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Entries tagged with 'Madonna'
Posted Jul. 28, 2008,
Peter Davis' Status Update: Seven Celebs Who Snort, According to Christopher Ciccone
By Peter Davis
Here are seven celebrities Christopher Ciccone claims to have done cocaine with in his 342-page book Life With My Sister Madonna:
Kate Moss (page 234, 263)
Naomi Campbell (page 234)
Courtney Love (page 256-7)
Jack Nicholson (page 265)
Dennis Hopper (page 265)
Donatella Versace (page 257, 263-265)
Ingrid Casares (page 234-235)
And as an added bonus, here are two major Madonna players whose names Ciccone misspells:
Debi Mazar: “Debi Mazur” (page 168)
Sandra Bernhard: “Sandra Bernhardt” (page 195)
Posted Jun. 25, 2008,
Gogol Bordello Plays (and Plays and Plays) at McCarren Park Pool
By Alex Pasternack
There are more photos in this gallery. View them all.
Google "greatest live band" (even do it without quotes) and you won't get a definitive answer. But Google "Bordello" and "greatest live band" and you'll see why you should be a little jealous of me, at least if you weren't at last Friday's concert at McCarren Park Pool. It was not only one of the summer's best, but one of the decade's best. Maybe last decade's best too.
Forgive me if Gogol Bordello inspires bouts of hyperbole. But the simple fact is that no other band can rival the ragtag outfit's hybridism, energy, ebullience, and gypsy punk-ness. That's their genre, the one they invented for no other purpose than pure partying, and it works.
“If we are here not to do
What you and I wanna do
And go forever crazy with it
Why the hell are we even here?”
Those are the first lyrics of the first song on their last album, sung without accompaniment by the inimitable, indefatigable Ukrainian-Brooklynite hippie Eugene Hutz, in a voice that one critic accurately described as a cross between Borat and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. But there is nothing demeaning or stupid in his lyrics or music. Even in its most nonsensical, this is erudite party music that makes you want to grab the nearest fire bucket and bang away, deep-seeded fantasies of rocking out in the shtetl with young great-grandma Pasternack playing in your head.
Posted Jun. 10, 2008,
Peter Davis' Status Update: Tony Ward Is 45!
By Peter Davis
Tony Ward, the hottie Madonna dated and made out with in that "controversial" bisexual "Justify My Love" video, turns the big 45 today. Did 40-something ever look this sexy?
Posted May. 15, 2008,
Eight Items or Less: Fiasco Signs to Impose, Union Hall Keeps Liquor License and J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard
By Gary Pini
1. L.A. rockers No Age were so impressed by Fiasco's SXSW showcase last month that they invited the Brooklyn band to open their recent Bowery Ballroom concert. Now we hear that Fiasco signed a record deal with Impose Records (Team Robespierre, Sadahuru, Bears etc.) and are recording a new album with producer Billy Pavone. It should be out this summer and you can catch them live on May 17 at Death by Audio in Brooklyn with Chubbby Behemoth and Airwaves.
2. Based on midweek sales figures, The Ting Tings's single "That's Not My Name" is set to go onto the UK charts at #1 next week. This is actually the second release of the song, but this time it's getting a big push from a major label. Their album, "We Started Nothing," is out May 19th.
3. We wanted to make fun of this "media alert" but decided to just tell it like it is: "Infamous cat burglar Walter Shaw read excerpts from his tell-all memoir "A License To Steal" on Tuesday at Vinny Vella's Pizzeria in Brooklyn."
4. UPDATE: Brooklyn bar/venue Union Hall prevailed in their fight to keep their liquor license.
5. Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling will be the commencement speaker at Harvard University on June 5th. Yale's getting fellow Brit Tony Blair.
6. Madonna's album only lasted one week at #1 here in the US. The new Rick Rubin produced Neil Diamond album took over the top spot.
Posted May. 13, 2008,
Eight Items or Less: The Real World: Brooklyn (!), Mud-Slinging at Down By the Hipster and Expensive Madonna Tickets
By Gary Pini
1. The Real World: Brooklyn? Yes, really. MTV confirmed it today and it's set to shoot this summer and broadcast in 2009. Still not determined/revealed is exactly where the house will be located.
2. A proposed "event promoter" ordinance in Chicago has the locals up in arms. If passed, it could mean exorbitant license fees and insurance guarantees -- even for one-off band PAs. Go here to fight for your right to party. (savechicagoculture.org)
3. Lots of mud slinging on downbythehipster about the ill-fated club Stereo including the claim that Michael Satsky was an employee only -- eventually fired -- who "only cared about his ego and getting publicity for himself."
4. One "floor seat" for Madonna's upcoming Madison Square Garden concert: $354.50.
5. A multimedia installation by Bill Shannon opens on Thursday (May 15) from 6 to 8 p.m. at 138 Mulberry Street, 4th floor in a 100-year-old sweatshop. The theme is "gentrification."
Posted May. 12, 2008,
Eight Items or Less: The Ting Tings Dominate the Charts, The Yard Rocks Gowanus and Nick Walker Is Not Banksy
By Gary Pini
1. It's a hit! The Ting Tings' song "Shut Up and Let Me Go" shot up to #11 on iTunes chart and went onto the Billboard Top 100. It's the tune that is featured in the Apple ad at the top of Papermag.com. You can find out more about the UK duo in the June/July music issue of PAPER.
2. It seems like there's never a dull moment over at the Rockstar Games offices. The Wall Street Journal reports today that several former employees saw "firearms around the office, including sniper rifles, AK-47s and other weapons" and saw an art director "walking around the office pretending to fire a shotgun as a joke."
3. Here's a great set of photos using Legos to create Star Wars images and recreations of classic photography including Charles C. Ebbets' shot of construction workers having lunch while sitting on a beam over Rockefeller Center in 1932. (via animalnewyork)
4. An obscure German techno group has pushed Madonna's “Hard Candy” out of the top of the British album charts after only one week.
5. While you wait for Gowanus to become Bowery-ized, go to 388 Carroll Street, aka The Yard, on Sundays from 6 to 9 and hear DJs like Roy Davis Jr., King Britt and Afrika Bambaataa.
6. Nick Walker is not Banksy.
Posted Apr. 29, 2008,
Tribeca Film Festival Directors Series: Nathan Rissman
By Rebecca Carroll
Everyone knows that Madonna has a vested interest in the African nation of Malawi -- she is quite publicly developing a foundation there (Raising Malawi Foundation), and even more publicly, is in the final stages of adopting a Malawian boy named David. I Am Because We Are is a documentary in which she seeks to explain, somewhat, Why Malawi? Madonna wrote and produced the film, and asked her friend Nathan Rissman, a first-time director, to helm the project.
Rebecca Carroll: How do you know Madonna?
Nathan Rissman: I was her gardener for a while. Both my wife and I have worked for her family. I’m just one of those guys, kind of a hustler. We have all become very good friends -- there’s a good dynamic between the Ritchies and the Rissmans. When Madonna said she wanted to raise awareness about Malawi, she asked me to help her.
Posted Apr. 25, 2008,
About Last Night... Madonna's I Am Because We Are Premiere
By Caroline Torem Craig
There are more photos in this gallery. View them all.
Every element was in place last night for the contrived chaos that heralded the arrival of a superstar whose popularity and longevity rivals the Pope, the President, Elvis, Marilyn and possibly your own mother: Yep, we’re talking about Madonna. There were pens locking in the rabid photogs, someone came crashing down off a ladder, mini-arguments were taking place left and right as everyone got ready to “lock and load,” as they say in the biz. I Am Because We Are, written and produced by Madonna and directed by Nathan Rissman, exposes the plight of Malawi children orphaned by AIDS.
Posted Mar. 31, 2008,
Eight Items or Less: Madonna's Coming, Sebastian Horsley's "Unputdownable" and PAPER's Still Hip!
By Gary Pini
1. Though its release is still a month away, we are already feeling the marketing blitz for Madonna's new album Hard Candy (out April 29). Her documentary on Malawi is screening at the Tribeca Film Festival, she's on the cover of the new Vanity Fair and, according to UK paper The Telegraph, she has already sold most of the songs on her album to various worldwide advertisers including Fuji, Unilever and Vodafone. Vodaphone has apparently made a deal to make seven tracks available exclusively on their mobile phones one week before the album's official release.
2. Yes, we read Sebastian Horsley's unputdownable autobiography Dandy in the Underworld over the weekend and it does deserve all the hype. It's also timely, as we noted this morning that 17-year-old British actor Thomas Sangster has been chosen for the lead role in Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of Tintin, one of Mr. Horsley's fondest -- and most normal -- childhood memories: "I worshipped him. Tintin was for children who found Asterix too intellectual." No word yet on who will play Horsley in the film of Dandy.
3. It's hard to sell toilet paper without being... well, you know, gross. New Yorkers are currently debating the appropriateness of the new Cottonelle subway ad campaign that includes the headline: "We shine where the sun don't."
Posted Mar. 11, 2008,
About Last Night... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria
By Caroline Torem Craig
The "trio of fame," pictured above, that walked into the press room last night at the Waldorf-Astoria was more than we could handle: Iggy Pop, Madonna and Justin Timberlake -- oh my!
Moving on, PAPERMAG asked Seth Meyers who would be playing the shamed governor of New York Eliot Spitzer on Saturday Night Live this weekend, but the head writer wouldn’t crack, and only said, “If ever there was a reason to be played on SNL, it was the route our governor of New York chose,” and advised us all to tune in on Saturday.
Patti LaBelle, when asked to comment on the current crop of divas calling themselves “divas,” fired back: “They can’t call themselves anything!”
Ben Harper, after being pressed into revealing who he would be voting for, got a little testy saying, “that’s supposed to be a sacred, private thing, no?” and followed up with, “I am in full support of Barack Obama!”
After watching Joan Jett give a spectacularly spirited performance, some nut job in the press room asked her if she still loved rock ‘n’ roll, to which she snarled sweetly, “I just showed that, didn’t I?”
MORE PHOTOS AFTER THE JUMP>
Posted Feb. 12, 2008,
About Last Night... The Best of the Best of New York Fashion Week, Part 1
By Caroline Torem Craig
10 years X 2 per year = 22 Fashion Weeks 4 PAPER!
It’s exciting stuff covering backstage, front of house, runway and the parties. One needs to train, like for a marathon. The stamina needed to deal with four different kinds of "lists," to travel to and from the tents and off-site venues, to fight with hundreds of manic-panic foreign and domestic photographers and videographers for a 12-inch square of space for 20, 30, 40 different shows is incredible. Sometimes there are actual fights like the Italians vs. the Japanese or the New York Times vs. The New York Post. It can be both hilarious and/or upsetting. When the lights go down and the first model struts the catwalk, it is concentration time... OH!! To get the perfect shot! There can be a gasp of appreciation as a tiny perfect breast escapes from the fabric or a moan of sympathy as wobbly legs in 6" platforms lose control or a hush when the ighting, music, clothing and the model blend together to make a sweet magic moment, hopefully captured for TOMORROW! Some of my favorite photos this season show “recognition,” not just for me but for the magazine I represent -- PAPER. Everyone loves PAPER. They show it in their eyes, their smiles and they even say it out loud! Here are some of the best moments of Fashion Week that I captured.
Posted Feb. 7, 2008,
About Last Night... A Night to Benefit Raising Malawi and UNICEF at the U.N.
By Caroline Torem Craig
The Gucci-sponsored, Madonna-conceived event, “A Night to Benefit Raising Malawi and Unicef,” was held in a tent (close to the size of Bryant Park) on the lawn of the United Nations last night. It was covered by a very exclusive pack of photogs and reporters, so we were pleased that PAPER was given the OK!
Judging by the sheer magnitude and pulchritude of the celebrities that walked the “black carpet,” just about everyone of Madonna’s friends invited showed up! There were no tattered jeans here. Some of the guests stood out for obvious reasons. Like Jennifer Lopez, who is ridiculously beautiful but oh my GOD, it looks she is carrying a team of Budweiser horses! Like Madonna, who has an iron will to keep doing whatever necessary to be a star and not a fizzling comet! Like Katie Holmes, who is beautiful and incredibly well put-together, but has the most unnerving stare! Like Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, who no longer seem like an odd couple! And like Gwyneth Paltrow, who thought it was a junior prom event or a baby-doll pajama pary…
As Kimora Lee Simmons, who clung tightly to her boyfriend Djimon Honsou, would say: “Fabulosity!”
Posted Dec. 3, 2007,
About Last Night... the Cinema Society and Piaget Screening and After-Party for Revolver at the Tribeca Grand
By Mickey Boardman & Caroline Torem Craig
Caroline's screening report: In the 29 degree darkness after a day of snow, sleet and freezing rain Lady Madonna and her British-born husband Guy Ritchie held court for a select few to take a sneak peek at his new movie, Revolver. Although folks were saying the movie was a trifle stifling in the length department, I cannot wait to see it because I've loved his other movies, especially the one where you cannot understand a word that Brad Pitt says.
It is hard to describe the couple's "look" -- it falls somewhere between the local constable dressed for a very important ceremony and a well-honored, mature '30s movie star. Guy wore his Ralph Lauren suit impeccably and their closeness and togetherness was extremely visible.
Mickey's after-party wrap-up: It was a chic celebrity bottleneck at the Gramercy Park Roof for the Cinema Society and Piaget's after party for Guy Ritchie's new movie Revolver. Even glamorous New Yorkers were in full starfucker mode with Madonna (dressed in Dolce & Gabbana) in the house and they thronged over to her side of the room leaving the place half empty. Other guests included Zac Posen, Sarah Jessica Parker (also in Dolce), Alan Cumming, Dolce & Gabbana, Josh Groban, Michael Stipe and out of towners Ingrid Casares, Amanda Demme and Kelly Cole.
Photos by Caroline Torem Craig
Posted Nov. 7, 2007,
Jessica Alba on Broadway? Stranger Things Have Happened...
By Whitney Spaner
You heard right -- Jessica Alba is being courted to play Karen, the naive secretary trying to make it big, in a revival of David Mamet's Hollywood satire Speed-the-Plow. The role was originated by Madonna in 1988, who at the time, like Alba, had no stage experience and the reviews punished her for it.
I polled the straight 20-something boys in our office (that's two) to see if they would hike it up to Broadway to see Alba (who is always at the top of Maxim's hottest women alive list, and they said "no," but they'd gladly grab drinks with her afterwards! Although, when I added she'd be playing a secretary they became a little more interested. These straight boys are hard to please!
Posted Aug. 3, 2007,
JD Ferguson Presents: Michael Lucas
By JD Ferguson
There's no denying Michael Lucas has single-handedly brought the West Coast dominated porn industry back East. This sexy Russian impresario not only runs an entertainment company baring his name but, much to his fans’ pleasure, stars in most of the videos himself. "I respect what he's done for himself and I like people with opinions,” says JD Ferguson of the at-times controversial Lucas. JD intentionally saved Mr. Lucas for last before he goes on his summer vacay. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the infamous Michael Lucas.
Hometown: Moscow, Russia
Age: 35
Company you shoot for? Lucas Entertainment
What's on your iPod? Everything from Madonna to Amy Winehouse.
How long have you been in the industry? 12 years.
How's Moscow? I haven't been there since 2000, and I'm not really interested to go back. The world is big enough and there are many places I haven't been to that are much more pleasant than homophobic Russia.
Who do you support for president in 2008? Unfortunately, there is no one better than Hilary. Or, I'd rather say, everyone else is just worse. But it doesn't mean I'm a big fan.
Posted Jul. 10, 2007,
Desperately Seeking Susan Soon to Be a London Musical With Music by BLONDIE!
By Ann Magnuson
My pop cultural watchdog Gary Stella alerted me to this article in Variety announcing that "Susan Seidelman's 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan is being retooled as a London-bound stage musical using the back catalog of Deborah Harry and Blondie." And I thought that Eighties Revivalism was just about done with. Hmm, wonder if that sassy cigarette girl with the Louise Brooks bob will be in it?
From Variety.com:
Written and conceived by Peter Michael Marino and helmed by Angus Jackson, the show will begin previews Oct. 12 at the Novello Theater, home to the short-lived London run of "The Drowsy Chaperone," which is closing early, on Aug. 4.
Emma Williams ("Chitty Chitty Bang Bang") will play Susan, the role created onscreen by Madonna. Kelly Price (Michael Grandage's "Guys and Dolls") will play the Rosanna Arquette role of Roberta, whose humdrum New Jersey life turns upside-down when she loses her memory in the mistaken-identity comedy. The score will include Blondie hits "Heart of Glass," "Atomic," "One Way or Another," "Dreaming" and "The Tide Is High." Harry also has penned a new song, "Moment of Truth," for the show.
Posted Jul. 9, 2007,
Madonna and Gogol Bordello!
By Shanon Kelley
Just saw this amazing clip of Madonna's performance at Live Earth this weekend. During "La Isla Bonita" she was joined by Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz (quite possibly the sexiest man alive) and Sergey Ryabtsev. Enjoy!
Posted Apr. 9, 2007,
Chicago Archbishop Slips on Holy Water, Breaks Hip
By Ann Magnuson
Best Easter Sunday headline ever! From the L.A.Times:
The archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George, was hospitalized with a slight hip fracture Saturday morning after he apparently slipped and fell inside a church while blessing Easter baskets, archdiocese officials said.
I'm sorry to laugh. I kinda feel like Madonna in Truth or Dare giggling about her hairdresser getting sodomized. Naughty! Naughty! Why does it all seem connected?
Image above of Mauricio Cattelan's "La Nona Ora" ("The Ninth Hour")
Posted Mar. 8, 2007,
Madonna as "The Devil Wears H&M"
By Kim Hastreiter
Just caught this new ill Madonna ad for her new H&M collection. I'm gagging over this. Isn't it fabulous????? I'm sure Anna Wintour could never have imagined how far her scariness would reach... This stuff will sell out in a day I am sure. Video came to us via perezhilton.com. (thanks Perez!)