Then and now
By Spirit Fingers
Remember when Madonna was firmly toned, but not so toned that extra lady crevasses appeared each time she decided to flex her thighs?
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August 25th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
It’s obvious she’ taking HGH (human growth hormones). Everyone that takes that crap ends up looking just plain WIERD!
August 25th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I’m within a couple of years of Madonna in age and I would gladly off anyone if I was guaranteed to look as muscled and strong as the Material Woman! My opinion-the woman is 50 and FINE! (and I am a complete heterosexual unfortunately!) Question??? would you rather look muscled like Madonna or thin like… Winehouse or any of a dozen starlets suffering from thinoxeria?
August 25th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Oh…@CB… I before E except after C or when sounding like A as in NEIGHBOR and WEIGH! (or WEIRD!)
August 25th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Jennie - false dichotomy. How about looking like something approaching a normal person? You know, fairly decent shape, a little pudgy here and there, but a great dresser and therefore able to show off your assets to their best advantage and camouflage anything you’re not as comfortable with? You know, as opposed to parading around in a… what is that thing anyway? A bare-midriff onesie?
Why do we insist that our celebrities be ultra-exaggerated versions of perfect humanity? That’s all I’m saying. Whither the Marilyns of yesteryear?
August 25th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
There ARE no normal people in showbiz, by definition. And I don’t think anyone demanded Madonna get like this; nobody who doesn’t answer to the name “Madonna” anyway.
I think she looked awesome before. Here’s a terrible confession: the other day I was watching old Spice Girls videos on YouTube. Don’t hate. And it struck me that, when Geri Halliwell made “It’s Raining Men” we all thought she looked absolutely freaky. And now, she just looks slim and pretty when you look at that video. It’s shocking how much our perceptions have changed over time.
If I could pick any body (and any haircolour) it would be what she had in “Say You’ll Be There” although the above Madonna from twenty years ago looks pretty damn good, too. The current one, not so much. Hell, if your body fat gets down too low you can have seizures and all kinds of life-threatening problems.
August 25th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Yeah, there comes a point, usually after age 40, when you have to choose between your ass and your face. For most women, a few extra pounds looks good, as it tends to offset the natural fat losses in the face that occur during this decade.
Being muscled and strong is awesome, but she just doesn’t look healthy anymore.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Who in Hollywood looks strong and healthy right now? Amy Winehouse? Kiera Knightly? Nicole Kidman? Paris Hilton? Hollywood has embraced the anorexic and bulimic. I’d rather see muscles than waif-like, starving, snap-me-like-a-twig, fashionistas. Why does everyone go crazy for cut/ripped six packing men but diss muscular, strong women? If Madonna looks unhealthy, then lets make sure to say the same for David Beckham…
August 26th, 2008 at 12:42 am
David Beckham visibly has more body fat than Madonna at this point, and I say that as a former fitness writer. There is only one major Hollywood actor as ripped as Madonna right now. I refer you to this:
http://lolebrity.net/2008/08/06/madonna-and-sylvester-stallone-yor-so-vayn/
August 26th, 2008 at 6:20 am
In a few years, she’s going to look like Iggy Pop. Weird indeed.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:07 am
The only guy I can think of who looked as unhealthy (there! I said it!) as Madonna does above is Christian Bale in “The Machinist.” **shudder**
In any event, women naturally have more body fat than men. I don’t think we should try to be as muscular as men are - it’s just ain’t natural. And I say that as a woman who lifts weights. And on second thought, there are some women in Hollywood who are curvalicious, to use a Blayne expression - Queen Latifah, Scarlett Johansson (although you can hardly argue that ScarJo is “average” in terms of body shape and size).
My husband and I were at a water park this summer, and we noticed that it seems like there aren’t any average people any more. Everyone is either super-skinny or verging on obese. When did that happen? And why didn’t I get the memo?
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go yell at some kids to get off my lawn.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Put me in the “dump the false dichotomy” camp. There are a lot of possibilities under “normal” and “pretty” without getting into anorexia, druggy, etc. etc.
The current Madonna looks like an aging bodybuilder. That’s fine if that’s the look she wants, but I don’t find it attractive. Just looking at her body, she was much prettier in the earlier picture. And she had visible muscles then as well. It’s possible to be physically fit without being stringy.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:14 am
My my is that a mic in your pants or are you just happy to see me?
August 28th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
It is disappointing to see The Manolo engage in Body Snark. Criticize her crazy/unflattering outfits, talk about her music, but it is uncreative, dull, and offensive to point and snicker at someone’s body. I expect better from The Manolo.
September 5th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Without snarking (or even pointing out that a chicken in the same condition would have to be stewed for quite a while before it was tender), I would merely mention that Dame Helen Mirren, who is older than Madonna by more than ten years, has an absolutely slammin’ body and face. I pick Dame Helen, thanks.