November 14, 2005
Madonna Promo's: Don't Preach
Madonna's new promo push, as discussed in today's Star and by Paved.ca's star blogger, has spun out of the groove locally. The mass-marketing of the underwear-wearing 40-something has garnered lots of talk, and lots of dissmissals, from just about everywhere. It's not that the promotional flavour is overly sour (40 is the new 60, and Ms Ritchie looks good in leotard), but it might be too strong a taste even for her. This stretch-limo idea is a stretch in itself, and the Madge-themed club nights seem self-congratulatory in the wake a club single that would be played in those clubs regardless.
But, in all our rejection of this overarching campaign, let's lay off the age-factor here. Yes, she's old. Yes, she wears underwear. But don't we applaud older-women-as-sexy in Hollywood (like Susan Sarandon for taking on belly-dancing roles, Jane Fonda exerting sexuality with J-Lo), and still dig-on the 40's in general? We wish we looked that good in panties.
Aside: Was that the correct usage of 'panties'?
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I read this post twice, and I still don't really understand what it's about. I think I'm getting old.
sorry, wrote it super fast (not an excuse i know). i wanted to note the local presence of madonna promoting, the subsequent madonna backlash, and that some of this backlash includes bashing her age. nothing too heavy. sorry again for the confusion.
I don't know what made me shudder more--that CBC Arts piece (noted via Stille Post) regurgitating the same stuff I read 10 years ago, or the record company flack breathlessly quoted in the Star ... two sides of the same Canadian coin of mediocrity.
there are so many more ways (and reasons) to tear down the uber-Mistress of appropriation, the age-as-default-critique just seems lazy. The recurrent "ew, she's 40-ish" bleating of press/blogs/chatter is getting so repetitive it almost motivates me to find reasons to defend her.
Though I cannot. She is abhorrent.
But cut the ageist shite already.
ya me too! that's what i was getting at, though you said it better (best?).
Oh, I don't know, bashing Madonna can be a lot of fun:
http://cjunk.blogspot.com/2005/11/ba-bababa-ba-bababa-baby.html
In seriousness, I find the actions and pathologies of the 'rich and famous' utterly confusing and inexplicable most of the time. Whats even more difficult to comprehend is their fans obsessions that put them where they are.
I try not to dwell on this topic too much, but as you can see, I do.
I think the criticism re: 'age-bashing' probably comes into play because like spitz says, she is so abhorrent. She hasn't had anything of import to say for a long time. She is self-righteous. She is hypocritical. She isn't that talented. So when someone her age with so little to offer is still front and centre, one just wishes she would retire to her stately home in England and shut up.
I've been reading here/there/everywhere that her new single was awesome and great and just all things good. So, I didn't turn the channel when her "Mindy from Mork and Mindy" hairdo appeared on my screen at 1:30 in the morning.
...Yawn. Sucks.