Madonna still the same; we're the ones who changed

Typically I devote this space to binge-watching suggestions, but I'm done with "House of Cards," and March's new streaming options aren't doing much to intrigue me, with the exception of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt."

"Kimmy" premiered Friday, not enough time for me to watch and write (even I can't binge-watch that fast). And I'm glad "Teen Witch" is now on Netflix, but there's only so much I can say about the brilliance of the "Top That" rap.

So I write today about an artist who's been in the news lately. She's as controversial now as she was when I was 7, when I would sit in front of the TV waiting for her "True Blue" or "Isla Bonita" videos to come on.

Many of her critics said a variation of the same thing: She's over-the-top sexy, and it's inappropriate.

Flash forward 30-some years, and critics are saying the same thing. One key difference: Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone is now 56.

Madonna's newest album, "Rebel Heart," came out Friday. But the former Material Girl, as always, grabs more headlines for what she does than her music.

Rough landing

Although Madonna has never seemed to care much about "bad" publicity, the notorious perfectionist can't be too happy about one of the latest news stories: Madonna takes a big fall at Brit Awards after a cape snafu.

If you're even a casual Internet surfer, you've seen the video. Madonna walks up some stairs while performing, and she's seen trying to take off her cape. It appears the dancers pull the cape prematurely (she doesn't have it untied at the neck yet), and give Madonna a good yank as she tumbles down the stairs.

Cue a million "broken hip" jokes on the Internet. Look, Internet, that joke is way too easy. Anytime any performer over a certain age has any mishap, the broken hip jokes are as inevitable as the tides.

Madonna is far from perfect, but why figuratively kick a woman who's down? Her music may not be the same as it was 30 years ago, or you may never have liked it, but Madonna quickly got up and finished her routine. Isn't that something to still be impressed by, the consummate performer? When I bump into a coffee table, I bruise and limp for a week.

Giorgio Armani, the designer of the cape, got into the Madge-bashing. Madonna wrote in an Instagram message that her "beautiful cape was tied too tight" after thanking the designer for the outfit.

His response: "Madonna, as we all know, is very difficult. That's all there was to it."

I'm sure Armani has worked with his fair share of difficult or demanding celebs; is Madonna really the worst? She didn't blame Armani for the fall; she didn't accuse him personally of tying the cape too tightly. She didn't dump on her dancers in public, probably the easiest thing to do, although they might not be employed anymore.

Madonna has never pretended to not be fully in charge of her image and her career. One of her famous quotes: "Listen, everyone is entitled to my opinion." Many successful people — men and women — are "difficult."

'I used to like her ...'

And the "difficult" thing doesn't bother me. What bothers me are some of the ageist swipes being taken at Madonna. Go to any comment section (I know, I know, I need to stop reading them) on any Web article about her, and inevitably 60 or even 80 percent of them will be some version of this: "I used to like her, but she's so embarrassing now. She's so old. Go away."

Does she troll hard for some of these barbs? Sure, such as when she flashed the paparazzi with her bottom, covered in fishnet material, at the 2015 Grammys. This is a woman who's never been ashamed to use her sexuality for attention.

The difference now is she's, well, old — by our society's standards anyway. Yes, she's very attractive and fit, not just for a 56-year-old woman, but any woman. But she has a daughter in college. One of her first hit songs, "Burning Up," turns 32 this year, far beyond drinking age.

But while Madonna's looks/personas have changed over the years, she's still the same as she was 30 years ago: an exhibitionist who likes to provoke reactions. She's an artist, whether she's a good one or an original one is up for debate, but she is one. It was as silly for society to expect her to cover up once she reached 45; frankly, that's her business. If you don't like it, don't look, or look away fast.

There are plenty of things to get frustrated with Madonna about: her casual use of a racial slur on social media; her equating herself with Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela with memes that promoted "Rebel Heart"; her stealing from gay culture for years (she didn't come up with "Vogue," obviously) without credit.

But to dismiss her as "old" and thus over gives the message that Madonna only had value to society when she young. That says more about us than it does about her.

This is the opinion of arts and entertainment reporter Kate Kompas. Follow her on Twitter @copygirlkate, or call her at 259-3620



Madonna still the same; we're the ones who changed