From M's book list

M's latest favorite books, as she revealed on Twitter and Icon.

The Other Hand By Chris Cleave

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcoln Gladwell

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Murial Barbery

Twittering from the studio - last day recording for the 'Greatest Hits'

DJ Frank E: Leaving NYC... mission accomplished. Gonna be huge!!

DJ Frank E: MIXING WITH DEMO RIGHT NOW, SOUNDING HOTTTTTTT

ok.. shutting down.. goodnight..

@israelhenriques shabat shalom.. see you on tour.. -the queen

@jon_favreau take care of our girl if you know whats good for you.. -Madonna and Jessica

@andersoncooper Thanks for locking us out the other night. Real Nice. Love, Jessica and Madonna

@LadyHAHA tell us a joke..

@alanorlando as long as it's kosher..-M

@Jezebel816 hay while the sun shines...-M

@mrdraco i am smiling while I stir!..-M

sitting here with Jessica Seinfeld. one of my favorite people. she wants me to learn how to cook... -Madonna

im here with jesus.. @jesusluz is a fake.. jesus is not on twitter..

just finished in the studio..can't wait for you to hear the finished product. Have a great weekend!!!!!!! -M

@guyoseary tell her im praying whising she could finally adopt sweet mercy.i will be so happy for M,mercy and all M's family @agulovesmadonna thank you for your prayers.. -M

@guyoseary MADONNA! Did u have fun shooting the new Louis Vutton ads???????????????????????? xx @kevinkeveney i had so much fun.. i love working with steven meisel.. love marc jacobs.. -M

RT @guyoseary What have you been reading lately? Shabbat Shalom.xx @joaobcarvalho ive been reading a book called "the other hand" by Chris Cleave.. Im also reading "outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell -M

sitting next to the queen.. anything you want to tell her?

shes doing vocals.. i cant promise she will twitter.. so hold off on all the questions and messages..

here we are.. last day in the studio with Madonna for greatest hits album...

First part on the interview with Paul Oakenfold and some more about the new music

Icon via Madonna Fanzine

First Part of the Interview with Paul Oakenfold:

Paul Oakenfold was in the studio this week, producing new songs with Madonna for her upcoming Greatest Hits. Paul took some time to answer a few questions regarding the new material and we’re happy to share his answers to the first two questions today.

Q: How did you come to work with Madonna on the new songs?
A. I was approached by Guy Oseary to see if I was interested in working with Madonna in the studio.

Q: Could you tell us more about the sound you have developed for them?
A: I was looking for a cutting-edge sound with an old-school classic feel. I think we have achieved that and I think people are going to be really happy with this bunch of songs.

*******

Another producer of the new songs for Madonna’s hits collection is DJ Frank E. He was with M in the studio this Thursday, and is back again today.

From DJ Frank E Twitter:

DAY 2!! HERE WE GO!!!

“Great day today in the studio, doin it all over again tomorrow. This is my life.”

Nude Madonna pics go on show

ITN via Yahoo!

Pictures of a nude Madonna taken as an unknown 20-year-old have gone on display.

The snaps were taken in 1979 by photographer Martin Schreiber before she maDe her name as a singer.

He described the struggling, fledgling star as having "a fantastic body. Perfect."

Madonna, who was doing some part-time modelling to pay her way through dance school, was paid $30 for the shoot.

Schreiber added: "She was pliant but I would say very quiet, maybe shy I'm not sure.

"I use the word taciturn, kind of moody, I felt. Not really into it but she was doing it. She was making a living doing it."

Schreiber claims the pair became lovers after Madonna, with little money and few friends, moved into his flat for two weeks.

The photographs of the young Madonna are part of the Brighton Festival Fringe and are on sale for £3,400.

The Naked Madonna Playboy Photos 30th Anniversary Exhibition ends on June 28.

Jesus Luz Won’t Appear in the Louis Vuitton Campaign, Enjoys Dinner Dates With Marc Jacobs’s Fiancé

NY Magazine

Contrary to rumor, Jesus Luz won't appear in Louis Vuitton's fall 2009 ad campaign with Madonna, Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs told us at Cipriani Wall Street during the 2009 Parsons Fashion Spring Benefit last night. (Okay, sometimes we get things wrong.) Reporters routinely hound Jacobs with questions about Madonna’s man candy. “I don’t know why!” he said, laughing. “Why is everyone asking me about him? He’s not modeling for me. I don’t do menswear.” Madonna, however, is, and Jacobs said they’d just been working together that day. “I think it was a great shoot,” he said. “She’s the ultimate professional and she and Steven are amazing. I love working with her. There’s no one better.” He refused to divulge the concept of the campaign.

But if Jesus hasn’t yet earned a spot in a Vuitton campaign, he has earned a place as good friend to Jacobs and his fiancé, Lorenzo Martone. “We’re friends and we have dinner sometimes,” said Martone. “I guess as a Brazilian that’s in New York and is in this industry, I have some hints and advice to give. You know, he’s starting a very big modeling career and he has a lot of potential. So he asks me my opinion about some people in the industry — photographers and that. And I tell him.” Where do these advice-giving sessions take place? The Waverly Inn, of course. “We don’t really have a hangout,” said Martone. “We’ve been having a lot of dinners at the Waverly or other places in the West Village on our street. I’m trying to get him to know downtown, which is younger and fresher than the Upper West Side.”

Twittering from the studio again!

closing up shop!.. tomorrow is last day in studio for a while..

Perez Hilton: Madonna! Madonna! Madonna! I'm gonna go cry a happy cry now. xoxo

Perez Hilton: @guyoseary Ok! What's your email address? Have Guy tell me! ha xoxo

Perez Hilton: OMG, you guys. O.M.G. OMG!!! Madonna just sent me ANOTHER message! And, she wants to clear up some shiz! http://tinyurl.com/co2djy

Perez Hilton: @GuyOseary P.S. I've got the lock. And you hold the key! HA. I had to! Love you. Mean it!

Perez Hilton: @PerezHilton always check with the Queen first! MMMMMMMMMMMM

@guyoseary M, what are you listening to these days? (besides yourself in the studio) @boxofboom electronic music/electro house... -M

@perezhilton what is this rubbish about me dumping my children off for the summer while Im on tour? They go where i go.-M @GuyOseary Duly noted! http://tinyurl.com/co2djy

@aaronnyc i dont hate anyone. horses dont like surprises. they are very sensitive animals.. -M

thanks for support.. fingers crossed all will go well with Mercy.. -M

here i am.. what you got for me? -M

she hasnt seen any of your tweets.. ill let you know when she is on.. it may not happen today.. ill do my best.. shes singing right now

back in the studio with Madonna..

M confirmed for Costume Institute gala next Monday night

Fashion Week Daily

(NEW YORK) At the Parsons Fashion Benefit last night, alum Marc Jacobs was in high spirits, and not only because he's eagerly awaiting Monday night's Costume Institute gala, which he will host alongside muse Kate Moss. As for his illustrious table? It's going to be full of good friends. "Madonna...Victoria Beckham...I'm trying to think, now I can't remember!" Jacobs told The Daily. "Anne Hathaway...Winona [Ryder]...Rachel Feinstein, John Currin...and Rihanna!"

Hugh Jackman: You don’t adopt for publicity; Madonna’s coming from a good place

The Sun

HUGH JACKMAN has sent a message of support to Madonna after her failed bid to adopt a Malawian orphan.

The Aussie movie star and his wife, DEBORRA-LEE, have two kids who they adopted as babies from America — Oscar, eight, and three-year-old Ava.

But, like MADONNA, their hopes of giving a home to a Third World child were crushed by rules that made it virtually impossible to adopt from Africa or Asia.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Hugh — who hit cinema screens this week as razor-clawed X-Men character Wolverine — said: “The adoption laws in Australia are too restrictive. Of course, checks need to be made. But they had a very negative approach.

“It was like they were trying to discourage you. There are 130million orphans in the world — who is looking after them? If you are a citizen of the world, on some level they are all our responsibility.

“And if you have got parents who want to adopt and there are children who need a home, it seems like a no-brainer.

“There are not that many children in Australia who need adopting, so we looked internationally and that is what is difficult.”

The couple turned to adoption after actress Deborra-Lee, 48, suffered repeat miscarriages.

But they insist they would have done it regardless.

Hugh, 40, said: “We tried and it just didn’t happen for us. There was no particular medical reason.

“We had a few miscarriages, which was very upsetting. But we always planned on adopting anyway, even if we had our own biological children.”

The actor can well understand Madonna’s desire to add to her brood — Lourdes, 12, Rocco, eight, and three-year-old David Banda, who she adopted from Malawi in 2006.

And he is sickened by cynics who applauded an African judge’s decision to reject her bid to become mum to baby girl Mercy James earlier this month.

Hugh said: “I challenge anyone who thinks you adopt a kid for a publicity stunt. Anyone parent knows that would have to be the most intensive publicity stunt in the world. I am sure she is coming from a good place.”

However, unlike the pop queen, Hugh has no plans to expand his family.

Laughing, he continued: “We think about another adoption. Then every time we get on a plane with our two kids and are all crammed in together, we think maybe we will leave it at what we have.

“Our first child was not the easiest of babies, which is why we left it five years before the second. Our second was a dream baby.”

Louis Vuitton photoshoot is taking place today, as revealed by Guy Oseary

Guy Oseary Twittered a few hours ago: on my way to Madonna/Louis Vuitton shoot.. part deux!.

It's also rumored that the cover art of up-coming greatest hits collection will be shot during this shoot.

Malawi's Chief Justice Takes Over Madonna Adoption Appeal

People Magazine

The head of the judiciary in Malawi will lead a three-judge panel in an appeal case in which Madonna wants to overturn the southern African country's High Court decision to reject her application to adopt a 3-year-old girl.

The hearing before Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo and two other judges is set for May 4. "Since this involves an infant it will be heard in chambers," said High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal spokesman Joseph Chigona. "This is an important case; that's why the chief justice himself has taken special interest."

Madonna, 50, is not required to attend the hearing although she may if she wishes.

Attorney Objects to Ruling

The appeal follows High Court Judge Esme Chombo's dismissal of the singer's application to adopt Mercy Chifundo James on the premise the entertainer does not have a permanent residence in Malawi. Madonna, who last year successfully completed her adoption of another Malawian toddler, David Banda, also 3, has visited Malawi three times.

Madonna's Malawian lawyer Alan Chinula appealed Chombo's ruling, calling it "erroneous." Chinula contended the judge relied on an "archaic law" of more than 50 years ago. "We are hopeful the Supreme Court of Appeal will overturn Justice Chombo's ruling," he said.

Madonna found Mercy at Kondanani Children's Village in the town of Bvumbwe when she first visited Malawi in October 2006, the same time she found David Banda at a different orphanage. Mercy was placed at Children's Village following the death of her teenage mother.

'Material Girl' dress and 'Rain' chair to be auctioned

Sky

The Marilyn Monroe style dress Madonna wore in the video for 'material Girl' is set to go up for auction in London.

The pink gown, costume jewellery and fake fur stole will all go under the hammer, the dress expected to fetch over 140 thousand US dollars.

The music video recreated a scene from Marilyn Monroe's 'gentlemen Prefer Blondes' and many believe it catapulted Madonna from singer to superstardom.

Other items expected to go up for auction include a Beatles' drum skin, the lyrics written to the Jackson 5's ABC and a guitar owned by Elvis Presley.

*******

Bloomberg

April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Marc Newson’s “Lockheed Lounge” aluminum chair, once used by Madonna in a video clip, will be among the lots providing London auction houses’ first test of the market for “design art” in 2009.

The futuristic riveted lounger was featured in the 1993 video of the star’s single “Rain,” said the Phillips de Pury auction house. It is expected to fetch as much as 700,000 pounds ($1 million) tomorrow.

Madonna is taking Flamenco lessons

Madonna.com (Sidewalk Talk)

Madonna is said to be taking Flamenco dance lessons as part of the rehearsals for the 2009 leg of her Sticky & Sweet Tour.

M out and about in NYC - 27/04/09

Madonna's name used in swine scams

MSN

Madonna and Salma Hayek's names are being used in new computer scams "piggy-backing" on the deadly swine flu outbreak.

Users have been warned by experts that they should be be wary of emails with the subjects "Madonna caught swine flu!" and "Salma Hayek caught swine flu!" as scams are using the names to make a quick profit and infect systems around the world.

McAfee Avert Labs said it had "uncovered a spike in new spam scams piggy-backing on the swine flu scare in an attempt to peddle pharmaceuticals" and added that celebrity names were being used to attract users' attention.

Principle security analyst Greg Day said it was a "sad, everyday reality" and those behind the scam were playing on people's fears to try to sell the medications.

Mr Day urged people to avoid the emails and said it was unlikely anyone would receive what they ordered.

"If you're lucky, you'll get nothing," he said.

"If not, then you'll be sent something, but it won't be what you're expecting."

He also warned anyone receiving emails not to click a link or visit a website for more information.

"By doing that, you're self-inflicting with some mailware as they're trying to get access to your system," he said.

He added that once a system was compromised, the amount of damage done was limited only by the malicious imaginations of those sending the emails.

M and Jesus at Renée Zellweger birthday bash

Page Six

RENÉE Zellweger rang in her 40th birthday Saturday night at the Core Club with some singles, ex-boyfriend Dan Abrams, Hugh Grant and Bradley Cooper, but mostly Couples, Cheryl and Ron Howard, Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi, Neil Patrick Harris and boyfriend David Burtka, Tory Burch and Lyor Cohen, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, and Madonna and boy toy Jesus Luz, whose dirty dancing was the talk of the party. Renée was serenaded by Harry Connick Jr.

Official: Madonna and Louis Vuitton Part Deux

Madonna.com

Madonna will once again be the face of the upcoming Louis Vuitton campaign for their Autumn/Winter 2009 collection.

Following the extraordinary success of the Spring/Summer 2009 ad campaign, Louis Vuitton, its creative director Marc Jacobs, and Madonna, are proud to announce they will be collaborating for a second consecutive season.

The iconic pop star will be photographed by Steven Meisel in New York City, under the art direction of Marc Jacobs.

The first images of the campaign should appear in the August issues of fashion magazines.

TRACY'S TUNES

W magazine



Spending seven weeks with Tracy Anderson and her trainers gave me a few things, not the least of which was a new appreciation for Britney Spears. We listened to “Womanizer” more times than I can count, and there’s a reason Brit’s at the top of the charts yet again: The girl is good. Madonna was also on regular rotation, and according to Anderson, Madge does listen to her own material while working out. (Why are we not surprised?) Here, the top workout tunes most on Anderson's playlist:

1. “Radar,” Britney Spears
2. “Miles Away,” Madonna
3. “Viva La Vida,” Coldplay
4. “Jai Ho,” A.R. Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah and Mahalaxmi Iyer (from Slumdog Millionaire)
5. “Incredible,” Madonna
6. “Disturbia,” Rihanna
7. “Release Me,” Agnes Carlsson
8. “Give It 2 Me,” Madonna
9. “If U Seek Amy,” Britney Spears
10. “Look at Me Now,” Agnes Carlsson
11. “Just Dance,” Lady GaGa & Colby O’Donis
12. “Stronger,” Kanye West
13. “Closer,” Ne-Yo
14. “Lose Control,” Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fat Man Scoop
*******

Gwyneth, Madonna and Me

When Tracy Anderson tries to convince me to do something—say, give up yogurt or kick my leg over a metal bar that’s almost as tall as I am­—she invokes her two most famous clients as though they were the gospel. “Madonna would never do dairy,” she tells me at our first meeting. “I’m giving you Gwyneth’s legs right now,” she promises another day, when I am on the verge of collapsing on top of an aerobic step.

To read the rest of the article click here

Quick Updates!

* Fresh from receiving their Bafta Fellowship Award to honour their 30 year partnership, French and Saunders revealed backstage that Madonna was the only star who never agreed to feature in one of their sketches. "It's her loss, that's the way we've looked at it," said French. Jennifer joked: "We never used to like doing the show unless we'd actually had a 'no' from Madonna, so we used to insist that they ask her anyway to torture her. Although we're great admirers, of course," French added.

* Guy Ritchie bought a four story townhouse, 200 yards from M's London mansion.

LUZ KEEPING MADONNA WARM

Page Six



THANKS to Madonna's high-powered pals, she isn't recovering from her injuries alone. Madge, who recently got tossed from her horse in the Hamptons, has reunited with her Brazilian man-candy, Jesus Luz, and insiders are crediting her friends in the fashion world for it. Marc Jacobs "wrote a letter of support for Jesus' work permit" to allow him to stay in the country, said our source. "Marc campaigned for Jesus, saying he is highly talented and a necessity to the label." Last week, Women's Wear Daily reported Dolce & Gabbana's fall-winter menswear campaign will feature Luz. Our tipster said, "All these fashion lines are hiring Jesus as a favor to Madonna. As long as he can legally work in the US, they can be together." Madonna's rep said she's "not at all involved in managing the career of Jesus Luz. His Dolce job was arranged through his agents," and Madonna hadn't asked anyone to help him. Jacobs' rep had no comment.

On the cover of ''Lid''

Madonna Tribe


This fantastic portrait of Madonna shot in 1992 by Marina Schiano from the "Rock The Vote" ad is one of the four different covers of the 8th issue of "Lid", a photo based magazine published twice a year in vibrant black and white and featuring the best images in the world of art, photography, music, painting, fashion, travel, interviews, and new visions.

Together with a portfolio of intimate photographs by Marina Schiano, Lid #8 also features portraits from The Black List by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, polaroid portraits and self-portraits from Brigid Berlin, a portfolio of extraordinary portraits from Jörg Steinmetz, photographs of Asako from Gerard Malanga, vintage photos of The Who on tour from Michael Zagaris, The Art of Stephen Sprouse presented by Mauricio and Roger Padilha, Berlin Blumenweh, words and images by Andrea Splisgar. vintage photographs from the downtown stage production of Vain Victory by Dustin Pittman, drawings by David Croland, new portfolios by Tim Sheaffer, Adam Peters, and Erik La Prade, and the Last Word featuring Marisa Berenson by Michel Haddi in a 208-page packed issue. On the cover of the four variations, Madonna, Michelle Obama, Brigid Berlin and Michael Stipe.

More at worldoflid.com

M, Jesus and the kids at the Kabbalah centere - 25/04/09

Photos: allaboutmadonna
More photos: WENN