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Madonna – often referred to as the “Queen of Pop” – is a cultural icon. The singer is known for her versatility in music production, songwriting, and visual presentation. She has continually pushed the boundaries of artistic expression in her music. The seven time winning Grammy musician often incorporates social, political, sexual, and religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim.
At the very first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, Madonna’s stiletto slipped off her foot during her performance of “Like A Virgin.” But instead of stopping, she turned the incident into an epic performance, writhing on the floor in her wedding dress costume.
It would both shock and delight viewers. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just pretend I meant to do this,’ and I dove on the floor and I rolled around,” Madonna later told talk show host Jay Leno in 2012. It would be the start of many more controversial moments for the Michigan born artist.
In 1989, Madonna rolled out the video for “Like A Prayer,” which was filled with controversial imagery. From burning crosses and Madonna kissing a Black saint, religious groups were not happy. Pepsi — who Madonna was a spokeswoman for at the time — dropped her from their ads. If “Like A Prayer” was controversial, “Justify My Love” took things to the next level. The video, which was released at the end of 1990, featured a graphic, bisexual orgy. MTV then banned her video.
But despite her risqué behavior on stage and in her music videos, it was this seemingly mild transgression that got her banned from a cinema.
Madonna Had German Prosecutors Fearful After Controversial Concert
In 2006, Madonna’s “Confessions” tour rolled into Germany. In her short amount time there, Madge managed to shock and upset locals. Controversy over a mock crucifixion during the concert had German prosecutors fearful that the singer’s antics would cross over into the criminal territory.
During the concert, Madonna was hoisted onto a cross while wearing a crown of thorns. The mock crucifixion caused outrage in many countries in which the singer performed during the tour dates. The Vatican was especially upset.
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“It is disrespectful, in bad taste and provocative,” added Father Manfredo Leone from Rome’s Santa Maria Liberatrice church. “Being raised on a cross with a crown of thorns like a modern Christ is absurd. Doing it in the cradle of Christianity comes close to blasphemy.” The scene has also offended Jewish and Muslim leaders.
The Alamo Drafthouse Movie Theater Banned Madonna For Texting
The Alamo Drafthouse movie theater chain banned Madonna from its theaters after reports that she was texting during a New York Film Festival screening of 12 Years a Slave. Madonna attended the screening of the film and even posed for photos with director Steve McQueen. During the film, though, she was reportedly texting and lashed out at a fellow audience member who tried to get her to stop.
Film critic Charles Taylor shared the following story from an audience member who was at the screening. “Tonight at the New York Film Festival premiere of ’12 Years A Slave’ (a masterpiece, by the way), I sat behind the unholy trifecta of Jason Ritter, J. Alexander from ‘America’s Next Top Model,’ and Michael K. Williams from ‘The Wire.’ Plus, a mysterious blonde in black lace gloves who wouldn’t stop texting on her Blackberry throughout the first half of the movie,” the cinema goer shared.
“Eventually, a woman next to me tapped her on the shoulder and told her to put her phone away, and the blonde hissed back, ‘It’s for business… ENSLAVER!’ I turned to the shoulder tapper and loudly said, ‘THANKS!’ and gave her a thumbs up. The rest of the movie, I kept thinking about how I wanted to tell the blonde what a disgrace she was.”
“During the standing ovation, the blonde ducked out and Jason Ritter turned around to make commiserating eye contact, as J. Alexander asked, ‘Who WAS that?!’ Jason then looked down at the floor. His eyes got wide, and he picked up an envelope and showed it to us and J. And it said: ‘2 screening tix MADONNA.’ And sure enough, we looked to the side of the theater and standing against the wall in black lace gloves was Madonna. The worst person in America,” the source revealed.
The Drafthouse chain has had a strict no-talking and no-texting policy and will eject patrons who violate it. When founder and CEO Tim League read reports of Madonna’s behavior, he tweeted the following: “Until she apologizes to movie fans, Madonna is banned from watching movies @drafthouse.”
Later he indicated it was a joke, but he didn’t say that meant he wouldn’t enforce it. In fact, over the weekend, League sent a letter to theater managers instructing them not to let Madonna see a film at a Drafthouse theater until she apologizes for her actions.
