New York Post

FUN FOR THE ROAD

by Liz Smith

May 3,2004---"To rule the world",said Madonna in 1984 after being asked what she hoped to accomplish.

OUR BIG QUESTION surrounding Madonna's upcoming "re-Invention" tour is--"Can Madonna still have fun?".She has transformed herself through motherhood,marriage,spiritual awakening and children's books. (Her third one,"Yakov and The Seven Thieves" is out in June).

The pop icon's current persona is a bit prim and matrony,with the lurid exception of her now-passe and infamous MTV smooch with Britney Spears.The girl who rolled around brazenly singing "Like A Virgin" at the first MTV Awards,or the woman who posed naked on a Miami highway for her "Sex" book,seems a distant,jaunty memory.

But according to Madonna's sexy,brainy manager,Caresse Henry,the answer is "Don't you worry,the overriding theme of this show is all about having fun! This is the ultimate Madonna show".The concert,according to others who have seen the star in rehearsal,is absolutely what every fan has been waiting for--Madonna singing her greatest hits.Caresse insists: "She is having the time of her life going back to her earliest numbers and reinventing them musically and in every other way.She was never interested in a retrospective during past tours,but now she is into it all with a vengeance.She is totally embracing her body of work".

The idea for the show came when Madonna's longtime director-collaborator Jamie King showed up at her house with a stage set designed in miniature,inside a Gucci show box.The set may have been small,but Jamie and Madonna thought big.Madonna is determined to give her fans "the works" this time around. Every song in the set has been modernized and remixed but is still instantly recognizable.She even belts out one of her first dance hits,1983's "Burning Up".. The star will be dressed to kill in Lacroix,Stella McCartney,Prada,Karl Lagerfeld.Gaultier,Yves St.Laurent and Arianne Phillips.

Jonas Akerlund,who directed several of madame's award-winning videos,is already filming a documentary about this tour.It is not,in any way,a "sequel" to "Truth Or Dare",shot during the "Blonde Ambition" tour in 1990 .That endeavor,full of naughty bits,diva-ish acting out and Madonna "performing" scenes from her so-called private life,was amusing and mesmerizing. (Remember Warren Beatty exclaiming "She doesn't want to live off camera!" Warren's fling with M shocked him into domesticity with Annette Bening).Akerlund's work will show the "new" Madonna---still fun of fun and creativity,if slightly more conventional."But is she a long way from taking her name as her life's vocation?" I asked Caresse.The manager laughed and then called out,"Madonna,Liz Smith thinks you've bcome too saint-like to have fun anymore!".

And then,after alot of background noise and cackling,a familiar voice was suddenly on the phone,one I haven't heard in several years."Liz,I am happier now than I've ever been in my life.I have two beautiful children and a brilliant,gorgeous husband.I have my work and I have my faith.None of that means I've lost my sense of humor or my sense of fun.If that's borinbg to some people,I can't tell you how much I don't care".

Madonna spoke with snappy (not snappish) authority.Then she said "I've got to get back to rehearsal or Jamie's going to kill me.But I'll see you at the Garden,right?". She meant Madison Square Garden,where her six shows in June sold out within minutes.As did 35 others around the world.And to think,20 years ago,I asked myself why she was on the cover of Time and mused that surely she could not last.Nice to be wrong.
[This message was edited Mon May 3 0:50:46 2004 by DavidEye]

I just Miss the Old Madonna who was Burning Up and Justifying her Love. Or who sang about Human Nature. I always will Admire her and All but I liked the Earlier years when she was more Wild. I'm sure her tour will be Wonderful. Just me.

Zelaira said:

Speaking of the "wild Madonna" of the past....I remember seeing Maddy on MTV after she had just won some type of Award.She had the award in her hand and was talking about how much it means to her (I think this was during the 'True Blue' period?).She then proceeded to kiss the award and simulate fellatio on it! LOL...then she moaned and faked an orgasm.I couldn't believe my eyes!!


Does anyone know what I'm talking about? It's one of those classic Madonna TV moments

DavidEye said:

YES! It was MTV's artist of the decade award...she did that in 1989.

purplegypsy said:

thanks

DavidEye said:

I remember it vividly! I don't know if they had an artisit of the deacde award for the 90s...but i know mariah got a bunch of those from billboard and other music insitutions...