Madonna's "Sticky And Sweet" Tour: Madonna Slams McCain During Show

CARDIFF, Wales — Even at 50, the queen of pop just can't stop courting controversy.

As Madonna kicked off her international "Sticky and Sweet" tour Saturday night, she took a none-too subtle swipe at the presumptive Republican nominee for U.S. president.

Amid a four-act show at Cardiff's packed Millennium Stadium, a video interlude carried images of destruction, global warming, Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, Zimbabwe's authoritarian President Robert Mugabe _ and U.S. Senator John McCain. Another sequence, shown later, pictured slain Beatle John Lennon, followed by climate activist Al Gore, Mahatma Gandhi and finally McCain's Democratic rival Barack Obama.

The rest of the show had the usual Madonna fixtures: sequins, fishnets, and bondage-style outfits drawn from the 3,500 items of clothing reportedly whipped together by 36 designers specifically for the tour. Dancers sauntered across stage in top hats and tail coats, and Madonna tried her hand at break-dancing and pole-dancing.

Some 40,000 fans _ many in pink cowboy hats and boas _ were treated to a heavy metal version of "Borderline," while "La Isla Bonita" served as backdrop for a flamenco routine. The show, billed as a musical mishmash of "gangsta pimp," Romanian folk, rave, and dance _ was an homage to Madonna's continuous reinventions over the past three decades.

She took a playful take on her variegated career, mocking dancers dressed as her previous incarnations _ including the "Material Girl" and "Blonde Ambition" _ before they sank into the stage to the tune of "She's Not Me." Madonna finished off the concert with her thumping "Give it 2 Me" from her new urban-inspired album, "Hard Candy."

If the world's top-selling female recording artist is still writhing, shaking and shimmying with the best of them, her personal life has recently been unsettled. Earlier this summer her brother Christopher Ciccone published a gossipy memoir, and she has faced speculation about her relationship with New York Yankee slugger Alex Rodriquez and rumors that her marriage to British filmmaker Guy Ritchie is on the rocks _ which she hotly denies.

Madonna's tour was eagerly anticipated in Britain, where the pop superstar has made her home, and fans weren't disappointed.

"We enjoyed it to the max," said Ruth Henson, 24, who works in human resources in London. "Madonna, considering she's now 50, is so fit. She did a really good job."

Following Cardiff's opening concert, "Sticky and Sweet" moves across Europe, hitting London's Wembley Stadium on Sept. 11 and Paris on Sept. 20. From there, it goes to North America in October before wrapping up Dec. 18 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

It is Madonna's first tour since striking a deal with concert promoter Live Nation Inc. worth an estimated $120 million over 10 years. The partnership gives Live Nation a stake of future music and music-related business she generates, including touring, merchandising and albums. Madonna's last tour was her 2006 "Confessions" _ in which she staged a mock crucifixion only a few miles (kilometers) from the Vatican.

Comments

[SENATORCALLENBOWE]

ITS GOOD TO HAVE THE UNBREAKABLE MATERIAL B-GIRL BACK :)

[eagleva]

Madonna is a TRUE maverick, unlike the sell out McSame. In the old Republic of America, of course slightly more respect was paid to politicians. Think Mark Twain or Ambrose Bierce.

Shes not a great singer nor is she the best dancer but she has admitted this herself, but she exemplfies everything that conservatives think embodies a work ethic. She maybe outrageously amoral at times but Cons are always crying about people need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. She was sleeping in vermant infested rooms as she went from disco to disco getting DJ s to play her music. She pulled herself up without any help from the Government or her family, save her brother Christopher. How many cons can say that? not many.

[tlgeiger62]

Deadlines are approaching for Voter Registration...make sure you are registered and pass this around to friends and family:

REGISTER TO VOTE: http://www.declareyourself.com/voting_faq/voting_faq_449.html#howIf

IF YOU ARE LIVING ABROAD and need to register:

https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/home.htm

[Involved1]

Slamming McCain was an excellent idea. He is as pathetic and destructive as Madonna suggests. Do a search for his involvment in the Russia-Georgia invasion. Him picking Palin as VP shows even more how he disrepects women. He is using this gun toting soccer mom. That was a serious slap in the face to Hillary and serious minded women everywhere.

[ENK727]

Yeah I agree.. go Madonna!!!

[thinklib]

Immature pretender supports immature pretender for president.

[mariefla]

You must be talking about John McCain because he is the only one acting immature in this campaign.

[rfa3232]

I just became a MADONNA fan (and I used to really hate her)

[peachesmahoney]

Jeeze why does the media buy into the old Madonna act every time? She's being this kind of stuff for years and people are still getting fired up about. You know Madonna is going to burn a cross, talk crap about a politician, and have sex with a donkey each time she goes on tour. Why is this still news???

[yngcelt]

I wonder if Madonna gets her herpes meds from the same Dr. Paris Hilton goes to.

[hypnus]

To answer your question, no. Madonna isn"t one of my patients and Paris I"m happy to say is clean as a whistle. Mmmm. Yum.

[yngcelt]

Really? Are you sure? maybe you should look aaaaaalllllll the way up there. Like maybe use a flashlight and a mining cart. Don't worry about the headroom as I'm sure there's plenty!
LOL

[LibRS]

AAAAAAAAAAAh! Old Madonna. I do value her opinion so........................NOT!

[mayhem4masses]

She may be old, but she is still hot, sort of in an odd old lady kind of way.

http://www.barackobamasworld.com

[berrycooda]

Can't figure out why so many people follow this low class act that she puts on.
She makes tons of money showing people how to be slutty.
Ever notice how she protects her own children. I doubt if she would be proud of her actions if her daughter decided to copy her when she finally is allowed to see how her mother got so rich.
She is like so many other people in Hollywood. Just because they have the stage they get away with bashing candidates who don't agree with their liberal Hollywood ideas.
Too bad that there isn't a rule against "Hollywood and State" like there is for religion.
Anyway, she not only shows her "ass" she acts like one.
She is two-faced the way she tries to show her private self to the public, but her actions speak louder than words. This latest episode just shows that she is trying to act like she is not getting over the 2nd hill. The fortieth was her first hill...Is that where she had the pointed boobs. Anything for attention.
Hopefully she will get over this hill, roll to the bottom, and stay there where she really belongs.
I would hate to see what she would do when she hits 60...

[jhallbo]

I don't have a stage, and I can get away with bashing a candidate that i don't agree with.....for that matter, so can you. As you can also bash a singer who you don't agree with, without the help of a stage as well.

I hope when i'm 50, people don't wish me to the bottom of a hill as you've suggested Madonna descend to.

And how dare one of the most famous celebrities in the world appear to have a private life that's not presented accurately to the public.

Thank you for your enlightening point of view expressed with such clarity and genuine intellect.

[long333]

Exactly, she doesn't let her kids watch TV and they are super-protected from the kind of crap she dumps on other people and feels good about. Do I say not as I do.

[hypnotoad72]

Her brother also hocks a tell-all book about her -- then later tabloid media mentions he and her are in a restaurant laughing and having a grand old time.

She is trash if the lowest order.

Well, second lowest. At least she's protecting her children so when they come of age they can think for themselves (in theory), and for as long as she can until the childrens' peers or someone else gets involved. Didn't that book she wrote in the early 1990s sell well?

Also, listening to many of her songs on the CDs give one impression. Going to watch the videos rather whittles things down to only ONE impression. The one she wants people to remember. Bit of a pity, "Express Yourself" and "Material Girl" actually had some merit...

[expanse]

Love her.

She has some of the best music. Great mezzo-soprano voice too. I watched her sing You Must Love Me from Evita on youtube live from Millenium Stadium Saturday night. She blew the top off the place. Very powerful vocals on that. It was just her, playing guitar, with a violinist. Simply stunning.

As usual, Madonna has the nerve to do what the Dems won't, and that is go after the GOP with a vengenance. Anyone notice she has Mike Huckabee in there along with McCain? LOL. She nails it. The GOP are nothing but a destructive, hateful organization who has caused millions of people to suffer and die( think Iraq).

What I am shocked about is how many conservatives like her. I always here some coworkers and friends saying how they are going to see her in concert they just wish she wasn't so leftwing.

[hypnotoad72]

Plenty of hippies were/are Republicans too.

it takes all sorts.

[bb922335]

Bottom Line: Madonna sucks.

[mamae]

maybe she does BUT Mccain still reminds people of Hittler. Don't you think ?

[yngcelt]

Only brainless, simpleton liberals would think that way.

[bb922335]

Who is "Hittler"?

[hypnotoad72]

No pun intended... and she's hyped that tidbit up plenty of times herself. She wants to announce it, so she can withstand any jibes in return. She makes enough money in the first place.

Maybe we should all do what she does; fulfill McCain's dream of all of us being rich?

[SouthpawSass]

Not a Madonna fan, not a McCain fan... McCain & Obama are both Senators and really haven't screwed things up as a President could. So, what's her point with involving them? I think it's stupid.

[Amlodapinebesalate]

Wheeeeeeere oh wheeeeeeeeere do I begin!? That outfit is appropriate! ...She is the ring leader of her own circus!......Let me guess, some of her onstage hijinks include, naked men dropping thier pants for thier vitamin B12 injections, and set of dumbells so we can watch "Ma Danny the Tranny" pump iron! Will some one tell this woman her look has expired and I never want to see another photo of the "hulklike, guitar hoisting, contorted, faced tranny" again. Guy, what in the world are you thinking?

[CowgirlAmy]

You sure put alot of effort into trashing her. Speaks volumes about you and not her. If anyone cared what you thought of Madonna, you might have a point. Hurl all the insults you want. It changes nothing. Call her any name you want. It changes nothing. People have done it every year she has been around and every year, she keeps being the most successful female recording artist of all time.

Another year, more records broken, more accolades, more success. All the amount of b**ching changes nothing.

[hypnotoad72]

The more one makes loud announcements, the more people are going to respond. Especially those who dislike what she's doing.

Seems like fairly obvious human nature. Even I've noticed and I have a documented learning disability...

[mabinog]

Dude as CowgirlAmy notes you are directing your social criticism in the wrong place.

If you want to whine about something, mock someone, then you to go to the demand. You are going to have to mock the anonymous thousands who dig Madonna.

Oh and good luck with that.....

[hypnotoad72]

Well, just because something is popular doesn't mean it's a religion to be given devout treatment.

And everyone gets mocked now and again. Some more than others and there are plenty who don't deserve it. Madonna's difference is that she does it, deliberately, for money. Any claim of "individuality" does not ring true. She's a narcissist. So am I, but you don't see me trolling for money and fame by, amongst other things, wearing a big pointy jock strap... and/or bra, what the hell - this IS the "evolved" 21st century. :-S

[johnnyjust]

I always feel a bit sorry for people who spend money to see Madonna.

[CowgirlAmy]

Why? Getting to see one of the greatest performers ever and a living legend? Don't cry for me, johnnyjust. Go about your own business and the rest of us will be just fine.

[aaronr2000]

LOL!! Well said. It's presumptous to assume that someone must not be playing with a full deck just because they don't share your taste in music. Just get over yourself and everything will be all right. No offense johnnyjust.

Now if you want to say the same thing about people who voted for George Bush, especially the second time, then we can talk.

[yngcelt]

Cowgirl, just be careful not to be too close to the stage when she starts gyrating. You're likely to get sucked into that nasty tunnel of hers and never be seen again!

[hypnotoad72]

Last I heard, 1 in 4 in NYC has herpes. Won't take long before "the rest of you" get it too. (Technically, the quote would read "us" but with today's "evolved" nature, I'm not trusting my soul or sex organs or anything else without damn good reason.)

[thinklib]

Slutty outfits, synchronized dancing, and drum machines. That's art!