Divorces usually bring out the worst in people, and only occasionally do we see one as ugly as Madonna and Guy's recent trip to Splitsville, even in Hollywood. With settlement numbers in the tens of millions (pounds sterling that too), three children, and all the mudslinging one would expect in such a high profile case, this divorce has engaged Madonna haters and empathizers alike. Along the way, Madonna has been described as "beastly", a control freak, or psychologically abused. The whole gamut, really.
My first response was: typical, the powerful woman becomes the She-Devil, while the man walks away looking appropriately dejected, and strangely clueless.
As I sat down and dissected the barrage of Madge criticisms, I found myself wondering if any other woman with the means and the stakes she was facing would have done anything different. In an industry that is ruthless in its criticisms of women, their bodies, and their age, Madonna took steps, albeit a bit extreme, to maintain herself in an image that the people wanted to see. How many times have you watched her in concert and marvelled at her toned body or ageless face? Anybody who thinks that come without a lot of care and sacrifice should talk to the 20-somethings in Hollywood that are already half way down this path!
After 8 years of living in London for her husband, it's natural that she would want to move back to her hometown, New York, and even more natural that she would retain custody of her children. Subjecting them to steamed veggies and no TV hardly given that celebs get slammed for feeding their kids junk food. Of course, opportunists who were perfectly comfortable engaging in an arrangement with the superstar when the price and the publicity was right, conveniently question her parenting skills now.
Being a celeb mom is tough. Being Madonna is impossible. Only one woman can do it - and this woman has reinvented herself for almost 30 years, stood up for causes she cared about, and wowed us every step of the way. I say let her marinate in all the $500 cream she likes- she deserves it.
2 comments:
I love you for saying that. I've loved Madonna since I was a little kid, and have been feeling so embarrassed for thinking she's so awesome when everyone around is slamming her for everything. I'm sorry, but one listen to her music can raise my spirits instantly, and I refuse to feel ashamed for my admiration of the woman that can do that.
thanks for writing, Solray. She's a genius of a different kind, and we should forgive her her quirks. No one
's perfect - especially not darling Guy ritchie!
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