Viva

Back in the day, here in LA, there was an infamous Madonna impersonator, his name was Viva and he was beyond fabulous. He would perform at Peanuts nightclub on Santa Monica Blvd. He would always have the outfit and whatever she did the day before done perfectly. This is from Star Hits when they covered The Virgin Tour in 1985.

1990 Omnibus Madonna Special

One of the greatest specials on Madonna - her importance in culture, music, art, fashion. Her legacy and body of work is so immense that we're still living in its aftermath.

The year of this special was 1990. Madonna had just finished her third tour, the aptly and perfectly titled Blond Ambition - the tour that is still influencing concerts today - 21 years after the fact. Madonna is here commenting on her cultural impact over the last 7 years.

We have great commentaries with fantastic Greil Marcus, cultural historian from Artforum Magazine, on so much from her reaction to the nudes to her Like a Prayer which he describes as "blasphemy on ten levels at once - which is as strong and as upsetting a piece of public work that you're going to see". Kristine McKenna from the Los Angeles Times on her "mythical status". Andre Leon Tally from Vogue Magazine on her being "a goddess of style for fashion, especially for high fashion in Paris - the force of her fantasy is accessible to everyone from eighteen to eighty". Glenn O'Brien from Interview magazine on her having "a medium like ability to read the minds of the audience" and "being a religious figure herself". Her high school teacher, Marilyn Fellows, about her "quality of charisma." The Harvard University course that was taught on Madonna. Her jaded brother, Christopher Ciccone. Carl Arrington from People magazine stating how she "seized back the crucifix." Luc Sante from New Republic Magazine on Madonna's "Post Modernism". Of course, we have the wonderful and fabulous Christopher Flynn - her dance teacher and mentor, wondering "where's my little Madonna?" Stephen Bray on "her having written 14 songs" before he had written even one and the honesty of her songwriting. And so many and so much more!!! Here are all 4 parts for your educational and viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

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Madonna at the 3rd Annual APLA Dance-A-Thon

@aplatweets

On April 21, 1991 at The Sports Arena in Los Angeles - where a year earlier Madonna did 5 nights of her Blond Ambition Tour (and yes, I was there every night) - Madonna hosted the 3rd annual APLA Dance-A-Thon. She brought along her friends Herb Ritts, Juliette Hohnen and the Blond Ambition dancers and back up singers.

3 years earlier she had done the first ever APLA Dance-A-Thon with her mentor Christopher Flynn who died of AIDS shortly after in 1990. At a time when the consensus was that AIDS was only a homosexual disease, Madonna - the biggest star in the world - not only crusaded for but also tried to convey to the public that it could affect anyone and had been doing so since the beginning of her career.

Don't know who filmed that fabulous footage but I'm glad they did. Madonna visibly clocks at the end but she knew that camera was on her the entire night. Trust. Ha! xo

I always loved this day - so cool and beautiful here. Just Sex Sex Sex - great outfit, great hair, great Madonna.

Terry Wogan Interviews Madonna

Glamour Queen.

Listen, it doesn't get anymore gorgeous than this. Here in America we got little snippets (snippets!!!!) of this interview on MTV that my friends and I referred to "the green dress day", because we knew no better. It was our quest to get the entire interview. Well, of course, it didn't happen until the internet era - 5,000 years after the fact. But, it was well worth the wait.

Promoting Truth or Dare (In Bed with Madonna), Madonna sits down with Terry Wogan looking fabulous with a radiance that just won't quit. This is 1991 and take notice that her beauty mark above her lip is not present and it has gravitated underneath her left eye.

Madonna on the loss of her mother, homophobia, Catholicism, the Vatican, Evita, self love, dreams, sexism, honesty, her dad, Michael Jackson, Sean Penn, her friends, being a 'role model', her early years pre-fame, acting, producing, directing, even Easter and a plethora more. It's a long interview but she covers a hell of a lot. Also, I've always loved how she is absolutely perched in position for the camera and when they do the long shot, her legs are all over the place but she makes sure for that camera she is flawless. One of my all-time favorite interviews.

Wogan: You're a heroine, of course, to many billions of young people - young girls and even boys.

Madonna: Mmmhmm.

Argentina Legalizes Gay Marriage!

Madonna with the first female President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner

Yesterday, defying the archaic Catholic Church, Argentina became the first Latin American nation to legalize Gay Marriage.

Letter From Madonna Regarding Homosexuals sentenced in Malawi

Dear friends,

Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga will spend the next 14 years in a Malawi jail, sentenced to hard labor.

They aren't murderers. They didn't steal. In fact, they didn't commit a crime.

They were convicted of homosexuality.

I call upon the progressive men and women of Malawi -- and around the world -- to challenge this decision in the name of human dignity and equal rights for all.

Please add your name to mine in a pledge of support for the freedom to love:

www.raisingmalawi.org/FreedomToLove

I am shocked and saddened by the recent decision made by the Malawian court. As a matter of principle, I believe in equal rights for all people, no matter what their gender, race, color, religion, or sexual orientation.

This week, Malawi took a giant step backward. The world is filled with pain and suffering; therefore, we must support our basic human right to love and be loved.

I will not sit back and be silent while two men are sentenced to 14 years hard labor simply for loving each other. I hope you will add your name to mine, and speak out to your friends and family on this issue:

www.raisingmalawi.org/FreedomToLove

Love,

Madonna

The Queen of Life and Fags has Spoken: Madonna on Malawi Homos Sentenced to 14 years in Prison with Hard Labor

Street Fags: Martin Burgoyne and Madonna

"I am shocked and saddened by the decision made today by the Malawian court, which sentenced two innocent men to prison.

"As a matter of principle, I believe in equal rights for all people, no matter what their gender, race, color, religion, or sexual orientation.

"Today, Malawi took a giant step backward. The world is filled with pain and suffering; therefore, we must support our basic human right to love and be loved.

"I call upon the progressive men and women of Malawi—and around the world—to challenge this decision in the name of human dignity and equal rights for all."

quote from Boy Culture

Jonathan Ross Interview 1992

Madonna and Jonathan Ross 1992.

Madonna sat with Jonathan Ross in 1992 to promote her Erotica album and the Sex book. She touches on many subjects here. Her thoughts on AIDS, art, sex, fame, monogamy, and life. Her disgust with homophobia and ageism. Trailblazing through, at the pinnacle of the fame she implemented and today others aspire to, she had no qualms about speaking truth that could have been detrimental to her career but she didn't care. The Goddess spoke like no other before her. Never one to mince words, Madonna let it rip and as far as looks go, she was sock'n it, do'n it - eat your heart out, Marlene. The entire unedited interview can be viewed after the jump:

Lezbatonical clits across America were flittering about.

"Madonna Stole My Lesbian Lover" - National Enquirer - November 10, 1992

Long before Sandra Bernhard entered Madonna's universe in 1988, lesbian rumors about her had been around ever since first manager Camille Barbone opened that hole she calls a mouth, starting around 1985. She would tell anyone that would listen about Angie Smit. Angie was the bass player in The Breakfast Club, fellow dancer and also Madonna's co-star in A Certain Sacrifice. Carpet cleaner Camille's version went something like this: Madonna and Angie would lure men into their web, fool around with each other and throw the men away without doing them any 'favors'. Therefore teasing and emasculating them.

Left to right: Angie Smit, Ed Gilroy, Dan Gilroy, Madonna. The Breakfast Club circa 1980

Fast forward to 1988 and Madonna and Sandra's legendary performance on David Letterman dressed as the Bobbsey Twins. Madonna was doing her run of Speed the Plow at the Royale Theatre on Broadway and Sandra was doing her one woman show, Without You, I'm Nothing at the Orpheum. While still married to Sean Penn, the lesbian rumors were in full swing. The tabloids had a field day with Madonna and Sandra (termed Gal Pals) for a healthy 4 years. They also nurtured these rumors on many occasions peaking publicly with the performance of Sonny and Cher's I Got You Babe on May 24, 1989 at the Don't Bungle the Jungle Benefit Concert. Their alleged affair went on until that fateful day when Madonna met Ingrid Casares at her New Years Eve Party closing 1991 (according to the National Enquirer article posted above). That story was so big back in the day and it's fascinating how years later an Enquirer story becomes fact.

Exit Bernhard, who to this day is still so jaded when it comes to Madonna (Without You, I'm Nothing is right), and enter Ingrid. For many years it looked as though Ingrid was Madonna's dagger husband. YouTube Madonna's interview with Charlie Rose on 60 minutes in 1999 and watch an unsatisfied Madonna moaning about not wanting to do the interview and Ingrid stepping in and demanding "You WILL do this interview!" Lezbatonical clits across America were flittering about.

Vogue - The Cult of Madonna and Queers and Her Importance within the Homosexual Community

Before Madonna smashed the doors in and Ellen came out on National Television and before The Will & Grace Generation of Clone War Gays, there was Our Lady of Madonna - fighting for Queers. The Real Queers.

From Her First Interviews mentioning Christopher Flynn in 1984 to Martin Burgoyne - her best buddy, one time manager and album art designer - to Truth or Dare where, unlike other Gay Icons of Past, Madonna put our lifestyle in the forefront and not just as background solid gold dancers.

As we all know, the world wants Madonna's approval and there She was for us, innately. With Vogue, She introduced Middle America to Fags as eccentric, wonderful, creative human beings. Unfortunately, the Queers who moved to the big cities to preserve their personal individualism that made them want to flee in the first place became complacent and gave up what was inherently theirs. They dropped the ball thinking the fight was over. It's not. For me, anyway. Society can still bite me.

There were those certain Madonna fans appalled by the faggots of Truth or Dare. The Ray of Lighters. You yourself can walk down the streets of Chelsea, West Hollywood and the Castro today and see just how nothing they are. They are the "Starbucks" in place of the "Love Will Save the Day"s.

There have been few, in and out of the community, that have accused Madonna of 'stealing' from what was 'ours'. Madonna is a fag and always has been. For those who thought she stole, I can assure you, it wasn't from your lousy boring mortal souls.