Madonna's latest comeback was a minor miracle. (All images by Matthew Rettenmund, unless noted) With the Supreme Court overturning Roe and Casey, and Clarence Thomas putting in writing his belief that the Court should get rid of marriage equality, gay sex and contraception on the heels of abortion, it feels frivolous writing about Madonna.
But we have to go on, and Madonna is the thinking person's diva — one who has expressly stood up for abortion rights (and was honored for that by Gloria Steinem) and, from the dawn of her career, LGBTQ rights, so while much of my take on her show last night at NYC's Terminal 5 is escapist, I would like to remind everyone that Madonna is rarely a guilty pleasure.
Rather, she has often been a progressive treasure, an inspiration for underdogs of various stripes. Inside out Lately, she's made missteps and — more disheartening — suffered an obvious physical setback, all of which combined to make her feel a bit less like Madonna to some.
One of her best marquees ever! Following a regrettable appearance onstage with Maluma, I am excited to report that Madonna is bouncing back.