Thursday, May 10, 2012

#Madonna #SexBook - Burning Books UK - 1992

Watching and Being Watched.

Fascinating literary show discussing Madonna's Sex Book from 1992.  Comparing shots to Leni Riefensthal's Olympiad to discussing Monroe's victimhood to Madonna's surviving extraordinarily. And this was 1992.  Love Marcelle D'Argy Smith from Cosmopolitan 

 Just a little note about journalist Tony Parsons - the bitter one already calling her old at 34: When Piers Morgan became editor of the Daily Mirror, Parsons was brought over from the Daily Telegraph by Morgan.  

Enjoy.

15 comments:

  1. The debate in this programme is really interesting. Thanks for uploading. Even back then people couldn't handle the greatness that is Madonna. I can't help but feel that in a way history is repeating itself. Madonna still does her own thing and defines in her own terms what is (socially) acceptable or not. Only this time she's a target not for sexism, but ageism.

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  2. Well said alquesmist. Parsons' sexism is so transparent. I love the window / radiator shot and really enjoyed the interpretation of it by the Time Out critic, and her appreciation of the s&m ballet pump pic reminded me what a great shot that is. Thanks for sharing Pud. A huge Madonna moment in western cultural history. Second only to Like A Prayer in my favouriite Madonna projects.

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  3. Marcelle is amazing.. LOVE HER!! she totally gets Madonna, the book, and the humor. But that Tony Parsons douchebag... is he seriously critiquing Madonna's advocacy of condom use?? I find his necktie more offensive that anything in the book. He's the ultimate hater.. predictably regurgitating every negative thing that has ever been said about her... however it's interesting that he can't take his eyes off the photos. She is, and has always been.. Master of the Image!

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    1. Haha. Slide just lined that Parsons up and knocked him down, click click ... you're a sex pistol dude, your love should be illegal x

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  4. Ahahaha I remember that shyt, you're absolutely right Pud, that Tony Parsons is a cvnt and the posh Cosmo bytch is fabulous. I remember him saying she had a nice azz and the lady was knocked out by her bod.

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  5. Thanks for posting! My parents wouldn't let me watch this back in the day, so great to see this all these years later. Tony Parsons is a prize prick, to put it in his UK tabloid-esque manner - the only manner he seems capable of speaking in judging by his headline banter. Love how the other guests gave most of his idiotic remarks the little attention they deserved throughout. This interview only reiterates how much of a problem so many straight men have with Madonna - WTF! I studied Sex as part of a Media Studies degree in a module titled Gender & Representation and the class debate was the same - the men on one side and the women on the other, with me (the only out gay guy) in the middle. Needless to say I got a first for that module! My university library actually kept the book in a cage - seriously! While Mapplethorpe's books were out on the shelves for all to see - bull-whip insertion and all! I love this book so much - I wish I was at that table to give Tony Parsons what for ;-) yet another great post Pud - LUV Madonnascrapbook!

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  6. Interesting discussion. The different reactions from the women and men were telling--the women seeing it as a powerful, humorous display of female sexuality not without it's problematic points (i.e. the abusive relationship stuff), the men, at least John Walsh, viewing her pleasure in her own sexuality as being somehow off-putting or selfish (maybe because she doesn't need a man beside/inside her to feel sexy/be a sexual being--EEK!).

    Tony Parsons. Ugh, I wanted to reach into the screen and slap that douche. It wasn't so much that he didn't like the book, because that's a valid reaction. He just wanted to hate it for the sake of hating it--he didn't have any valid arguments as to why SEX was bad or could have a negative impact. His whole condom tirade almost made me shout "Bitch please!" at my computer screen lol! Is that the best he could do? Really? It was already clear he didn't like Madonna and came in with the expectation that he wouldn't like SEX, so he spent whole time trashing her like some random internet troll. I wanted one of the other guests to say "Shut up and go sit at the kids table. Grown folks are talking." No wonder he and Piers Morgan get along.

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  7. Wow, Pud! Thanks for posting!! Love love love!

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  8. Interesting, but Parsons was a bad choice for this panel. He has one note and repeats it from beginning to end. All other panelists, however, have interesting things to say.

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  9. I spoke to Parsons about this about 6 years ago at a a dinner, and he was firstly amazed that i remembered, but he also kinda backtracked on what he said, almost a "that was what i thought then", and that his opinion on the matter was no longer so severe.

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  10. I had just turned 19 when this came out and since 1983 Madonna had been my idol (obsessively!) and still is! The book at the time made me defend her - even though I didn’t really understand it. The one thing I did understand - it was on her terms - and that the reason I fell in love with her - was that she was living her life on her terms.

    Madonna might have shown you her naked body but she was in control. Not when her naked modelling photos surfaced – I have always wondered – did she do this because she was angry that when she was poor and needing to do naked modelling to survive – the photographers sold the images without thinking what it would do to her emotionally, her career or her family. It was all about what they could earn off her.

    Pud – I can’t thank you enough showcasing Marcelle and her insight on this project - brilliant! Marcelle is obviously a very successful and intelligent woman – reviewing the project objectively. I wish I saw this at the time. Women stating their opinions – not based on controversy – but what was Madonna trying to say – and seeing the irony with the very much staged photos.

    Unfortunately, the coverage in Australia was one sided and showed the medias misunderstanding of what the book was meaning to be about.

    And I am speechless on the man who said she had a dumpy body – all I ever saw was an amazingly healthy, fit and aspirational psychic – and what looking after yourself can achieve. And my favourite photo is the one where she is being pulled out of the water – Marcelles favourite too!

    Well done Pud - I hope Madonna has seen this - and that people at the time did get what she was trying to say!

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  11. I didn't understand the book either..... i was 15, my mum wouldn't let me buy it or watch Body Of Evidence, After the whole Justify My Love video it was obvious she desired more controversy than fame, Those early 90s years we'er a test to her career, The UK never really forgave her till Ray Of Light came out, I think the book was a brave thing to do however a brave thing that really didn't need doing, I'll look through it once every couple of years but i wont read the script, i just don't want to see Madonna in that way,

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  12. Judging by Parson's reaction, the guy is either really turned on or totally in denial - his reaction is incredibally infantile and juvenile compared to the rest of the panel whom have intelligent points to make. This video proves once again that the negative or positive reactions to "SEX" by Madonna is really a reflection of the person's own persona.....

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  13. Madonna had/has an amazing body and she knew it so she photographed it and put it in a book.

    Nothing more to it.

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