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The Newsletter

a monthly newsletter
 
featuring all of the latest news on our lady

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Created by Amanda-Marie* Madonna:Reinvented* November Edition

“Don’t go for second best baby Put your love to the test You know, you know, you’ve got to…”

*November 1*

VERSACE IS IN THE CARDS: It was rumored as of October 28 that Madonna was discussing a deal with Donatella Versace for the Spring 2005 ad campaign for the fashion line. Liz Rosenberg, Madonna’s spokeswoman, has confirmed this rumor.

Madonna may be the new face of Versace. The Spiritual Girl is close to signing ‘a mega-bucks deal’ to star in ads for Versace’s 2005 Spring line, a well-placed source tells The Scoop.

The insider says that the plan is for the ad campaign to be photographed by Mario Testino, who also took the pictures when the Material Girl starred in ads for Versace in 1995.

“Madonna might be known more for wearing a red string these days than she is for wearing cutting-edge fashion,” says a source. “But she’s still a style icon.”

Madonna’s spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg, confirmed the story, but downplayed the immediacy of it, telling The Scoop, “This is in the conversation stage. Donatella (Versace) is talking to Madonna about it, but Madonna hasn’t made a decision yet.” (source: MSNBC.com)

*November 3*

LOVING THE BRIT LIFE: The November 9 issue of the UK magazine ‘OK!’ features an article about Hollywood stars who have chosen to settle down in Britain.

Anyone observing Madonna in her tweeds and flat cap would assume she is on her way to a pro-hunt rally. The American superstar even speaks with an English accent these days. Since meeting and falling in love with ‘Snatch’ director Guy Ritchie, the material girl has made Britain her spiritual home.

The couple married in Scotland, staying at the historic Skibo Castle near Inverness. They also own pads in London’s Marylebone-which Madonna reportedly bought with 5.77 million pounds in cash-and a 9 million pound mansion in Wiltshire, called Ashcombe.

When it comes to holidays, Madonna and Guy, along with kids Lourdes, eight, and Rocco, four, love nothing more than a relaxing break at the utterly British Babington House in Frome, Somerset.

The couple also like hanging out with fellow ‘country types,’ including Claudia Schiffer and her British Matthew Vaughn, and Stella McCartney and Alasdhair Willis. The self-declared Anglophile has even written her very own storybook, ‘The English Roses.’ (source: madonnalicious.com)

*November 4*

MADONNA, THE TOURIST: Madonna will be starring in a 30 second commercial that will promote Israel as a safe place. A newspaper from Israel reports that Madonna filmed the commercial during her recent visit to the country. The ad will air in London 10 times on large screens at the World Tourism Fair from November 8-11. (source: Undercover)

*November 5*

HEATED ARGUMENTS: Recently, a lot of rumors about Madonna’s upcoming tour documentary have been surfacing, including this one from ‘The Sun’ newspaper:

Superstar Madonna’s blistering arguments with director husband Guy Ritchie will be shown in a documentary on the famous couple next year.

The Material Girl enlisted pal Jonas Akerlund to film their day-to-day life in Madonna’s adopted home of Britain with their son Rocco and the singer’s daughter Lourdes.

The film will reportedly include footage of the couple’s bizarre fight tactics-when they spell out profanities in order to protect their children from hearing foul language.

A friend tells British newspaper The Sun, “There is some really revealing stuff in the film. It shows lovely moments like Rocco’s birthday party around the house. But Madonna is determined for it to be a warts-and-all so there’s some pretty full-on footage as well. There’s one argument between Guy and Madonna that is really full-on, quite disturbing really. The film shows how they spell out swear words to each other to keep bad language from the kids. That way they don’t have to keep putting money in their swear box.” (source: contactmusic.com)

*November 6*

MADONNA ANSWERS QUESTIONS: ‘The Times,’ a UK newspaper, recently featured extracts from Madonna’s new book ‘The Adventures of Abdi,’ as well as a chat with the illustrators and an interview with Madonna herself. Written by Jane Wheatley, Madonna discussed the writing process, as well as her daily life with her family.

Can you tell us something about the inspiration for The Adventures of Abdi? This book was inspired by a combination of things. I have always loved the backdrop and setting of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and One Thousand and One Arabian Nights so I wanted to write a story in that genre. In this setting I wanted to explain the Kabbalistic principle of ‘certainty,’ the idea that we can overcome all obstacles and challenges in our lives if we perceive them as blessings and not curses; if we accept that they have arrived in our lives to teach us something valuable.

What were your favorite books as a child? Charlotte’s Web, The Giving Tree, The Little Prince, Pippi Longstocking, and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Do you read some of those childhood favorites to your own children? Yes, all of them.

What are Lola’s and Rocco’s favorite books at the moment? Lola’s are Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park, Wayside School by Louis Sachar and Tom-Tom & Nana by Jacqueline Cohen. Rocco’s are Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis and Les Schtroumpfs.

What do your children think of the books you have written? They love them, but The English Roses is Lola’s favorite as she was very involved in its creation.

Is there a bedtime story ritual in your house? Yes, my children go to the Lycee so they get French and English books read to them. When I read to my son, my French nanny is reading to my daughter, then we switch. Although my daughter is getting to the point where she likes only to read by herself so she reads aloud to me.

What do you feel is the role of stories and books in children’s lives? Stories and books are everything. They were very important to me as a child and were instrumental in developing my imagination. I feel very fortunate that my children love books as much as they do.

Do you think you will continue to write after this series? Yes, I have already written a sequel to The English Roses.

Have you any thoughts about writing for adults? Well I have thought about it, but that is a much tougher crowd. Ask me again in a few years.

How does the process of writing books compare with writing song lyrics? At this point in my life I have written so many songs and they tell only a part of a story. I find the process of writing books much more rewarding, as there is a beginning, middle and an end.

You live mainly in England with your family; can you describe your perfect day out with your children in London? A perfect day always includes going to Hyde Park-riding bikes, feeding the ducks, having a treat at the little restaurant on the lake-and a trip to Bramley’s Big Adventure. Lola loves ice skating at Somerset House and Rocco loves the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.

What else would you recommend? Tate Britain on Sunday afternoon has a children’s day to do artwork and they like the Puppet Barge on the Thames.

What is the one best thing you have all enjoyed and why? Our favorite thing to do together as a family that we all enjoy is going to our country house. My children really come alive there, feeding chickens, taking care of the horse, picking flowers and spending time outside in nature. I realize that this is not “in London” but it is our favorite thing to do.

Where do you shop with them? The children’s sections of Selfridges and Harrods.

Where do you take your children to eat in London? Guy and I rarely take our children out to dinner as we rarely go out to dinner. But they go to the Blue Kangaroo a lot with their grandfather.

Do you worry about children and safety in London? Not really. We take the normal precautions, but I would say we feel very safe here.

You also have a home in LA. How child friendly is London by comparison? Extremely. There is so much to do for children here. (source: madonnalicious.com)

KLEIN EXPLAINS: The Berlin newspaper Der Tagesspiegel contained a small article recently about the story behind the X-STaTIC PRO=CeSS exhibition:

The 38 year old photographer and Madonna met in 2002 for a regular photo shoot. “It was meant to be a one-off thing,” says Klein. “I wanted to take a whole range of Madonna photos that would not look like a conventional fashion shoot.”

‘W’ magazine agreed to publish the photos. The shoot lasted 8 hours, the photos ended up as a 44-page spread. The collaboration worked well, Madonna and Klein wanted to continue their work and agreed on a project somewhere between art and pop.

Steven Klein began to build bigger sets. In a bright room he placed a pulsating kidney on one side of a dirty floor, a wooden table on the other side, with Madonna twisting her body on top of it. For another photo he placed an electric chair in front of a red screen. He pays a lot of attention to details. “The room around my object is almost more important than the object itself,” says Klein.

About Madonna he says: “Nobody is like her. Her originality is ideal for a work of art. She is the performance icon of our times. She never knows exactly who she is, her identity is segueing, that fascinates me as a photographer.” He let the singer take on different roles, “putting a mask on her,” as he puts it.

In one of the photos she wears the red robe of an Asian queen, in a video she is seen next to a coyote and a burning wedding dress. “Actually I wanted a wild dog. But we did a shoot in Los Angeles and there are coyotes everywhere. So we used a coyote.” The visually stunning performance was inspired by a b-side of the Queen of Pop, ‘The Beast Within.’ Madonna liked the result so much that she used an amended version of the video to open her recent concerts. (source: madonnalicious.com)

*November 7*

THE BUDDING WRITER: Lourdes, at the age of eight, is already following in her mother’s footsteps, by becoming a published writer. She contributed a short story entitled “Lucille” to ‘Christmas Stories,’ a limited edition book of stories written by multiple celebrities, including Katie Melua and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. This book will help to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust. The UK newspaper, ‘The Mail on Sunday,’ published Lourdes’ story in publicity for the book, which is currently on sale at Selfridges. (source: madonnalicious.com)

A TIDY PROFIT: ‘The Mail on Sunday’ recently published a list of the highest earners from Britain in 2004. Madonna made the list at number 28, with earnings of 40 million pounds. She is the highest placed entertainer thanks to her sell-out ‘Re-Invention’ tour. (source: madonnalicious.com)

*November 8*

THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Publishers Callaway have published this press release to help celebrate the release of Madonna’s fourth children’s book ‘The Adventures of Abdi’:

Callaway Arts & Entertainment is pleased to announce today’s release of ‘The Adventures of Abdi,’ the fourth in a series of five books for children by Madonna. Madonna’s first children’s book, ‘The English Roses,’ made publishing history with its simultaneous release in 30 languages and over 100 countries on September 15, 2003. It became the biggest and fastest-selling book ever by a first-time children’s author, and is now available in 40 languages and more than 110 countries as diverse as England, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, China, Brazil, Slovenia, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands.

‘The English Roses’ was followed in quick succession by ‘Mr. Peabody’s Apples,’ released on November 10, 2003, and ‘Yakov and the Seven Thieves’ on June 21, 2004.

Not only were Madonna’s first three children’s books launched within one year, but they also all debuted on The New York Times’ best-seller list, and have sold in excess of 1.5 million copies worldwide.

To celebrate Madonna’s unprecedented achievement, Callaway is releasing a boxed-set of her first three children’s tittles, ‘The English Roses,’ ‘Mr. Peabody’s Apples,’ and ‘Yakov and the Seven Thieves.’ A $59.85 value for only $39.95, this gift item comes just in time for the holiday season!

Madonna will launch her fourth children’s title, ‘The Adventures of Abdi,’ with a series of print, radio, and television interviews in London, followed by a book signing on November 11 at Selfridges.

Madonna’s fifth children’s book ‘Lotsa De Casha,’ will be released worldwide in June 2005. (source: Publishers Callaway)

*November 9*

MADONNA WANTS THE TROOPS BACK HOME: During an interview with British radio, pop star Madonna made a rare foray into politics. She urged that her home country withdraw its troops from Iraq. “I just don’t want American troops to be in Iraq, period,” she said on BBC Radio. “My feelings are ‘can we just all get out?’.” The 46-year-old star, who lives mainly in London with her family, said that she believes the US-led war will not help in the fight against terrorism. “Global terror is everywhere. Global terror is down the street, around the block. Global terror is in California. There’s global terror everywhere and it’s absurd to think you can get it by going to one country and dropping tons of bombs on innocent people.” Madonna’s best known belief is her adherence to the Kabbalah, which is a faith based on the study of Hebrew texts which has become increasingly popular in recent years. On other subjects, Madonna said that the recent US presidential election has illustrated how US society has become very divided. “People are becoming very polarized. We have people who don’t want to think, and who just want to guard what is theirs, and they’re selfish and limited in their thinking and they’re very fearful in their choices.” She also said that her personal choice for the president would have been Wesley Clark, the former four star general who was beaten to the Democratic nomination by John Kerry. “I thought very carefully about it. I thought Wesley Clark had the best leadership qualities,” she stated. “If he had the same political experience as Kerry he could have bridged that gap.” (source: Yahoo!)

PARTED COMPANY: Madonna and long-time manager Caresse Henry have both mutually agreed to go their separate ways. The announcement came from Liz Rosenberg, spokesperson for Madonna. After 13 extraordinary years together, Henry is no longer Madonna’s manager. Both Madonna and Henry declined comment. (source: Marketwire)

*November 10*

IDOL’S NO GOOD: Madonna does not like ‘American Idol.’ The singer told a reporter from ABC Radio Networks in a wide-ranging interview about the show, “I think it’s bad. I think people are obsessed with other people’s failures or heartaches and I think it gives people a certain kind of a thrill to watch them (contestants on ‘Idol’) go down.” When asked about shows like ‘American Idol,’ and its UK predecessor ‘Pop Idol,’ Madonna claimed, “I don’t like them.” Would she want either of the talent shows to devote an episode to her music, as they have done with other artists? “No, certainly not,” Madonna insisted. (source: NY Post)

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Here is a promotional shot of the book dedicated to Madonna fans and their fabulous artwork dedicated to their favorite inspiration.

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Here is an article by a writer who has finally realized what Madonna fans have known all along:  she should always have her say!

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This is a photo of Madonna attending her induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

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Madonna holds a special fan gathering to promote her new children's book 'The Adventures of Abdi' at Selfridges.

AFTER US ELECTION, MADONNA STAYS ON TOP: The moral of Madonna’s new children’s book is simple and positive: ‘Everything that happens is for the best.’ Now the singer who is constantly embroiled in controversy is trying to practice what she preaches to kids.

In an interview with ABC Radio, Madonna said she’s doing her best to get over her disappointment at the outcome of the presidential election and focusing on her new book, ‘The Adventures of Abdi,’ the story of a little boy who must deliver the world’s most precious necklace to the queen.

“In terms of the elections, I don’t agree with so many things and the decisions that George Bush has made and I’m not happy with the situation in Iraq,” she told ABC Radio’s Andrea Dresdale. “I do believe that the American public has been manipulated to a great degree.”

Nevertheless, Madonna-who had urged fans at her concerts to see Michael Moore’s controversial, anti-Bush documentary ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’-says she’s not going to sit around “moaning and groaning.”

“In the end, we have to say, ‘OK, we didn’t win, but there’s other ways to fix the problems, so now what else can I do to help?’”

Madonna also says there’s no need to bury the hatchet with Elton John, who recently accused her of charging concertgoers outrageous prices to see her lip-synch, an allegation she’s denied. Madonna says there was never a rift between the two performers. “There was never a hatchet for me in the first place,” she said. “I always thought of him as a friend. I think he was just having a bad day when he said those things and I never really took it personally.”

She said the media blew the whole thing out of proportion. “The press made a bigger deal out of it than I did,” she said. “I don’t really care. I don’t read the press.”

Madonna, who’s married to British director Guy Ritchie and lives in England these days, says she invited John to induct her into the U.K. Music Hall of Fame, but he had a previous commitment.

“I thought, that would be cool if Elton John gave me the award and then we could kiss and make up in front of everybody because everybody seems attached to the idea we’re having this feud in the first place,” she said.

Now the 46-year-old performer is focusing on her latest book, ‘The Adventures of Abdi,’ the story of a little boy who must deliver the world’s most precious necklace to the queen.

In the story, Abdi is robbed in the desert, thrown in a dungeon, and has a surprising encounter with a snake. The book, aimed at readers ages 6 and older, aims to teach kids about the power of positive energy, Madonna says.

Her first children’s book, ‘The English Roses,’ was an international best seller and made publishing history with a simultaneous release in 30 languages, becoming the fastest-selling book ever by a first-time children’s author. It was followed by ‘Mr. Peabody’s Apples,’ and Madonna says she plans to write a sequel to ‘Roses.’

The singer, famous for reinventing her look and sound so many times, is thrilled by the latest turn in her career. The children’s books are bringing her new fans-and even winning over some people who weren’t too crazy about her music.

“Oh, I got tons of letters like, ‘I never liked her records but I like her books.’ I’m like, ‘Thanks a lot,’” she said, laughing.

Her two children-Lourdes, 8, and Rocco, 4-give her a lot of feedback on her writing, Madonna says. Lourdes is especially involved.

“She comes in when I am writing and says, ‘That’s a good idea, that’s a stupid idea, that’s boring, Mom, Oh, I like that. I want more of that.’ And my son likes ‘Yakov and the Seven Thieves’ because he likes bad guys.”

Lourdes has written a short story for a Christmas book that is being published for charity in Britain. “I’m incredibly proud,” Madonna said. “She has an active imagination and she always writes in her journal.” (source: abc.com)

*November 11*

GET INSIDE: Pat O’Brien, of The Insider, had quite a few words with Madonna recently. Read all about it:

If nothing else, Madonna is never at a loss for opinions, many of which she shared in an exclusive interview with Pat O’Brien of The Insider. He filled in viewers of The Early Show. Among the topics they discussed: Iraq, her supposed feud with Elton John, Elton’s charges she’s lip-synced, and the Cameron Diaz flap with photographers.

Madonna has recently embraced her spirituality, authored a successful collection of children’s books, and moved her family to London.

She told O’Brien one advantage to celebrity life in Great Britain is a polite paparazzi. O’Brien joked that she may want to pass that information on to Cameron Diaz, who recently had a flap with photographers in the United States.

“All that training in ‘Charlie’s Angels’ finally paid off,” Madonna said with a chuckle. One of the shutterbugs claims Diaz hit him twice, something her lawyer denies. Would Madonna ever do such a thing? “No. No way. No. As if it’s gonna change anything. They’re just going to demonize her now.”

As for her supposed battle with Elton John: “That was a fictional feud.”

What about his charges that she regularly lip-synchs during live shows? Is she angry about them? “Not at all. Please, if I start getting mad at people who criticize or poke at me, I’d be permanently mad.”

Madonna told O’Brien there’s another subject she does take very seriously, and that’s the war in Iraq.

“My point of view is that this war is not founded in anything truthful. (But) we’re in it so deep. How do we pull out now? How do we go backwards and right the wrongs? And, you know-I think it’s gonna get worse before it gets better.”

“I voted for Kerry, and I think everybody assumed that. And I’m sad that he lost, but I’m not paralyzed by it. In a way, it’s a blessing in disguise. We need to come together, to unite. It’s a call to action.”

Madonna says she’s philosophical about Iraq and President Bush-something she relates to life in general in her latest children’s book, ‘The Adventures of Abdi.’ She notes, “This is my way of trying to effect change in the world, by giving children some kind of tools to deal with adversity in their life in a peaceful way, and they grow up one day and become adults and, hopefully, they’ve held onto those tools.”

O’Brien says Madonna is “a very smart woman, and more of a mother now than an entertainer. These children’s books, she loves writing them.” (source: CBS News)

THEY WAIT FOR THE BOOK: Many fans waited patiently for their chance to meet their favorite idol and to purchase her book:

Hundreds of Madonna fans spent the best part of 24 hours queuing outside a central London store in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Queen of Pop as she made a rare public appearance to promote her new children’s book.

But only 250 of them who were first in line were lucky enough to bag tickets for the reading and signing of her fourth book ‘The Adventures of Abdi.’

Crowds gathered on the streets outside the Selfridges store on London’s Oxford Street to see the former Material Girl but she snuck in through an underground car park entrance.

The new tale-like her previous books-is said to be based on the ancient Jewish faith Kabbalah which the millionaire pop star and her film director husband Guy Ritchie both follow.

Madonna, who is regularly photographed by the paparazzi in the red string bracelet worn by Kabbalah devotees, has reportedly come under fire for highlighting the religion in her children’s books.

Part of the sales from her book reportedly go to fund Kabbalah centers she attends.

The singer was today giving a 10-minute reading from the book, which was officially released in the UK, to a group of 30 schoolchildren aged eight to 10 from St. Winifred’s Catholic Junior School in south London.

She has already penned her fifth book ‘Lotsa de Casha,’ which will be released next summer and is about how wealth is overrated.

The illustrated yarn features the Italian greyhound Lotsa de Casha who is the richest creature in the world but is desperately unhappy. (source: Yahoo!)

*November 12*

AN OFFICIAL INDUCTION: Madonna has officially been inducted into the first UK Music Hall of Fame. At the ceremony, she received a hilarious message from close pals Stella McCartney and Gwyneth Paltrow. They both put together a video tribute to their friend by wearing some of her unique outfits. Madonna gasped as they appeared on a big screen at London’s Hackney Empire, Stella wearing a ‘Material Girl’ dress and Gwyneth donning the infamous conical bra and basque. The singer received her honorary award from artists Tracey Emin and Radio One DJ Jo Whiley. Wearing a Remembrance Day poppy, Madonna gushed: “If someone had told me while I was a little girl growing up in mid-west America that one day I’d be married to a Brit, living in England and inducted into the UK Hall of Fame, I would have said: ‘b******s to that.’” (source: Sky.com)

“I DON’T REGRET A THING”: Humble superstar Madonna insisted that she is still overwhelmed by her achievements, after being inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. The singer was given an honorary award at the first ever ceremony in London. Afterwards, she launched into an emotional speech about her career. “In spite of the title of this ceremony, I think this award is more to do with my accomplishments than my fame. Just because I am famous, doesn’t mean I don’t have anything to say. It is the voice I have been given, the voice to ask questions with, challenge with, explode with, creative with, laugh with and cry with and I am also truly grateful my voice has given other people a voice. I am so grateful to the people who have stuck their neck out for me and taken the slaps. I’ve taken many slaps and I don’t regret a thing.” (source: contactmusic.com)

*November 14*

MONTE AND MADONNA: Here is an interesting story about how guitarist Monte Pittman met Madonna and taught her how to play the guitar:

In 1999, Monte Pittman bid a fond farewell to his rural hometown of Longview, Texas, and headed west to Los Angeles in search of the big time. But like so many other musicians who have done the same, Monte found himself in other situations. “I got a job working at a music store selling guitars and sweeping floors,” he tells us. But as fate would have it, that dues-paying gig opened a door that would change Monte’s life. “People would come into the store looking for guitar teachers,” he explains, “so the thought occurred to me, ‘I could just teach. I could be my own boss.’” And that’s exactly what he did. “I quit cold, put out my card, and started looking for students.”

One day a man called the music store inquiring about guitar lessons, and Monte’s name was passed along. That customer was none other than Guy Ritchie, film director extraordinaire and soon-to-be husband of Madonna. “Guy was my third student,” Monte recalls. “That was before ‘Snatch’ came out, and I didn’t know who he was. It turns out he and Madonna were dating. He had just had some surgery done on his knee, I believe, so he was off his feet and she got him a guitar. He started taking lessons, and he got pretty good at it.”

“I remember the day ‘Music’ (Madonna’s CD) came out, and I taught him a few things from it. I thought it would be cool for him to play them for her.”

When Guy returned the favor and bought Madonna a guitar, she started taking lessons from Monte as well. “It was the same thing as Guy-she learned everything I gave her,” says Monte. “She took it seriously, and worked really hard at it. She learned so much so quickly. That’s one thing about Madonna-her drive is incredible.”

A month after Madonna started playing guitar, she got called to perform on David Letterman. “She invited me to come play with her, and I thought she was pulling my leg at first,” Monte laughs, “but she was serious.” That gig went well, and it led to a slot on Madonna’s Drowned World tour, which carried Monte through to the current Reinvention tour. (source: madonnalicious.com)

GOING TO THE MOVIES: Madonna corrected rumors recently that she was planning a cameo in her husband Guy Ritchie’s ‘Revolver,’ which is currently being shot in London. She’s not. However, she does have other movie plans in the works, for her book ‘The English Roses.’ She plans for it to go into production this year. “It takes forever to get a movie made. So fingers crossed,” she said. As for her tour documentary that will be in theaters next year, she does not have a name for this project yet. She does hope that it will be out in May. (source: MTV.com)

*November 15*

BAND AID: Madonna has lent her support to the new version of the Band Aid single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” She recorded an introduction to accompany the video premiere on UK TV. Although the singer did not take part in the new recording, it is understood that Sir Bob Geldof telephoned Madonna himself to ask her to record an introduction to the video. Madonna is said to have agreed immediately. The video premiered simultaneously on all five UK TV channels on November 18. This is Madonna’s full introduction: “Twenty years ago I performed at Live Aid. You saw me and my generation demanding a change. Once again, here we are 20 years later and more people die of hunger in Africa than war and AIDS put together. In a world of plenty, it is hard to imagine that there are African children going to bed tonight hungry. Bob Geldof and his friends are here to remind you that none of us can forget. Not ever. Feed the world. I am honored to introduce Band Aid 20.” (source: madonnalicious.com)

*November 18*

BUSH AND THE KABBALAH: Madonna has urged US President George Bush to study the Kabbalah to make him a better leader. The spiritual pop star is convinced that the mystical Jewish teachings would give Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair an improved outlook on the world, in light of their handling of the war in Iraq. When she was asked by CNN what she would like to change, Madonna replied: “To get George Bush to study Kabbalah. Yes. It would be amazing.” When CNN host Richard Quest answered, “Maybe Tony Blair could join him?,” Madonna answered, “That’s a very good idea.” (source: madonnalicious.com)

GREATEST MUSIC ARTIST: ‘Q’ magazine, from the UK, has rated the Greatest Music Stars of All Time, and Madonna made the top ten. Photographs of the Top 100 stars will be featured in an exhibition at London’s Proud Gallery, starting December 3. The top ten (in this order) were: John Lennon, Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Keith Richards, Kurt Cobain, Madonna, Bono, Bob Marley, Joe Strummer and Bob Dylan. (source: ratethemusic.com)

*November 19*

MADONNA FOR GOOD KIDS: Madonna took center stage to entertain children with a reading from her new book, ‘The Adventures of Abdi.’ Pupils from St. Winifred’s Junior School in Newstead Road, Lee, were treated to the launch of the superstar’s book, where she read the entire story to them at the Selfridges department store in central London. It was then followed by a question and answer session. Madonna thanked head teacher Mark Corrigan for the children’s excellent behavior. He proclaimed: “The children were excited and nervous before the event but once we arrived Madonna soon made them feel at ease.” He also thanked Penguin Book for allowing them to attend. (source: South London Press)

*November 21*

I WOULD ABSOLUTELY DO IT AGAIN: Madonna would like to repeat her Live Aid performance from 20 years ago. The superstar, who was one of the main US attractions the first time around at the concert that ‘changed the world,’ has backed plans for the new extravaganza. Madonna told the ‘Sunday Mirror’: “If I was asked I would absolutely do it again.” Speaking of her performance on July 13, 1985, in Philadelphia, Madonna stated: “My memories were that it was a very heady experience. I had never played to that many people before.” Madonna is the latest celebrity to line up for Live Aid II. Both Status Quo and Robbie Williams have already signed on. (source: Sunday Mirror)

*November 22*

DOWNLOAD RICHARD AND JUDY: Madonna’s interview with Channel 4’s ‘Richard and Judy’ recently aired in the UK. Madonna was on the show to promote her new book. She not only spoke about the inspiration behind the book, but she also answered a lot of questions about her life. She spoke about how she feels at home in London, which is a more mellow version of New York. She spoke about how polite the British paparazzi are, and informed the audience that her husband never calls her Madge. You can download the interview at madonnalicious.com. (source: madonnalicious.com)

*November 24*

PEOPLE INTERVIEW: The recent issue of the US magazine ‘People’ features a two-page interview with Madonna. She discusses her induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame, her life without a manager, and her life at home. (source: madonnalicious.com)

*November 29*

GER HER GOODIES: Auction house Christies will be holding a Rock & Roll and Entertainment Memorabilia auction on December 17. Several of the items come directly from Madonna’s camp. A few of those items are: Madonna’s signed American Federation of Television and Radio Artists application that was completed and signed by Madonna on January 10, 1984, four days before she made her only appearance on American Bandstand performing her Top 40 hit “Holiday”; Madonna’s veil from the infamous ‘Like A Virgin’ video, made by the infamous Japanese designer Kazuko, which is accompanied by photos of Madonna wearing the veil; Madonna’s signed contract for ‘Evita,’ from Wondervale Limited, with Madonna’s signature on the third page of the document in black ink; Madonna’s handwritten lyrics to ‘Goodbye To Innocence,’ written in blue ink with doodles in the margin of a six-sided star and a flower, that provides fascinating insight into the creative process of the singer; and Madonna’s white gloves from the ‘American Life’ video. (source: madonnalicious.com)

*November 30*

MAKING NEW MUSIC: This piece of news came from Madonna’s site itself: Madonna is back in the studio recording new music. It’s not exactly certain what the music is for, but more information is sure to come. (source: Madonna.com)

VOTE FOR OUR LADY!: ‘Rolling Stone’ have recently launched their annual Reader’s Poll for the year. Madonna is nominated in the following categories: Best Female Performer, Best Tour, Best Dressed, and fans can even add her to the Artist Of The Year category. So, go ahead…use your right, and vote! (source: rollingstone.com)


to keep abreast of the latest happenings of Madonna, the December issue of The Newsletter will be out in January

a group about Madonna (and other gimmicks), created by Amanda-Marie