“You push me when I don’t appreciate/you push me not to lie and not to hate/you push me when I want it all to end/you push me when I really need a friend.”

These are the lyrics to Madonna’s song, “Push,” from her 2006 “Confessions on a Dancefloor” album. It was a tribute to her husband, Guy Ritchie. That music may be ending now.

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Well, it certainly took Cynthia Rodriguez — now busy maxing out her hubby’s credit cards — a long time to admit that she doesn’t believe Madonna and Alex had a sexual affair, but “an affair of the heart.” There is a significant difference, folks. It can be seen as betrayal, yes, but if it doesn’t go that extra step, then both parties have put on the brakes.

Here’s the deal: Alex has been in an unhappy marriage for some time. (Ever see Cynthia and Alex interact? Not a cheerful duo.) He has behaved, according to rumors and strippers, without much discretion or concern. At age 32, he’s no kid. It is likely he began to wonder if there was a way to alter his behavior and his life.

Enter Madonna. Even before kabbalah, the pop icon was a finger-wagging “do as I say … I know best” kind of woman. (I always said if she hadn’t gone into show biz, she’d have ended up as Miss Ciccone, the very strict English teacher.) Once immersed in the mysticism of kabbalah, which promises less “chaos” and a freedom from ego, Madonna became quite the proselytizer. (She has said, repeatedly, that freeing herself from her ego has been a massive, often failed struggle. But she keeps on trying.)

So she met Alex. They talked. Perhaps he unburdened himself on the state of his marriage. Madonna listened, brought out the big guns of kabbalah and told him it could help change his life. I don’t doubt there was a personal attraction on both sides. He is very much her “type,” or certainly was back in the day — before Guy Ritchie. And despite the ghastly paparazzi pics of late — and Madonna’s incredibly bad sense of style featuring lacy knickers and high heels — she remains, in person, appealing and beautiful. So there was probably plenty of sexual tension. But that doesn’t mean consummation. As the old vaudeville line goes, “Vaz you dere, Charlie?” I wasn’t, so I’m sure not betting the rent one way or another. But I honestly do not believe Madonna would carry on an affair in front of her three children, in her own home.

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As for Guy Ritchie, he came to New York and has suffered agonies few men could endure. The headlines have been battering. I think the marriage is hanging by a thread, but neither wants to give up just yet. They entered into their wedlock with high hopes and expectations. And just like millions of “regular” folks, they found out that perhaps they’d misunderstood the ground rules. Or didn’t realize any were needed.  

The rumor mill insists they will split in November after Madonna’s tour ends. Huh? Like people won’t go see Madonna if she’s separated from Guy? It’s not like he’s part of the act. If she wanted it over, he’d be gone. Still and all, she wrote that song, quote above, two years ago, and someplace it continues to resonate: “Every race I win/every mood I’m in/Everything I do, I owe it all to you.”

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