Madonna defends herself after Aretha Franklin tribute backlash

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Madonna defends herself after Aretha Franklin tribute backlash

 

018 MTV Video Music Awards - Photo Room - Radio City Music Hall, New York, U.S., August 20, 2018. - Madonna poses backstage. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

 

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Madonna on Tuesday hit back at critics of her speech about the late Aretha Franklin at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) show, saying she had been asked only to share an anecdote about the late Queen of Soul.

 

The "Rebel Heart" singer sparked a backlash with a 10-minute speech focused mostly on her own early career at Monday's live show, which organizers had said would pay honour and tribute to Franklin four days after her death at age 76.

 

"I was asked to present video of the year by MTV! And then they asked me to share any anecdotes I had in my career connected to Aretha Franklin!" Madonna said in an Instagram posting on Tuesday.

 

"I did not intend to do a tribute to her! That would be impossible in 2 minutes with all the noise and tinsel of an award show. I could never do her justice in this context or environment."

 

The only other mention of Franklin during the almost three-hour show from New York was a brief video clip of her singing early in her career, and the playing of "R.E.S.P.E.C.T" over the closing credits.

 

MTV did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

 

Madonna was criticized for self-indulgence when she recalled her early days as an aspiring singer and dancer, including one audition where she performed an a cappella version of Franklin's hit song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."

 

She made no comment about Franklin's own career.

 

"Whoever at the #VMAs let Madonna get on stage and give a tribute to @ArethaFranklin or whatever that was really should be out of a job right about...now," tweeted Alicia Garza, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bill Trott)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-08-22

[aircooledflat4]

Damned if you do damned if you don’t

[zaZa9]

Time for some facial tatoos , Mad Donna ....

[owl sees all]

Madonna is quite a hairy bit of stuff.

[dcutman]

She should have led out with some Trump hate while memorializing herself.  There would not have been one bit of backlash from social media, if she would have done what every other celb does. DA.

[McKong]

After the epic masterpiece “Evita”, Madonna sort of went into the toilet.


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[atyclb]

aretha was a true singer superstar whose vocal abilities alone were more than enough to captivate the audience. aretha did not need elaborate sexual motif choreography like madonna.

[IAMHERE]

Does it matter ?  Madonna still has more money than most of us together. She can say what she wants, her taxes pay for soldiers to protect her First Amendment rights.

[Songlaw]

A perfect example of one who's become a legend in her own mind, and who isn't fit to kiss even the feet of Ms. Franklin. Enjoy your eternal reward, 'Madge.' It shouldn't be long now.? 

 

R.I.P. Ms. Franklin. It's been great sharing a planet with you. ?

[transam]

1 hour ago, IAMHERE said:

Does it matter ?  Madonna still has more money than most of us together. She can say what she wants, her taxes pay for soldiers to protect her First Amendment rights.

What a daft post...So in your opinion money is what matters...Good grief...?

[Benmart]

I care not. I know who lives on in her music.

[ronrat]

I might have known the twitter idiots would come out and promote there own causes, Who cares,