This Quote by Madonna Has Always Showed Me How Much She GETS It

[Skin]

This is from 1987.....

Then, suddenly and quietly, a Japanese girl is standing at the end of the table, staring hard at Madonna. The girl – who appears to be about fifteen – is clutching an armful of Madonna souvenir programs to her breasts and looks as if she’d been out in the rain for several hours. Apparently, she was among the many fans who spent the afternoon waiting at Korakuen, and though nobody can figure how she has come to know that Madonna is in this restaurant, the girl is nonetheless standing here, her face quivering with adoration and disappointment. Madonna meets her gaze, and the room fixes on their silent exchange.

"Please, please, so sorry, so sorry," the girl says in broken English, bowing deeply several times. There is something in her manner that says she is deeply embarrassed about how she is presenting herself, but it seems she can’t help doing it. A waiter rushes over to remove her, but Madonna signals him to stay back.

"Let her stay," she says. Still meeting the girl’s eyes. The girl holds forth her souvenir books with a pleading look, indicating she would like Madonna to sign them, and Madonna nods. Watching the singer sign the programs, the girl begins to sob uncontrollably, and watching the girl cry, several people in the band and crew also give way to tears.

When Madonna is finished signing the books, the girl again apologizes profusely and signals that she would like to come closer. Gingerly, the girl moves down the length of the table until she is standing across from the singer. Then, reaching out gently, she clasps Madonna’s hands and kneels before her, bowing her head, tears falling from her eyes and landing on the tablecloth in widening pools.

After a few moments, the girl stands, gathers her books and, bowing deeply a few more times, backs out of the room, to applause from the band and crew. A half-hour later, when it is time for Madonna to leave, a few dozen photographers have gathered outside the restaurant. It’s the typical shoot-the-celebrity scene, and Madonna strides through it all wearing an exemplary mask of poised unconcern. But off to one side stands the Japanese girl, still clutching her treasures, still crying, and for her, Madonna saves her lone smile.

"When people make themselves that vulnerable," says Madonna of the Japanese girl, "they always endear themselves to me. I mean, I was touched by it. She was obviously acting that way because she gets some kind of joy out of what I have to offer. And yet there was something so servile about it, all that bowing and stuff. Sometimes it makes you feel like you’re enslaving somebody, and that’s a creepy feeling."

Read more: http://www.ultramadonna.com/en/articles/10/madonna_on_being_a_star#ixzz3mzKqDnBY

To me this one quote shows such an insight into her own mind, and the fact that she has such an insight into human beings as well.

I always found it funny when Madonna gets uncomfortable a lot of the time when she is around a fan that is fawning over her. Especially since this is a woman that craved love from the entire world. But with this quote at such an early time in her career it all makes total sense.

Most stars get off on it when they come across a fan that acts all crazy and hysterical over them. Fans that worship them like God's. But even at this early stage in her career Madonna seems to be well aware of the fine line between fan and fanatic. The fine line of being respected and loved for your art, and being worshiped like the leader of a cult.

Madonna wanted love from people, but she didn't want fans that blindly followed and hung on every move that she made. She never wanted her fans to check their own brains at the door in order to admire her. Like she said, once you do that it feels like you are enslaving someone. Jim Jones style. And that isn't love. That's fanaticism.

Like she would later go on to tell all of us. Express Yourself. Be an individual with your own opinions about the world and don't blindly adhere to the opinions of another along with blind worship.

I don't know. Like I said this quote always struck me because it totally shows how much she really really gets it. She wants to be an artist. Not a cultist.

[VogueMusic]

AMEN!!!

[Nikki]

send THAT to people who try to say she's "not nice" to her fans

if anything, its because she treats us as equals. we're all human&stars are not above anyone.

[Supernatural]

Interesting. Never read that before. I remember people waited in line a day or two for one of her American Life promo gigs and she said something along the lines of people should have better things to do.

[Skin]

send THAT to people who try to say she's "not nice" to her fans

if anything, its because she treats us as equals. we're all human&stars are not above anyone.

Exactly.

[Jazzy Jan]

Love what she said. So true as well, she does not expect her fans to fawn all over her or put her on a pedestal. Also, Madonna is someone who often seems embarrassed by compliments. Always noticed that about her as have an Aunt who is exactly the same. She often says a quick thank-you, changes the subject and seems shy about it. Can see this in her interviews all of the time. Also when Mohammed Al Fayed's daughter described her as the "biggest star in the World" or something similar at a charity event, she shook her head and said she wasn't. It is endearing really. Plus, she never wants special awards or tribute shows to her. Love that about her.

[adirondak]

Madonna wants people to love the work, not her. She doesn't revel in people's adulation. It's unhealthy for her fans, and it's unhealthy for her, and she knows that. I'm sure it's a prime reason she's been able to stay sane all these years under the microscope. She knows what's real and what isn't.

Whether the general public is aware of it or not, I think it contributes to her sense of strength as well. After all, it must take a hell of a lot of willpower not to derive a false sense of self from fawning fans. I don't know of any other superstar who's fully able to resist it and then you've got the Mariahs and Gagas who just wallow in it.

[Guest Medoner]

Love all of this thread.

[XXL]

This is from 1987.....

Then, suddenly and quietly, a Japanese girl is standing at the end of the table, staring hard at Madonna. The girl – who appears to be about fifteen – is clutching an armful of Madonna souvenir programs to her breasts and looks as if she’d been out in the rain for several hours. Apparently, she was among the many fans who spent the afternoon waiting at Korakuen, and though nobody can figure how she has come to know that Madonna is in this restaurant, the girl is nonetheless standing here, her face quivering with adoration and disappointment. Madonna meets her gaze, and the room fixes on their silent exchange.

"Please, please, so sorry, so sorry," the girl says in broken English, bowing deeply several times. There is something in her manner that says she is deeply embarrassed about how she is presenting herself, but it seems she can’t help doing it. A waiter rushes over to remove her, but Madonna signals him to stay back.

"Let her stay," she says. Still meeting the girl’s eyes. The girl holds forth her souvenir books with a pleading look, indicating she would like Madonna to sign them, and Madonna nods. Watching the singer sign the programs, the girl begins to sob uncontrollably, and watching the girl cry, several people in the band and crew also give way to tears.

When Madonna is finished signing the books, the girl again apologizes profusely and signals that she would like to come closer. Gingerly, the girl moves down the length of the table until she is standing across from the singer. Then, reaching out gently, she clasps Madonna’s hands and kneels before her, bowing her head, tears falling from her eyes and landing on the tablecloth in widening pools.

After a few moments, the girl stands, gathers her books and, bowing deeply a few more times, backs out of the room, to applause from the band and crew. A half-hour later, when it is time for Madonna to leave, a few dozen photographers have gathered outside the restaurant. It’s the typical shoot-the-celebrity scene, and Madonna strides through it all wearing an exemplary mask of poised unconcern. But off to one side stands the Japanese girl, still clutching her treasures, still crying, and for her, Madonna saves her lone smile.

"When people make themselves that vulnerable," says Madonna of the Japanese girl, "they always endear themselves to me. I mean, I was touched by it. She was obviously acting that way because she gets some kind of joy out of what I have to offer. And yet there was something so servile about it, all that bowing and stuff. Sometimes it makes you feel like you’re enslaving somebody, and that’s a creepy feeling."

Read more: http://www.ultramadonna.com/en/articles/10/madonna_on_being_a_star#ixzz3mzKqDnBY

To me this one quote shows such an insight into her own mind, and the fact that she has such an insight into human beings as well.

I always found it funny when Madonna gets uncomfortable a lot of the time when she is around a fan that is fawning over her. Especially since this is a woman that craved love from the entire world. But with this quote at such an early time in her career it all makes total sense.

Most stars get off on it when they come across a fan that acts all crazy and hysterical over them. Fans that worship them like God's. But even at this early stage in her career Madonna seems to be well aware of the fine line between fan and fanatic. The fine line of being respected and loved for your art, and being worshiped like the leader of a cult.

Madonna wanted love from people, but she didn't want fans that blindly followed and hung on every move that she made. She never wanted her fans to check their own brains at the door in order to admire her. Like she said, once you do that it feels like you are enslaving someone. Jim Jones style. And that isn't love. That's fanaticism.

Like she would later go on to tell all of us. Express Yourself. Be an individual with your own opinions about the world and don't blindly adhere to the opinions of another along with blind worship.

I don't know. Like I said this quote always struck me because it totally shows how much she really really gets it. She wants to be an artist. Not a cultist.

[XXL]

Everybody is a star
Who can rain and chase the dust away
Everybody wants to shine
Ooh, come out on a cloudy day
‘Til the sun that loves you proud
When the system tries to bring you down
Every hand to shine tonight
You don’t need darkness to do what you think is right

Everybody is a star
I can feel it when you shine on me
I love you for who you are
Not the one you feel you need to be
Ever catch a falling star
Ain’t no stopping ’til it’s in the ground
Everybody is a star
One big circle going round and round

[karbatal]

Yes. Madonna has always treated her fans with respect. And I don't mean getting late on stage or things like that, but she always urged fans to think for themselves and to be critical. I'm sure that in a quiet conversation she wouldn't mind if some fan said "I don't like this album" or something like that.

[Donuts]

Bravo!

[VogueMusic]

I was just thinking about all this the other day... the cult-mentality that is so frighteningly popular in pop music today. Every star turning into a cult leader, the fanbase having some condescending name, the blind worship, the stan wars wasting their precious little lives on proving their 'fave' is the "Queen" and every other is 'problematic', the deliberate usage of this whole cult-mentality by the industry to divide and conquer and sell...and yet, the products are shit. Honestly, it's transparent as hell, and played out.

One of the many things I've always truly respected and adored about Madonna... she doesn't perpetuate all that bullshit. She actually disdains it. She understands that it's ultimately about the work, not the mere celebrity. One of many reasons why her body of work, and her legacy, are fundamentally different from her peers. It's the building blocks of her overall message - of personal empowerment...not victim-hood. Of thinking critically for yourself...not blind faith/worship. Of never giving up and never stopping...vs. resting on the past. Of never losing your sense of humor...instead of taking things only on surface level. Of fostering true inspiration...not mere idol worship.

She gets it. That's why she's still here...

And yet, the very industry that continues to manufacture their cloned 'idols' based on her playbook sells the very opposite... Iconic. Ironic. Indeed.