthems "Vogue" and "Ray of Light" as she was for cavorting on stage in a partially disrobed wedding gown some 20 years ago performing "Like a Virgin" on MTV, Madonna Ciccone Ritchie said she's left some of her old antics behind and is all grown up now.
"I'd like to think I've been evolving and transforming my whole career, I grew up," she told Reuters in an interview.
Her new book, which features art by Portuguese artist Rui Paes, follows the transformation of an greyhound with a bad Italian accent, who loses everything but finds a friend in a vaguely Baroque fairy tale setting.
"The media likes to say it's just another one of my guises,' she said of her career as an author. "But it's much more deep and profound than that."
Madonna the singer is know as a chameleon, morphing from sexy outfits and suggestive lyrics to Eastern mysticism and Judaism. Similarly, Madonna the writer has penned a series of books which barely resemble each other.
A different illustrator was hired for each of the five slim volumes. But they are all anchored by the same message, she insists: "Nothing is what it seems."
Her intended audience and some critics might agree.
A book reading at a New York bookstore on Tuesday drew puzzled responses from the group of about 25 kids, who appeared to have difficulty grasping the book's morals.
More used to books with just one easy to grasp message, Madonna's had six "rules" for the six-year old children to follow -- although they might have just grown restless after having been kept waiting for nearly an hour for the tardy Madonna.
"I think she makes the same mistake every celebrity author makes: They think they can write children's books," said Ilene Cooper, children's book editor of Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association.
"Generally it's just awful, beyond awful," said Cooper of efforts by celebrities-turned authors.
While the illustrations in Madonna's books have drawn positive notices, her latest book features a leading character who is a greyhound, who in many panels looks more like a rat.
Cooper called Madonna's writing to date "heavy-handed" and in need of a good editor.
That hasn't stopped her selling books.
Nicholas Callaway of Callaway Arts & Entertainment, the publishers of Madonna's kids book, said over 2 million copies of the five books have been sold altogether. They were translated into 40 languages and sold in over 100 countries.
"I think you have raves, you have pans. With Madonna, you'll have reviews across the spectrum," Callaway said.
A sequel to her best selling book, "The English Roses," which was her first, is planned for Fall 2006, as is a television series based on the book.
Madonna also said her next dance music album is set for release by the end of the year.
source : reuters

Madonna sympathizes with Tom Cruise and the criticism he's had to endure about Scientology.
"I think people just feel uncomfortable with things that are different from the norm," she tells "Extra."
The controversial religion promotes vitamins over psychotropic drugs, a belief that drove his recent criticism about actress Brooke Shields, who describes in her book "Down Came the Rain" how taking Paxil cured her postpartum depression.
Madonna has also had her share of spiritual criticism regarding Kabbalah, but merely comments, "Don't knock it till you try it."
The former Material Girl is one of the many big-name performers -- along with U2, R.E.M. and Coldplay -- who will participate in Live 8, the charity concert to benefit global poverty to be held on Saturday, July 2.
"It's a sin that millions and millions of children in Africa continue to starve--and I do hope these concerts can make a difference," she says. "I'm going to sing 'Like a Prayer' and 'Ray of Light' and haven't thought of a third one, so stay tuned."
She is currently promoting the release of her fifth children's book, "Lotsa de Casha," about a rich man who loses everything but gains a friend. Madonna is also working on a documentary, which she describes as "'Truth or Dare' -- 12 years later."
The full interview will air on Wednesday night, June 8.
source : zap2it

"Lotsa de Casha," the fifth and final installment in a series of children's books by Madonna, has been released. It tells the story of the richest man in the world, who loses everything but gains a friend.
Written for readers ages 6 and up, "Lotsa de Casha" is described as "a whimsical updating of the age-old truth that money can't buy happiness." Nicholas Callaway, founder and chief executive officer of Callaway Arts & Entertainment, announced the book's publication.
On the Wednesday morning "Today Show,"? Madonna talked extensively about Kabbalah and her studies in it. Kabbalah consists of a large body of speculation on the nature of divinity, the creation, the origin and fate of the soul, and the role of human beings. It was taught to only a select few, and its sometimes mystical practices have rendered it, in most scholarly views, as an esoteric offshoot of Judaism. Many celebrities, including Britney Spears, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, have professed their interest in its practices.
Has the study of Kabbalah made Madonna happier?
"Anything that makes you get outside yourself and see that the world doesn't revolve around you, I think, is good and make you happier and makes you grow,"? she said to Matt Lauer on "Today."?
Madonna was asked if the study of the mystic Kabbalah had hurt her career.
"No. Why would it hurt my career?"? she responded.
Because people don't get it and may think it's a little weird, she was told.
"Yeah, but think about what I was doing ten years ago, 14 years ago, whatever there was A lot of people who didn't like what I was doing then. So you can (ask), 'Did that hurt my career?' "?
"Basically,"? Madonna said, "my entire career has been a lot of people second-guessing, saying, "˜Oh, that's not good. Oh, she's really done it this time!' Saying negative things. But I just keep going and doing my thing."
source : nbc

Madonna's been launching her latest kids book in New York and has revealed some details about her new album.
The story's called 'Lotsa De Casha and is about the richest man in the world who loses everything but gains a friend.
Doesn't seem like a fair swap to us, but at least Madge reckons she's found her vocation:
"It's fun writing all of the books. I love writing for children because you can use your imagination and break all of the rules - kids are a more open audience."
"I've written a sequel to 'The English Roses' and I'm going to continue a sequence for that book."
"I'm working on my album too - it's all dance music and I'm very excited about it."
source : bbc.co.uk

Pop superstar Madonna will hit the West End once more in a glittering new musical - but she's keeping the details under wraps.
The 46-year-old last stormed the London stage in 2002 with hit play Up For Grambs, and she was thrilled with its success.
She says, "My last play sold out within hours. I never missed a performance and above all, I loved it so much."
Her next theatrical effort is going to be a more tuneful affair, and Lord Lloyd-Webber, who worked with Madonna in movie musical Evita, is tipped to be her mystery collaborator.
She teases, "I'm planning on hooking up again with a musical mentor who I admire so much.
"And yes, it will be a musical role on the stage."
source : contactmusic

Madonna was on The View (NBC) today and she confirmed the rumours about her new album. She said that it's going to be "all dance" and that it will definitely be released by the end of this year (october/november). She also revealed that we can expect new world tour on next summer.

If she keeps this up, people may eventually ask, "You mean Madonna was once a singer?" The Material Mom read her latest children's book - "Lotsa de Casha" "” to a group of elementary school students at the Borders bookstore in the Time Warner Center yesterday.
It's her fifth book in 18 months.
Wearing an off-the-shoulder black Moschino top, a fitted black skirt and black stilettos, the one-time rocker showed up 45 minutes late. She read to the students for a half-hour, made the barest minimum of small talk, and then departed without taking questions about her latest tome.
The book centers on Count Lotsa de Casha, a rich Italian greyhound who is in search of happiness. One day, he ignores a poor dog who asks him for a handout. But later, when Lotsa is robbed by a group of thieves, the poor dog comes to his aide and he learns a timeless lesson of friendship.
Madonna employed a passable Italian accent whenever reading Lotsa's parts.
The book "” beautifully illustrated by Portuguese muralist Rui Paes "” is peppered with preachy factoids, including this tidbit: "Just because something is expensive, doesn't mean it's worth it."
Each of the 27 students from PS 8 in Brooklyn Heights received an autographed copy of the 48-page book. More than 200 radio-contest winners were also on hand at the reading.
"My students love her books," said Nicholas Patrello, 24, a Bronx teacher who won the contest. "I told her that and I think she was happy to hear that I read her books in my class."
source : new york post

Get ready to see lotsa Madonna, who is promoting her fifth children's book, Lotsa de Casha. The singer chatted with Matt Lauer on NBC's Today show in an interview airing today, and she sat down for a 15-page cover story with Ladies' Home Journal for its July issue (on newsstands June 14); daughter Lourdes, 8, came along to the London shoot. The highlights:
-On her first marriage, to actor Sean Penn: "I wasn't interested in making compromises "” I wanted to do what I wanted to do, and he wanted to do what he wanted to do."
-How she and husband Guy Ritchie deal with any problems: "If I have a problem, I want to work it out, right now. My husband is like, 'Let's talk about it in two days.' ... I have to prove that you're wrong now! Sometimes I need to learn to bite my tongue."
-On parenting: "I'm the disciplinarian, Guy's the spoiler. He's the fun guy. I'm doctor's appointments, lessons, homework. ... He's good cop, I'm bad cop."
-On discipline: "I take privileges away. My daughter has a problem picking up in her room, so if you leave your clothes on the floor, they're going to be gone when you come home. ... She has to earn all of her clothes back by being tidy."
-On not second-guessing herself: "I'm cooler about my decisions, and I'm more resolute."
source : usatoday

Madonna poses for a photograph before reading from her new book 'Lotsa De Casha' to children Tuesday, June 7, 2005 in New York. 'Lotsa De Casha' is the fifth installment in a series of children's books by Madonna.