Author Archives: Jay

Today in Madonna History: January 18, 1989

January 18, 2015 By in 1989, January Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

madonna-house-1989-oriole-hollywood-hills

On January 18 1989, Madonna purchased a $3 million estate in the Hollywood Hills, Hollywood, California.

Madonna bought the gated three-bedroom house from Allen Questrom, the former president and CEO of Neiman Marcus, and sold it for $2 million during California’s 1994 real estate slump.

In the music video for Bad Girl Madonna played the character “Louise Oriole” (Madonna’s middle name is Louise and Oriole is a street she once lived on). The house she purchased in 1989 is located at 9045 Oriole Way, Hollywood, California.   

Do you know who currently resides at this address? Tip: he might think that he’s the “King of the World” in a popular boat sinking movie.

Today in Madonna History: January 17, 1993

January 17, 2015 By in 1993, January Tags: , 1 Comment

body-ofevidence-1 body-ofevidence-2 body-ofevidence-3 body-ofevidence-4 body-ofevidence-5 body-ofevidence-6 body-ofevidence-7 body-ofevidence-8 On January 17 1993, it was announced that Body Of Evidence, starring Madonna and Willem Dafoe, grossed a mere $6.5 million at the US box-office during its opening weekend. Here’s a great quote from Rebecca Carlson (Madonna’s character):

I don’t know why men lie; they just do. Men. Lie.

Today in Madonna History: January 15, 1993

January 15, 2015 By in 1993, January Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

body-of-evidence-madonna-1 body-of-evidence-madonna-2 body-of-evidence-madonna-3 body-of-evidence-madonna-4 body-of-evidence-madonna-5 body-of-evidence-madonna-6 body-of-evidence-madonna-7 body-of-evidence-madonna-8 body-of-evidence-madonna-9 body-of-evidence-madonna-10

On January 15 1993, Body of Evidence was released across North America. The erotic thriller was produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by Uli Edel.  The film starred Madonna and Willem Dafoe, with Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer, Julianne Moore and Jürgen Prochnow in supporting roles.

The theatrical release for the film received the rare NC-17 rating (“No Children Under 17 Admitted”).

Sex was a game to her. She got off on the control. She always used to tell me it had to be her way.

When was the last time you watched Body of Evidence? Thoughts?

Today in Madonna History: January 13, 2012

January 13, 2015 By in 2012, January Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

madonna-lady-gaga-reductive-1 madonna-lady-gaga-reductive-2 madonna-lady-gaga-reductive-3 madonna-lady-gaga-reductive-4 madonna-lady-gaga-reductive-5

On January 12 2012, Cynthia McFadden asked Madonna, during a Good Morning America interview, for her opinion of the Lady Gaga song, Born This Way.

McFadden started by asking if Madonna felt that Lady Gaga was “copying” her. Madonna’s first reply was complimentary.  She called Gaga “a very talented artist” and said she admired her songwriting abilities.

Madonna went on to say, “I certainly think she references me a lot in her work. And sometimes I think it’s amusing and flattering and well done.”

Madonna said that Gaga’s work also appeared to be a “statement about taking something that was in the Zeitgeist, you know, 20 years ago and turning it inside out and reinterpreting it.”

Madonna continued, “There’s a lot of ways to look at it. I can’t really be annoyed by it …because, obviously, I’ve influenced her.”

But Madonna became coy when the conversation turned to Born This Way.

“When I heard it on the radio …I said ….that sounds very familiar.  It felt reductive.”

Pressed as to whether that was a good or bad thing, Madonna told Cynthia to “look it up”  – before smiling slyly and taking a sip from her tea cup.

Today in Madonna History: January 12, 1993

January 12, 2015 By in 1993, January Tags: , , , 1 Comment

bad-girl-video-making-5 bad-girl-video-making-4c bad-girl-video-making-4b bad-girl-video-making-4 bad-girl-video-making-3 bad-girl-video-making-2 bad-girl-video-making-1

On January 12 1993, filming began for Madonna’s Bad Girl music video.  The video was directed by David Fincher and shot on location in New York City between January 12 and 18.

Besides Christopher Walken, the video also featured appearances by actors Mark Margolis, Tomas Arana, Rob Campbell, James Rebhorn, and an uncredited cameo appearance from Matt Dillon, who plays a crime scene detective.

I don’t want to cause you any pain
But I love you just the same
And you’ll always be my baby
In my heart I know we’ve come apart
And I don’t know where to start
What can I do, I don’t wanna feel blue

Bad girl drunk by six
Kissing someone else’s lips
Smoked too many cigarettes today
I’m not happy when I act this way

Bad girl drunk by six
Kissing some kind stranger’s lips
Smoked too many cigarettes today
I’m not happy, I’m not happy

Today in Madonna History: January 11, 1995

January 11, 2015 By in 1995, January Tags: , , 2 Comments

madonna-bettina-rheims-1 madonna-bettina-rheims-2 madonna-bettina-rheims-3 madonna-bettina-rheims-4 madonna-bettina-rheims-5 madonna-bettina-rheims-5b madonna-bettina-rheims-6 madonna-bettina-rheims-7 madonna-bettina-rheims-8

On January 11 1995, Madonna ranked #10 on Mr. Blackwell’s 35th annual list of the worst-dressed women of 1994.

We can only imagine that the Bettina Rheims photo shoot contributed to Madonna’s placement on the list.  We love you Bettina!

Today in Madonna History: January 10, 1985

January 10, 2015 By in 1985, January Tags: , , , 3 Comments

material-girl-video-0 material-girl-video-1 material-girl-video-2 material-girl-video-3 material-girl-video-5 material-girl-video-4 material-girl-video-5b material-girl-video-6-

On January 10 1985, Madonna began filming the Material Girl music video in Los Angeles, California.  The video was directed by Mary Lambert. Madonna met Sean Penn on the set.

In a 1987 interview with New York Daily News, Madonna talked about the concept for the video:

“My favorite scene in all of Marilyn Monroe’s movies is when she does that dance sequence for ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’. And when it came time to do the video for the song Material Girl, I said, I can just redo that whole scene and it will be perfect. Marilyn was made into something not human in a way, and I can relate to that. Her sexuality was something everyone was obsessed with and that I can relate to. And there were certain things about her vulnerability that I’m curious about and attracted to.”

Reflecting on the song, Madonna told author J. Randy Taraborrelli:

“I can’t completely disdain the song and the video, because they certainly were important to my career. But talk about the media hanging on a phrase and misinterpreting the damn thing as well. I didn’t write that song, you know, and the video was about how the girl rejected diamonds and money. But God forbid irony should be understood. So when I’m ninety, I’ll still be the Material Girl. I guess it’s not so bad. Lana Turner was the Sweater Girl until the day she died.”