The Agency's Posts

Katy Perry discusses Kristen Stewart-Robert Pattinson, John Mayer: Remember when Katy Perry crashed a wedding rehearsal with Robert Pattinson last May, just after....
Read More>

Television review: Small-town life has its moments in 'Cedar Cove': The Hallmark Channel adaptation of Debbie Macomber's novels stars a radiant Andie MacDowell in a....
Read More>

Matt Damon's Elysium Workout Had Him In The Gym FOUR Hours A Day!: Fans of The Bourne Identity with certain affection for Matt Damon will be salivating over his....
Read More>

Daft Punk's 'Random Access Memories' tops midyear vinyl sales: The men of Daft Punk have spent many of their recent interviews explaining how they wanted to....
Read More>

Review: In 'Red 2,' aging spies return for more AARP-style havoc: Love, retirement and a bomb all figure prominently in this 'Red' sequel starring Bruce Willis,....
Read More>

Review: Overstuffed 'Girl Most Likely' rings hollow: Kristen Wiig has her moments, but the film veers between forced farce and tired rom-com staples....
Read More>

'Grown Ups 2' sinks 'Pacific Rim'! Hulu sale off. Lassie comeback?: ByJoe Flint After the coffee. Before working "Sharknado" into all my stories.....
Read More>

Critic's Choice: 'The Way, Way Back': This haunting dramedy from writer-directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash is the don't-miss film of the....
Read More>

Sandra Bullock's 'Gravity' to kick off Venice Film Festival: "Gravity," the long-gestating project about an astronaut trapped in space, will....
Read More>

Is 'The Lone Ranger' debacle an end-of-the-empire sign?: On Monday, many who follow Hollywood—this space included—took a look at the....
Read More>

Unarrested Development: The Actor Michael Cera Is Now Writing and Directing, Too Early on in “This Is the End,&rd
Read More>
Pop music review: Madonna at the Super Bowl
Posted on: 02/06/12
Share/Save/Bookmark

The halftime show? A spectacle by the Cleopatra of the game. It also was a well-planned — and shockingly transparent — ad for her new album, 'MDNA.'

 
 

To label the selection of Madonna as a halftime performer at the Super Bowl as curious is to neglect the surreal history of what has become one of the year's most discussed 10 minutes of music on American television. From the high-water markJanet Jackson-Justin Timberlake nip slip to the weird nonsequitur Rolling Stones gig to a children's choir singing "Michael Row the Boat Ashore," the Super Bowl has never been short on ridiculousness.

But all different kinds of musical craziness had nothing on this year's Bridgestone Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show performance. Madonna was defiantly unconcerned with the more conservative red state wing of the football fan base who'd never be caught dead singing along to one of her songs, and her halftime show was pure spectacle by the Cleopatra of the game.

Think about it. In less than 10 minutes, America watched marching warriors pulling a massive chariot; faux trumpeters announcing the arrival of Madonna; a man name Redfoo with a ridiculously large afro fronting a duo called LMFAO; a polyglot British-Sri Lankan rapper slyly flipping the bird at the camera; a cartoonish multiple-personality Nicki Minaj; and a charismatic Buddha of a singer with a golden voice in one of the best bandleader outfits ever created, to say nothing of his stunning black choir robe.

At the center of it all was Madonna in her element, vogueing with a break-dancing lyre player, riding a bejeweled human serpent, slipping into her best single of the '00s, "Music," dancing near a tightrope walker who did a back flip as she passed, and sitting on Redfoo's shoulders during a mash-up with LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem." We saw Madonna looking absolutely silly as a 53-year-old cheerleader with equally noncheerleaders M.I.A. and rapper Minaj, and, perhaps most improbable of all, Madonna in front of a church choir pretending to be chaste.

In fact, if you break down the show, produced by Stuart Davis(known to dance fans under his moniker Les Rhythmes Digitales), the whole thing was arguably more outrageous than the notorious Jackson nipple shot. Madonna's new album, "MDNA," is a sly reference to the drug Ecstasy; M.I.A.'s father was part of a Sri Lankan rebel group called the Tamil Tigers (once listed as a terrorist group by the State Department); LMFAO is an acronym in text slang for "laughing my ... ass off;" and singer Cee Lo Green hit the big time with a song about a middle-finger kiss-off. In this company, Minaj looked positively PG.

But despite its success AND extravagance, this whole halftime package most of all was little more than an ingeniously well planned — and shockingly transparent — advertisement for "MDNA," and not much more. The rollout for the album began with the announcement that she'd be performing at the Super Bowl and was teased by a music video released Friday for her new single, "Give Me All You're Luvin'," featuring Minaj and with a remix also featuring LMFAO, which, of course, she performed. Talk about marketing to a lot of eyeballs. 

But then Madonna is Madonna for a reason. And we saw it firsthand Sunday. 


February 6, 2012


COMMENTS
Be the first to post a comment!


Post A Comment:




  • It's 2020! Start booking roles in commercials, fashion, films, theater and more with The Agency Online!

  • NEW WORKSHOP with Barbara Barna & Sean De Simone!

    Hi Everyone and Happy Summer! Sean at Sean De Simone casting and Barbara Barna are teaming up for a super informative and fun Hosting for Home Shopping workshop. A great opportunity for established or experienced TV Hosts and Experts interested in learning how to get noticed and how to get in....
  • MASTERCLASS W. Robin Carus & David John Madore

    A Special Offer for the Agency Community, from one of our favorite NYC Casting Directors! EMAIL FacetheMusicWithUs@gmail.com Or Eventbrite To Sign Up! Class Size is Limited.
  • Don't Fall Into The Comparison Trap

    Hi Everyone! As the second installment in an ongoing series of features by the Agency's amazing community, here's some sage advice from our own Regina Rockensies; a humble (& awesome)veteran we've had the pleasure of working with for a long time. Have an excellent week! : ) - The Agency....
  • One Model's Agreement

    Hi Everyone! As the first piece in an ongoing series of original articles by the Agency community, here's a short reflection on some of the values of professional acting & modeling that we can all keep in mind for our next casting. Good luck on your castings &shoots this week! : ) -....




 
home       castings&news       privacy policy       terms and conditions      contact us      browser tips
Official PayPal Seal