Madonna has hit back at critics who objected to her using the United Nations headquarters in New York to host a charity party which tied in with the launch of a new Gucci store.

The luxury fashion brand co-hosted the lavish event with the singer on Wednesday night, which featured guest stars including Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Drew Barrymore helping to raise money for UNICEF and Madonna’s Raising Malawi Orphan Care Initiative.

But the company came under fire for combining the charity event with the launch of a new shop in the city, leading to fears the event was more of a commercial venture than a fundraising gala.
But Madonna dismissed the reports, insisting the sponsorship from Gucci was crucial if she was to attract enough attention to her good causes.

She says: “I don’t really pay any attention to that. I am grateful that Gucci has underwritten this event, that’s all that matters to me - their generosity. There’s always controversy surrounding anything that involves change.

“I want to put Raising Malawi on the map. I want credibility as a philanthropic organisation. I want to inspire people. I don’t want them to just write me a check: I want them to give me a piece of their heart.”

Source: Ireland Online

Who can unite Gwyneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek, Drew Barrymore, Rosie O´Donnel, Rihanna, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, a heavily pregnant Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Heidi Klum. Lucy Liu, Chris Rock, Diddy, Kate Hudson, Orlando Bloom, Timbaland, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani and many more? Well, Madonna can!

The stars united to raise money for Malawi children and UNICEF and Gucci Chief Executive, Mark Lee, said it had already raised 3,7 million dollars.

She once sang about being a material girl – and at £300,000 to see her you better be winning in the material world.

Last night the staggering sum – 50 percent more than the price of the average house in England – was paid for four tickets to see Madonna in concert.

It dwarfs the £10,000 tickets which were reportedly being sold for the Led Zeppelin show in London last year.

Thrown in with the tickets are business class flights, two nights in the Ritz-Carlton and a private dance aerobics class with Gwyneth Paltrow.

It was one of seven lots at an auction to raise money for Unicef organized by Gucci at the United Nations headquarters, in New York.

At £1,000 each ticket sales for the event alone raised around £3.75m.

Madonna, 49, who was there with her daughter Lourdes, 11, said: “I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous in my life. It would be easier to stand in front of 80,000 people than address you here about a cause that means so much to me.’

A mystery Japanese businesswoman bought the Madonna tickets.

Guests included Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Salma Hayek, American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Gwen Stefani and Orlando Bloom.

Gucci, which is owned by French retailer PPR, paid for the entire event and said all money raised will be split between Raising Malawi and UNICEF.

Madonna’s interest in helping Malawi orphans is personal- she and her husband, director Guy Ritchie, are raising a young Malawian boy they hope to adopt.

But the adoption has hit several stumbling blocks since they took him from an orphanage in late 2006 when he was 13 months old.

Rights groups have accused Madonna of using her fame and wealth to circumvent the country’s adoption rules, although the singer has insisted she is following the law.

Malawi’s High Court is to hold a hearing this year into whether Madonna and Ritchie are suitable parents and should adopt the child.

Source: Metro

“Dear Dieter, can I bring my film to Berlin? Thanks, Madonna.”

Perhaps this wasn’t the actual wording of the postcard the Queen of Pop sent to Berlin Film Festival director Dieter Kosslick, but the request was the same.

Accordingly, Madonna’s directorial film debut, Filth and Wisdom, will have its premiere at the festival.

Kosslick has been telling reporters he was “really impressed” by the pop star’s forthright request.

“I’ve never before received a card from someone who said: ‘Dear Dieter, if you like my film, I’d love it to be screened in Berlin’,” he said.

He replied in the affirmative at once, perhaps thinking of the publicity rather than her previous film outings - such as the critically-derided Swept Away, which she made with film-maker husband Guy Ritchie.

But in Filth and Wisdom the music star says behind the camera.

While critics are sharpening their pencils, the buzz about her 81-minute film has so far been favourable.

Source: BBC News

It’s not easy being the daughter of one of the world’s biggest pop stars.
  Madonna’s daughter Lourdes sparked a few chuckles on Wednesday while taking questions from reporters at a fund-raising event at the United Nations hosted by her mother to aid Malawi orphans and the U.N. Childrens Fund (UNICEF).

The 11-year-old let slip that her mother had been “very stressed” about the event. Then when Lourdes was asked what was the most important thing she learned from her mother, before she was able to answer Madonna quipped “think before you speak.”
  Lourdes, Madonna’s daughter with her former fitness trainer Carlos Leon, appeared totally at ease on the red carpet (which was actually black for the Gucci sponsored event). But when asked what it was like to be Madonna’s daughter, she said “it’s hard,” before she was rushed away.
  Madonna also has a biological son, Rocco, and soon-to-be-adopted Malawian son, David, with husband director Guy Ritchie. She casually hinted there could be more adoptions in the future.
  When a reporter asked if Madonna ever felt like she wanted to just take home all the children in need, she said: “Not all of them, but I could handle a few more.”

Source: Reuters

Gucci and Madonna hosted a reception last night in New York City to benefit Madonna’s charity, Raising Malawi, and UNICEF. The timing was perfect as it was during New York Fashion Week, so the stars turned out to The United Nations in their designer finest…

Madonna walked the red carpet in a chic sand coloured jersey dress with daughter Lourdes in a black satin dress, while friend Gwyneth Paltrow wore a beautiful pale pink mini dress with bow detail at the neck. Dita von Teese wore a strapless mini dress with a full black satin skirt and pink ribbon detail cinching in the waist. Continuing the pop-up embellished ribbon trend, Julia Restoin Roitfeld’s beautiful black mini dress was embellished with ribbon detail down the middle, while Rihanna opted for a forest green grecian gown and Brooke Shields opted for a jewel purple halter.

Madonna and Lourdes both look absolutely stunning!

A glittering cast of stars including Drew Barrymore, Salma Hayek, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher is expected to turn up for Gucci and Madonna’s red-carpet charity bash in New York tonight, despite the furore surrounding the fundraising gala. Gucci is celebrating a new flagship store on Fifth Avenue with a star-studded party hosted by Madonna, as part of New York fashion week. But the event, which hopes to raise $2m for orphan charity Raising Malawi and Unicef, was hit by controversy after Fox News accused Madonna of having “conned” Gucci into raising money for Kabbalah under false pretexts. “Raising Malawi is merely a front for Philip Berg’s Kabbalah Centre of Los Angeles,” the Fox News website stated last month.

Madonna - who has been a Kabbalah devotee since the mid-Nineties - and the fashion house both deny the claims, made last month. A representative for the singer called the rumours “outrageous, incorrect, inaccurate, hurtful and malicious”. Madonna has an adopted son from Malawi, David Banda. The auction is still going ahead tonight, and will be compered by comedian Chris Rock.

Source: First Post

Madonna is back in the US, just in time for the elections, and the “Material Girl” has endorsed Hillary Clinton for President.

“I’ve gotta support the girls,” Madonna said, “I’m a big fan of the Clintons.”

Source: Gay Socialites

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GOOD news from Queen of Pop MADONNA— she’s renewing her wedding vows with hubby GUY RITCHIE.

They’re planning a summer ceremony to nip rumours in the bud that their seven-year marriage is on the rocks.

Only Madge and Guy’s close family and a handful of celeb pals—including GWYNETH PALTROW and STELLA McCARTNEY—will be invited to the private service at their Wiltshire home.

I’m told fashion bigwig Stella has designed Madge’s ‘wedding’ outfit which will be a cream trouser suit.

Gwyneth will do a reading as will Madonna’s daughter LOURDES, 11.
Madonna and Lock, Stock director Guy have bought each other eternity rings but are trying to keep their plans under wraps.

Sorry guys, but I couldn’t resist telling everyone about the happy occasion. My source spilt the beans and said: “Renewing their vows is the one way Guy and Madonna can show the world they are strong.

“They’ve worked hard to iron out their differences to get through the tough times.

“It’s going to be a very emotional day and that’s why they want the people who are closest to them to share it with them.”

The couple wed in 2000 but there have been rumours of trouble at home.

My source added: “They know a strong marriage takes constant effort and that they’re in it for the long haul.”

Source: News of the World

MTV News is reporting that Madonna’s highly anticipated album will be released on April 29th.

She is currently in London filming the video for the first single, “4 Minutes To Save The World,” with appearances by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland.

Source:

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