CELEBRITY AND POLITICAL PAGE

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Princess Diana

DIANA: QUEEN OF HEARTS

May her presence live on by a song from that day

Like a candle in the wind, her flame flickered….yet stayed

She stays deep in our hearts….

Yet her spirit continues to carry us far

For deep in the night…Somewhere….out there among the stars….

Princess Diana has now ascended and become the true Queen of Hearts.

From the words of Bernie Taupin and the voice of Elton John:

“You called out to our countries

And you whispered to those in pain…

Now you belong to heaven

And the stars spell out your name.”

Shine on Diana, your Queen of Hearts will reign…

You bring forth emotions from inside us, by the mere mention of your name

And the world has come together to share in the comforting of your pain

So shine on Queen Diana

Our earth is your domain.

You have opened our hearts to your compassion and love

May you have finally found peace in the heavens above…..

September 1997

A DIARY OF A PRINCESS

Let us look back and continue to remember a Princess….

She began as a Lady with a love for the children of her land

She became a Princess and soon became the envy of every woman and man

But deep down inside she longed to be loved

By the man who would be king

-Charles was his name-

Lady Diana Spencer married into the royal family

For this she gained her fame

But soon the fairy tale became a horror show

Her people thought she was happy….but they did not yet know

Of her marital problems that led her to become physically ill

But still she became a stout figure to the world spreading her love and good will

Her mental health suffered as her marriage became an affair for three

Diana could no longer bear the infidelity

So she secretly set forth to write her true story for the world to read

For she longed to become the Queen of Hearts….if a Princess she could no longer be

The world finally knew of the heartache she was going through

She needed to break free of the chains she found around her feet

-To help the average man on the street-

For Princess Diana always showed her love to her children as well as to others in the world

-And the people loved her back-

For compassion and love were always two virtues that Diana did not lack

But when it seemed that Diana had finally found a true love to start again

Her life was tragically taken in a car crash…as her fairytale came to an untimely end

Her death brought the world to tears as we all reflected back on her living years

She will remain the Queen of Hearts as she said she would want to be

Because this Lady who became a Princess can still have an affect on you and me

By just the mere mention of her name

Our world will never be the same

For the teardrops that we shed in her memory…

Will forever keep her candle in the wind a flame that burns brightly in our hearts.

In Memoriam

August 2005

The following letters were written by Princess Diana to her butler and close friend Paul Burrell. They’re included in his book “A Royal Duty”. The ‘crash letter’ tells of Diana’s fears that she would die in a car crash a full 10 months before it actually happened. A new investigation is still underway in Britain as the letter has finally surfaced.

From October 1996:

“I am sitting here at my desk today in October, longing for someone to hug me and encourage me to keep strong and hold my head high. This particular phase in my life is the most dangerous.[ The princess then identified where she felt the threat and danger would come from] is planning “an accident” in my car, brake failure and serious head injury in order to make the path clear for Charles to marry. I have been battered, bruised and abused mentally by a system for 15 years now, but feel no resentment, I carry no hatred, I am weary of the battles, but I will never surrender. I am strong inside and maybe that is a problem for my enemies. Thank you Charles, for putting me through such hell and for giving me the opportunity to learn from the cruel things you have one to me. I have gone forward fast and have cried more than anyone will ever know. The anguish nearly killed me, but my inner strength has never let me down, and my guides have taken such good care of me up there. Aren’t I fortunate to have had their wings to protect me…….

From August 1996:

It’s the 28^th August 1996- 15 years of marriage have now been signed off. I never wanted a divorce and always dreamed of a happy marriage with loving support from Charles. Although that was never meant to be, we do have two wonderful boys who are deeply loved by their parents. A part of me will always love Charles, but how I wish he’d looked after me and been proud of my work. It has been a turbulent 15 years, having to face the envy, jealousy, and hatred from Charles’s friends and family-they have so misunderstood me and that has been painful and brought enormous heartache. I want so much to become Charles’s best friend as I understand more than anyone what he is about and what makes him tick.

From October 1996:

I just long to hug my mother-in-law, and tell her how deeply I understand what goes on inside her. I understand the isolation, misconception and lies that surround her and feel very strongly HER disappointment and confusion. I so want the monarchy to survive and realize the changes that will take [sic] to put “the show” on a new and healthy track. I, too, understand the fear the family have about change but we must, in order to reassure the public, as their indifference concerns me and should not be. I will fight for justice, and fight for my children and the monarchy……."

I call on you to draw your own conclusion as to if she was murdered and by whom. But Diana truly knew that something was wrong a full year before her death in 1997. Let us recall her life and remember the kind and generous woman she was and the legacy she left behind.

***** ***** *****

DIANA: QUEEN OF HEARTS

(1961-1997)

)

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10 YEARS AFTER:

EASTER 2008

DIANA'S CONTINUING CAUSE OF DEATH INQUIRY IN FRANCE AND ENGLAND AND AROUND THE WORLD IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. HERE ARE SOME "RELATED" CHARITY AND AWARENESS WEBSITES I'M SURE SHE WOULD HAVE WANTED TO BE CARRIED ON TO HELP THOSE IN NEED AND HAVE THE TRUTH TOLD TO THE WORLD ABOUT HER EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO CHERISH HER MEMORY. MAY THE TRUTH BE TOLD ABOUT HER LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH IN 1997 AT THE AGE OF 36.

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http://www.scottbaker-inquests.gov.uk/

http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page151.asp

http://www.theworkcontinues.org/

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diana/index.html

http://www.time.com/time/daily/special/diana/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana,_Princess_of_Wales_Memorial_Fund

http://history1900s.about.com/od/1990s/qt/dianadies.htm

http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/England/Windsor/Diana.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,338797,00.html

AND FROM THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE BRITISH MONARCHY:

***************A TRIBUTE CONCERT FROM HER BOYS....****************

PRINCE WILLIAM AND PRINCE HARRY

http://www.concertfordiana.com/home/index.aspx

* * *

Diana murdered, Al Fayed claims

Mr Al Fayed said Princes Philip and Charles plotted together

Al Fayed points finger

Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed were murdered, Dodi's father Mohamed Al Fayed has told the inquest into their deaths in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Harrods owner Mr Al Fayed claimed former prime minister Tony Blair, MI5, MI6 and the British ambassador to France were all part of the conspiracy.

And he said Princess Diana "knew Prince Philip and Prince Charles were trying to get rid of her".

He also said Diana had told him she was pregnant, and the couple were engaged.

"I am the only person they told," he said.

'Crocodile wife'

Asked by Ian Burnett QC, counsel to the inquest, if he stood by his claim that Diana and Dodi were "murdered by the British security services on the orders of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh", Mr Al Fayed replied: "Yes."

He also pinpointed alleged security forces in the ambulance crew, the then British Ambassador to France Sir Michael Jay and the princess's brother-in-law Sir Robert Fellowes as all being involved in the plot.

And he said Prince Charles was complicit, hoping to make way so he could marry his "crocodile wife" Camilla Parker Bowles.

My belief (they) were murdered was confirmed when I learned Lord Condon and Lord Stevens did not show the coroner the note
Mohamed Al Fayed

Al Fayed's 'moment' in court

The Harrods boss also raised concerns about a note written by Diana's divorce lawyer, Lord Mishcon, after an October 1995 meeting. It outlined her fears there was a plot to kill her in a car crash.

The police agreed to hand it to the coroner only after Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, produced a note from the princess making similar allegations in the Daily Mirror in October 2003. By that time, Sir John Stevens led the Met.

Mr Al Fayed said this delay confirmed his "belief that my son and Princess Diana were murdered".

In his evidence, Mr Al Fayed branded Prince Philip a "Nazi" and a "racist" and said: "It's time to send him back to Germany from where he comes."

"You want to know his original name - it ends with Frankenstein," he added.

Wooden box

Mr Al Fayed read out a statement detailing his main concerns about the crash, and the points he felt the inquest should address.

APRIL 7.2008

From BBC NEWS in The United Kingdom:

Princess Diana unlawfully killed

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Princess Diana unlawfully killed
A jury at the inquest into the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed returns a verdict of unlawful killing, blaming grossly negligent driving by the couple's chauffeur, Henri Paul, and the paparazzi who pursued them.
Intimate picture of Diana's life
Diana: What have we learned?
Watch: Al Fayed's reaction

Protests cut short Olympic relay
French security officials cut short the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay in the face of anti-China protests.

Casablanca bomb convicts escape
Nine people convicted over suicide bombings in Casablanca escape from a Moroccan prison, officials say.

VIDEO AND AUDIO NEWS
Events on Diana's final night in Paris

One-Minute World News

Paris Olympic torch protests
School rampage in Australia
Particle accelerator open day

The Saddest Fairy Tale

By HOWARD CHUA-EOAN

[editor's note: This story was first published in a limited-edition commemorative special issue of TIME in 1998.]
Once upon a time there was a little girl who learned she had been expected to be a boy. So intent were her parents on having a son that she had to wait a week after her birth to receive a name, the Honorable Diana Frances Spencer. Two older sisters and the brother who eventually arrived had royal godparents, but her father and mother picked commoners — rich ones, certainly, but untitled nevertheless — to swear their faith for her at the baptismal font.
Her first memory was of plastic, a warm synthetic smell touched off by sunlight on her stroller. She also remembered visits to the churchyard grave of the child her parents conceived just before her, a boy who lived barely 10 hours. Had he survived, she often wondered, would she have existed? Or would her mother, having produced a male heir, have left her husband for another man sooner than she actually did, breaking up the family before Diana could be born? She wished she were her oldest sister, the firstborn, the star of the family: smart, extroverted, unafraid to greet their hated stepmother with an insolent burp. At nine, Diana would bravely declare that she would marry only once — and only for love — and never, never divorce. But even as she said that, she stared out, as she would often do, from beneath her bangs, never quite looking anyone in the eye. For her parents, once in love, were no longer.
Once upon another time this little girl would grow up and fall in love and marry a prince and grow so happy for such a splendid moment that the whole world paused to marvel and rejoice with her, falling in love with Diana in love. The sunshine of her shy smile outshone royalty. she became the most famous woman on earth. But she learned quickly that though she had become a princess and borne her husband an heir, she could never truly become his queen. And when she died, suddenly, the day after the 36th anniversary of her christening, the world, still in love, stopped for a very long moment to grieve.
Why did so many mourn her so, and why do they mourn her still? Was it because the feats and foibles of British royalty have always been such an integral part of the world's story — and because Diana acted out the latest chapters in Britain's thousand-year-old soap opera with such compelling charisma, with such a facility for manipulation and melodrama? Was it just that: the flawed heroine vanishes, and we are bereft of narrative? Or was it because her unexpected end gave emotional resonance to the profuse and sometimes conflicting details of her intensely scrutinized life, uncovering omens through tragic retrospective, inchoate but nevertheless consoling proofs of destiny and meaning? Or perhaps all of that is not quite the heart of the grieving. Perhaps the mourning was over something simple yet profound, something cosmic yet common...
What cannot be denied is that in the beginning there was majesty, that fascinating natural resource of her homeland, a country celebrated by its greatest bard as "this England ... this teeming womb of royal kings, fear'd by their breed and famous by their birth." Still, majesty is a concept that requires re-enchantment every generation or so — and in this time the spell was Diana.
Her mother-in-law, the Queen, had once worked the magic. Elizabeth had continued the task thrust upon her father, purging the dynasty of the scandal that had threatened to ruin it, brought on by her irresponsible playboy of an uncle, who shirked duty and gave up the throne for a forbidden marriage. Elizabeth furthered the reconstruction of the Windsors by making the clan work, making it the inspiring exemplar of ideal family life, albeit one adorned with crowns and tiaras. Elizabeth would serve. She would persevere. She would be dutiful. She would obey.
And then came Diana, the girl chosen to refresh the line, to bear its heirs, to be the new smiling face of the family. Despite the stately filigree Elizabeth had embroidered onto the Windsor facade, Diana found the dynasty dysfunctional, uncertain of its work, in truth more a firm than a family. Diana tried to serve. she tried to persevere. She tried to be dutiful. But in the end, she would not obey.
This disastrous turn of events nevertheless failed to dissipate popular fascination with the British royals. Indeed, it intrigued the world even more. For was this not to be expected of the line that had leavened history with domestic dramas both delicious and dolorous? Henry VIII and his six wives; the rivalry of a Virgin Queen and her all too lusty Scots cousin; the madness of George III and the cupidity of his sons; Victoria and the brood she produced to rival the Hapsburgs, marrying, marrying,marrying all over Europe.
Diana's catastrophic dalliance with the Windsors reverberated with history. It seemed as if the marriage and bitter divorce of Charles and Diana were inevitable evolutionary steps in the centuries-long intercourse between the Spencers and the Crown. For not only did the Spencers trace their descent from the same kings the Windsors claimed as ancestors, but in the 17th century alone, four of Diana's forebears were royal mistresses: Charles II was linked to three Spencer women, his brother James II to one. In the 18th century, Georgiana Spencer, the daughter of the first Earl of Spencer, scandalized the country not only with her many infidelities but also with her affair with the Prince of Wales, who may have been the father of one of her children. The same pathetic prince, after being abandoned by Georgiana, would pursue her sister Henrietta, who spurned him amid a comic seduction. In this century, a Prince of Wales again paid court to a Diana forebear: Lady Cynthia Hamilton, who chose instead to become the wife of the seventh Earl of Spencer and thus Diana's grandmother. The prince eventually turned to the American divorcee Wallis Simpson — and had to give up his throne for the woman he loved. What if Lady Cynthia had married the prince? The more cogent question is: Should not her decision have served as warning to her granddaughter to avoid a royal marriage?
History and its omens hovered around the marriage of Charles and Diana like uninvited guests bearing ill tidings. Tradition called for a wedding in Westminster Abbey. But Charles did not want to marry in Westminster, preferring St. Paul's Cathedral. He pointed out that a royal marriage had once been celebrated in the old St. Paul's: in the 16th century, Arthur, Prince of Wales, had married his Spanish bride Catherine there. It was an acceptable precedent — but an unfortunate one. Arthur died before the marriage was consummated, and Catherine, a prize because she was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, was eventually wed to the new English heir, becoming the unhappy first of Henry VIII's six wives.
As for Diana, she wanted to avoid Westminster for reasons of personal history: her parents were married there in 1954. At that wedding, the Bishop of Norwich told the couple, "You are making an addition to the hoe life of your country on which, above all others, our national life depends." It turned out to be a blessing without efficacy. Indeed, the opposite was visited upon the Spencers. Diana wanted no part of that unintended curse. And so Charles and Diana were married in St. Paul's — in the end, a futile dodge.
The personal history of Diana before the Windsors was, of course, a premonition of the life of Diana the princess. In 1982, the year after the royal wedding, the journalist Penny Junor was almost apologetic about writing the biography of a 20-year-old "who has spent 19 of those years in almost total obscurity." What kind of life could possibly be told? And yet the details she related then possess a fatalistic glow now, hinting at the troubled Diana who would emerge over the next 15 years. While admiring of its subject, Junor's book nevertheless draws attention to Diana's imperfect virtues. "Diana was a compulsive washer," Junor wrote matter-of-factly, before cataloging how, in boarding school, Diana would not let a day go by without bathing, no matter how late it was, sneaking into the bathroom after lights were out even though it was strictly forbidden by the school, which allowed the girls to shower only three times a week. "She also had a compulsion for washing clothes" — and did more washing than any other student at school When she had time to visit her sisters, Diana would do their laundry too. After her marriage, she would write to an ex-nanny saying, "I do get annoyed at not being able to do my washing and general ironing." At nine years old, she was dusting the nursery to keep a less than thorough nanny out of trouble when her father came to check the room. Goodness may explain some of this fastidiousness. But only some. After all, this girl became the woman who admitted to bulimia and a regular program of colonic irrigation.
The child Diana, like the adult princess, had a capacity for drama and a penchant to seek comeuppance — locking a hated nanny in a room where she would not be discovered till evening, throwing the underclothes of an au pair onto the roof of the house and watching with glee as the items were rescued. She was an indifferent student: she froze at exams, was terrible at French, even did badly at needlework. But her limitations would serve her well. A penchant for popular culture and romance novels cultivated what many would later praise as her "common touch," her ability to talk to ordinary people about things they cared about. In school she was recognized as a do-gooder and received seldom-awarded prizes for helpfulness. As a teenager, she learned quickly that loving children was not the same as being able to care for them. She took her training as a kindergarten teacher very seriously.
She was aware of how things failed to work — even things inspired by love. The infidelities and disappointments that befell her family were proof enough. Her mother lost custody of her children because the court saw fit to punish her for adultery. Her father chose to marry a woman his children detested. Diana knew what it was like to be six years old and unable to explain to her friends why her mother was no longer around, how even her most courageous front could snap in a fit of anger. She knew what it was to be caught crying in secret. But she wanted to get family right. And when, one day, her prince came, she believed she had her opportunity, risked all, stumbled into the very nightmare she had sought to escape — and lost.
"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." that declaration comes down to us from the magisterial heights of Tolstoy. But it is a false one. The happy family is a protean myth, shifting shape with the fashion of the times. The reality is that every unhappy family is alike. And, alas, unhappy families abound, trapped in cycles of aspiration and disappointment, of love and loss. The most augustly unhappy family in the world thus becomes a spectacular mirror for us all.
That is what is at the heart of our grief: simpler and yet more profound than a fascination with splendor; cosmic and yet as close to us as our parents, our brothers, our sisters, our children. In the ruins of Diana's life, we see the shadows and anxieties of the lives we are trying to build together — as husbands, as wives, as sons, as daughters. We shudder over our sorrow for Diana as if we were caught in paroxysms of self-pity. In embarrassment, we deny. In truth, we recognize.
Gerard Manley Hopkins voiced the emotion perfectly: Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed ...
It is the plight we were born for. It is ourselves we mourn for.

Britney Spears

The following poems were posted on the official website of Britney Spears www.britneyspears.com under the screen name of ROMEO
AS THE PRINCESS CHANGES

Everybody changes...there is no new news here
But the changes that happen to a girl named Britney Spears....
Are changes that the whole world can see
Her changes are much different than you or me
You see, when Britney changes, the world is her stage
For she must change in front of everybody's eyes

And the public perception can often tell lies
So she must turn a new page
A new page in her book of life...
She now has Kevin as her husband and she as his wife
So let's give her time to view the world as we see it each day
For in our hearts she will always stay…

The little girl who became a Princess in the modern way
Lets give her time to change for the better
For her changes seem better when the changes don't upset her

2005

BRITNEY’S PREROGATIVE

It may be her prerogative to sing from the past
But will the old words make the new words last?
They speak of a video that will out due those that came before
But will the vision of a pretty face make the song endure?

There is a hidden poet behind her face...
With a body that deserves to be wrapped in lace
You see its all about the style that she makes her own
Not about the music that may be borrowed and sold

So sing your heart out girl
Make it a hit
These fans really don't give a shit
As long as you keep to your own style but do so with class
Every song you sing will make an old song last.

2005

THE QUEEN AND THE PRINCESS OF POP

When the Queen of Pop meets the Princess
The music is theirs against the world
When the Queen of Pop kisses the Princess
We wait for the transformation to unfurl

Can't you see how together we could be...
The Queen of Pop takes on a new way to see
To see the world as a mother and a lover
Her truth is often undercover

The Princess gets married and a new beginning has arrived
With a legion of fans by her side...
She takes on the world and longs for motherhood
Was their kiss really understood?

The guard has changed but they continue to seek that life long dream
Of having a baby and watching their eyes beam
So as Madonna leads Britney and takes on new duties in life....
May they both enjoy the benefits of becoming husband and wife!

2005

Madonna Photo

Madonna's Official Website can be located on the web at www.madonna.com Beware of false websites for these women "stars".

NOTE: Both Madonna and Britney charge a fee to enter into their forums......Lisa Marie Presley's official site is www.lisapresley.com and is free if you attain a "groupee" account.

My name is Daniel but I have user names on each site where my poetry can also be found with links back into this website.

My user names for each forum is as follows:

Madonna's ICON club: romeo, romeoICON,and currently REEDYREED

Britney's fanclub forum user name: ROMEO

Lisa's fanclub user name: Danny or Danny Presley

TO OPEN HER HEART

Open your heart to her song and you can't go wrong.
Open her heart to your caring and you both will be sharing
A love so deep that it grows deeper and deeper as you sleep
A love so strong that it sometimes makes you weep
So won't you open your heart to what she has to say
And a million wishes will be answered each and every day!

How romantic can a poet be
If his words truly belong to you and me
I say that love has the power to make us be things we never thought we could be
Like a person who cares for humanity yet is void of greed
I know....I wish for the good in people to show
But what we don't know...
Is that people can all be affected by this thing called Love
Because it seems to come from heaven above
So if you're feeling romantic but with no one to tell
.....Don't worry about going to hell
It may exist here on Earth with love at it's side
But it's the faith in the feeling that makes love come true
So follow your heart and see your dreams through
And you will find love in all that you do!

When an artist sings of love.....it is from the poetry in their heart
When an artist speaks with words of love
It is from their heart that the feelings must start
So shine on Britney and sing your heart's tune
And the lyrics of your next song will make us all swoon

Your life and your love have given us all inspiration to do as we feel
...because you keep it real
You have become a singer and a dancer, a mother and a wife
You have reached for the stars and attained a charmed life
So it is with admiration that I write this poem
Knowing that to be truly be happy....there must be happiness in the home
A place where true love must not be allowed to roam.

Express yourself in every way
Find the love that will continue to stay
And when you need to reach out and touch a friend
A friend will be a friend until the bitter end
So reach out and touch and express yourself with love and joy
And the feelings you feel will inspire every girl and boy.

*THE BRITNEY SAGA CONTINUES*

Singer Britney Spears' father has been given the power to fire her business manager, according to court documents.
Court commissioner Reva Goetz also said James Spears was entitled to see all her manager's "documents, records and assets relating to Britney Spears".
But Howard Grossman refused to say if he had been fired by Mr Spears.
Ms Spears was admitted to the psychiatric ward of a Los Angeles hospital on 31 January, but left on Wednesday, against her parents' wishes.
Her father was granted control of her estate last week, an arrangement which lasts until Thursday.
Emergency hearing
Ms Goetz made her decision on Friday following an emergency hearing requested by Mr Spears.

BRITNEY'S UNHAPPY 2008

3 January: Carried away on a stretcher after police were called in a custody dispute
5 January: Barred from seeing children
31 January: Taken to psychiatric ward by ambulance
1 February: Father James given control of her estate
5 February: Restraining order placed on Sam Lutfi
6 February: Released early from hospital (above)
8 February: Father can fire business manager, court says

It followed a statement issued by the 26-year-old singer's parents about her early release from the UCLA Medical Center, in which they said her life was at risk.
"We ask only that the court's orders be enforced so that a tragedy may be averted," they said.
Mr Grossman arrived at the Los Angeles courtroom, but he and others were told to leave.
Her mother, Lynne, obtained a restraining order against Sam Lutfi, a frequent companion and sometime manager, on Tuesday after claiming Mr Lutfi had drugged the singer, taken over her finances, and had told her he "controlled" Mr Grossman.
But Mr Grossman said he had no association with Mr Lutfi, and would not say how long he had worked with Ms Spears.
"My reputation speaks for itself," he said.
Public breakdowns
Meanwhile, lawyers who have represented Ms Spears in her child custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline have filed papers in Los Angeles Superior Court asking to leave the case.
Ms Spears' life has been in a tailspin since she filed for divorce from Mr Federline in 2006.
Incidents of bizarre behaviour, erratic driving and public breakdowns have been recorded by the swarm of photographers which follow her, and she has lost custody and visitation rights to her two sons.
She was taken to hospital early last month after police were called to her home following a custody dispute.
Britney to guest star in sitcom

Britney Spears recently received psychiatric treatment

Britney Spears is to guest star in a forthcoming episode of US sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

The 26-year-old pop star will play a doctor's receptionist named Abby who becomes smitten with the main character, Ted.

The show's creator Craig Thomas told US Magazine the singer attended a script reading with the cast and would film her scenes this week.

Spears will be seen on the show in the US on 24 March.

Thomas said representatives for the singer approached the CBS network about the appearance because "she was looking for a small part on a funny show".

Neil Patrick Harris, who plays serial bachelor Barney Stinson in the show, told Entertainment Tonight he was surprised Spears approached them for the role.

'Interesting role'

"I was shocked that Madame Spears was willing to come and do some acting, she hasn't acted in a while," he said.

"This is a very interesting role - it will be very unlike any Britney we have seen before, and we have seen a lot of Britney recently."

Spears first showed off her acting skills in the widely panned 2002 movie Crossroads and was a guest star in sitcom Will and Grace in 2006.

The first series of How I Met Your Mother was shown on BBC Two in the UK last year

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THE KENNEDYS

AN AMERICAN ROYALTY

WHO KILLED THE KENNEDYS?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3179462717908405974

JFK JR.

JOHN JOHN

Oh No!...Could it be?...John John taken from you and m
We waited and held our bated breath...
Waiting for the moment when the truth would come.
Where is the plane with President Kennedy's son?

Could this be another tragedy for the Kennedy family to endore?

Is he dead or alive?...No one was sure.
As the search goes on, the signs look bleak
The wreckage from the plane washes up on the beach...

Could this be Deja' Vu?
Another Kennedy taken from me and you.
The vigor, the youth, the dream of a man
Taken from our planet into God's spiritual land

Could this be true?...Could this be real?
Why take a man with such stature and zeal?
The son of a president whose loss we still feel

The wait for the public to learn the news...
...drags on through the night with
conflicting views...

Is he dead? or is he alive?
If he crashed...could he survive?

The hour was late when, alas, we heard of his fate.

Oh, how the Kennedy family must be feeling our pain...
For the son of a president who was gunned down and slain.

His son deserved more, for his legacy to endure...
To endure with his life, his presence and his youth...

As God gave us John John, may God grant us the truth.

July 1999

(I recited this poem on the radio-July 19, 1999
at 6:40 AM on B101.1 FM Philadelphia)

JFKK

35th President of the United States

In office
January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963

Preceded by

Succeeded by

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 11th district

In office
January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953

Born

May 29, 1917(1917-05-29)

United States Senator
from Massachusetts

In office
January 3, 1953 – December 22, 1960

Brookline, Massachusetts

Died

November 22, 1963 (aged 46)
Dallas, Texas

Political party

Democratic

Spouse

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy

Alma mater

Harvard College

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John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), was the thirty-fifth President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.

After Kennedy's military service as commander of the USS PT-109 during World War II in the South Pacific, his aspirations turned political, with the encouragement and grooming of his father. Kennedy represented the state of Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953 as a Democrat, and in the U.S. Senate from 1953 until 1961. Kennedy defeated then Vice President and Republican candidate Richard Nixon in the 1960 U.S. presidential election, one of the closest in American history. He is the youngest man and the only practicing Roman Catholic to be elected President. To date he is also the only President to have won a Pulitzer Prize.^[1] Events during his administration include the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, the American Civil Rights Movement and early events of the Vietnam War.

New footage of JFK's last moments

The film shows a clear view of Jackie Kennedy

A previously unreleased film of President John F Kennedy's motorcade has revealed new details of the final moments before his assassination.
The silent film shows the president and his wife Jackie shortly before the fatal shot was fired.
Amateur photographer George Jefferies held onto the film for more than 40 years believing it was unimportant.
But Dallas museum curator Gary Mack says it is bound to provide new fuel to the conspiracy theorists.
Conspiracy theorists
The film shows the president's coat bunched up on his back - a detail some will see as evidence that the bullet wounds on the president's body did not match those on his jacket.
The film also shows "the clearest, best film of Jackie in the motorcade", says Mr Mack.
Also visible is secret service agent Clint Hill, riding on the back of the car. After the shots were fired, Mr Hill jumped onto the back of the vehicle and drove with it to the hospital.
The new film only came to light when Mr Jefferies mentioned it in conversation to his son-in-law, Wayne Graham, who persuaded him to donate it to the museum.
Mr Mack said: "Everyone who captured the motorcade before the assassination thinks their pictures are unimportant. But to historians, all photos and home movies are important to possibly answer questions that will be asked in the future.
"I've already seen the footage on a conspiracy web site."
He said since the president's jacket was riding high on his back, the entry wound in his body did not appear to match the expected position in his coat, which would add fuel to claims that more than three shots were fired.
There were at least 150,000 people lining the route of the motorcade and Mr Mack has encouraged anyone with film or photographs of the event to come forward.

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BOBBY KENNEDY REMEMBERED

KENNEDY, Robert Francis, (1925 - 1968)

Senate Years of Service: 1965-1968
Party: Democrat

1968

Let me take you back in time
To the year before 1969
It was a time of change but also a time of hate
The year that I speak of was 1968
We could believe in the dream of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy too
They were men of conscious speaking out for me and for you
We started the year in turmoil as the Vietnam War continued to escalate
There seemed some hope when President Johnson said he would not run again....but would Bobby enter the race too late?
Then it happened...the hate grew worse
Dr. King was slain in Memphis...was America under a curse?
We still had hope that another Kennedy would make our lives better as the convention drew near
Finally, we could see some hope as it became clear that this would be Bobby's year
To carry on the goals and ideals of the Kennedy name
But alas, Bobby too was gunned down and slain.
Now what did we do?.....we elected a President named Nixon who was a liar and a cheat
If only we knew of the wrongs he was doing while sitting in the oval office seat
Oh, what might have been in 1968
But it seems that our country was a little too late…
To see that men of vision sometimes can change the world with justice and peace
But we all must strive to work together if the killing is to cease
I believe in the principles that the Kennedys gave us all
It was powerful enough to finally tear down the Berlin wall
But like anything else, freedom and goals take time
So please remember the goal we achieved in 1969
When we landed a man on the moon, we fulfilled President Kennedy's goal
We rose above a dream and made reality come true
May Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy do the same for you
We can still change the world like in 1968
But this time let's do it with love instead of hate!
It's time to act on love and not hesitate.
Together we can change the world....but we must not wait
It's never too late....just reach inside and demand justice and truth
It will lead you to love....can you still remember your youth?
1968 could have been great
Let's not let those ideals be lost to our fate
If we reach deep inside to find what is right and what is true
Then the spirit of these men will live on in me and also with you

January 2006

THE KENNEDY MYSTIQUE

There is this thing called the Kennedy mystique

In America….during the 1960’s….it was truly unique

It started with Camelot in the Whitehouse as the decade began

The youth, the vigor, the innocence projecting in the people living throughout the land

With JFK and Jackie…their love affair seemed true

If not for one another, they were sincere to me and you

With the death of the President, Jackie held the country together as Bobby fought for our human rights

And even as America was tearing itself apart, we always had the hope and vision of his future presidency someday in our sights

But as the decade drew to a close…

Bobby too was slain and the questions again arose

Was this the end of the Kennedy mystique or was JFK Jr to fulfill our dreams and someday bring hope to the meek?

As the years went on…

Jackie continued to bring elegance and glamour to the Kennedy name

But, alas, America and the Whitehouse would never be the same

For JFK Jr was lost in a plane crash and Jackie too has now passed away

But the Kennedy mystique is a part of America and will always be here to stay

For they touched us so much in their living years

And helped us all overcome our deepest fears

May they always be remembered for making America a stronger nation when we were still very young, innocent and yes, quite unique

For we must never forget the glamour and the elegance of the Kennedy mystique!

March 2006

Posted on Mon, Feb. 18, 2008 06:48 PM

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JFK assassination documents revealed
By ANABELLE GARAY
Associated Press Writer

Tony Gutierrez

Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins reads from a document that was found along with other memorabilia in a safe at the county courts building that is connected to the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, during a press conference in Dallas, Monday Feb. 18, 2008.

JFK assassination documents revealed

Long-hidden items and documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy were revealed for the first time Monday, after spending nearly two decades locked inside a courthouse safe.
Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins presented the articles at a Presidents' Day news conference while standing next to brown and white file boxes stacked in a pyramid.
The items include a purported transcript between Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and Oswald's killer, nightclub owner Jack Ruby; a leather gun holster that held the weapon Ruby used to shoot Oswald; brass knuckles found on Ruby when he was arrested; and a movie contract signed by then-Dallas District Attorney Henry Wade.
Watkins said investigators told him about the contents of the blue, two-door safe shortly after he took office in 2007.
"And every DA up until the new administration decided that they wanted to keep it secret," he said. But he decided "this information was too important to keep secret."
One of the most intriguing items was the typed transcript of an alleged conversation between Oswald and Ruby. The transcript - which hasn't been examined by experts and has already been called farfetched by some - includes talk of killing the president at the behest of the Mafia.
"Now we don't know if this is an actual conversation or not," Watkins said. "But what we do know is that as a result of this find, it will open up the debate as to whether there was a conspiracy to assassinate the president."
Ruby killed Oswald on Nov. 24, 1963, two days after Oswald was arrested in the assassination of President Kennedy. Ruby was convicted and sentenced to death the following year. Ruby won an appeal of his conviction but died of cancer before he was retried.
The two-page transcript resembles one published by the Warren Commission, which investigated Kennedy's assassination and determined Oswald was the lone gunman.
In the report, the FBI concluded that transcript of an alleged conversation between Oswald and Ruby was fake, and that it had been "re-created" for authorities by a now-deceased Dallas attorney who claimed he recognized Oswald in a newspaper photo as the man he saw talking to Ruby.
The transcript unveiled Monday is dated Oct. 4, 1963, and allegedly happened at the Carousel Club, a Dallas nightclub. It begins with a discussion of how the "boys in Chicago" want to "get rid of" U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, JFK's brother.
"There is a way to get rid of him without killing him," Oswald says.
"How's that?" Ruby responds.
"I can shoot his brother," Oswald says.
After a discussion of the logistics of shooting the president, Ruby says the money for the operation's coming from the Mafia.
"Are you with the Mafia?" Oswald asked.
"You're asking too many questions," Ruby responds.
Later, Ruby gives a lengthy warning that Oswald must not get caught or say anything, noting that "if you do talk, then the boys will make me follow you, wherever you go, and kill you."
The Dallas Morning News first reported the transcript and other details of the find in an exclusive story published Sunday.
Gary Mack, curator of the Sixth Floor Museum near where the president was shot, thinks the document displayed Monday could be one of many scripts written for films about the assassination.
"My best guess is somebody found that transcript, reworked it for the movies and Henry Wade wound up with a copy," Mack said.
A 1967 movie production deal signed by Wade, who prosecuted Ruby, was in the safe. It's unclear why the film was never produced, Watkins said.
The contents of the safe were likely Wade's personal files on the Kennedy assassination, which researchers have long-known Wade kept. When he left office in the 1980s, Wade thought the files were taken to his home but they apparently weren't, Mack said.
Staff from the DA's office were nearly finished scanning the scores of typed and handwritten papers and cataloging the items. Recordings and films kept in the safe had not yet been examined. Once the task is completed, Watkins said his office plans to turn over the articles to an organization that will continue making them public.
"We're looking forward to the opportunity to talk with the district attorney ... We would love to have these records," Mack said. "We believe very strongly that these records need to stay here in Dallas."
Neither the Ruby nor Kennedy families had been contacted about the items, Watkins said.

Elvis's secret UK visit revealed

Steele has kept Elvis' London visit from his fans for over 50 years

Veteran rock star Tommy Steele has admitted he took Elvis Presley on a secret tour of London in 1958.

For more than 50 years, Presley fans have believed the only time he ever set foot in the UK was during a stop-over at Prestwick Airport in March 1960.

But theatre producer Bill Kenwright revealed Steele's secret on Radio 2.

In a note passed to the Daily Mail, Steele said he "swore never to divulge publicly" what took place and he "regrets" that news leaked out.

The 71-year-old, who is currently appearing in a production of Dr Dolittle in Woking, said: "I can only hope he [Presley] can forgive me.

"It was an event shared by two young men sharing the same love of their music and the same thrill of achieving something unimaginable."

Speaking to Radio 2 presenter Ken Bruce, Kenwright revealed Presley struck up a friendship with Steele after ringing him up.

When the rock legend flew into London for a day, Steele apparently took him round the city, showing him famous landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament.

Elvis visit claims 'all shook up'

A plaque at Prestwick airport declares it was the only place in the UK Elvis visited

A Prestwick airport star declares it was the only place in the UK Elvis visited

Elvis friends dispute London trip

By Ian Youngs
Entertainment reporter, BBC News

Elvis Presley in Germany in 1960
Elvis Presley was stationed in Germany for 18 months from October 1958

Two of Elvis Presley's close friends have disputed claims that the rock icon made a secret visit to London.

Lamar Fike and Marty Lacker, two of Presley's inner circle nicknamed the "Memphis Mafia", insist he never travelled to England.

Veteran rock star Tommy Steele recently acknowledged a story that he took Presley on a secret tour of London.

"My apologies to Tommy, but it did not happen," said Mr Fike, who was in the US army with Presley in Germany.

"I was with him the whole time," he told the BBC News website. "I got there two days after he got there. He was confined to base."

Presley did visit Paris and Munich during his 18 months in Germany, Mr Fike said, but added: "Had he gone to England, I'd have been there."

Theatre producer Bill Kenwright recently told a BBC radio show that Presley flew into London for a day "when he was in the forces" and Steele showed him landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament.

'Shared thrill'

In a note to the Daily Mail newspaper, Steele said he "swore never to divulge publicly" what took place and "regrets" that news leaked out.

"I can only hope he [Presley] can forgive me," he said. "It was an event shared by two young men sharing the same love of their music and the same thrill of achieving something unimaginable."

Presley joined the US Army in March 1958, and was stationed in Friedberg, Germany, from October 1958.

His only confirmed visit to the UK was to Prestwick Airport, near Glasgow, where his aeroplane stopped to refuel on his way back to the US in 1960.

Mr Fike was introduced to Presley by record pioneer Sam Phillips in 1954.

Movie plan

"We just became very fast friends," he said. "I travelled with him and went to Hollywood with him in '57 and we did Jailhouse Rock.

"Then when he went into the service, I tried to join because I wanted to be with him. We were just close, close friends."

Mr Fike is about to publish a book about his time with the "King of Rock", called An Uncommon Journey.

He has also written a screenplay based on his memoir which he said was currently being considered by five movie studios.

"It will be a heck of a picture," he said. "It won't be any low budget picture, it's going to be an expensive picture."

Calling all troops!

In order to stem the tide of the public (illegally) watching the In the Ghetto video on YouTube and other video sites, we've made a movie that will hopefully persuade the viewers to go to iTunes and purchase it, and thereby.... HELP END HOMELESSNESS!

You can help tremendously by downloading the movie, then UPLOADING it to YouTube and any other video site you can think of.
Go nuts. Flood the world. End suffering

The following poem was posted on the website of Lisa Marie Presley

THE LEGACY OF THE KING

He came from a small town deep in the south
And made girls scream when he curled the lip of his mouth
They called him the King because he created his own style of song and dance
His music shocked some but brought others into a heated romance
Do you know who I mean?. He told us to follow our dream
Now he lives in our hearts...and his music has inspired other artists to start…
To start a career in music and song
With Elvis as a mentor you can't go wrong

With his love for Pricilla, he gave us Lisa Marie
To carry on his legacy

Elvis may be gone but his legacy is not forgotten

The legacy of the King is now left to Lisa Marie
To have and to hold and to carry on his name
Elvis may be gone but he has left Lisa to carry on his fame

If she believes in her faith, she too will be heard..
Like Elvis before her, she must believe in His word.
I'm not trying to preach because everyone has their own faith to follow...
But those without faith seem to be heartless and shallow
The King became what he was because he loved to sing from his heart and soul
So why shouldn't Lisa follow in his role?

So Lisa, be proud of your father and know that he gave the world so much love
For now he is united with Jessie in the heavens above.
God bless you Elvis and your Lisa Marie
Because this planet is now a better place for you and for me.

June 2005

President Bush?
YALE'S SKULL & BONESSOCIETY MEMBERS http://www.skullandcrossbones.org/articles/skullandbones.htm

By Eric Samuelson, J.D.
I am presently researching a biography on David Rockefeller. An overview of the book will soon be sent to a New York City agent for circulation among all the major publishing houses. Among the topics that will be covered is the role of British USA Round Table member Rep. Wayne Hays (Demo-Ohio) in "killing" the Reece Committee investigation of tax-exempt foundations, the disappearance of the research on the Rockefeller-funded Kinsey studies and the "disposal" threats made to Reece Investigator Norman Dodd by a lobbyist for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In 1986, Hoover scholar Antony C. Sutton published his "magnum opus" - AMERICA'S SECRET ESTABLISHMENT: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ORDER OF SKULL AND BONES. In his preface Sutton said he had been given an eight-inch batch of documents which was "nothing less than the membership lists of an American secret society. Glancing through the sheets it was more than obvious -- this was no ordinary group. The names spelled Power with a capital P."
SURNAME GIVEN NAME S&B YEAR

ELECTION 2000

This election was as close as can be

Was it Gore or Bush?... we waited for the answer so patiently

But the chads were still floating in Florida you see

The votes were not counted as election night dragged on…

They called in a judge to decide what the people had said

Were you a blue? or were you a red?

Is this any way to vote from your head?

In the end, the people did choose

But in Mr. Bush, did America win or lose?

It’s up to time to judge his fate

That began when Mr. Gore conceded on that date

Yes, it was a date in history and a place in time…

When the state of Florida turned a presidential election into a state of the sublime.

November 2000

ELECTION REACTION-2004

I’ll call him President Bush even though the push to start anew has died
I keep asking myself how and why
The heartland of America had his meaning in their minds
Again I keep asking myself how and why

Will we ever get our men and women back home?
Or will George continue the fight from his pleasure dome?
Without a clue we have voted for four more years of insecurity and doubt
Is this what a presidential election is all about?

We have made enemies of our friends which doesn’t seem to end
When we say we are proud to be an American....
From which side do we mean?
We have become a country split down the seams

So now our chance for change has come and gone
And we must walk a lonely path all alone
For arrogance and deceit may lead us into more trying times ahead
So we must band together or more of our boys and girls will be dead
Enough said
My head is aching and I must go to bed

November 3, 2004

POLITICALLY SAID

Just a poem to say what is politically said

In hopes that a vote for the people is not politically dead

Red or Blue....which one are you?

A President named Bush has won the popular vote they say
But his popularity with the people may not come his way
Bush may have won the election but he didn't win the fight
There still are those who believe that the Democrat’s ideas are just and right

Now the Reds rule and the Blues must concede
But did he really win the popular vote or just plant the seed?
We must never give in to arrogance or corruption
And never let the free world fall into consumption
If something isn't right, we still need to take a stand
It doesn’t matter if it's said by a politician or by a common man
So stand up for your rights and never give in
We can still change the world no matter what state we are in
Ohio or Florida, Pennsylvania or Maine
We must continue to hear the people's voice
So don't let it die in vain......

November 2004

* * *

World: Who will America ELECT for the people by the people in 2008?

What's the future for George?

Breaking the mould: Kennedy saw politics as part of lifestyle

If the messages on the George Magazine online chat board are anything to go by, the future for the publication founded by John F Kennedy Jnr may be bleak. Almost all the messages posted to the site, published exclusively on the web by America Online, inextricably link the politics-cum-celebrity magazine with its famous founding editor and urge the publishers to allow it to live and breathe without the famous name.
Even before the tragedy, media speculation had it that John Kennedy Jnr's project to be part of the media, rather than just the subject of it, was doomed.
George claims the highest circulation of any American political magazine, shifting more than 400,000 copies every month.
But commentators (and a few competitors to boot) have publicly attacked it as nothing more than America's smallest circulation celebrity magazine, a project that would have never got off the ground without the famous Kennedy name.
More than your average read
Kennedy founded George almost five years ago as a firmly non-Washington political magazine promoting itself as "not just politics as usual".

Not amused: And not the target audience either

Since then, commentators have criticised it as inhabiting an ill-defined world stuck somewhere between the heart of political power in Washington and the glamour of Hollywood.
Kennedy made no apologies for the magazine's direction, saying it was the political publication for "post-partisan" America - a statement which rings hollow in the aftermath of the bitter scenes of President Clinton's impeachment.
Political magazines should look like lifestyle leaders such as Elle, Kennedy told the New York Times: "They [political magazines] should look like really inviting, accessible, exuberant youthful magazines."
While its competitors such as New Republic would lead on campaign trail turmoil, George would focus on political personalities and celebrities in a far from bashful manner.
Tickle the public
The cover story of the July edition looks at how the "new Latino power brokers are making America sizzle" - complete with the heaving chest of cowgirl-styled Mexican actress Salma Hayek.

Bomb Castro: 'President' Fuentes tells it how it might be

The subject of the "If I were president" column is Daisy Fuentes, host of "America's Funniest Home Videos". In keeping with the cover, the accompanying photograph of Ms Fuentes focuses on some of her more obvious attributes.
An earlier edition raised eyebrows when Buffy the Vampire Slayer - a TV teen idol who does exactly what the name suggests - gained entry to the magazine's ten most influential political women thanks to her true "girl power".
The magazine's supporters say this is all about celebrating politics - and doing it with a bit of Hollywood thrown in.
Washington is not the only place you'll find political power worth writing about, says George.

She's got the power: Buffy made it to top ten

The magazine has a very personal and urbane touch, looking at the human stories behind the policy.
Other stories in the July edition include the candidate least likely to reach the White House in the coming presidential elections and one of Linda Tripp's children defending her mother's pivotal role in the Monica Lewinsky affair.
Another columnist complains that Republicans are "lemon-sucking" moaners.
George argues that politics informs every part of modern life - and that includes popular culture and entertainment.
The charge from critics is that the two drinks not only don't mix, they leave a bad taste in the mouth.
Celebs galore
Critics go on to say (some would say bitterly) that the magazine could not have succeeded without the magic of the Kennedy name which has drummed up publicity and attracted star name writers and interviewees.
One of the modern greats of American literature, Norman Mailer, has written for the magazine and Kennedy raised eyebrows when he signed up former Republican senator Alfonse D'Amato to pen a no-nonsense "Ask Alfonse" column.
Cover stars have ranged from Madonna to former House speaker Newt Gingrich. The last edition led on Ally McBeal star Calista Flockhart "on food, feminism and fighting the press".
Women dominated the early sales figures and Fidel Castro, JFK's old enemy, is reportedly a fan. While that rumour remains unconfirmed, Washington has remained unimpressed.
Speculation over future
Leading American newspapers have speculated in recent months that George's publisher, Hachette Filipacchi, is considering pulling the plug.

Public Row: Streisand criticised magazine

The all-important advertising revenues - drawn mainly from glossy magazine brands such as fashion designers and car manufacturers - are reportedly declining and the magazine has been embroiled in a number of controversies.
Barbara Streisand publicly attacked George for allegedly misrepresenting her views and an article on a trip to Haiti by actress Julia Roberts' was also criticised.
Despite all this, a loyal band of readers has stuck by the unconventional magazine. One correspondent to the George chat board has already proposed that the magazine should now be renamed "John".
Kennedy said that he wanted to see George valued in its own right but the personality-driven publication may find it difficult to survive without the celebrity at its very centre.

President Bill Clinton

MODERN TIMES OF A PRESIDENT

We live in modern times, funny some may say....

That what's happening all the sudden is a reminder of the day....

That what came before in history may be here again to stay....

Look back now in time, can you begin to sense now my rhyme?...

The man becomes the President; the President becomes the man....

But behold, there is always a special woman by his side to help him understand....

For an oath sounds good in practice, although it may vanish on the stand...

Is it right to condemn a man for a basic human need?...

Or should we hold that office sacred and account for his each and every deed?...

Yes, high office holds to rules and laws, to ways and means and ideals....

But in modern man we often find in our own flaws, the uncertainty that he feels....

So let us now look back through time and realize from our past, that every man must judge himself before his wife and God will judge him last!.....

June 1998

MADONNA LOUISE

MADONNA’S INFLUENCE

We call her Madonna and flock to her side
As she takes us on a wonderful musical ride
She keeps to her past but always finds something new
To inspire both me and you

When she dances on stage she unleashes a passion
-A passion that flows from her soul -
But she always seems to define her role
Even as she re-invents the future with the past
Her music will continue to last
Because she is not afraid to open new doors
With her music, her poetry or her religion
She always makes it her own decision

So lets praise the woman for being so daring
But also for being a woman and a star who continues to be caring….
To her friends, her children and her fans alike
For her faith in her religion and the power she has found…..
Continues to grow stronger by just performing in the round

Madonna…
Never give up your music, your theatre, or your dance
But don't be afraid to give others a chance
For you may be surprised to find that there exists another state of mind…..

Where the not famous may someday become famous just for being not famous!

It happened to you…it can happen to me

For all the world to se

ESTHER'S INSPIRATION

There is a woman I

who makes the world her home
She sings and plays on her worldly stage
But still some want to see more
Still they long for her direction and truth
From her Kabbala writings, as Esther, she inspires our youth

So write on Esther, live what you feel
Speak to us from your heart and new hearts you will heal
I became a fan and began to write from within her club
I thank her for opening up her forum to my poems…I felt at home
Now I have Britney and Madonna to hear my words in an overdub

So I write these words before I go
Just to thank her again before I start my show
I exist to write these words where words have meaning
I don't want to be nasty or demeaning

When I write, I write from my heart and soul
Still in search of where to go to find my role
I've been inside and reached out to the young
Now it's time for me to have some fun

I've posted my poems until Britney finally wrote her letter to our youth
Now I've come inside Madonna’s club to inspire her words of truth
She is closer to my age and has attained a wisdom that others can seek
I just hope my words won't be lost on the meek.

Remember the Moon lies above…open your eyes and take a peek

2005

Madonna Photo

CHANGING HER TUNE

If she changes her tune....Romeo may fly her to the moon
The woman we have known to break the rules
Has now reached out to find the meaning to life
Is it because she has become a mother and a wife?
She says she believes in the power of love
Does she sing her song with help from the power from above

We call her Madonna or Esther....the woman who wants to conquer the world
She sends out her calling from within her soul
Where will fate lead her as she takes on a new role
She has a legion of fans that will follow her lead
Will she reach out for the tender Reed?
I believe in the power of love
Will it come from above?

Have I spoken the words she longs to hear
The time is growing near.....have no fear
Like Juliet and Romeo are two
The power of love will always come true

If her passion play is to begin
Juliet must face her new life and cast out her sin
For Somewhere out there in space lies two star-
crossed lovers with each other's hearts to win

If she changes her tune
Madonna may help us fly back to the moon

2005

WHEN MADONNA SPEAKS

Does religion exist in the music of our time?
Does religion exist in the words of my rhyme?

When the children listen do they search for love?
When the children sing can it be heard in heaven above?

When we dance to a beat....will God understand or give us his seat?
When we study a new religion.....will it be God's decision?

When we have a child....will they teach us the truth?
When the preacher talks does he talk to our youth?

It's Madonna and her music that the children respect and love
But it's Esther and her words that will seek God above.

2006

THE PASSION OF MADONNA

She sings with compassion, ecstasy, and truth
She was once idolized by America's youth
Now she has grown older and become a mother and wife
Can't you hear the passion in American Life?
She sets her goals and breaks new ground
Can't you hear her music.....its all around

Look back thru time and you can hear her rhyme
From Love Profusion to Borderline
She changes as much as time itself
She can re-invent the future before it happens
Now she seeks the answers that were denied in her youth
She looks for the religion that will give her the truth

If she follows my rhyme she may find peace of mind
For the Queen of Pop has learned how to rock
She crosses barriers and breaks down the walls
Where others follow.....she follows her call
Walk tall, Madonna....continue to show others the way
Your words will always have meaning....for they will always stay
Deep in our hearts
For this is where you have given us our starts

2005

I want to tell you my secret

Madonna Photo

HOLLYWOOD HANGOVER

Look to the west……..see the sunset

Look up to the blue…….see the “stars” along Malibu

See the mansions where they sleep….all in a row

See the cameras where they “work”……watch the show

Hey you common folk, see this Hollywood joke

Leno or Letterman, Dynasty or Dallas

It’s all the same shit

It’s an absence of malice

Just go to the mountain and see Bel Air

Or go to the sunset strip and see some hair

It’s all around….it’s all downtown

Go to the “Lot” ……check out the crew

Oh God, this Hollywood Hangover makes me blue

Now look to the east….see the sun rise

Wake up California; look up to the clear blue sky

Study the moon as it makes its way pass by

See the true players, all in a row

See the true actors….they’re all watching your show

Hey you on that coast….why must you boast?

You have no family, you have no hope

You hide behind your walls and masks to help you cope

Go to the party….snort your coke

Go to your premier and laugh at your joke

Turn on the telly…watch yourself speak

The cable company just hooked you up to the land of the meek

Your agent called to say that your ratings are low….you’ve lost a share

Now you’ll have to pay your shrink for your comfort and care

Don’t feed your shit to help “entertain” my child

He was once innocent and free….now he’s reckless and wild

Now go see your family….where do they live?

How many millions did you give?

Oh the Hollywood Hangover hurts my head

Give me some pills, I wish I was dead

Again I awake to watch Today or go to sleep and watch Tonight

I’ve lost track of time….what is wrong and what is right.

THE WORLD IS AT WAR …don’t you realize that there are real people dying

That there are women and children crying

This real life script will not go away

You can’t cure an ache with a need to become a “Star”

Sad to say but the U.S.A. has become one open bar

And year after year and day after day….

The American cinema no longer reflects the “American Way”

It’s a land of greed, money, and a collection of super egos that want to buy and sell

They say if you don’t have the money or the “name”….then you can all go to hell

That’s what they say, that’s how they think

If the color of life is red….then the color of their lust is pink

It’s the one thing that sets them on fire..

That brings passion and desire…

The color of their money is not green but is spent on the color that lies inside..

As they spread their wings and open wide.

Every New Year they give themselves a party

These fools of the West….they vote amongst themselves to see who was “Best”

In Hollywood….they think they have it all…from the East to the West….from the North to the South

They have no culture….and they have no mouth

They dress to please, but their minds are often at ease

They come to collect a statue and speak, but their voices are weak

The power of the screen or the tube has no meaning, value, culture or art

What they have become is a body with no free will that seems to lack a heart

Hey ACCESS HOLLYWOOD, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT and TMZ

Look up at the sky and tell me what stars you see

If you look out at the ocean you might see a ship or a fleet

If you want to get wet….step into your Jacuzzis and wash your feet

Take a bath….take a pill

Hey Hollywood…..Hey Malibu….Hey Rodeo Drive

don’t you realize that you all live on a hill

And on a hill you cannot hide….

Who will come calling when the earthquakes hit and your mansions are lost in a mud slide?

Will you loose your pride?

Hey Mr. Critic….see the Pacific Ocean…..see the sand?

See all the common people bathing in the sun….getting their suntan

How would you rate this scene…this romance….between two lovers….acting like a woman and a man.

Quick….snap your picture, marvel at the actors as they call their agents, their publicists and maybe their wife

But alas, they get the bad news…..

The lawyer just called and it’s alimony or your life.

Send the script….give me my millions….give me my pay

She was heard to say in a spastic way

Where’s my agent, where are all my fans?

Did she notice the sincerity in the boy who became a man?

She was heard to say if he becomes a star then I’ll become his fan

But will she give the fan a chance to become a star?....Will he write her name in the sand?

The star-crossed lovers took hold of each other’s hands and looked deep into each other’s eyes…

But the Hollywood Hangover kept to the script and I continued to sigh.

“Divorce…Divorce…of course, of course”

The children were heard to say…

”My mother said that word many times before…”

She tells them everything will be okay

But the Hollywood Hangover has again made me numb

Because the idiot tube, the theatre, and the once proud cinema

Have now progressed to be run by the dumb.

It seems that the creativity in Hollywood is gone….

.So Children….we must now begin to look up at the “Stars” in the sky

.Look up to the new American Dream …Look up to the New Frontier...to the New Hollywood that lies in the heavens above

And once again travel to our moon and become Astronauts and Cosmonauts that travel through this universe of love…

Just like Apollo…

Just like the Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia…

And those brave men and women who gave their lives in pursuit of President Kennedy’s New Frontier…

The New Hollywood lies above….

So let us once again begin to reach out to the stars that flicker in the dark black sky

And the many planets that often pass us by

For we’re only human with a need to question and explore

May the Hollywood Hangover hang over your head and not leave you on the floor

But lift your spirits high above the Earth

With a yearning to love, to dream and find your self worth!

So let us go forth to lead the world we love

But know that in the cosmos and here on Earth…

“God’s work must truly be our own “

MARCH 23, 2008

CLICK ON THE WEBSITE BELOW TO VIEW YOUR LATEST "STARS" AS THEY WALK

"THE RED CARPET OF HOLLYWOOD"

http://www.eonline.com/redcarpet/oscars2008/glamcam/index.jsp

Madonna, Demi Moore

No official word on this, but I hear Kate Hudson wanted to bring more than one guest to Madge's bash. A source tells me the starlet was told she'd have to personally call Moore to ask. No word yet if Hudson ever made it to the party or bothered to call.

Most of the party was in Oseary's tented backyard. The tennis courts were covered and transformed into a lounge area.

—Filed by Marc Malkin

THEY WALK ON THEIR STREETS OF GOLD...FAME...AND FORTUNE...LOOKING FOR THEIR NAMES IN CEMENT ON THE STREETS OF HOLLYWOOD.

THE BIG PICTURE CANNOT HIDE A MANSION THAT IS BUILT ON A HILL....HERE ARE MORE PHOTOS OF THE "HOLLYWOOD STARS" AS THEY COME DOWN FROM THEIR HILLS.....ARE WALLS BUILT TO HIDE THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE IN OR KEEP COMMON PEOPLE OUT?

Click the website below to see the "stars" and their private "BIG PICTURES"

http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=320dd196-bd66-4355-afe6-e9f50c5fd876&sid=nav-photos#8cb7cb64-3898-4c71-bd0e-1e7df194804f

"CONTACT ME" if you can decode my message`to JULIET

ETERNALLY YOURS,

Daniel "romeoICON" Reed

Madonna Photo

American pop singer, Madonna, has during the past three decades come to be regarded as a highly controversial figure in popular culture. What is considered to be controversial and what is not is entirely subject to the opinion of the individual. This article concentrates on the well known and highly publicised aspects of Madonna's career and life. Speculation about Madonna's personal life cannot be considered as facts unless verified by Madonna herself. Speculation about her work however, is a matter of ongoing debate and subject to public scrutiny. This article concentrates on subjects that have provoked debate, discussion, offense, support and headlines.

Contents [hide]
1 Early days & the First Album "Madonna" era (1978-1984)
2 Like a Virgin era (1984-1985)
3 Sean Penn (Spouse 1985-1989)
4 True Blue era (1986-1987)
5 Who's That Girl era (1987-1988)
6 Like a Prayer era (1989)
7 I'm Breathless era (1990)
8 The Immaculate Collection era (1990-1991)
9 Erotica era (1992-1993)
10 Bedtime Stories era (1994-1995)
11 Evita era (1996-1997)
12 Ray of Light era (1997-1998)
13 Guy Ritchie (spouse 2000 - present,) Family & Faith
14 Music era (2000-2002)
15 American Life Era (2003-2004)
16 Confessions on a Dance Floor era (2005-2006)
17 Present & Future "Untitled Album" era (2007)
18 References

[edit] Early days & the First Album "Madonna" era (1978-1984)
In 1978 when she was 20 years old, Madonna left home and moved to New York to pursue a dance career. Times were difficult for her and during 1978/79 she made a low budget art film entitled A Certain Sacrifice. Madonna's character in the film is seen to be raped and she appears topless on several occasions. Around this time Madonna also posed nude as a model. Both the movie and the photos would come back to haunt her several years later, causing much controversy. Madonna's first album, simply entitled "Madonna" made little impact on its first release in 1983. The video for "Lucky Star" featured Madonna dancing, baring her midriff and wearing crosses, which caused a certain amount of speculation as to the young singer's suitability as a role model. The singles from the album did relatively well, but by no means made her a superstar. Madonna was impatient to have her second album released but the popularity of tracks from her first album such as "Holiday" demanded that she continue to do promotional work to push the album further. In 1984 Madonna appeared on MTV and stated that she was eager to get the new album out. She'd already shot the video for "Like a Virgin" and wanted to talk about its release. Asked what the new album was called she coyly stated "Like a Virgin... no comment from the peanut gallery." When asked about her ambitions by ***CENSORED*** Clark after performing on American Bandstand, she simply stated "to rule the world." By the time of the release of her second album, Madonna had already raised several eybrows due to her "look" in her first 3 videos and numerous photoshoots. The public began paying more attention after Madonna made several headstrong remarks, backing up her image and individual personality.

[edit] Like a Virgin era (1984-1985)
The album (and song) Like a Virgin was controversial when it was released in 1984 due to such things as its title, association with Madonna's name and the connections with the classic Catholic Madonna figure as well as often misinterpreted lyrics to the tracks and the title song. The album itself does not contain any material with overtly sexual themes often concentrating on romance instead. The album promoted attitudes of positivity & determination ("Over and Over"), a tongue-in-cheek social commentary on the western world ("Material Girl"), themes of obsession ("Dress You Up"), hurt, desperation ("Stay") and cynicism ("Pretender", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore"). One of the main themes of the album though, seems to be innocence and naivety ("Angel", "Like a Virgin" & "Shoo Bee Do.")

The music video to the first single "Like a Virgin" featured Madonna in dual roles, Madonna the "Tart" and Madonna the newlywed "Virgin". The video was shot in Venice. This "Duality" of Madonna's persona would become commonplace in many of her future music videos, with one persona questioning or challenging the other, a sure sign that provocation of debate was intentional. "Like a Virgin" became a number one single in the USA in 1984 and pushed Madonna to the forefront of the public's attention. Initially, there was much debate, doubt and confusion as to whether "Madonna" was her real name or a stage name. For some people the concept "Madonna the Virgin" making references to the Catholic faith whilst at the same time embracing the image of an independent woman with the right to be sexual and provocative was simply too much.

No sooner had the public come to terms with the fact that Madonna was a real person with a genuine interest in her Catholic faith and not just "an act," she then caused further controversy by attempting to clear up any misunderstandings. She made a statement to the effect that: The lyrics to the song had been misinterpreted (especially by men) and she was singing about purity and innocence

" I wasn't saying "I don't want to be a virgin anymore - ***CENSORED*** me." Some people just didn't get it. "

In 1984 Madonna performed Like a Virgin at the first MTV Video Music Awards, where she wore a white wedding dress with her iconic "Boy Toy" belt buckle. She descended from a giant wedding cake then rolled around on the stage revealing her suspenders and garter belt and tangling herself up in her veil and dress. To the watching world it looked like she was simulating ecstatic, physical and sensual pleasure among the lace and silk of her costume. Madonna went on to use a very similar act during The Virgin Tour, minus the wedding cake but with the addition of her father demanding she remove herself from the stage and telling her off for her naughty behavior. Madonna did not write the song and therefore the lyrics were not a personal statement, rather than an artistic medium of expression. For the press and gossip columns at the time, this was an opportunity to make much of the whole package of Madonna, often encouraging people to misunderstand the concepts, lyrics and image of Madonna the performer as well as concentrating on her religious connections due to her name. Also up for debate was her choice of jewelry and clothes - which often included crosses and crucifixes, lacy underwear (often worn as outerwear,) seductively torn clothing and large quantities of make-up.

Madonna's next single "Material Girl" was another success, building upon that of the previous single. Both the song's lyrics and the music video reinforced her image as a strong but sexy woman with a right to voice her opinion and provoke discussion. The video for "Material Girl" once again portrayed Madonna in conflicting roles. The "soundstage" persona of an actress playing the part of a man-eating, money grabbing, decadent glamour puss (a blatant homage to Marilyn Monroe in the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) and the "offstage" persona of Madonna's actress character who isn't at all interested in money and fed up with men assuming that she's just like her character in the movie. She's seen to be tired of gifts such as diamond necklaces and eventually falls in love with the man who brings her a bunch of daisies instead. Her message was again misinterpreted, with the gossip columnists and tabloids focusing on the image of "Madonna the man hungry, money mad ***CENSORED***." From this point onwards she was frequently referred to as "The Material Girl," a reference which has now become a droll cliché, yet still commonplace in newspapers and articles over 20 years later.

The Boy Toy belt, along with the rest of Madonna's attire, gained controversy as girls around the world began dressing like their idol, ripping their clothing and sporting bare midriffs. After much inquiry, Madonna released a statement explaining that "Boy Toy" was a tongue-in-cheek Graffiti tag from her early New York Days; still, parents and religious leaders continued to condemn the fashion that Madonna promoted.

"Dress You Up", another song from Like a Virgin, was included on the Parents Music Resource Center's "Filthy Fifteen" list for its perceived sexual content. The Nude photos of Madonna which, had all been taken in the late 1970s appeared in Penthouse and Playboy. Madonna shocked the world when she responded to the photo controversy with a defiant "So what?" A short time later news of the release of the "pornographic" movie made before her fame emerged after its release on to video. Madonna tried but failed to suppress the video "A Certain Sacrifice" and it was marketed bearing the slogan "The film Madonna doesn't want you to see." Despite reports of pornographic content, the movie was nothing more than a low budget art film with poor sound, poor picture quality and Madonna appearing topless in context during a rape scene. During 1987's "Who's That Girl Tour" a huge projection of the front page of the New York Post from this time was seen featuring a photo of Madonna and the headline "MADONNA: 'I'M NOT ASHAMED!". The nude photos and movie controversies were short lived.

In 1985 the movie Desperately Seeking Susan was released to much critical acclaim and high box office takings worldwide. Controversy arose due to the fact that Madonna's Character Susan, is seen stealing from a man whom she has just had a one night stand with, stealing from a hotel, shoplifting, smoking cannabis and encouraging others to do so, as well as walking around in public in her underwear. Although Madonna was only playing a part, she was often criticised as only being good in the film due to the fact that she was playing herself. At the time of release, a significant amount of Madonna's fans were pre and early teenagers, there was much debate as to whether youngsters were visualizing Madonna the performer on screen or her character Susan, a role model many parents abhorred. The movie was released in the United Kingdom with a 15 certificate, meaning no-one below that age could legally see or rent the movie.

During the making of Madonna's Material Girl video, she was introduced to actor Sean Penn. The couple embarked on a relationship which in itself would cause controversy and speculation from the start.

[edit] Sean Penn (Spouse 1985-1989)
On August 16 1985 Madonna married actor Sean Penn, this also happened to be Madonna's birthday. The wedding was a private affair with only family and close friends invited. They were married on a cliff top in the grounds of a house in Malibu. The Paparazzi were eager for photos, so much so that their employed helicopters disrupted the wedding ceremony itself prompting Madonna to comment later "The whole thing was a disaster". Sean Penn was reported (along with photographic evidence) to have gone down to the beach and written in the sand the words "***CENSORED*** Off" in 3 metre high letters. Whilst hosting SNL in 1986, Madonna introduced a spoof video to parody and demonstrate the mayhem that occurred during her wedding to Sean, at the same time, she also put a damper on rumours that she was pregnant.

Soon After the wedding and whilst Sean was working on his movie "At Close Range," Madonna began work on her third studio album "True Blue". One of the earliest tracks to be completed was "Love Makes The World Go Round" which she performed at Live Aid. Madonna was introduced by Bette Midler as "A woman who pulled herself up by her bra straps - and who has also been known to let them down occasionally." Another early track composed was "Live to Tell." This track also found its way onto the end credits of "At Close Range." After the completion of the album, Madonna began work on the movie "Shanghai Surprise," and much to many people's surprise, her co-star would be Sean. The movie interiors were shot in London which required Madonna and Sean to spend much time in the city. Controversy followed the couple, wherever they went. This was due to photo-hungry paparazzi vying with each other to get shots of the couple to go with sensationalist headlines and columns for the daily tabloids. The couple were frequently reported to be arguing, fighting, walking off set and making unreasonable demands. When Madonna and Sean failed to respond to the baiting, the press became more frenzied and intense - so much so that Sean began reacting. He began lashing out at photogaphers, pushing them out of the way and swearing at them. Sean's behaviour was most intense when he was with Madonna and due to his protective feelings towards her hence, the couple were dubbed by the press "The Poison Penns." At one point, a photographer from The Sun newspaper actually lay down in front of the couple's limousine, resulting in a broken leg and many more unfavorable headlines. The "Press vs The Penns" controversy culminated in Sean being given a prison sentence in 1987 due to his assault of a photographer.

Sean's frequent drinking did not go unnoticed, and there were often rumors that he was physically abusive towards Madonna. On December 4, 1987, Madonna filed for divorce against Penn, citing irreconcilable differences; less than two weeks later, however, Madonna withdrew the petition on December 16, and the "Poison Penns" entered counselling. On December 28, 1988, Madonna filed assault charges against Penn; media reports emerged that the actor had put his wife through physical abuse, including allegations that he'd tied her to a chair for several hours on New Year's Eve and that he had raped her. Neither party has ever addressed what happened that night and Madonna eventually withdraw the assault charges, though a song on her next album, "Till Death Do Us Part", led to speculation about the abuse reports. In January of 1989, Madonna again filed for divorce, and their marriage was officially ended on September 14 of that year.

After the divorce and following the announcement of Sean's new partner Robin Wright's pregnancy with their first child, Madonna was reported to have sent a gift of baby clothes to the couple with a note reading "Silly boy, if you'd given me a baby, we'd still be together."

[edit] True Blue era (1986-1987)
Madonna's next album, True Blue, was in artistic and critical terms a more mature statement than her previous work, the second single, Papa Don't Preach, sparked controversy because Madonna's stance in the song and alter-ego in the video was from the perspective of a pregnant girl determined to "keep" her unborn "baby". Despite the controversy, she received praise from some critics for discussing a taboo subject and her support of having the choice to keep a child instead of the socially imposed alternatives. Many Pro-choiceactivists jumped on the controversial bandwagon and condemned the single for reasons not entirely apparent with slogans such as "Madonna Don't Preach". Still "Papa Don't Preach was controversial, proving again that Madonna had the power to provoke social discussion, therefore bringing society closer in terms of discussion and understanding due to her high profile.

The video for the album's third single, "Open Your Heart", a US and World number-one hit, created controversy as Madonna portrays an exotic dancer working in a seedy peep show who is friends with a young boy. Groups were outraged at the use of a minor attempting to enter a strip club and sharing a (friendly) kiss with Madonna at the end. Madonna described the video as a statement about innocence. The video also featured a variety of both male and female characters having paid for time to watch Madonna dance, their booth screens closing after their time was up. The video was questionable in the eyes of many people. Although nothing obscene or lewd as such is included in the video (and certainly not the lyrics), it still provoked much debate and question as to its implications.

[edit] Who's That Girl era (1987-1988)

Madonna wearing her throwaway knickers during her 1987 Who's That Girl TourIn 1987, the Pope urged fans not to visit Madonna's performances in Italy during her Who's That Girl Tour.

The Who's That Girl Tour caused much controversy and speculation during its run in 1987. First of all, Madonna opened the show wearing a corset with gold tipped conical breasts and fishnet stockings. The costume was reminiscent of her Open Your Heart costume. During Papa Don't Preach images of starving children, victims of war and the Pope were projected on screens behind her. Madonna also flirted and cavorted with a teenage boy during the show. During a medley of "Dress You Up", "Material Girl" and "Like a Virgin" Madonna flashed her knickers bearing the word "kiss" on the backside, took them off and gripped them from the front and behind and proceeded to "saw" them back and forth between her legs and then throw them to the audience.

In the summer of 1988, the media brought to attention a friendship with openly bisexual comedienne Sandra Bernhard while performing the Broadway play Speed-the-Plow in New York City. The two were reported to be flirting out in public and at known lesbian bars, like the Cubbyhole in New York's West Village. In June, Madonna accompanied Bernhard to an interview on Late Night with David Letterman; the two dressed identically, and Bernhard quipped as a joke that "Sean Penn was terrible (in bed)!... You were much better."

[edit] Like a Prayer era (1989)

"Express Yourself" videoMadonna's fourth album, Like a Prayer, sparked new controversies due to the title track's video combination of religious and sexual imagery. The video begins during the aftermath of events with Madonna running from the sound of police sirens, falling to the ground and then entering a church for sanctuary. The story is revealed in flashbacks where Madonna witnesses the rape and stabbing of a woman by a Caucasian man. A black man who has come to her aid is then blamed and arrested for the crime. Scenes inside the church depict Madonna seeking guidance about her dilemma as the witness to a miscarriage of justice. Her experiences include Madonna being kissed kindly on the forehead by Saint Martin de Porres, whom the press mistakenly believed to be an African American Christ. In some scenes Madonna is seen to be dancing in front of burning crosses and letting her shoulder straps fall. At one point she is seen grasping a knife, letting it fall to the ground leaving wounds on her palms which some interpreted to be Stigmata. Madonna is seen dancing and singing with a gospel choir at the climax of the video. She is then seen to go to the police as a witness, at which point the innocent man is freed. A curtain comes down as Madonna and the "cast" bow and take a curtain call. Pepsi, who had signed Madonna on to be their new spokesperson, dropped her and withdrew the commercial when they feared customers would misinterpret and associate Madonna's video with the company; Madonna, however, was able to keep her $5 million fee due to breach of contract. Some were not offended by the video's imagery, however; many praised Madonna for the video's inferred message about racism, rape and injustice.

The artwork for the Like a Prayer 12 inch single featured a painting by Madonna's brother Christopher; it featured a classic bare breasted Madonna and was headed by the letters MLVC (Madonna's initials) with a prominently fallen letter P indicating her recent divorce and distancing from Sean Penn.

Madonna's "Express Yourself" video also found criticism for its use of S&M imagery, with Madonna chained to a bed, as well as symbolizing women as cats. Some found that the image portrayed women as inferior, though Madonna responded that no man has chained her in the video, and that she is chained "by my own desires" (TV interview, 1989 - featured on The Word (TV series) in 1990 (out of context - falsely related to Madonna's Justify My Love Video.) Madonna's music video for "Oh Father" also caused minor controversy with MTV due to a scene in which Madonna's mother's lips can been seen sewn together in her casket; MTV requested that Madonna remove the scene, and when she refused, MTV backed down. A scene in the video where Madonna's lover slaps her also further supported claims that Sean Penn had been violent to her during their marriage.

[edit] I'm Breathless era (1990)

The cover of "Truth Or Dare"In 1990 MTV took issue with a scene from the video of Madonna's megahit "Vogue" that featured Madonna in a sheer blouse that displayed her breasts (though not her nipples); Madonna refused to remove the scene, and MTV again backed down.

In April 1990, Madonna embarked on her Blond Ambition Tour, which again created controversy due to its juxtaposition of sexual imagery and religious symbols, mainly Catholic in and out of context. The Pope once again called for the boycott of all the Italian shows on the tour and one show in Rome eventually had to be canceled. Police in Toronto also threatened to arrest the star for "Lewd & Obscene Behaviour" unless she removed the infamous simulated masturbation scene from "Like a Virgin"; Madonna performed the song as usual anyway and according to her manager at the time Freddy DeMann "she did it even worse" but, the police decided not to arrest her, citing that no lewd or obscene behaviour in a public place had taken place. Madonna's response to the threat was "great, I ain't changing my ***CENSORED*** show". During a concert in Nice, France Madonna paid tribute to Rosanne Barr and told the world to "Get a ***CENSORED*** sense of humour OK, instead of worrying about more important things - Like how many girls Warren Beatty has slept with - that's an important subject - NOT" This related to an incident On July 25, 1990 Roseanne Barr had performed a controversial rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" before a baseball game in San Diego, California. After being told to "bring humor to the song," she mimicked the behavior of players by spitting and grabbing her crotch; barely singing, she screeched and screamed instead. She was booed off the field. In turn Madonna found this news whilst on tour highly amusing, stating "Good on you Roseanne baby, I know you was only paying tribute to me," whilst grabbing her crotch. On July 25, the very same day that the Rosanne Barr controversy was taking place and at the same time (give or take an hour or two due to the time difference,) during a Wembley Stadium performance, Madonna said the word "***CENSORED***" 24 times, a record for any date on the tour and also for the BBC in use of profanities during the prewatershed period to this day. The concert was being broadcast live as performed with no time delay by BBC Radio 1 and Madonna had specifically been asked not to swear before the performance, as a result, she uttered more profanities during this one show than at any other point during the tour. Henceforth Madonna was banned by the BBC from ever participating in any live TV and Radio broadcasts. This ban has recently been relaxed (In November 2005, Madonna appeared live on the BBC telethon Children in Need.)

During the tour, Madonna released the second single from the album "I'm Breathless." The track "Hanky Panky" caused some controversey due to its sexual overtones with lyrics which described the virtues of spanking; despite this, the song was not banned and reached #2 in the UK single charts. No actual video for the song was made, instead a live performance from the tour was used. The song was panned by critics as nothing more than a novelty song. The track was a radical departure from Madonna's previous work, being of a big-band retro swing style fitting in with the general theme of its parent album.

In 1991, Madonna released Truth of Dare AKA "In Bed With Madonna", a rockumentary documenting the tour that displayed live concert footage from the Blond Ambition Tour intercut with black & White footage of Madonna backstage and on the road. The movie was controversial due to scenes such as Madonna's run in with the Canadian police and the Vatican as well as scenes including Madonna simulating fellatio on a bottle, recounting adolescent lesbian exploriation, and exposing her breasts.

In the autumn of 1990, Madonna made a commercial for MTV's Rock the Vote campaign, in which she appears in a red bikini wrapped in an American flag with two back-up dancers from the Blond Ambition Tour singing "Vote", a lyrically-altered version of that year's earlier megahit, "Vogue".

[edit] The Immaculate Collection era (1990-1991)

"Justify My Love" her first banned videoMadonna released her first greatest hits album in 1990, The Immaculate Collection. The title was a pun on the "Immaculate Conception." The album included Madonna's highly controversial new track, "Justify My Love". This was Madonna's first record to display a Parental Advisory Label, at the end of the "Hip-Hop" mix on the maxi single she states "***CENSORED*** Me!" The black and white video displayed nudity, homosexuality and mild sado-masochism. Madonna's lesbian kiss in the video made the most headlines and stills of the scene were seen in many tabloids as well as feeding speculation about her sexuality. It became Madonna's first video to be banned by MTV. Canadian music channel MuchMusic banned the video from regular roation but did play the video in its entirety on a program called Too Much 4 Much. To counter MTV's banning, Madonna released a VHS version of the music video, the first of its kind, and sold over one million copies in the US. Madonna also appeared on ABC's Nightline in December to discuss the video.

In 1991, Madonna was rumored to have contracted HIV. Madonna released a statement denying that she had the virus, but stating that, if she did, she would be more afraid of how she would be treated by other people than by how the virus would affect her health.

Penny Marshall cast Madonna in the movie A League of Their Own, which was filmed on location in Evansville, Indiana. After shooting was completed, Madonna caused controversy when she told a reporter for an article in TV Guide magazine that the worst part about the shoot was being stuck in Evansville which she called "boring" and said: "I may as well have been in Prague". The community was furious, got together and filled a parking lot up with themselves lying down and spelling out, with their bodies, the word "Madonna" with a circle and a line around it. The picture was taken from a helicopter and shown around the USA including, most notably, in People magazine.

[edit] Erotica era (1992-1993)
On October 21, 1992 Madonna released Sex, a coffee table book containing nude pictures of herself along with friends and celebrities of the time such as Naomi Campbell and Vanilla Ice. The book depicted such acts as lesbianism, sado-masochism, anilingus, rape, role playing and numerous fetishes. The book was presented spiral bound with aluminium covers sealed in Mylar packaging. Not only did the book contain dozens of sexual images but also texts written by Madonna taking on the persona of "Dita" exploring her sexuality. The texts contained coarse language and made many references to taboo subjects. The book contained a highly stylized comic book featuring a bizarre comedic "slap & tickle" sex romp adventure with Madonna at the centre of the plot. Of special note, the book also came with a 1 track CD featuring a unique version of "Erotica" entitled "Erotic." The inclusion of the CD very firmly tied the book in with her latest album "Erotica" which was simultaneously released with the book. The book sold out very quickly, was never republished and is now a collector's item which can fetch several hundred dollars in its unused sealed condition. Even in an acceptable used and opened state the book can sell for several times its original retail price. Ironically, the photos included in the book were many times more pornographic and likey to cause more offense than her initial attempts at nude modeling in the late 70's. The release of the book made the old nude photo controversy of the 80's seem pale in comparison.

Simultaneously Madonna had released Erotica, her first album to sport a Parental Advisory label. The title track received the most controversy, due to the video's strong sexual content which drew much of its material from raw footage shot during the Sex book photoshoot; it was initially only aired three times on MTV and has never been commercially released in any format other than digital download via iTunes. The album contained such songs as "Where Life Begins" - a track about oral sex, one of the most explicit and literal songs on the album. Just four months after the release of Erotica, Madonna appeared in Body of Evidence, an erotic film that included full frontal nudity and simulated sexual acts. Critics believed Madonna had gone too far with the sexual themes in her recent projects and her popularity may have suffered because of it, the album did not sell quickly compared to sales of her previous albums.

Also in 1992, Madonna was romantically linked to Miami, Florida nightclub owner and socialite Ingrid Casares. This further fueled speculation that Madonna was bisexual and/or lesbian. Casares is referred to extensively in Madonna's Sex book.

In September 1993, Madonna embarked on The Girlie Show Tour, which was viewed as her most controversial tour to date. The show featured semi-nude dancers, homosexual imagary, spanking, simulated orgies and much comedy. Madonna began the show with "Erotica" and appeared on stage with a whip, black mask and dressed in knee length leather boots and hotpants. As the show progressed, she stripped, cavorted and danced. At one point she even appeared to change gender ala Marlene Dietrich for yet another reinvented rendition of the old faithful controversy engine "Like a Virgin". She then went on to mimick Misogynist behaviour and views during "Bye Bye Baby," spanking the dancers' bottoms, grabbing her crotch and shouting "***CENSORED*** women, yea, we ***CENSORED*** women." In Puerto Rico, an uproar arose when Madonna rubbed the Puerto Rican flag between her legs on stage. A German politician called for a boycott of Madonna's only (already sold-out) German show in Frankfurt because of nudity and pornographic content on stage. Orthodox Jews also staged protests to cancel Madonna's first-ever show in Israel, which ultimately failed. She also caused a stir in Australia when she was pictured handling a didjeridu, which is supposed to not be played by women.

[edit] Bedtime Stories era (1994-1995)
On March 31, 1994, Madonna sparked more controversy when she appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman and uttered the word "***CENSORED***" thirteen times, discussed lewd topics, and even gave Dave a pair of her underwear and told him to smell them.

Madonna also made headlines in 1994 when she was romantically linked to basketball star Dennis Rodman, whom many thought was controversial for the fact it was an interracial relationship.

Later that year, Madonna received minor complaints over her video for "Take a Bow" when animal rights activists accused Madonna of glorifying bull fighting in the video. Madonna told MTV interviewer Kurt Loder that she actually saved the bulls and put them out to pasture. "Normally, after a bull fight they would be killed, but the ones we used were not." she went on to explain.

The song "Human Nature" used the word "shit" frequently. The radio & video edits of the track were altered to omit the word. The video, directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino featured Madonna, her dancers and her chihuahua, Chiquita, in black vinyl outfits. The dancing was intercut with brief shots of bondage imagery including a woman in a monoglove strappado. At the end of the video, the music cuts out suddenly and Madonna says "absolutely no regrets" reinforcing her point one last time. The video was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards, Best Dance Video and Best Choreography.

After the 1995 MTV VMAs, Courtney Love barged into an interview with Madonna and Kurt Loder while clearly intoxicated and proceeded to take over the interview, leaving Madonna in a state of bemusement and Kurt Loder behaving rather uncomfortably. Little wonder that this incident added fuel to the rumours that Love and Madonna were not friends.

[edit] Evita era (1996-1997)
In 1996 Madonna was cast in the role of Eva Peron in the film Evita, based upon the stage musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, after she wrote a long and desperate letter to director Alan Parker convincing him she was perfect to play the role. The letter was accompanied by a copy of her video for "Take A Bow" for which she had specifically asked the director to make resemble the 1940s and '50s.

Before and during the filming, many people in Argentina took to the streets and spray painted walls to protest against her (with phrases including "Madonna is a whore. Evita is a saint" and "Viva Evita! Fuera Madonna!" or "Long Live Evita! Madonna, go home!"). Madonna described the experience as exhausting with all the press camped out. She later created more controversy by releasing a statement announcing that she was pregnant with her first child, Lourdes, with then-boyfriend Carlos Leon.

More controversy arose when it was revealed that some of the period costumes used in the movie and worn by Madonna were in fact authentic originals from the time and made much use of animal fur. Despite this, tabloids and gossip columns were not clear on the fact that they were original period clothes and not specifically made for the movie - those that were made especially for the movie did not use real animal fur.

[edit] Ray of Light era (1997-1998)
After becoming a mother and spending a few years avoiding controversy, Madonna ignited another controversy with her performance of "Ray of Light" at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1998. The World Vaishnava Association expressed anger when Madonna, who sported facial markings regarded as holy by Hindus, gyrated "in a sexually suggestive manner with her guitar player" while wearing a see-through blouse.[1] Another controversy arose regarding the "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" video when the papparazzi in the video chased Madonna on motorcycles in a manner eerily reminiscent to that of Princess Diana's death a year earlier.[2]. Madonna's next single, "The Power of Good-Bye" sparked controversy when some misinterpreted its ending, when Madonna walks into the ocean, leaving behind only her shoes as well as leaving many to interpret that it was a suicidal act. Once again, the public were left in doubt as to Madonna's artistic statement.

[edit] Guy Ritchie (spouse 2000 - present,) Family & Faith
In 1994 Madonna met fitness trainer Carlos Leon who became her personal trainer and and they began a releationship. On October 14, 1996, Madonna gave birth to the couple's child, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon.[3] The couple ended their relationship in 1997.[4]

After Madonna's relationship with Leon ended in 1997, she began dating Andy Bird, who sold his story to the newspapers in a tell-all about their 18-month relationship.

On August 11, 2000, Madonna gave birth to a son, Rocco John Ritchie, with movie director Guy Ritchie, whom she had met in 1999 through mutual friends Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler.[5] On December 22, 2000, Madonna and Guy were married at Skibo Castle in Scotland. It was a private affair with only family and close friends in attendance. No photographs from the wedding have ever been made public. As of 2007, Madonna resides in London and her country estate in Wiltshire, with Ritchie and their children. On 18 May 2000 Ritchie was arrested by the police after he assaulted a 20-year-old man outside their Kensington home. After admitting the assault Ritchie was given a Formal Police Caution.[6]

Since the late-1990s, Madonna has become a devotee of the Kabbalah Centre and a disciple of its controversial head Rabbi Philip Berg and his wife Karen. Madonna and Guy attend Kabbalah classes and have been reported to have adopted a number of aspects of the movement associated with Judaism. The media has reported that Madonna has taken on the Biblical name of Esther and has donated millions of dollars to Kabbalah Centres in London, New York, and Los Angeles. She no longer performs on Friday nights because this is the time when the Jewish Sabbath begins. Madonna wears a red string and has visited Israel with members of the Kabbalah Centre to celebrate some of the Jewish holidays. She also studies personally with her own private-tutor, Rabbi Eitan Yardeni, whose wife Sarah Yardeni runs Madonna's favorite charitable project, "Spirituality for Kids", a subsidiary of the Kabbalah Centre.[7] Madonna reportedly donated $21 million towards a new Kabbalah school for children.[8]

Controversy erupted again well before the release of her most recent album Confessions on a Dance Floor. Many Israeli rabbis condemned Madonna and the forthcoming song "Isaac" (tenth on its track listing) because they believed the song to be a tribute to Rabbi Isaac Luria, also known as Yitzhak Luria (1534–1572), one of the greatest Kabbalists of all time, and claimed that Jewish law forbids using a holy rabbi's name for profit. In interviews, Madonna had called this song: "The Binding of Isaac" and rumors spread that it was based on the major episode in the life of the Hebrew patriarch Isaac. Despite continued accusations that the song is about Isaac Luria, Madonna has repeatedly denied such accusations, claiming she could not think of a title for the song and, therefore, named it after Yitzhak (Isaac) Sinwani. In the song, Madonna sings with Sinwani, an Israeli singer, who is chanting a Yemenite Jewish song. Said Madonna: "The album isn't even out, so how could Jewish scholars in Israel know what my song is about? I don't know enough about Isaac Luria to write a song, though I've learned a bit in my studies."[9]

Madonna has openly defended her Kabbalah studies by stating, for example:

" I wouldn't say studying Kabbalah for eight years goes under the category or falls under the category of being a fad or a trend. Now there might be people who are interested in it because they think it's trendy, but I can assure you that studying Kabbalah is actually a very challenging thing to do. It requires a lot of work, a lot of reading, a lot of time, a lot of commitment and a lot of discipline.[10] "

Furthermore, Madonna said in a BBC interview that she believes Christianity is intolerant of questioning, whereas Kabbalah is not. Madonna has also defended Kabbalah against detractors who claim it is a cult designed to extort money from followers.

[edit] Music era (2000-2002)
Despite MTV's decision to censor parts of her video for Music due to guest star "Ali G" (Sacha Baron Cohen) making lewd and obscene comments ("Is you Madonna? Your Babylons look less big than they do on the telly - but I still definitely would!"), Madonna didn't have any controversy with her album of the same name until she released the video for the third single "What It Feels Like for a Girl" directed by her husband Guy Ritchie. The video showed Madonna as a battered and bruised con artist, driving an elderly woman who she has taken from the "Old Kuntz Guest Home" around in a car she stole and going on a violent rampage aimed at men. She is seen ramming the car into a group of guys, robbing a man withdrawing cash from an automated teller machine, rampaging through a hockey game, shooting a silver water pistol at police officers, scratching their car, throwing (still full) French fries into a garbage bin, stealing another car, blowing up a gas station, and then crashing the car, wrapping it around a lamp-post. The video was banned by MTV and VH1 after one airing.[11] The videos for both "Music" & "What It Feels Like For A Girl" were released as video singles on DVD and VHS format. They included uncensored versions of the videos and well as the latter including exclusive mixes of the song.

As a fourth single, Madonna wanted to release "Impressive Instant", which was already a major club hit in the US. Madonna felt that the song would properly promote her Drowned World Tour. However, her label refused, feeling that it was too uncommercial and edgy. They opted for the more commercial sounding "Amazing". As a result, plans for a fourth single were cancelled.

Madonna refused to shoot a video for the song, so the record label planned on releasing a live video, so Madonna took "Amazing" out of her show to prevent its commercial release.

[edit] American Life Era (2003-2004)

Madonna kisses Christina Aguilera at the 2003 MTV Music Awards after they had performed "Like a Virgin" and "Hollywood" along with Britney Spears.American Life was in hindsight deemed to be one of Madonna's most controversial albums both artistically and commercially. Following a straight 10 year run of relatively few controversies, the album sparked much debate despite its poor sales; it was a mix of acoustic and techno music.

The album cover photo was an homage to revolutionary political figure Che Guevara whom Madonna's character Eva Peron had been connected with in the film Evita- see main articles on Che Guevara & Evita.

The album suffered commercially, in part, due to controversy over its first single, "American Life". The video for the single was filmed in the run up to the second Iraq War, and its content was deemed "unpatriotic" by early reports. This was quickly picked up in the media, which gave the impression that the album was anti-American in content. This was controversial amongst Madonna fans since she is known to rarely back down.

Madonna decided to withdraw the video, and issued the following statement:

" I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video. "

The video to the title track included various graphic scenes of war including missile launches, stealth bombers, mushroom clouds, and suffering Iraqi children. Madonna and dancers also wore military attire on a fashion runway. At the end, Madonna throws a grenade at a George W. Bush look-a-like. Shortly before its release, Madonna pulled this video and replaced it with a different version, which had her singing behind a background of various world flags. Madonna claimed she pulled the original video "due to the volatile state of the world, and out of respect for the armed forces."[12]

Madonna performed her next single, "Hollywood", at the 2003 MTV VMAs after Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera performed her classic "Like a Virgin" in a manner reminiscent of her 1984 performance. Madonna then proceeded to kiss both Britney and Christina, which caused an uproar of controversy.

Madonna was sued in 2004 for using the copyrighted work of the late French erotic photographer Guy Bourdin in her music video for the American Life track "Hollywood". It was claimed she reenacted poses from at least eleven of the late photographer's erotic photos. Madonna settled the copyright lawsuit out of court.[13]

[edit] Confessions on a Dance Floor era (2005-2006)
In May 2005, Belgian songwriter Salvatore Acquaviva sued Madonna in Belgian court over plagiarism in one of her 1998 singles, "Frozen". Acquaviva claimed the track took several bars from his 1993 song "Ma Vie Fout L'camp" ("My Life's Getting Nowhere"). In November 2005, a Belgian judge ruled in favor of Acquaviva. Stores in the country had just fifteen days to remove all singles and albums containing the track. Furthermore, the judge issued all television and radio stations to stop playing the song, or face a 150,000 euro fine. Madonna can still appeal the ruling if she wishes.[14]

On July 2, 2005, Madonna performed for the Live 8 benefit concert. Before Madonna performed "Ray of Light," Madonna yelled out "Are you ***CENSORED*** ready London?" The BBC aired this unedited, which upset several people who watched the concert. The BBC later apologized for this and other instances of profanity aired during the benefit concert.[15]

A track on Madonna's tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, called "Isaac", sparked controversy when Israeli rabbis claimed the track referred to Rabbi Isaac Luria, arguing that Jewish law forbids using a holy rabbi's name for profit. Madonna denied the claims that "Isaac" referred to the rabbi, but to the name of the backup singer featured on the track.

Madonna once again was forced to edit one of her music videos to make it suitable for airplay. The video for her single "Sorry" included a scene where she makes a rude finger gesture that networks refused to air.[16]

Controversy followed Madonna to her Confessions Tour when Catholics expressed outrage at her decision to be displayed hanging to a cross with a crown of thorns on her head while performing "Live to Tell".

Madonna performing "Live to Tell" during the Confessions Tour 2006.Furthermore, she angered the Vatican again when she invited Pope Benedict XVI to view her performance in Rome. Outrage spread throughout Rome upon the arrival of Madonna's tour, sparking anger from various religious groups, including the Catholic Church.[17] A huge Madonna ad on the side of a scaffolding near Vatican City, shot for the H&M campaign, also caused an uproar. Calls were made for the ad to be taken down, but it ultimately stayed in place.[18]

In Moscow, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia (FJC) urged all members to boycott her first-ever Russian concert in Moscow due to her use of religious symbolism.[19][20]

In Germany, prosecutors threatened to open an investigation on charges of insulting religious beliefs over her mock crucifixion before her concerts in Dusseldorf, Germany. After seeing the performance, prosecutors decided not to open an investigation. They stated that although the performance may be "hurtful to religious people", Madonna is protected by artistic freedom laws.[21]

On October 10, 2006, Madonna and Guy Ritchie filed adoption papers for a thirteen-month-old Malawian baby boy named David Banda,[22] whom they have subsequently chosen to rename David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie.[23] The adoption first caused controversy when it was revealed that the boy's birth father, Yohane Banda, was still alive, and he began to give conflicting statements to the media regarding his decision to allow his son to be adopted. Human rights' groups also became involved, claiming that Madonna had used her wealth to circumvent Malawian adoption laws and cut in line. In interviews on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dateline NBC, Madonna denied breaking any laws and lashed back at critics, claiming that she was saving David's life. The Ritchies are currently acting as foster parents to David for the eighteen months required under Malawian law, at which time they will be able to formally adopt him.

In December Madonna was criticised by animal rights group PETA for wearing what it said was a real chinchilla fur coat as she left a London restaurant.[24]

[edit] Present & Future "Untitled Album" era (2007)
In April Madonna returned to Malawi with David for a visit to his biological father and to check on her aid projects there amid rumors that she was to adopt yet another child, so far the rumors have yet to prove true. This made headlines and became "part 2" of the controversy which began in 2006.

" Her bid to whisk a one-year-old boy away from a life of poverty in an orphanage may have raised hackles elsewhere but for the people of Malawi, Madonna is a hero with her heart in the right place. But while accusations that her fame and wealth enabled her to fast-track the adoption process continued, the warm reception locals accorded Madonna and David indicated most are enchanted rather than appalled by the rags-to-riches story.
Local human rights groups had challenged an interim adoption order that was granted to Madonna in 2006 and even some of the singer's fellow celebrities had questioned her motives, including the actress Angelina Jolie who called the adoption "illegal". Madonna herself had been taken aback by some of the reactions, telling People magazine: "I did not expect the media, the government or any human rights organizations to take a stand against me trying to save a child's life."

The number of orphans is growing rapidly in Malawi as a result of the AIDS pandemic which has not only claimed the lives of so many parents but also of relatives who would have once taken care of the youngsters.

During her visit, Madonna also chatted with street children and prostitutes at a government-run rehabilitation centre in the capital Lilongwe where a number of wellwishers held placards reading: "Madonna you are welcome" and "Don't listen to critics: We love you!"

Alfred Chapomba, founder of the Consol Homes orphans charity, said he does not believe in adoptions but rather believes orphans be raised in their same cultural and social backgrounds. However he said Madonna had helped raise the profile of Malawi. "Many people out there did not know the country existed and thought we are part of South Africa," he said. "We need more goodwill people like her," he added.
NOW IN MARCH OF 2008:
MADONNA'S "EYE CANDY" CD WITH JUSTIN TIMBER(MICKEY MOUSE)
PICTURES OF THE DAY

MARCH 10, 2008- "A DAY TO BE REMEMBERED"

Madonna joins rock's Hall of Fame

Madonna received her honour from singer Justin Sexyback
Madonna has been inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a star-studded ceremony in New York.
The 49-year-old thanked her detractors in an acceptance speech, including those who "said I couldn't sing, that I was a one hit wonder".
Rock star John Mellencamp, Leonard Cohen, The Ventures and The Dave Clark Five were also among the inductees.
The British band paid tribute to singer Mike Smith, who died of pneumonia at the age of 64 two weeks ago.
"Mike tried desperately to be here with us tonight," said Dave Clark.
"At least he know's he's a Hall of Famer. Mike, you're with us in spirit, my friend, and always will be."
'Inspired'
Madonna received her honour at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel from singer Justin Timberlake.
"The world is full of Madonna wannabes. I might have even dated a couple," he said. "But there is truly only one Madonna."

In pictures: Rock Hall of Fame

The singer recalled a teacher who encouraged her to follow her dreams at the age of 14, adding that she is still lucky to have people spurring her on.
As for her critics over the years, she said: "They inspired me because they made me question myself repeatedly and pushed me to be better."
"I have gone on to do so many things in my life, from writing children's books, to designing clothes, to directing a film.
"But for me it always does, and it always will, come back to the music, so thank you," said the singer.
Vitamin injection
Madonna and Timberlake then shared an anecdote of how the pop star gave him a vitamin injection herself after asking him to remove his trousers.
Iggy Pop and The Stooges performed on Burning Up and Ray of Light on her behalf.
Fellow inductee John Mellencamp performed Authority Song, and spoke of having surgery for spina bifida when he was six weeks old, which may have left him paralysed.
The 56-year-old said: "I'm lucky to be standing here for a number of reasons," adding, "I've been an total walking contradiction my entire career and I intend to stay that way."
Singer Billy Joel, who inducted Mellencamp, said; "You scared us a couple of times when we thought we'd lost you, even though it might have been a good career move."
Gravel-voiced Canadian singer-songwriter Cohen, called the ceremony "a very unlikely occasion for me".
"It is not a distinction that I coveted or even dared dream about," he added.
Artists become eligible for the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after their first recording.
The candidates are chosen by a committee and whittled down to a final list of five by more than 600 music experts.

BARBRA JOAN STREISAND

AKA: ESTHER

BORNApr-1942

Birthplace: Brooklyn, NY

Gender: Female
Religion: Jewish
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Singer
Party Affiliation: Democratic

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