That crazy Madonna. If she’s not pissing off the Catholics, she’s… well, she’s pissing off the Russian Orthodox Church. Her current "Confessions" tour made waves in America (including the cover of the never-reactionary New York Post) for the cheery little number where she crucifies herself on some sort of disco cross while singing "Live to Tell," but she didn’t really get the blasphemy chants going until she hit Europe.
Now, NBC is reconsidering whether or not it’s a good idea to run the "Live to Tell" bit during its upcoming prime-time Madonna concert special. That’s their right as a network in this post-Janet world, I suppose, but still, it’s fair to ask: Did NBC forget that its Madonna concert special was a Madonna concert special? Did they think she would be frolicking with puppies under a sky full of pink fluffy clouds that spell out "Jesus Loves Me"? And how will this kerfuffle affect ABC’s "GWAR: The Truth Behind the Bestiality" sweeps event?
NBC is foolish if they didn’t think that bit would cause an uproar. At the same time, they shouldn’t pull it from the broadcast. If people don’t like it, chances are, they don’t like Madonna anyway, so why would they tune in? There’s a lot on TV I don’t like and find offensive (the 700 Club, FOX News, reruns of Yes, Dear..) and my simple way of dealing with it is to not watch it. Why is that so difficult? I could go on, but I refer you to Judd Hirsch’s character’s brilliant diatribe on the pilot of Studio 60.
All I’m goin to say is that wasn’t it CBS that backed out of airing the RE-INVENTION tour over a dispute with Madonna over editing out certain scenes?? Or was it because she wanted it to run uninterrupted? I can’t even remember..LOL
I’ve been hearing how almost every week she’s pissing off some European territory once the tour left the U.S., but I just hope she sticks it out, and airs the concert on NBC, AS IS, faux crucifixtion and all. I mean honestly, “LIVE TO TELL” was always my least favorite Madonna tune, no matter how she presents it. I just hope this press coverage will finally make the last single from CONFESSIONS, “JUMP” a hit on Top 40 radio. If the concert airs in November, that should push “JUMP” to be a hit amongst the slow December/end of the year/holiday timeframe!
This is Madonna we are speaking about right? After sitting through her MTV music award performances, reading “Sex: the Book” and being forced to watch “Truth or dare”, I am well aware of what a Madonna concert usually entails. Lots of oddball religious symboligy (I know it’s symbolism but Boondock Saints was on this weekend), and over the top sexuality. How could NBC expect any less?
Piss away, Madonna, piss away! More power to ya (is that very possible?! I mean without siphoning away the very life-force of the universe?!).
Heh, heh. Whitney said, “Gwar”.
I have a question. Is “Jump” actually coming out, or is this something Madonna-lovers want to happen and a couple of news reports said may happen but isn’t actually going to happen?
I feel like “Jump” should have come out already around the time “The Devil Wears Prada” opened when it was so prominently featured in the movie and its ads. Now I feel like any new Madonna single for an album that came out last year is going to be forgotten (and [stamping my feet like a 5-year-old] I want another splashy Madonna video! More dancers! More glitter! More extremely difficult yoga poses!]
Oh yeah, the cross thing. She should do it and NBC should air it but NBC won’t giving Ms. Richie another week of publicity.
CBS ended up not airing “Re-Invention” because Madonna wanted it aired in its entirety and with minimal commercial interruption.
(She never should’ve gone network; she should’ve stuck with HBO, but that’s our Madonna!)
This summer, during the press tour, NBC told Michael Ausiello of TV Guide that they would air the special this November with the “controversial” crucifixion scene in it – the special is named “Live to Tell,” after all.
I was wondering, though, what would happen to “Forbidden Love” (in which two men dance/profess their love, a performance made more “controversial” when Madonna decided they should have the Star of David and the Crescent painted on their naked torsos once “Confessions” hit Europe), “Sorry” (in which the screens show Bush and other world leaders likened to such people as Hitler), “I Love New York” (in which she says tells people that if they don’t like her attitude they can to Texas…”to [sex act] George Bush’s [sex organ].”
NBC better stick to its guns. They could use the ratings – and true Madonna fans are appreciative and loyal.
http://www.moviemartin.blogspot.com
When was anyone “forced” to read “Sex”? That’s funny.
“Jump” IS coming out next month, I believe, and will feature a new track called “History.” She’s shooting a video for “Jump” in Japan this week as she wraps up the tour.
http://www.moviemartin.blogspot.com
I really really hope the concert goes onto air the way it is intended, and NBC don’t chicken out to those losers! If they don’t, Madonna should just give it to HBO. Either way she is receiving a ton of publicity having started her tour nearly 4 months ago!! As Dave said i find some things like Fox News and O’reilly offensive and therefore don’t watch it-it is really simple. You have a choice people, get over it already!!
Madonna just keeps getting better and better! she rocks! Look out for a new song and video for “Jump”!
NBC NEEDS to air Madonna’s concert in its entirety (especially the cross scene) so people could see that it isn;t done to mock christians at all and people could shut up already about this subject. No one ever mentions in articles…that the words of matthew are printed on giant screens where he said..act more like Jesus in each and every thing you do….as facts about AIDs and orphaned children in Africa are dying…the song ‘live to tell’ is sung..and it is done in a very poignant manner. I saw the concert in NYC…and it was fine. Madonna’s show is compelling and exciting and it would be a mistake for NBC to not air this great show.
If people don;t like it…don;t watch it. Just as much as I can easily choose not to watch 80 percent of crap that hits the tv airwaves. And lastly,…Jesus wasnl;t the only person in history that was crucified…so right-winged Christians need to get over themselves and worry more about thir priests who are molesting children.
Oh,Whitney. A Gwar reference? You rock.
I hope NBC don’t cave in (if they do they will go to court!) to people who know nothing about this performance and just hate Madonna. Let the people of America decide and watch something of some substance for the first time in ages! If it creates dialogue within society or leads to at least one person making a donation to the poor, or African orphans, etc then it has done something good. If not then just enjoy it for what it is: an amazing concert from the greatest entertainer of all time.
I can’t even believe this is being debated in such a “free-thinking” country.
Wow! I just put two & two together, when Dave conncected this to Monday night’s piolt of STUDIO 60. Judd Hirsch’s character’s diatribe pretty much reflects this topic perfectly (even the SAME network) when going off about airing a skit that would inevitably upset Christians. But according to the new President, Amada Peet’s character, the skit is running NEXT WEEK. Perhaps NBC should take a page out of their OWN book, err, show.
Not forced to read “sex”, that was read at the local barnes and Noble. I was “forced” to sit through “truth or dare”, because it’s the movie the girl i liked wanted to see. Under similar duress, I’ve seen quite a few movies, but will fess up that Mean Girls and the Princess Diaries were watched on my own accord…
Glad you (sort of) cleared that out, Ep!
Now just bow down to the Queen, already, enjoy, and we’ll be fine.
http://www.moviemartin.blogspot.com
The only way that Madonna would shock me anymore would be if she just stopped trying to shock people.
Having said that, though, NBC ought to air the concert as is. Even if they disagree with the image of Madonna on the cross, not airing it will just draw even more attention to what she’s doing. People are always more interested in things they’re not supposed to see!