On September 11 1988, Madonna participated in the Sport Aid 88: The Race Against Time marathon in New York.
“We can make future generations look back on this decade, and remember us as the generation who began to shape a world in which children enjoy a future free from hunger and pain. Please join the Race Against Time and help CARE and Sport Aid make a difference in a hungry child’s life.” – Madonna
On July 1 1988, Madonna made a surprise unscheduled appearance on NBC-TV’s Late Night With David Letterman. Sandra Bernhard was David’s scheduled guest.
On March 29 1988, Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour home video was certified multi-platinum for sales of over 100,000 units in the U.S.
On January 23 1988, Madonna’s You Can Dance remix album hit #14 (and peaked) on the Billboard 200 chart.
Here is Stephen Thomas Erlewine’s review (from AllMusic.com) of You Can Dance:
Released in 1987 as a stopgap, the remix album You Can Dance reworks material from Madonna’s first three albums. Actually, it keeps the spotlight on her first record, adding non-LP singles like “Into the Groove” for good measure, along with a bonus track of “Where’s the Party.” Since it’s a dance album, it doesn’t matter that “Holiday” and “Into the Groove” are here twice, once each in dub versions, because the essential grooves and music are quite different in each incarnation. It is true that some of this now sounds dated — these are quite clearly extended mixes from the mid-’80s — but that’s part of its charm, and it all holds together quite well. Not essential, but fun.
On June 27 1988, Madonna and Sean Penn attended the Mike Tyson vs. Mike Spinks fight at the Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
On March 23 1988, Madonna (aka The First Album) was certified 4x platinum by the Record Industry Association of America in the USA for shipment of 4-million units.
On March 8 1988, Papa Don’t Preach was released in the CD Video format in the U.S.
The CD Video format, introduced in Japan in 1987, combined the technologies of the standard audio compact disc with LaserDisc video on a 5″ gold-coloured disc.
The Papa Don’t Preach CD Video (which was also released in Japan and in the U.K.) included the song’s 1986 music video together with the 7″ Version, 12″ Version and the U.S. b-side Pretender on the audio portion of the disc. It was Madonna’s only commercial release in the short-lived format.
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