The Liz Smith Column | 03/26/2009 11:00 pm

Liz Smith: Africa Disses Madonna

Also from Our Gossip Girl, Perez Hilton’s happy birthday, Mary Tyler Moore’s new memoir and does cable news matter at all?

By Liz Smith

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Madonna holding David Banda © Getty Images

“I love children, especially when they cry, for then somebody takes them away,” said Nancy Mitford, the famous British writer.

I was agog reading that Madonna’s divorce from Guy Ritchie and her subsequent “flings” with Alex Rodriguez and Jesus Luz have become impediments to her adopting a second impoverished child in Malawi.

The government there seems to frown on Madonna’s change of status and her “lifestyle.” She was wed to director Ritchie when her adoption of little David Banda happened.

Maybe Malawi should get over itself! Africa — rife with civil unrest, corruption, genocide, disease and the rape and mutilation of children — is having a problem with Madonna’s morals!?

From the outside looking in, I suppose Madonna’s recent love conquests seem a bit – lurid. That said, I have yet to see one paparazzi picture of Madonna in disarray, out of control or engaging in a “public display of affection” with her assumed lovers. What I’ve seen is Madonna bringing little David out of a kabbala service. Wicked woman! Burn her at the stake!

I say – let Madonna and other rich celebrities adopt as many poor children as they want. She is, for instance, pouring millions into Malawi. And if you’ve seen her documentary on that blighted spot, you know they need all the help they can get. Her motives? Madonna’s motives? I don’t really care if she — or anybody else who is doing “a good deed in a naughty world” — is sincere or not. Sincerity won’t buy food or medicine. So, in that spirit of healthy cynicism, let’s have even more phonies who are intent on helping the world! The rest of us can sit around, cluck, tsk, point and complain.

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Saturday at the legendary Viper Room on Sunset Boulevard, my pal Perez Hilton will celebrate getting a bit older. He calls himself “The Original Gossip Girl” but I notice in his birthday invite his beard is showing. Happy Birthday, Gossip Girl! … Saturday in NYC at the Marriott Marquis, GLAAD will be saluting Tyra Banks, Suze Orman and Phil Donahue, and boy, oh boy, the celebs turn out for this 25th anniversary event. To name a few who say they’ll be there — Judith Light, Clay Aiken, Stockard Channing, Cherry Jones, Vanessa Williams, Chris Noth, Keith Olbermann and liberal freethinkers like that!

Perez Hilton © AP

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Mary Tyler Moore! She has won Emmys, she has been Oscar-nominated (for “Ordinary People”). She has, without fail, turned the world on with her smile ever since her days as TV’s sexiest, Capri-clad, suburban wife and mom on “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”

So, if you love MTM, grab tickets now for her 92nd St. Y appearance April 2. Mary will talk about her long career and her new memoir, Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes. Call 212-415-5500 or log on to 92Y.org.

Amazon

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Can we remark on something unusual in the matter of the death of Natasha Richardson? It is the incredible graciousness, patience and understanding of her famous family. Not once have we seen these people fleeing from, haranguing or outwardly despising the media while their private misery was invaded. They’ve waved sadly at the intrusive cameras; they’ve said nothing when words failed them.

Maybe it’s a British thing. Maybe it harks back to the theatrical history of this family. The Redgrave/Richardson/Neeson brood seems to realize that, like it or not, they are public property. Somehow, in this ordeal, they drew the curtain on their grief while still leaving it open for those who wanted to look in.

Actress Vanessa Redgrave, Micheal Neeson (3rd L), Joely Richardson (6th L), Daisy Bevan (7th L), Daniel Neeson (2nd L) and actor Liam Neeson (R) © Film Magic/Getty

52 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Thank goodness for the celebrities who pour millions into impoverished countries. And I think Africa made the wrong decision and could stand to lose many millions of dollars….even from other celebrities who might think their personal lives might also come under Africa’s scrutiny and prevent adoption. Madonna is no worse than any other person in their plight for finding a suitable companion. The child in her arms looks cared for and loved. Her choice of religion is just that….her choice.

By Rainbow Power on 03/27/2009 5:30 am

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Sorry, Liz, I agree with Africa. Her philandering is not a good example of her own much less any adopted kids.

By barbara shaidnagle on 03/27/2009 5:49 am

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And Liz, et al ~ What’s wrong with adopting a poor, underpriviliged AMERICAN child?? It is incredible to me that these "stars" ignore the unwanted throngs of children sitting right under their own noses here in the USA!

By LINDA BASSETT on 04/01/2009 2:16 pm

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mmm…lets see….grow up in an impoverished country, with no hope, no opportunity, a likelyhood of not making it to adulthood…or get adopted by a millionair singer, live in the USA, access to the best health care millions could provide, healthy food, I’m sure the best in education and even when Mommy’s busy be under the care of a professional nanny. No choice there! I am not a fan of Madonna but if she wants to give a child a better life, I say bravo to her!

And I agree about cable news too Liz. During the election I was watching CNN because I thought they were in the middle but growing tired of defending my position in this conservative area I live I switched to msnbc for the comfort of liberal news which I discovered is only between 7pm-10 mon-fri. That morning joe in the morning…yuk. So in the mornings now…its the local news and you Liz!

And thanks for the heads up on Mary TylerMoore…I won’t make it to her show but I will definitly get her book. Growing up watching her, Rhoda and Diane Carol as Julia, inspired me. Being an independant single woman was possible.

Ok…off to check out Huffinton Post for my "Liberal Fix"…hee hee. Thanks for a good start to my morning, Liz!

By Paula Casagrande on 03/27/2009 6:25 am

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Paula: Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow are on MSNBC starting at 8.00 with Keith, 9.00 with Rachel and this sequence is repeated until 12.00. I always wonder when Liz discusses these programs why she never mentions PBS’s News Hour at 7.00 (prior to that is World News) because they are definitely balanced. I never watch CNN––Wolf Blitzer alone makes me want to scream wildly down dark alleys. And as so many of us have mentioned time and again, on PBS you get Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers, and NOW. I saw a clip last night on Olbermann’s show of this Beck person who I think must be off his chump––couldn’t believe this guy has his own show.

Africa having problems with Madonna’s morals? Really? Unbelievable! What a crock!

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 03/27/2009 9:42 am

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i agree the country needs to look at itself brfore condeming someone thar wants to help a child

By angelyn palmer on 04/02/2009 12:31 pm

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Maybe Malawi should get over itself! Africa — rife with civil unrest, corruption, genocide, disease and the rape and mutilation of children — is having a problem with Madonna’s morals!?

Liz, you said it best. Who do they think they are to judge anybody by their moral standards. These African nations is one to talk when the men father several children by different mothers whom they are not married too; not to mention child support. They should stop judge!!!!

By A Amedee on 03/27/2009 7:18 am

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Well, what do we expect from a continent where female genital mutilation is widely practiced? Ugh.

By Lila Kuh on 03/27/2009 8:01 am

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Great GREAT point Lila!!! FGM is indeed far more widespread than most could imagine. I spent a year in the Democratic Republic of Congo after travelling rough throughout the African continent, including to Malawi, which was by no means as bad as African countries can be, actually. But I found the arrogance of most African men in general - men who think nothing of having their female family members support them generationally was disturbing to me, not only by its prevalence but by how it robbed women of any sense of agency and independence.

This situation is no different; aka in other recent articles making the rounds today about Madonna’s adoption, it’s been written that Mercy’s uncles have said they expected little Mercy to come back to their village and take care of them when she was grown up and educated.

As if!!!! I was so often told by some of the amazing, successful African women I worked with in Africa, rare women who had had a chance to leave their leave their impoverished countries through sheer effort - that they were not only glad they had left, but that they also dreaded going back even to visit because every extended relative has his or her hand out because they felt entitiled to share the wealth of any family member who had worked hard to lift themselves out of poverty while they sat back.

Personally I don’t much like Madonna anymore and I think her $8 hundred million dollar or whatever fortune could do more good than she is publically proclaiming, but if she wants to adopt and the paperwork is in order, then why not? Mercy is one lucky little girl and we should be happy for her.

By Mona Lisa on 03/29/2009 11:47 am

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I had a co-worker a few years ago who told me she loved being an American black woman and would not change if she could; her words: "I’m sorry for what my ancestors had to go through here, and that never should have happened, but I thank God every day that I was not born in Africa."

I totally understand.

By Lila Kuh on 03/29/2009 12:51 pm

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I agree that Malawi should get over itself as far as Madonna’s morals are concerned. Let some child have a chance at a life, no matter how weird it will be with the fruitcake.

I hope the GLAAD awards get some publicity. It’s awesome how much more the straight and gay communities are becoming one and breaking down the bigotry separating them.

Perez Hilton, in my opinion, is a disgusting nobody, who is being given repectability for no good reason. Have you people ever READ his blog. It’s disgusting, and a sad commentary on where our world is headed. Gives gossip a dirty name.

Love Mary Tyler Moore. She’s never failed to make me smile.

By Anne M on 03/27/2009 8:41 am

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Having watched Madonna over the years I doubt she’ll let a little thing like the African’ government get in her way.

By Chrome Toe on 03/27/2009 8:51 am

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I say – let Madonna and other rich celebrities adopt as many poor children as they want.

Liz,

I really enjoy your columns, but this time I have to disagree with you. Raising children isn’t all that simple. I have no idea what exactly goes on inside Madonna’s home, but have you never thought that her lifestyle and the image she projects negatively impact her daughter and those 2 little boys?

Madonna can send her children to the Lycee Francais, but that’s not going to protect them from comments and inquiries made by other students, who are in touch with pop culture. Do you not think Lourdes can log onto the internet and see her mother in all sorts of lurid and compromising positions with a man, who could be her older brother? You wrote in another column that Lourdes understands her mother’s emotional and physical needs. Do you really think it’s healthy for children to even have to think of their mother in that vein? I don’t.

You can’t equate wealth and celebrity with emotional stability. Further, with Madonna out on tour, when is she going to bond with this new baby?

Sure, Africa is rife with civil unrest, corruption, genocide, disease and the rape and mutilation of children, but that doesn’t mean that a child placed in a wealthy celebrity’s home is going to be assured of a secure, loving, and moral upbringing.

Perhaps, Madonna is able to provide a happy healthy home, but then it may be time to consider that as the mother of an adolescent, it’s time to be more conscious of the image she projects, as well.

By Lucinda Herbert on 03/27/2009 11:26 am

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Your argument here is a little bit apples and oranges. True, a show-biz upbringing often results in difficulties for the children; but the FIRST thing everyone needs - other than animal needs like food, water, shelter and air - is physical safety to include basic health needs and security of self and property. Beyond that, people need things like family, friendship, respect, achievement, and creativity as you ascend to the top of Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs. A Hollywood parent may not be as ideal as a stable, anonymous couple, but is a tremendous leap upward in the Heirarchy of Needs from growing up in an orphanage in a poor country. Throw in the possibilities you mention - civil unrest, genocide, etc. - and one is on the very bottom of the Heirarchy. It is a no-brainer.

By Lila Kuh on 03/27/2009 2:29 pm

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People around the world have far more conservative values than Madonna exhibits - and exhibits is a good word. Now she is cavorting with a boytoy, but wants someone to consider her as the ideal mother. One of the top reasons that VISA holders who come here on "genius" VISAs give for leaving the US, and returning to their home countries 80% said it is a lack of family values. Our sexually exhibitionist culture is particularly offensive to Indians and Africans who come from more family centered cultures.

By Bella Mia on 03/27/2009 12:14 pm