Madonna - Articles - Zimbio

Madonna: Still ‘Catholic’ Girl

Tue, 16 Jul 2008 04:07:05 GMT

posted by rosette

Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone insisted that the singer is still “a Catholic girl” and would never have an affair.

The 47-year-old author of “Life with My Sister Madonna” is sure that Madonna is not responsible for the breakdown of baseball player Alex Rodriguez’s marriage, branding the rumors “absurd”.

He revealed, “I think it’s highly unlikely. I know Alex from Miami. I doubt this is actually an affair? I’m sure she had nothing to do with the break-up of their marriage. It seemed absurd to me, truly, I don’t believe it. Despite everything else, she’s still a Catholic girl.”

However, Christopher Ciccone, who had a close relationship with Madonna until she started dating her now husband Guy Ritchie, admits Madonna and Guy are having problems in their marriage, but have turned to Kabbalah, a mystical offshoot of Judaism, to help them through this difficult time.

In his book, he wrote: “A Kabbalah rabbi would regularly come down from London to meditate between them. This does not surprise me. I believe Kabbalah is keeping them together.”

Despite reports Madonna has already hired a divorce lawyer, Christopher Ciccone also insisted that it is unlikely the 49-year-old singer will follow through with the threat, saying, “I believe she’ll do what’s best for the family and her kids and I think she’ll do her best to maintain the marriage and keep it going. She’s not the kind of person to walk away.”

Christopher Ciccone also claimed that Guy is directly responsible for the breakdown of his relationship with Madonna, insisting: “Guy Ritchie pretty much happened to our relationship. The best way to get to my sister was to get into bed with her - the last person to speak to her at night has a lot of influence. We both couldn’t exist in the same hemisphere.”

The artistic director, who directed Madonna’s 1991 documentary “Madonna: Truth or Dare,” also revealed that before his estrangement from his sister, Guy discriminated against him because of his sexuality.

He added, “When it comes to selecting the wood for his closet, I show him 12 samples and he tells me that they all look ‘twee’, using the word over and over. I get the message - I am gay and he doesn’t want the house to reflect my sexuality, which is hardly likely.”

Christopher hinted Guy’s inability to accept him might have caused problems in his and Madonna’s marriage. He wrote: “It has always been of paramount importance to Madonna that the man in her life should be able to deal with the gay men in her life.”

‘Madonna loves herself and career more than Guy,’ claims her brother in blistering new book

Wed, 10 Jul 2008 15:17:55 GMT

posted by edoslec

www.thequeerofallmedia.com

Madonna’s misery continues today as details of her brother’s tell-all book emerge.
Christopher Ciccone claims that the singer - who has been rocked by divorce rumours as well as allegations that she is behind the marriage break-up of baseball player Alex Rodriguez - loves her career and herself more than husband Guy Ritchie.

The claims come amid widespread speculation that Madonna’s marriage is breaking down and the allegations have angered the volatile pop star, sparking a huge family row.

In turmoil: Divorce rumours and allegations of an intimate relationship with Alex Rodriguez looked to be taking their toll as the singer left her apartment yesterday

More…

Madonna’s face of misery as divorce case drama takes its toll

A spokeswoman said last night that Madonna was ‘upset’ by the book, in which Ciccone, a gay decorator and chef, depicts his sister as manipulative and self-obsessed.

‘I hope that it is Kabbalah’s lesson that she is not the centre of the universe,’ Ciccone wrote in one of a number of barbed comments in Life With My Sister Madonna, which is due for release on Tuesday.

Yesterday the pop star emerged from her New York apartment looking tired and despondent in a sign the pressure of the past month is beginning to take its toll.

Enlarge

Tell-all book: Madonna pictured with Christopher in 1998, she is said to be ‘upset’ by the claims in his upcoming memoir

Her husband Guy Ritchie was seen leaving the Central Park West residence separately, accompanied by the couple’s seven-year-old son Rocco.

The 49-year-old has been linked to the £50million marriage break-up of Rodriguez, the world’s most expensive baseball player, and his wife Cynthia.

Reports claim that Rodriguez, 32 - in the first season of a £139million, 10-year contract with the New York Yankees - made a series of visits to Madonna’s New York flat, and that he converted to Kabbalah, the mystical Jewish movement followed by Madonna. Cynthia, 34, filed for divorce earlier on Monday.

Madonna issued a statement Sunday saying that she has ‘nothing to do with the state of his marriage or what spiritual path he may choose to study,’ referring to reports that the she had introduced the sports star to Kabbalah.

The scandal comes just weeks after reports that Madonna and Guy marriage was on the rocks.

However the singer’s estranged brother appears to defend their marriage in the 342-page book, published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment.

Ciccone says that he believes the couple are “passionately committed” to staying married, with the help of Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism.

He describes Ritchie as a man’s man undisturbed by homophobic humour, whose emergence in Madonna’s life marks ‘the death knell’ of the Ciccones’ brother-sister bond.

Ciccone portrays Madonna as a show business survivor - bossy and self-absorbed, sometimes compassionate, mindful of ‘how little faith many people once had in her.’

Ex files: Alex Rodriguez with wife Cynthia, whose divorce lawyers have criticised his association with Madonna

His memoir includes everything from gossip about Madonna’s sex life.

It says she lost her virginity to a ‘guy named Russell’, says ex-husband Sean Penn was referred to by Madonna as a ‘paranoid control freak’ and that Warren Beatty, another of Madonna’s lovers, allegedly cornered Ciccone at a party and quizzed him intensely on what it was like to be gay.

The book offers snapshots of Bruce Willis allegedly chatting up other women while still married to Demi Moore, of Ciccone dancing with Moore at a drag queen club, of Madonna allegedly kissing Gwyneth Paltrow on the mouth during a New Year’s Eve dance at which Ciccone said that he and Ritchie almost came to blows.

Ciccone, 47, worked often with his older sister, designing and directing her Girlie Show tour in 1993 and serving as artistic director of her 1991 documentary, Madonna: Truth or Dare.

But in his book, he says they are no longer close.

Enlarge

Cashing in: Christopher Ciccone’s book - which couldn’t come at a worse time for his sister - is due for release next week

Madonna’s representative, Liz Rosenberg, said last night that the singer had not read the memoir but found it ‘very upsetting’ that Ciccone ‘has decided to sell a book based on his sister.’

‘I would have to assume she has come to terms with the fact that they do not have a close and loving relationship,’ Miss Rosenberg said.

‘And with the book coming out, I assume that will remove the chances of that ever happening.’

Life With My Sister Madonna was co-authored by celebrity biographer Wendy Leigh, who has written books on Liza Minnelli, Grace Kelly and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Simon Spotlight, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, has announced a first printing of 350,000.

Earlier this year, stores were asked to order the book “blind,” without knowing the author or subject. Last month, the publisher released the subject matter - and the name of the author.

In 2006, William Morrow offered a mysterious tell-all that turned out to be by Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, who had already written about her. Retailers were angered and the book sold poorly

source dailymail.co.uk

Madonna Marriage No Good, Guy Ritchie Unpleasant

Fri, 19 Jul 2008 10:51:28 GMT

posted by pcorp2008

Christopher Ciccone wakes up on the wrong side of the bed every morning when it comes to Madonna

I think it's an understatement to call Christopher Ciccone "catty." Madonna's boyfriends seems to have arisen from a long slumber in order to take shots at Vadge. I will say this, Ciccone is funny with his cutting remarks.

Ciccone was promoting his new screed book about Vadge, "Life with my Sister Madonna." on GMTV, when he aimed his verbal slingshot at Brother-In-Law Guy Ritchie.

"Their marriage is not as good as it could be".

"Her career continues its gentle glide up but Guy's has gotten a little bit stale," he said.

Guy Ritchie is portrayed in the book as a homophobic lout. It's clear there's no love lost between Ciccone and Ritchie. It seems Ciccone blames Ritchie for the distance in his relationship with his sister.

It doesn't seem like he and Ritchie will be burying the hatched anytime soon.

"I don't like him. He's an unpleasant kind of person," Ciccone said. "We haven't found a way to become friends."

Iran: Master Of Mixed Messages, Nice Beaches Though

Thu, 11 Jul 2008 01:34:00 GMT

posted by prometheus
There is perhaps nothing quite like a beautiful sunset over the Mideastern skyline of Tehran. As children happily play in the streets during the daily bustle of traffic, tall whispy palm trees sway in the wind while a cloud of smoke from one of 9 Shahab-3 missiles obscures the scenery on the way to the mosque downtown. Ah, nothing like peace and quiet to ease the day's tension.

If both yesterday's and today's headlines don't reinforce our feelings about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his politics, perhaps nothing will. We certainly have already collected some sentiments about Mahmoud and poked our fun in various cartoon depictions, but are we really giving him a fair shake? After all, who needs fireworks when you can watch a missile test firing at government expense for free. Do they serve popcorn and Raisanettes? That's entertainment. You can't find that on cable.

- Iran test launches not one but 9 missiles.
- The world takes notice briefly while they are showing off.
- Israel has threatened to attack if necessary.
- Connie Rice immediately in the news backing our allies.

If North Korea were in the news for being up to no good, that would be the topper. This is pretty close to a real-life thriller novel.

We know everyone has at least one (perhaps hundreds of) nuclear missile(s) pointed at America so that will never be news. However, Israel spoke up quickly so they must know they are a target. In fact, they made no attempt to politically mask their feelings on the matter. No implications there. They clearly used the word "attack" as a verb, not a noun.

I wonder if it's Israel's future demise or strength as a nation to have strong ties with the U.S. Why? Because it seems someone always hates America. Along with anyone associating with us. Kudos to you, Israel. Keep hanging tough. You guys rock.

Now, we need to realize that Iran has repeatedly stated very clearly that their "nuclear program is strictly for energy." Good for you, Mahmoud. Build up your country with efficient energy facilities. If that's your true intention as you have stated. Please feel free to identify to the United Nations all the brand new nuclear reactors you have built once they are finished. We are interested in your country's new developments. We might help if only we knew it were true.

Please forgive us if we have a few questions, comments or accusations for you when your key general states, "our finger is always on the trigger." Huh. So which is it? Pro-energy or pro-warfare? Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

Here is one possible response...

Dear Mahmoud,

You can't sell people on using nuclear technology for peaceful purposes like energy when you have a department of war building conventional one-ton warheads and testing ICBM's while making idle threats. Missiles that can easily be retrofitted with nuclear warheads. Missiles aimed at our strongest Mideast ally. Generals on your staff making blatant threats while waggling their fists at the West. You can't seem to make up your schizophrenic mind.

Stop whining to the U.N. about how you need plutonium enrichment to support your absurd nuclear program masquerading as a weapons depot. No one believes you. No one likes you. No one trusts you. They didn't like you as a kid and they still don't, you nut.

Do you think we are too busy with Election '08 to reduce your country to a sea of sand, you deranged tyrant? Think again.

Sure, we like watching our presidential candidates tell us empty promises every four years. They may attack one another both personally and professionally, lambasting each other's parties. But in the end, we always have unity as a nation. We may be preoccupied and busy, Jamie Lynn Spears is only 16 years old and had a baby which is thrilling and we share in her joy, but we're not so engrossed in our lives and pop culture that we won't relish the thought of whipping your butt.

Regards,

Your Average G8 Nation Citizen

p.s. Stop calling us infidels -- someone who has no religious beliefs. That is getting very annoying. We are a nation with freedom of religion. We have many diverse religious beliefs. "In God We Trust" is written on our money. Do you like being called a psychotic nomad?

Madonna's Brother Tell All Book Drops July 15th

Wed, 10 Jul 2008 23:44:00 GMT

posted by myhollygolightly

Madonna's misery continues today as details of her brother's tell-all book emerge.

Christopher Ciccone claims that the singer - who has been rocked by divorce rumours as well as allegations that she is behind the marriage break-up of baseball player Alex Rodriguez - loves her career and herself more than husband Guy Ritchie.

The claims come amid widespread speculation that Madonna's marriage is breaking down and the allegations have angered the volatile pop star, sparking a huge family row.

In turmoil: Divorce rumours and allegations of an intimate relationship with Alex Rodriguez looked to be taking their toll as the singer left her apartment yesterday

More...

A spokeswoman said last night that Madonna was 'upset' by the book, in which Ciccone, a gay decorator and chef, depicts his sister as manipulative and self-obsessed.

'I hope that it is Kabbalah's lesson that she is not the centre of the universe,' Ciccone wrote in one of a number of barbed comments in Life With My Sister Madonna, which is due for release on Tuesday.

Yesterday the pop star emerged from her New York apartment looking tired and despondent in a sign the pressure of the past month is beginning to take its toll.

Tell-all book: Madonna pictured with Christopher in 1998, she is said to be 'upset' by the claims in his upcoming memoir

Her husband Guy Ritchie was seen leaving the Central Park West residence separately, accompanied by the couple's seven-year-old son Rocco.

The 49-year-old has been linked to the £50million marriage break-up of Rodriguez, the world's most expensive baseball player, and his wife Cynthia.

Reports claim that Rodriguez, 32 - in the first season of a £139million, 10-year contract with the New York Yankees - made a series of visits to Madonna's New York flat, and that he converted to Kabbalah, the mystical Jewish movement followed by Madonna. Cynthia, 34, filed for divorce earlier on Monday.

Madonna issued a statement Sunday saying that she has 'nothing to do with the state of his marriage or what spiritual path he may choose to study,' referring to reports that the she had introduced the sports star to Kabbalah.

The scandal comes just weeks after reports that Madonna and Guy marriage was on the rocks.

However the singer's estranged brother appears to defend their marriage in the 342-page book, published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment.

Ciccone says that he believes the couple are "passionately committed" to staying married, with the help of Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism.

He describes Ritchie as a man's man undisturbed by homophobic humor, whose emergence in Madonna's life marks 'the death knell' of the Ciccones' brother-sister bond.

Ciccone portrays Madonna as a show business survivor - bossy and self-absorbed, sometimes compassionate, mindful of 'how little faith many people once had in her.'

Ex files: Alex Rodriguez with wife Cynthia, whose divorce lawyers have criticized his association with Madonna

His memoir includes everything from gossip about Madonna's sex life.

It says she lost her virginity to a 'guy named Russell', says ex-husband Sean Penn was referred to by Madonna as a 'paranoid control freak' and that Warren Beatty, another of Madonna's lovers, allegedly cornered Ciccone at a party and quizzed him intensely on what it was like to be gay.

The book offers snapshots of Bruce Willis allegedly chatting up other women while still married to Demi Moore, of Ciccone dancing with Moore at a drag queen club, of Madonna allegedly kissing Gwyneth Paltrow on the mouth during a New Year's Eve dance at which Ciccone said that he and Ritchie almost came to blows.

Ciccone, 47, worked often with his older sister, designing and directing her Girlie Show tour in 1993 and serving as artistic director of her 1991 documentary, Madonna: Truth or Dare.

But in his book, he says they are no longer close.

Cashing in: Christopher Ciccone's book - which couldn't come at a worse time for his sister - is due for release next week

Madonna's representative, Liz Rosenberg, said last night that the singer had not read the memoir but found it 'very upsetting' that Ciccone 'has decided to sell a book based on his sister.'

'I would have to assume she has come to terms with the fact that they do not have a close and loving relationship,' Miss Rosenberg said.

'And with the book coming out, I assume that will remove the chances of that ever happening.'

Earlier this year, stores were asked to order the book "blind," without knowing the author or subject. Last month, the publisher released the subject matter - and the name of the author.

In 2006, William Morrow offered a mysterious tell-all that turned out to be by Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, who had already written about her. Retailers were angered and the book sold poorly.