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

[SadButWiser]

Madonna is more of style than substance. She is probably the most successful artist who lacks any real talent. She was packaged and sold well to the masses. Few more years and she will be totally forgotten.

[situationcritical]

Style or Substance, Madonna accomplished it all mainly through her own dogged determination and sheer willpower. I worked with this woman more than a few times way, way, way, way, in the '90s on some really incredible projects. I am amazed, but not surprised she's still packing them in at 50.

She's fearless. And by that I mean she makes brave choices. I remember setting up a satellite interview done in my office, with Madonna sitting in my chair, for Nightline with Ted Koppel. She was taking a lot of heat for a controversial video our company had produced. She was nervous and as frightened as a little bird. But she sat there, her voice quivering, and didn't back down in defending herself. What a pro.

For Madonna, 50 is the new 25.

Best of all, like me, she supported Hillary, and now supports Obama.

[DeadCivilian]

I use to hold the same opinion of her that you just wrote. I caught her at Live Aid in '85 (for you kiddies, that was a benefit for African famine relief), where she opened with "Celebrate". I was furious: "what exactly are we "celebrating" while these people are starving?" She was never the best singer, songwriter, musician.

However, Madonna understood before most that the future of popular music would no longer be about musical ability, it was visual - I assert that she made MTV and MTV made her (for better or worse). Can't sing, act or play an instrument? Take lessons.

I now believe she invented a new form of entertainment, where the art is not any one of those abilities, but a synthesis of them all: visuals, staging, music, dance, performance, acting, modeling, marketing, etc. Britney, Miley, et al owe their success to the art form that Madonna created - the concept and acceptance of "celebrity" with a capital C. She also did something unique: she got BETTER over time, and appears to have grown a social conscience as well, encouraging her audiences to register to vote and support many causes. You have to respect that.

[BrianMac]

What about Reagan? Forgot The Gipper!

[lotsofsunshine]

I have loved Madonna since she first came on the scene. I loved it that she came from basically nothing, had no bandmates to hide behind, she really can't sing that great, but she became a huge success all on her own -worldwide!...and she's a woman! And...she kept it together....no drugs, no drinking, no obnoxious partying. That is a huge inspiration to me.
I love her who cares attitude toward the haters.

You go girl - You're the best!

[white mende man]

actually i loved her since the first time i saw her in those black and white pictures in playboy... wished i kept the copy.

[Demsneed2win]

Er....I did!
Just passed it down to my tenage son.

[truthskr]

I completely agree! Hey, I'm the first to admit that Madonna's talent as a musician is questionable, but her success as one the most successful business women and cultural bellweather is unquestionable in my opinion.

I find some of the commentary on this thread kind of shocking, particularly comments coming from those who I know to be staunch Hillary Clinton supporters and, by extension I would guess, feminists. I guess these probable, supposed feminists do not support a woman who is one of the most powerful business women in the world, has helped shape our culture, has embraced and very actively championed diversity, gay rights, and certainly women's rights. Women's rights - the rights of woman to control her own body, express their sexuality without being labeled as "wh***s", and to pursue career success and compensation.

But then, of course, Madonna accomplished all of her success on her own, never relying on a man for support or for her promotion, so I guess I'm beginning to see why they hate her so much.

[BrianMac]

What a load of crap! NOONE, woman or man, succeeds on their own. That is one of many great American myths that drives social and economic Darwinism. That whole "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" lie is a tool to inflate the ego (and the bank account by selling "self-help books") and an excuse to ignore the needy. A person does not achieve or lose anything in a vacuum, gender-specific or otherwise. Madonna just knows how to play the game and playing the game involves knowing who to depend on for what.

Can you prove that she NEVER relied on a single man for helping her promote herself? How about all those beefcakes that bookend her on stage? Where would she be without them?

[NoSillyName]

I find your theory amusing. I'll bet there are hundreds of men she used and discarded on he way up. Not the least among them, her own brother.

But, hey, blind ambition knows no bounds.

[CKieffer]

I could not care less what Madonna has to say about politics. Maybe she would figure out that people pay to hear her sing - - not talk if the press would stop even giving her this type of coverage.

HuffPo move this off the page or down to the very bottom because her opinions are worth just that little.

[Lindy222]

Shut up, Madonna. You're not helping.

[danoj]

Who cares what a middle aged, washed up, hazbin, attention seeking, wh*ore has to say about anything concerning politics. Stick to making bad music that teanagers won't even listen to anymore.

[Demsneed2win]

Gee...you sound like a miserable f*ck!

[ccmd]

"Who cares what a middle aged, washed up, hazbin, attention seeking, wh*ore has to say....."

The people who bought all those darn tickets (sold out), and many more who couldnt afford to.

[WillPower]

That's where we Americans get our political commentary? From some hagged out 50 year-old who doesn't even live in this country rolling around on stage in fishnets and underwear? I'll make up my own mind, thanks.

[white mende man]

ain't the first amendment grand? what makes you think you can pick and choose which American can or cannot voice their opinions? if that were the case I'd want John McCain to be quiet.

[99hockeyman]

I am sure you never miss an episode of O' Reilly and Hannity

[sharonh]

Who cares what you think has-been attention-seeking talentless wh*re. Go slip some more tongue to somebody, keeping you mouth occupied the way you do best.

[robbor]

my, my...such words...by any chance were you spurned by her?

[truthskr]

Bitter Clinton turned McCain supporter. Funny...from the first sentence of sharonh's comment as well as that of danoj's comment above, I thought the very same could be, and has been been said, about the Clintons.

[orianna]

Back in the 80's I despised this girl... in the 90's I took another look... she was growing up and realizing a bigger role in the world...maybe it was the Kabbalah.... but stepping up with a message on the difference between the likes of McCain and the likes of Obama is another reason why Madonna is a thinker as well as an unusual talent... from all walks of life, we can find messages that can inspire or affect us... Madonna does her part incredibly well.

[Kassandra]

Madonna is a tough, smart womon. Ya'll should look so good when you're 50. All that working out has really paid off for her; that, and not doing drugs like Britany.

[sunny555]

Madonna is about as relevant as the bustiers she once sported. The way she lives her life has no relation whatsoever to that of the average American. In fact, she doesn't even live in this country. Why would anybody care what she thinks?

[Jared137]

Anyone who takes a swipe at McCain is a friend of mine.

[ZenCrusader]

Lot's of people on the Earth do not live like average Americans. SO WHAT ? You only care about what people in your own country say or do ? REREAD YOUR POST AND MEDITATE ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW ON THE EARTH. YOU LIVE ON A PLANET, NOT JUST IN A COUNTRY.

[LiberalBuzz]

Actually, although not a fan of hers at all, I got dragged to see her by a relative and her back up band is top notch. They were just spectacular, very talented musicians and the entire show was run tighter than a Swill watch.

Too slick for me but dang the band was great. Good musicianship which made the show as good as it was as much as she did.

As for politics at concerts...what? Only country jerks can post pictures of the Dixie Chicks with targets drawn around them? Or make fun of liberals in the concerts?

Yeah that makes sense. Be afraid to make statements because they might offend someone.

Offend Neo Cons all you can Madge!

[helonias]

So there was some kind of music involved in this event and why is she holding a guitar

[situationcritical]

She plays guitar. Weird huh? A musician who can play an instrument. Go figure.

[NoSillyName]

Rhythm?

[helonias]

Sure she does, her guitars licks are very prominent in her music eh

[spiderbucket]

She might play Guitar Hero but that doesn't count.

[ZenCrusader]

couldn't you come up with something more clever ?

[helonias]

more clever than her drum machine inspired music?

[thoughtsoutloud]

Is it me, or is she starting to resemble Michael Jackson a bit?

[moneyrunt]

No she looks like the cartoon nemisis, SKELATOR.

[Demsneed2win]

Please post a picture of yourself or send us to a link so we can compare your looks to her's. I am sure you would not have said this unless you were much better looking.

[spiderbucket]

Great. This will surely help the cause. You people who are buying these tickets are as vapid as she is.

[ScandalousCandice]

Good for Madonna. I hope she runs that all through out her shows in the US.