Page Six: Rocco Ritchie & Lourdes ‘crave stability’ away from ‘controlling’ Madonna

Madonna posted this photo on her social media a few days ago. She also posted another image asking if her fans are in her “gang.” If you’re thinking to yourself, “Wow, Madonna seems a bit thirsty these days,” you’re probably right. Madonna is going to spend the early part of 2016 (at least) engaged in a custody fight for her 15-year-old son Rocco Ritchie. Rocco refused to come to New York for Christmas, choosing instead to stay with his dad, Guy Ritchie, in London. Go here to recap the situation, which was an ongoing mess throughout the holidays. Apparently, Rocco has even blocked Madonna from seeing his private Instagram account now as well. And Page Six had a long, detailed article (with some new info) about the ongoing dispute. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:

Lourdes & Rocco kind of hate their mom: “Insiders say that her two teenagers, Rocco and Lourdes, are fed up with the Material Mom’s mixed messages — and they’re acting out on their frustration. They “crave stability,” says a Guy Ritchie source, but their mother’s relentless touring schedule has made that difficult. Multiple insiders note the children also feel Madonna is “too controlling.”

Rocco is due back in New York soon: “A Manhattan Civil Supreme Court judge ruled that Rocco must return to New York before the January start of his school session at Lycée Français de New York. So far, Rocco has refused, remaining in England with his dad, stepmother and three half siblings. A hearing will be held on Feb. 3 to resolve his future. But Rocco has made clear his intentions, telling a friend on Instagram, “I’m staying here, bro.”

Sources say: “Rocco spent most of the second half of 2015 on tour with his mother and got upset about not spending enough time with her. Even by her ruthless standards, Madonna has been particularly driven on the tour, and when Rocco did see her, he felt like she was trying to micromanage his life….When he’s in England, [Rocco] gets to live a low-key life . . . He can go about his business and talk to girls without paparazzi stalking him, as Guy has carved out a pretty private existence for his family… He finds making friendships in New York much more difficult. Over here, everyone [is] trying to score an invitation over to Madonna’s house…When he stays with his father . . . Rocco is allowed to play guitar until the early hours of the morning. Guy does have rules, but he had zero confidence growing up and wants his son to feel as empowered as possible.”

Madonna’s rules: Apparently, Madge makes her kids follow her macrobiotic diet, with all sweets, dairy, salt, perservatives and chocolates completely banned. No TV, no messy rooms, and the kids only get a phone when they’re 15-ish. Madonna has said that Rocco wishes she would “just cook for him.”

The Lourdes issue: Lourdes is the oldest and apparently a lot like Madonna. Lola is partying and letting her hair down at University of Michigan, and Madonna “has found out that with her teenagers, they can easily look online and see what she got up to at their age.” Rocco apparently misses Lola too: “She was the only one who really understood what he was going through — David and Mercy are still so young, they can’t connect with him on that level. Lourdes has been relishing her freedom and Rocco [is] envious in many ways.”

[From Page Six]

Page Six ends their story by saying that Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur movie has been pushed back, and Guy is happy about that because it means that he can spend more time confronting Madonna about the kids and “He’s ready for the fight.” There was also this interesting little detail in the Page Six report – towards the end of Guy and Madonna’s marriage, Madonna was sick of how Guy would “snigger to his friends about her hideous taste.” Ouch.

As for the Rocco stuff… it’s typical teenage drama mixed with a controlling mother. I think Rocco and Lourdes have craved stability all their lives and they had that stability briefly when Guy and Madonna were together (despite what is being said now, Guy was a hands-on stepfather to Lola and they adored each other). It doesn’t surprise me in the least that Rocco associates his father’s home with stability and “being a normal kid.”

Blonde Ambition! 👑. ❤️#rebelhearttour

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174 Responses to “Page Six: Rocco Ritchie & Lourdes ‘crave stability’ away from ‘controlling’ Madonna”

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  1. lilacflowers says:

    “No TV, no messy rooms, and the kids only get a phone when they’re 15-ish. Madonna has said that Rocco wishes she would “just cook for him.””

    Wow, poor, oppressed little Rocco.

    • Jwoolman says:

      Rocco didn’t say this. I doubt that the huge fights were over cleaning his room and TV time. Kids may complain about that but they don’t run away over it. Besides, he could get a burner phone and watch tv that way….

      But it’s interesting that Madonna said he wishes she would just cook for him and the “sources” also indicate that he was bothered because he didn’t get much time with her. That suggests a longing for real time with his mom without the power struggles and without the cameras. I don’t know why she won’t just let him stay in the UK with his dad while she focuses on her tour. She can handle the little kids fine on tour, but the teenager has very different needs and is in a very different phase of life. They have a better chance with a long distance relationship right now.

      • LAK says:

        RE: real time without cameras……Warren Beatty once said that Madonna couldn’t live without cameras. At the time she was on her ”Blonde Ambition’ tour and wanted him to be filmed as part of it. Apart from that soundbite, he refused to be filmed.

      • sherry says:

        I remember that Warren Beatty comment! He said, “She doesn’t want to live off-camera, much less talk. There’s nothing to say off-camera. Why would you say something if it’s off-camera? What point is there existing?”

        Imagine being a kid growing up in that environment!

      • mayamae says:

        I can’t believe I remember this, but Beatty’s comment was in response to the doctor examining Madonna’s throat asking if they should speak off camera.

      • springingforward says:

        Anyone with a narcissistic parent knows the struggle it is to grow up in that household; I can’t imagine the fame piece on top of everything else.
        Madonna will always be about her and what makes her happy.
        I hope that Rocco is allowed to make some choices–he is old enough to choose where he wants to live and spend most of his time.

    • Sabrine says:

      Madonna should just back off. If she tries to strong arm him back to the U.S., it will backfire on her. The hint is that the kid is 15. Leave him alone. There’s nothing more she can do at this point unless she wants to make him angry and resentful.

      • Debbie Do says:

        Exactly. She might get custody of his body but she will forever destroy her relationship with him if she fights it.

    • EM says:

      Having all those rules does not necessarily make a great parent, if you’re a teen seeking some type of quality time with your parent and you’re not getting it because your parent is more caught up with touring [when they don’t need the money], their look on Instagram and focused on obtaining assurance for their looks each day of their lives [if she wasn’t, then why post on Instagram and post some images that border on vulgar as well], you’re not going to be happy that type of life when you’re paraded on Instagram for ‘likes’, but in private your parent has no time for you.
      All I know, if my mother paraded herself with her arse out (literally), like Madonna did a year ago at a function, I’d be embarrassed – for her. I’d be seeking to live with my other parent as well.
      I don’t get why the NY judge doesn’t she through all that other attention seeking crap Madonna pulls.

      • aurelia says:

        I really think madgae has forgotten what it was like to be a teenager. She is such a hyporcite. She couldn’t wait to get out from under her strict father and clear off on a dance schloarship to NYC when she was 17.

        I totally get rocco’s comment about him wishing madge would just be a little like other kids mothers and maybe cook for them once in a while. He probably sees his fathers new wife doing it and his friends mothers too.

        I bet the younger siblings were easy to micro manage on tour. Yeah, teenage boy, not so much. Get a clue madge.

  2. ell says:

    “They “crave stability,” says a Guy Ritchie source, but their mother’s relentless touring schedule has made that difficult. Multiple insiders note the children also feel Madonna is “too controlling.”

    omg. how surprising that guy ritchie’s sources are just as misogynist as he is. of course, let’s bash a woman for working, i’m sure he’s done plenty of that while they were married. i mean, madonna IS thirsty these days, but if we’ve got to pick on something let’s pick on this sort of behaviours, not on her work. pathetic. she really has the worst taste in men.

    ETA: “Madonna has said that Rocco wishes she would “just cook for him.”

    lmao, let’s put a woman where she belongs; the kitchen!

    • C says:

      Yeah, you’re right!

    • Luca76 says:

      Sorry but saying a touring schedule is too grueling for a teenager isn’t misogynist in the least. I’ve heard various male rockstars complain about their touring and what being on the road has done to their marriages, family life, and their own psyche. It’s a kind of hell I am not surprised that Rocco wants out. Especially if the majority of time he’s not even with his mother but her entourage.

      • ell says:

        bashing a woman for working is misogynist. it’s her job, are male rockstars also expected to give up their career to accommodate their children? did bono give up his career for his 4 kids? come on, it’s an extremely sexist article.

      • Luca76 says:

        Ok I just read the full article to be sure and nope I don’t think it’s sexist. A lot of the parts that might give me pause are actual Madonna quotes. Oh and there is a huge dig at Guy possibly favoring Rocco over David which if true is lousy but it shows that the sources aren’t just from Ritchie’s camp. As for what male rockstars do I think the majority leave their kids at home with their other parents maybe that’s what Madonna should do in this case. Let Rocco stay with his dad while she tours instead of forcing him into a situation where she won’t really have the time to focus on him.

      • claire says:

        @ell: no, because the other parent was at home. the other parent in this situation is Guy.

      • ell says:

        look, i’m not saying that rocco shouldn’t stay with his father if he so wishes. i’m saying that putting the blame on the working mother is sexist.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I think the sexist claims are a little exaggerated.

        She isn’t expected to give up her career to accommodate her kids, I don’t see anyone writing that. But I do think it is wrong to force your 15 year old son to live on the road for months on end. That doesn’t mean that she needs to give up her career, she just might need to see him during her breaks between legs of the tour.

        When kids are very young, like toddlers, they can come on the road very easily. As kids become teenagers, they want to build their own friendships and networks, and it is very selfish to keep them from having that kind of opportunity.

      • Jellybean says:

        Mothers tend to be given priority when it comes to custody and it is often because they can supply a more stable home environment, especially if the father works away a lot. If it is the mother who works away and the father who can supply the more stable environment then surely the father should be given priority. It is not misogynistic penalizing a working woman, it is applying the same standards to both parents. If women want equality they must accept the bad with the good. Having said that, at 15 I think the wishes of the child should be given serious consideration, forcing him back on the road will be a recipe for disaster, as far as their relationship is concerned.

      • ell says:

        @jellybean she’s a singer and he’s a director. they BOTH travel for work and are away for months at a time, working very long hours. now, if rocco wants to live with his father he’s old enough to choose, that doesn’t mean madonna is to blame for doing her job.

      • K2 says:

        Let’s be honest, Guy is nowhere near as successful as Madonna and I highly doubt he is away from home half as often. Films also tend to be made in one or a small handful of locations – Madonna is on the move permanently when on tour. And when he is away, he has a wife (with small kids) at home to keep it all together – Madonna has no such domestic backup.

        It’s not sexist to say that the parent who can provide the most hands-on care and the most stable setting should be primary carer. That’s the basis under which most women retain primary or sole physical custody. Guy Ritchie sounds a sexist little weasel, living off Madonna’s dime, but it doesn’t alter the situation in terms of his being able to provide a more settled home for a kid right now.

    • Artemis says:

      Ritchie makes it way too obvious he’s using his own son to get back at Madonna. Like omg, the kid doesn’t want to be around the drama of his mother’s career yet it’s OK for Guy to run to TMZ of all media outlets? Really? Rocco should think twice because even Madonna isn’t stooping this low.

      Actually Madonna did say herself that Rocco wanted her to cook

      “My 14-year-old son is absolutely not satisfied with all my accomplishments,” Madonna tells Andy Cohen in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly. “He just wants me to cook for him. I’m like, ‘Okay, I’ll get to that. I promise you, when this tour’s over with, I’m gonna cook for you.’ ”

      I guess he’ll be happy with his stepmom who is also living off Madonna’s hard-earned cash! Not many women could have 3 children after each other without working, even when the man is working. She literally stopped working when starting with Guy which is no suprise for unknown models like her. Honestly Guy is such a cliché, have the young model wife, get her pregnant and make shitty films with the money of your actual hard-working businesswoman ex-wife. Oh dear sweet baby jesus, these people are unbelievable. If Rocco wants to emulate that work ethic, he clearly takes after his father.

      • Catherine says:

        100% agree!!! Guy laughs about how much money he got off Madonna in the divorce. He’s so gross. You’re betting on the wrong horse, Rocco. Guy likely just wants more cash for child support.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        What I hear in regards to the cooking comments, is a son who wants his mother to nurture him. I could be wrong, though.

      • Bonnie says:

        Tiffany! I am hearing that, too! Spot on. Plus, I think he needs to be around a “family” and his father, especially at 15 years old! A boy needs a father, and if Rocco wants this, then Madonna should let it be.

    • LAK says:

      There might be truth to the kids needing stability, BUT as soon as sources are linked to Guy Ritchie, i stop paying attention especially when the things they say the kids miss are the sorts of things that really denigrate Madonna’s accomplishments. Like she’s terrible for working and not cooking for the men.

      Guy’s wife gave an interview in the evening standard a few months ago where she talked a little of her home life. She’s become a stay at home mum in the traditional 1950s sense ever since she hooked up with Guy . Which would be cute in a live and let live sense if you didn’t know Guy Ritchie’s misogynist views on the place of women.

      • ell says:

        +1 and thank you. everyone that knows anything about ritchie is aware of how sexist he is. and btw, he can only lead the life he has now thanks to madonna’s money, he’s just as bad as any gold digger tbh.

    • Josephine says:

      This about the kid, and not the parent. It’s not who deserves the kid more. The kid is 15 and it is in no way surprising that he wants to be in one place for awhile. One of the most consistently reported feelings kids of divorce have is relief to go to college or be out on their own so that they can sleep in one place for more than a few days at a time.

      This isn’t about “winning” or rewarding the better parent, or punishing the one at fault. Too many parents and judges lose sight of that.

      • Original T.C. says:

        My issue is even if the boy goes to live with his Dad, isn’t it the Step-mother that will be spending most of the time with him and doing the cooking and child care? I highly doubt Ritchie is going to drop his projects to be a stay at home father.

        Additionally there will be younger half siblings who need more time from his StepMom and Dad, how is that going to work when jealousy kicks in? He is an older teen and might not be up to dealing with following the rules of his stepMom.

    • ISO says:

      Thankyou. This “blame the working mom” thing has been painful. She’s bringing her teen kids on tour to see -how a world class artist is successful. They should be grateful for the exposure prior to emerging as adults themselves! It’s not like they’re cast off to a swiss boarding school! The teen years are -hard- the risk part of the brain is huge and the logic part isn’t developed; thus the push back and confusion. I’m sorry people, but a mom is labeled both -controlling and lacks stability- then someone is resentful and unreasonably critical. If they had been with Ritchie they’d claim to “be bored in the country and neglected by their pop star mother”. Teens can’t be pleased, and resentful x husbands will amplify any drama!

      • ell says:

        exactly. i mean, would it be better if instead of taking him with her for the experience she dropped him off somewhere while she works? she clearly wants to be with him and she loves him. regardless of what people think of madonna, the working mother bashing is nagl.

      • claire says:

        But a kid doesn’t want to go to nightclubs every night and travel constantly. Shouldn’t he be allowed to feel that way? That does not seem like an abnormal reaction at all.

      • ell says:

        why are you twisting my words? i never said he can’t feel whatever it is he feels, i’m saying the attitude towards madonna as a working mother is misogynist, which coming from ritchie isn’t surprising.

      • claire says:

        @ell, I was responding to ISO, not you.

      • Tammy says:

        I would take whatever Guy Ritchie says with a grain of salt. He’s not a nice guy and Madonna really has a type: unavailable, cold guys. Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie both became her husbands while men like Lourdes’ father were used to give her a child.

        I hate to make an assessment on people I know nothing about and never will. And yes, I am doing that when I state Guy Ritchie is not a nice guy. All you have to do is look at his statements during the divorce about Madonna. He said some hurtful, cruel things. No nice guy ever says those things, especially not about the mother of his children.

    • EM says:

      I don’t see how it’s bashing a woman for working.
      The fact is that when Madonna started having children, she didn’t really need the money. She could have taken time off and spent time with her children and it seems that she never did this.
      Even when she was busy adopting her other children, they became the subject of media stories because Madonna had to take crews with her to film all her ‘good deeds’.
      Everything is a marketing exercise for Madonna and I can understand why a former spouse would be peeved about it.

      • ell says:

        “The fact is that when Madonna started having children, she didn’t really need the money. She could have taken time off and spent time with her children and it seems that she never did this.”

        i can’t even. why should women stop working when they have children? do men stop working? work isn’t just about the money, you know.

      • morgane says:

        I remember that right after she adopted Mercy James she went on tour with the girl. Really right after, likes less than a month

    • aurelia says:

      I disagree, food is nutruring. He just wants a cooked meal by his mother and not by the paid staff. I am 42 and still want my mother to cook for me when she comes and stays. Food is love. Rocco’s comment is more about normalcy.

    • Ash says:

      “she’s a singer and he’s a director. they BOTH travel for work and are away for months at a time, working very long hours. now, if rocco wants to live with his father he’s old enough to choose, that doesn’t mean madonna is to blame for doing her job. ”

      Thank you for saying this because I think people forget that Madonna AND Guy both work in the entertainment industry, albeit in different roles. When both are busy working, one could argue that they’re not fully available for their kids’ attention.

    • Tessy says:

      I don’t think its sexist at all. She’s not being bashed for working, but for her grueling schedule that doesn’t include the kid other than to drag him along when he doesn’t want to go.

      Doesn’t a 15 year old have a lot of say in which parent they live with anyhow? She is doing a good job of alienating him by demanding that he stay with her when he doesn’t want to. A kid that age is close enough to becoming an adult and he should be guided and encouraged to make decisions.

  3. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    What’s the point of her having custody if he never sees her? I think he’s old enough to decide where he wants to live unless there is evidence that he’s in harm’s way somehow by living with his father.

    • Daria Morgendorffer says:

      Totally agree! There is no reason to have a custody battle over a 15-year-old, and in my opinion, her behavior running to court to get an order for him to return to NYC only confirms that she is overbearing. If the kid wants to be with his dad, he should be able to be with his dad.

      • moohoo says:

        oh really? and you have all the facts of this story of course. I dont think any mother would willingly give up custody of her children – 15 or not. He is still young. I would be down at the court house too in her shoes.
        And these are the conditions agreed to in a custody agreement that was hammered out at the same time as Madonna agreed to pay Ritchie’s demands of millions in the divorce settlement. Tit for tat.
        While Ritchies people push a pleasing picture of English country life stability, I am sure there are good reasons why Madonna wants to keep her son where he is – reasons we have no insight into. Rocco may be pissed off but he is still under age and his mother has every right to fight to keep him with her.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        None of us have all the facts, moohoo. It’s called “gossip” for a reason. I’m sure Madonna loves her son, and yes, she has a “right” to fight over this, but I’m not sure where it will get her. What will she do if she wins? Drag him back here? Unless she has excellent reasons for preventing him from being with his father, she could create a rift that will take a hard, long battle to mend. And, by the way, fathers have rights, too.

      • noway says:

        You could be absolutely right, OR Rocco could be just going through normal teen angst and not like the fact that his mom is stricter with rules than his dad and step mom. Even the Page Six article insinuates that may be part of it. Most family courts won’t change custody based on parenting styles like that. Page Six is gossip I certainly wouldn’t take it for fact, and for all we know she sees the kids all the time on tour as they are all together.

        Also, another possibility is Rocco is going through a stage where the same sex parent he identifies with more and need him more, neither one of these ideas are uncommon among custody issues. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Ritchie and Madonna get along very well, also not unusual in divorces, voila the reason for the court date. Either above scenario seems far more likely as they happen to a lot of children than the more gossip driven it’s because of Madonna’s neglect while touring, and it does have a bit of a misogynist tone to it as it is her job, which also resonates well in gossip too.

      • aurelia says:

        In New Zealand you can not have a custody battle over a 15 year old. It is too close to the cut off age of 16 when a child is regarded for purposes of custody as an adult. No lawyer would allow you to waste everybodys time and money when the child in question is about to be out of the custododial bonds anyway within a matter of months. Especially when the child in question is requesting to live with thier father, not some other unrelated cargiver. Jeez, its his own father afterall. Agreed, this smacks of madge’s overbaring nature. She gets what she wants y’all.

      • Trashaddict says:

        Aurelia, I so agree. If I were the judge, I would say all of you go back to your individual shrinks or spiritual mediums or whatever, and sort it out. Do NOT waste the court’s time with this nonsense.

    • Bridget says:

      Yes, 15 should be old enough to have a say in which parent you want to live with, but… it’s not 1 parent’s decision here. Guy doesn’t get to step in and break the custody agreement like this, especially if Rocco isn’t in any danger. He’s also the one leaking word to the press. It’s icky.

  4. Jwoolman says:

    I hope Madonna can just quietly back off on the court stuff and let him stay with his dad. That’s what he wants to do and at his age, the judge will let him do it. What’s the point of pulling him across the ocean? This will be a major backfire.

    She’s going to lose him otherwise, which is sad because it sounds as though he does want to have a good relationship with her but just needs to be elsewhere at the moment. Her kids do like her, but she has to give up absolute control eventually. When you divorce, you have to share with your ex. Your kids are not yours alone.

    • Crumpet says:

      I agree. He is too old to be forced to live with one parent over the other. I thought the age where the child can choose is 14? It is in California at any rate. I can’t imagine having to force my child to live with me. I often give her up on holidays because my ex’s new wife has lots of fun extended family and they cook and make a big deal over the holidays and that is where she wants to be. I guess I just want my child to be happy, even if that means she isn’t with me as much as I would like. I think Madonna is focusing on Madonna and not on Rocco.

      • aurelia says:

        Nice comment crumpet. You are putting your daughter’s happiness first and that’s a bloody rare thing in divorces. Big ups to you.

    • Boston Green Eyes says:

      Because Madonna *is* a control freak. She needs to have everything revolve around her and she needs to control the action, too. No, I’m not necessarily Team Richie, but a spade is a spade. I’ve heard this about Madonna for years from former friends (Sarah B. and Rosie O, to name but a few). I cannot imagine what it would be like to have Madonna as a mother. To me, it sounds like it would rival the 9th Circle of Hell.

      • Deanne says:

        She’s a raging narcissist and living with a narcissistic Mother really is hell. Everything is about them amd them alone. Even if they technically ” love” their children, they are incapable of ever putting them, or their needs first. Their constant desire to be the center of attention won’t allow it.

      • Jaded says:

        Thank you Boston and Deanne – Madonna apologists should realize that Madonna is consumed with being in the spotlight. She loses all sense of relevance if she’s not front and centre all the time. Can you imagine living with a mother who relentlessly pursues fame and fortune rather than create a warm, cozy and accepting family life where it’s OK to eat chips in front of the TV and not make your bed once in a while? Whose every waking minute is about Madonna? Who is so obsessed with vanity, looks, working out, touring, recording, and trying desperately to look and act young to the point where she’s an embarrassment (remember the bum flashing at the Grammys)? I’m no Guy Ritchie fan but kids need stability and love, not constant touring, endless rules and iron-clad micromanagement.

  5. Talie says:

    Honestly, this seems to be a simple case of a kid tiring of living with his primary parent. It happens all the time. We’ll see how good of a parent Guy is — if he’s so normal, that boy should be in school, not up all hours playing guitar as the article states.

    • Pandy says:

      Agree. I’m sure Madonna is controlling to counterbalance hauling him around the world on tour with her. Time to let him try dad.

    • noway says:

      Now I think you are probably right about this being a case of the kid tiring of living with the primary parent, and it does happen all the time. Generally if the divorced parents don’t have a good working relationship they go to court too, which is where this looks headed. Sometimes celebrities are just like the rest of us.

      Where I have issue with the Page Six gossip is if Madonna is so strict of a parent as they claim then how is he up all night playing guitar- show me a 15 year old who wouldn’t like that and think that is strict. Just saying it is inconsistent and says many things that are probably not true, and definitely negative Madonna.

  6. grabbyhands says:

    This seems fairly true to life.

    I can only guess as to her dedication as a mother, but I will say that she seemed pretty committed to her kids, at least when they were younger. And I think they did have a greater degree of stability when she was married to Guy Ritchie in that while they both still worked, everything seemed a lot more low key.

    But now two of them are teens, her controlling nature is trying to reassert itself at the worst possible time. Contrary to popular belief, apparently not EVERY teen wants their every move documented and offered up for public inspection and that fact that she disregards his feelings for her own amusement is dooming their relationship. And her posting pictures on her IG basically martyring herself is making it worse, because as always, she is making it about her.

    If she really cares about her son, she’ll give him some space and try to work with him on this. We’re not talking about a troubled kid wanting to go back to a parent that’s going to let him get high and drunk all the time.

  7. Miss Jupitero says:

    Someone clue me in on how family court regards 15 year olds. I would think it would be pretty standard that they would get to have some say once they reach a certain age.

    I get the concerns about sexism, but it sounds to me like Madonna’s ego and the extent that her career takes up *all* of her energy is the bigger issue. How much time does she actually make for her family? Is it so wrong for him to want to have a home cooked meal together? She is his mothet, but is way too busy being Madonna it seems.

    • lilacflowers says:

      It varies from state to state. Also, some kids can be quite manipulative at that age and pit the parents against one another or “punish” a parent for the divorce, regardless of what the courts say. My mom’s best friend’s kids were 15 and 17 at the time of the divorce and chose, in court, to live with the father to punish the mother but having done that, the 15 year old girl then proceeded to spend most of her time with the mother, unless she wanted something the mom wouldn’t agree to and then she would storm off in a huff back to the dad and refuse to see the mother until she either got what she wanted or the father refused to give her something. And whatever the court visitation agreements dictated, the son would try to do the exact opposite.

      • Miss Jupitero says:

        Well that sounds like quite a hairball. Yikes. And who knows what is happening with Rocco?

        Reading between the lines though, I think he is just a teenager forming his own identity, and Madonna is especially inflexible about what she demands. Sometimes you just need to lighten up and eat some pizza together. She should try it. It might help. If she isn’t willing to change, she may very well be facing a very alienated kid for many years going forward.

      • Trashaddict says:

        Oh yeah, splitting the parents for monetary and other gain, a well-known teen tactic if you have divorced parents. Course if I were a teenaged boy with the genetic inheritance of Guy, I’d want to live with my hot stepmom too.

  8. Jayna says:

    Lola and Madonna are close. They story tried to act like Lola wanted away from Madonna. All kids getting reading for college, or graduating high school, want away from their parents. How odd to throw 19-year-old Lola in there to “bolster” this story, when they don’t need to.

    Plus, Madonna would never send her kid to a military school. LOL It’s so far out of the realm of possibility.

    Just let the boy go live with his dad. It’s what he wants.

    • Artemis says:

      Yes.

      And why do Ritchie’s sources speak about Lola? I don’t think they ever see each other anymore, not since the divorce? She sees her bio dad so I don’t know why he’s dragging her into the conversation. And yeah Madonna and Lola are very close, Lola was always happy touring whether it was on stage or backstage. Just like Rocco, she attended parties with Madonna and seemed to get along fine.

    • Jwoolman says:

      Yeah, the military school bit was over the top. Although if she really did threaten to do that, no wonder he told his lawyer to hold on to his passport! I wouldn’t set foot in the country under those circumstances myself…

  9. Jayna says:

    edit. duplicate. Computer freezing up today.

  10. aang says:

    When my brother divorced my nephew was seven. He wanted to live with his father. All other things being equal, the judge let him choose. If both parents are competent why not take the kids wishes into account? Not that a child should be forced to choose, but if they state a preference they should be heard. And at 15 it should be completely Rocco’s choice.

    • noway says:

      Again it depends on why the choice, especially after custody has been established for so long. Everyone is assuming this gossip story is true, and it could be but if Rocco is just doing it to get out of strict rules by his mother or to punish his mother for something this wouldn’t be a good move for him, and the judge probably would deny it. It is better to get along in a working relationship with your ex if you can and have children. Then you don’t have to have a judge decide you can try to work it out. The real story to me and the disappointment is that both Madonna and Ritchie aren’t able to coparent very well. This should be handled as a unified front between the two of them.

      • Jwoolman says:

        Both parents are acceptable to the court. Rocco is old enough to choose where he lives. A judge who decided to force him to stay with one parent on the basis you describe would be a very poor judge. They really don’t do that for teenagers his age.

  11. Red32 says:

    That picture of Rocco with the pigtails – she’s grinning and he looks like he wants to die.

    I don’t know why people are crying sexism. Rocco is old enough to decide who he lives with, end of. Madonna is the one making it an issue by going to the courts to force him to bend to her will. Funny how she’s all gangs! grills! rebelheart!!!! Until her own teen starts to rebel. Then it’s misogyny! courts! drama!

    • Jolene says:

      It is hard to look at that “Blonde Ambition” photo — so wrong, just awful. Her narcissism is probably helped her succeed as a performer but it is destroying her relationships with her kids. And then Guy and his machismo. I wonder what a family systems therapist would say about this bunch. I’m guessing Lourdes is the Golden Child…

    • vauvert says:

      Absolutely agree.
      Yes, teens can be difficult, but just because an adult disagrees with their feelings doesn’t invalidate how the teen feels. I am sure she loves her kids. But I think she loves Madonna best, first and last. That will never change.
      I can imagine a lot of reasons why a teenage son might want either a. A normal / non celeb mother who makes him dinner, drives him to activities, actually talks to him…. Or b. Slightly distance himself physically from the overwhelming ongoing event that is Madonna, particularly one who is on tour, on Instagram, on stage with her ass cheeks showing, putting her tongue down Drake’s / boytoy’s of the month throat.
      How is this sexist? If the dad was all grills, p**n shots, lingerie model serial dating and the kid would publicly state he wanted to live with the other parent, I guarantee people would say the same thing – let him go, take a break, don’t go all lawyer and hellfire on him and rebuild your relationship outside of the press and social media. But she can’t because she is Madonna.

  12. Mira says:

    Totally disagree with this article. I have sympathy with the kids but neither of these parents come of well. I don’t buy this stability spiel from guy. Who takes care of his kids when he is away on location for months on end? Who provides the stability? That would be his wife and nannies i assume. So basically the whole idea here seems to be that because they have a traditional family set up where daddy goes off to work and mommy stays at home, they are “better”. Its so misogynistic.
    I really can’t with Guy taking this to the tabloids, I think hes guilty of bad parenting just by slamming the mother of his kids in such a public way. I don’t doubt Madonna is difficult but Guy comes across as misogynistic douchebag.

    • Jwoolman says:

      How do you know it’s coming from Guy? He has kept things private and low-key. Makes more sense that the leak is coming from neither parent but rather from people on tour with Madonna or who know the family in New York or London. Reporters ask, and the stupid (or greedy) ones answer with partial information and misunderstandings. Madonna’s mistake was going to court, that got the tabloids interested and able to easily get info. In the weeks before that, the tabloids weren’t paying attention on this side of the pond at least.

      • Bridget says:

        For one thing, Page Six cites “a Guy Richie source” . Guy isn’t that low-key, he just has “sources” leak his info. This stuff sounds like him, not to mention the fact that he’s openly defying their custody arrangement (15 year old or not, it’s not Guy’s call to make on his own).

    • Luca76 says:

      @Mira even a film location is more stable than a touring schedule. A film shoot usually would most likely be in one or two locations for several weeks. Most probably LA or London or somewhere else central. It’s totally feasible that Rocco could stay on location with Guy. On the other hand a touring schedule is 3 or 4 cities a week. Constant travel, zero stability and circling the globe monthly definitely grueling.

      • Mira says:

        Jwoolman
        It says “a movie associate of Guy” in the article.

        Luca76
        Most movies aren shot in big cities like Los angeles or London unless its absolutely necessary because its much more expensive. For instance many movies who are set in Los angeles gets filmed in Canada. Many european movies gets shot on location in eastern europe or spain depending on where in europe its meant to be. And you would still be moving around from location to location.
        A movie director is under more pressure than a singer on tour. Its not a 9-5 job, where he gets to go home and spend time with wife and kids at the end of the days. Its an intense 24 hour thing when the shoot is happening. He may have to do night shoots and there are long gruelling hours. Ask any crew on a movie set. Guy wouldn’t have time to baby sit his 5 kids. He is on set and responsible for 100s of millions of dollars and a crew of hundreds. The pressure is huge to stay on schedule and within budget while delivering a good film that the studio likes. I would assume if Rocco travelled around with Guy, the nannies and Guys wife would be the caretaker. Or if he stayed at home he wouldn’t see Guy much at all when he is on location. So my point still stands the stability thats supposedly better with Guy is because Guys has a wife while madonna is a single working mother. Their businesses are not that dissimilar you can find actor and directors kids who complain about unstable childhoods ( moving from location to location, mom or dad preoccupied with work) too if you go looking for that.

      • Luca76 says:

        @Mira
        1. Guy wouldn’t be babysitting he’s a father he’s parenting (pet peeve but that phrase is so offensive to me)

        2. I took a look over at IMDB and the majority of Guy’s films where shot within the UK. So this idea that he’d be in remote locations isn’t really consistent with Ritchie’s past work.

        3. Whatever Guy’s schedule was it wouldn’t interrupt Rocco’s ability to function day to day like a touring schedule. Even if he was in a remote location (even though that’s not usual for Ritchie) and Rocco went on the shoot he’d be in one place for several weeks not flitting about on a tour for a night or two.

        4. It’s not the single working mother aspect it’s the grueling world tour that dictates a relentless schedule which doesn’t give a kid a break. If Madonna has the energy for that well god bless but I don’t think it’s fair to mandate her kids keep up with that kind of schedule.

      • Mira says:

        I am sorry if i offended you, I am not from england or the US so if you are offended by language then i apologise but its not my first language so i don’t have your level of command over the language.
        As i have as i said sympathy for Rocco but i tell you what offends me as child of a hard working single mother the misogynistic slant of Richies sources offends me. Is it really necessary to suggest she’s not a good mother because she doesnt have a traditional family set up?
        One of my siblings works in the same business as Guy so i know its is not this stable job that lends itself well to raising a family which is what this article seems to suggest
        Guys last movie was shot on multiple locations within the UK and Italy. That means moving around from location to location. Rocco would also have had to move around if he wanted to be around Guy but the main point here is the nature of the job Guy has.
        I don’t have a preference in this i think they are both exhibiting bad parenting with this spectacle they are making out of it. But i do not agree that somehow actors and directors are better equipped to provide a stable upbringing. Singers traditionally do one big tour once every couple of years ( madonna hadn’t done one in 3 years from what i can see) and then they go away but an actor or director may shoot several movies a year.

      • Lillylizard says:

        Mira, I’d agree with you if Rocco was 5 but he is 15, an independent minded human being who is sick of an over controlling self obsessed mother. Maybe he’d like to work on a film set instead of a rock tour, learn the ropes in his fathers business instead of his mothers, he’s been there and done that and is obviously over it.

        This didn’t happen overnight it’s been festering for a long time, constant screaming matches say sources from Madonna’s tour. Mads is so self absorbed she didn’t see it coming , when apparently many on the tour were expecting something like this to happen, and when it did instead of trying to find a compromise she went to a judge to order him back which made the whole thing very public . She doen’t strike me as a person who knows how to compromise and thats the problem.

        Rocco was obviously miserable on tour and had finally had enough and left. Madonna is the main problem here , not Rocco and not Guy, he will take Rocco’s side of course and stir the pot a bit no doubt but basically he is just gleefully watching Madonna hang herself as far as her relationship with Rocco goes.

    • Artemis says:

      Because it literally says ‘A movie associate of Ritchie’ in the article! Plus the article bashes Madonna relentlessy and puts Rocco’s views forward. Rocco’s been with Guy for over a month so how would Madonna’s camp know about his feelings? And if they are negative why would Madonna (even if she did know) come out bashing herself?

      Guy bashed Madonna after the divorce too. It’s in line with what came out before. Controlling and talking about her lifestyle is exactly what he did during their divorce. I do mean EXACTLY the same.

      On TMZ, it’s clear that it’s Guy’s camp leaking this info which is ridiculous considering Madonna is supposed to be the one causing ‘drama’ yet he’s taking it out on her in PUBLIC and not in private. But I suppose he’s ‘Father of the Year’ simply because Madonna is the ex-wife and we can’t have Madonna being the good parent in this scenario.

      As for the touring lifestyle: many actors simply don’t see their kids at all and are 3 months away from them sometimes. Also when they’re busy working, whether it’s directing, acting or singing, there is no time to parent as they have way too long hours anyway. Madonna’s kids, when they are not being schooled are actually closer to her as they can go on stage and hang out backstage. The brangelina family is very busy too with traveling and projects and they seem to manage fine with kids who love them and spend time with them when they can. Just like Madonna they spend time with the kids during breakfast, dinner and evening times on really busy days. I guess, like ‘normal’ parents.

      When you work and you have kids, that’s life. Guy can live the way he wants because he never had a good work ethic and instead took money from his working ex-wife.
      Go look it up, Guy failed at school and only succeeded starting out filming with his rich connections (Sting). Always latching on to people who do have a work ethic!

    • Pinky says:

      I agree with Mira disagreeing with this article.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      ” Who provides the stability?”

      Having a home in one location is a lot of stability, actually. It allows him to build friendships with people his own age. For example, if he wanted a girlfriend (or boyfriend). If he was on tour, potential romantic interests would have to be a part of the touring crew because that is the only way he’d be able to see them on a regular basis. But most of those people would be too old for him, so it just couldn’t happen.

      • Mira says:

        Tiffany
        Its one tour every 3 years its not as if she is on the road non stop all the time. I completely agree that its not ideal for a child Roccos age but lets not act as if hes having to deal with this all the time. Guy shoots a lot more movies than Madonna does tours so thats going to even out at the end of the day
        You may find that in the future some of Brangelina kids do not agree with the nomadic lifestyle their parents live and rebel against it. Are we then going to say they are bad parents?
        Anyway I think those two should co parent instead of turning this into a mudslinging match.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I know tours aren’t non-stop, which is why it makes no sense to me that she would force him to go on the road with her. It rips him away from his life and social network to go travel the world with her.

        Film production and touring the world are different things. You don’t need to travel to film, sound stages are used frequently. Much of the work for filming takes place before the cameras start rolling, and traveling isn’t always a part of that. I don’t think a person can accurately make assumptions regarding the demands Ritchie’s filming schedule would place on his son.

        When you tour, you are so completely dependent on the touring organization. They control your check-in, check-out of hotels. They give you new currency in each new country you enter. Essentially, he was being babysat and monitored by his mom’s employees.

      • Bridget says:

        Just going to point out that a movie location might be more stable, but it’s not like he’d be hanging out with Guy every evening. Guy would likely be working long, long hours on set (not to mention both pre and post production, especially now that his movies have gotten bigger and more expensive), so it would be the stepmother and the kids most of the time. Not exactly the squishy family scenario that’s being put forward

      • Tiffany :) says:

        If he is living with Guy, I don’t assume that means he will be going to work with Guy. It is different if you are on tour, you are essentially forced to be at work with the parent. As I said, we don’t have enough information to know how Ritchie’s work schedule would impact his son (could be editing in a home studio, could be location scouting in other countries), but I do know a lot about touring and there are legitimate constraints that come with it.

        I don’t think the best thing for the 15 year old is spending 24/7 with their parent. What would be best for him is to have a stable home base out of which to form his own social circle and his own identity.

      • Bridget says:

        I’m just pointing out, there’s this assumption being made that just because Guy’s married to a young woman who is just popping out kids left and right, that it’s better because it’s more traditional. It may be plenty stable, but not because of Guy, who is the parent in question. And does no one remember that Guy has talked about wanting to send his kids to boarding school anyhow? If that happens Rocco wouldn’t even be at home.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I don’t know who is assuming Guy is more stable because he has a wife who is having children. It isn’t me. I think he offers more stability for other reasons. A non-touring parent is absolutely going to provide a more stable life for a teen than a touring parent who goes on global tours.

        Additionally, even if Guy sends him to a boarding school…that is still a stable environment. Rocco would be able to make friends that he’d see week to week and have activities that he would chose. Taking a person on tour removes their choices, because it is very strictly scheduled.

    • aurelia says:

      The step mother is probaly a really lovely mother who loves being a mother. Even if guy is away working the sitch is probably preferable to living with madge and her toy boys and touring and narcisisst behaviour.

      • ell says:

        of course, the sahm is a better mother than the working mum. honestly, the misogyny is these comments is astounding.

      • Otaku fairy says:

        Plus the “but she’s not even trying to be a lady at her age” comments. I have no doubt that Madonna is controlling and I don’t think there’s any sexism in saying that Rocco doesn’t want to be on tour and should choose where he lives, but people are also making it about dissaproval of her sex life and image as a woman.

  13. Kelly says:

    Wow, Madonna a regular day is an insufferable, all about me, control freak. Can you imagine if she were your mother?

    It’s okay to rebel kids as long as you do it my way.

  14. Heat says:

    Bottom line: Madonna and Guy BOTH need to grow up, set aside their differences, and work together to be parents to their children.
    If they co-parented and showed a united front to Rocco, perhaps things wouldn’t be turning out so ugly. He will (if he isn’t already) use their animosity against each other to work to his advantage; he’s 15…that’s kinda what 15-year-olds do.
    All that said, I do think that he should be allowed to go and live with his father, if that’s what he wants. Forcing him to do otherwise is only going to make him angrier and more angst-y.

    • Christin says:

      This is what it really boils down to. Instead of competing, just talk it out and let him decide.

    • TheOtherViv says:

      Amen. I live with teenagers and I frequently want to drop them off at a police station or ANYWHERE for complaining about NOTHING. Because unfortunately a teen can have all the necessities plus lots of luxuries in life but still think you are the worst uncoolest cruelest parents for asking them to clean their rooms, talk to people/ teachers respectfully and for not providing them with new smartphones every few months -because apparently that’s what all the other cool non-cruel parents do.
      We work hard and love them but sometimes wonder: who are these people in our house?

      • Jayna says:

        LOL My sister told me the other day, just you wait. She has a teen son and said it’s killing her some days. It’s all about me, me, me, me. She said he’s sucking the life out of her far too often. And this is a smart student, great grades except he procrastinates until the last minute, doesn’t get into trouble, but he has turned into a different kid at home and the battles over everything, like his mess of a room, etc., are exhausting. She said you get so much love from your children when they are little and they think you walk on water, and that that changes and suddenly you can do no right many days, unless they want something and then it’s all the buttering up. She’s praying the next two are easier when they go into their teens.

      • GingerCrunch says:

        LOL at dropping your teen off at the police station! Wish I’d thought of that “threat”! Mom always pointed out the Reform School back in my day. Still shudder at that. Parenting teens is def not for the faint of heart. I REALLY miss my kids when they were younger! Sigh.

    • The Original Mia says:

      I said the same thing in the other post and got slammed because Rocco is a child and he shouldn’t dictate to his parents. Madonna shouldn’t alienate him and Guy shouldn’t pander. They should work together as parents. Not adversaries.

  15. Karen says:

    So many conflicting things:

    Too many rules = Not enough stability?

    Too healthy diet = Why isn’t she cooking?

    Avoiding spending time with embarrassing mom = Guy’s want of Rocco to have power Guy didn’t have growing up?

    Rocco doesn’t relate to his younger London based siblings where he wants to live = Lordes (who’s actually close to her mom) avoiding everyone/him by going to college in the states where he doesn’t want to be?

    • claire says:

      Too many rules and not enough stability don’t seem conflicting to me. You can be under a ton of rules while being shuffled from club to club, city to city each night, which would really affect your sense of stability.

    • Miss Jupitero says:

      Macrobiotic diet vs. why wont she just cook for me also does not sound contradictory.

      I think madonna is food obsessed, perfectionist, and possibly orthorexic and is pushing it on her kids. Most likely the food is made by staff. All the kid wants to is to have sit down homecooked meals with his mom and maybe some variety. In our home, meals together is kind of a big bonding thing. My adult step daughters request spaghetti night when they visit. It’s important.

  16. cannibell says:

    I just hope there’s a way that they can get this resolved without all of us having the ability to look through the window. The kid deserves that.

    Don’t know if anyone else remembers the documentary “Truth or Dare.” There’s a scene in which Warren Beatty, her boyfriend at the time, says something to the effect of “There’s no her without the cameras running.” I remember feeling so sad after I watched it – it was a portrait of loneliness.

    Here’s a two-minute clip, if anyone’s interested. It’s not the one I wanted, but it’s Beatty….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93lz5IE7Z0c

    And Happy 2016, everyone.

    • Jayna says:

      How many photos of Madonna do you see during the three years off in between albums and touring. A little here and there or if she’s promoting something. She now posts some instagram pics, but no one sees her that much out and about in NYC, just pap pics catching her going to Kaballah with family or out with a child or date.. Her children have always been able to live a pretty private life going to school, with more interest in them when high school age. But do you believe Madonna doesn’t have a full life in her home with her children? People see a fraction of Madonna’s life since she’s had kids.

      You are comparing a single, childless Madonna, from 25 plus years ago at the absolute height of her career and fame when she was everywhere and wanted to be everywhere and seen to now?

      • cannibell says:

        Yes, after a fashion I suppose you can color me guilty on the comparison front. Which doesn’t mean apologetic. It shows some basics in terms of what’s been posted regarding her need for control, which has served her very well in her career but is not going to do the same in a domestic situation with her kid. I wish them all well and hope, as I said prior, that all parties can work this out without having us in the way…..

  17. Liz says:

    The NY Post article is incredibly sexist. Why doesn’t Guy mention how much money he squeezed out of Madonna during their divorce settlement. Close to 100 million. This was money that she earned while touring and working relentlessly. Yes, I’m sure he’s happy his movie has been pushed back since he can afford (thanks to Madonna) to sit back and be a “good father.” He tried to obscure the fact, through his publicist, that he received a huge settlement from her. He is another Kevin Federline.
    If he was really a good father he’d try to mend his sons relationship to his mother, instead of running of trying to turn the media and the public against her.

    • Artemis says:

      Yes, he dumped his non-rich GF of 7 years instantly when the most famous woman of the world took an interest in him. Got her pregnant as soon as they were able to be together physically (after 1 year of being separated and letter writing). It was clear what motivated him.
      It didn’t take him long to date a younger woman who pretty much gave up her career when starting with him and just staying at his side while having his children.

      So marry a woman instantly who has money to then slag her off in the press and take her hard-earned money to then date a woman who doesn’t have a lot of money instead living off other people’s money. Bye Felitchie.

    • Josephine says:

      Hmm – complaining about the division of assets is super sexist in and of itself. When people get divorced, the assets are split. Sometimes the man makes/had more money and sometimes the woman. Hard to believe that there was no a pre-nup, and all of the business about division of assets is speculation anyway. And even if he did walk away with a settlement, please don’t cry for Madonna – that’s the way it goes in a divorce, and it’s sexist to assume that the assets should not have been split just because he’s a man.

      I think the only thing we can be sure of is that we have no idea what their relationship was, who said and did what to whom, etc. I have no doubt that either is capable of being a truly terrible person and parent when he or she doesn’t get her way.

      • LAK says:

        Josephine: it’s not the settlement itself that is the problem. It’s the fact that Guy told any and all publications who asked *for years* that he wasn’t in it for the money nor would he take any money from her under any circumstances.

        Fast forward to the divorce and he changes his tune. He gorges the mother of all settlements out of Madonna and brags about it to a magazine, saying the money was worth it. I’m saying it better than he did because the way he said it, it was clear he thought he’d put in hard labour to win this settlement.

        I’m sure that’s why people keep bringing up the settlement because Guy, immediately post divorce and settlement, was a twat who made it very, very clear that it was all about the money.

        He’s given few interviews since, but when situation flares up like this, it reminds people of his former words.

      • Luca76 says:

        @LAK that all very well may be true but it still has absolutely nothing to do with Rocco and where he should live. Bringing it up within the context of custody sounds like sour grapes.

      • Liz says:

        Yes, to what LAK said. If he was a good, responsible father his sources wouldn’t be leaking information to the NY Post and other media. He is doing the same thing to Madonna that he did during his divorce, which is to paint her as a controlling workaholic. Maybe Guy Ritchie feels he’s “earned” more money and wants child support. I would not put it past him.

      • Bridget says:

        I disagree that it’s sour grapes. More that it’s another example of how Guy Richie has no problem talking out of both sides of his mouth, especially to make himself look better. He made such a big deal about how he didn’t need her money, and then proceeded to fight for a huge chunk of it all the while sagging her off. Because ultimately, it comes down to the fact that it hurt Guy’s ego that he could never even come close to matching Madonna’s fame or stature. You can still see it in how he’s leaking info here.

      • Diane says:

        On the other hand, she did almost tank his career with Swept Away. Have you seen it? It’s uncomfortable and embarrassing to watch her try to act, especially if you’ve seen the original Wertmuller film. She is terrible and he had to have seen that during shooting. He probably knew he was up sh*t creek before they got to editing. And I wouldn’t be surprised if she pursued him originally because he was an acclaimed up-and-coming director who could fulfill her Norma Desmond acting fantasy. So I can see how he might have felt she owed him some monetary compensation for almost putting him out of business.

      • Bridget says:

        Having seen the two follow ups after Swept Away, I can say with confidence that Guy Richie almost put himself out of business. He spent that entire marriage unhappy about his wife’s global fame, and then tried to assuage his own male pride by saying that he didn’t need her money. Then when the dust settled made sure he got every single penny possible.

    • Daria Morgendorffer says:

      @Liz, the NY Post has been notoriously hard on Madonna and exceptionally cruel in their coverage of her over the years. This paper regularly runs sexist articles because they’re all about sensationalism. This is the paper who is famous for running the headline “Headless Body Found in Topless Bar.” Most recently they’ve come under a bit of fire for one of their writers, Kyle Smith, calling for Carrie Fischer to retire from acting if she doesn’t want people to criticize her for “aging badly.” They’re all about creating a buzz.

  18. Josefina says:

    I’ve always hated when the media covers stuff like this. No matter who the members of the family are, these matters should remain private. I won’t make any comments regarding Madonna and Guy as parents because I’m not their daughter and I have no idea of how they actually are.

  19. Kitten says:

    Funny that even in high-profile celeb marriages moms still get stuck with the role of disciplinarian and dads get to be the “cool parent”

  20. Nancy says:

    I think she loves her children. She has always demanded control and I think that’s what she’s doing now. The boy seems better off with his father, especially at this age…..and if given the choice I’d put my kid’s allowance…lol on Guy getting custody. Is this Madonna or Blanche DuBois? The similarities are striking.

  21. Daria Morgendorffer says:

    I think at 15 that he is old enough to decide which parent he wants to be with. Children go through phases, especially in their teens, where they don’t get along with one or both parents and that is normal. If he wants a break from his mom, maybe she should give it to him. I could see her being concerned and wanting to enforce that he has to be with her if he was somehow in danger or in harm’s way, but if he’s not doing anything bad there should be no problem. I don’t think that trying to hold your kids on a super tight leash simply to impose your will is healthy. What is now possibly just a young kid wanting a break from his mom or some extra time with his dad might turn into serious resentment for his mother if she tries too hard to impose her will on him.

    • JenniferJustice says:

      I don’t think she’s controlling to impose her will. I think she cares way too much about appearances and her image. I’m not a fan, so she gets no sympathy from me. I don’t believe any child of any age should have to tour with a parent and live in a trailer or hotel and not be able to go to regular school and have a normal childhood. She reminds me of Mommy Dearest – it’s about image. I have a hard time believing there is anything sincere or genuine about this woman.

      • noway says:

        I see your point, but explain to me how her image as strict good disciplinarian parent goes with the sexy free will speaking music pop star, albeit aging pop star. I think her music/celebrity image is everything, but this is something else. If you have a negative opinion of Madonna it could be as simple as not letting her ex win. If you have a more positive image of her it could be making sure her son is being parented in a proper manner and in the best home for him which she believes is hers.

  22. JenniferJustice says:

    “t’s typical teenage drama mixed with a controlling mother. ” What? We’re talking about the teen kids of Madonna, so nothing typical applies. This is a 15 year old kid who just wants a normal life and wishes his mother was there for him more than just a photo op or to have him dance on stage for entertainment. She is a known narcissist and worse than the average narcissist because her main priority is staying relevant in the music biz – no matter what, no matter how. She’s become a joke and her kids see this. She cares more about Instagram and Twitter than she does giving her kids a stable home for once in their life and she is at the stage in her career that she could and should do this for them, but this Madonna. She will never be at peace outside the spotlight. I feel bad for all her kids. They are pawns as far as I’m concerned. AT least Rocco has his father. Lordes doesn’t even have that – her father lives in Cuba, so I’m guessing 1) they don’t have a close relationship and 2) he’s not accessible, available on a regular basis and not an option to live with so long as she wants to stay here in America.

    I find withholding phones until they’re 15 ridiculous. What is she trying to prove? That they aren’t spoiled? That’s stupid. My 12-year old has a smart phone so he can communicate with me whenever, wherever, and frankly, it makes me feel he is safer when we can all keep tabs with each other in real time. I don’t see them wanting a phone as bratty or whining. In this day and age, especially at their age, I think it stunts their social development and technology know-how to not stay on top of technological advances. We’re in a high-tech age and kids need to know how to use technology when they’re young so it doesn’t intimidate them later and put them behind.

    • FingerBinger says:

      Lourdes’s father lives in new York. He doesn’t live Cuba. I don’t know where you got that. As for phones parents don’t want their kids distracted by facebook and twitter. Parents don’t want their kids to become Kim Kardashian the patron saint of selfies. You don’t get that? If your 12 year old has a phone that’s how you parent. Everybody parents differently.

      • Zapp Brannigan says:

        Lourdes is close to her dad I think, she was at his wedding and they have been seen together over the years.

        Guy Ritchie compared Madonna to a piece of gristle, no matter what anyone thinks of her he shares children with her and to say that publicly shows a huge lack of respect for the mother of his children.

      • JenniferJustice says:

        Having a phone is not all about selfies and becoming a Kardashian. And we’re talking about Madonna so I’m doubting she cares about her kids taking selfies or becoming self-absorbed. That’s laughable.

        I hope Lourdes is close to her dad. I’m glad to know he lives in NY. My bad.

        Did Guy make that gristile comment to the media? I thought it was second-hand. They both have made unsavory comments about eachother. She said at a concert that he was emotionally retarded, so I sense neither of them are particularly mature in dealing with each other.

      • FingerBinger says:

        A phone isn’t just phone these days. There’s texting ,internet ,etc. It can be a distraction. That was the point I was making. Because Madonna is self absorbed doesn’t mean she wants her kids to be that way.

    • Artemis says:

      Carlos resides in NY and spends a lot of time with Lola. Where do you get that he lives in Cuba? Madonna met him in NY and that’s where he always lived.

      There are pictures with him from when Lola was a baby until well present time I suppose. Google is your friend:
      https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=carlos+leon+leon&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwin7MfBlZHKAhXCOBQKHYB9ARMQ_AUIBigB

      Him and Madonna are on good terms, I can’t find anything super recent but since she never got into trouble with him and supports his career:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzSfBBM-KhE

      I bet that they’re still fine. Carlos isn’t a man that uses a woman to get ahead or to live well:

  23. rianic says:

    I only have girls, and only one is a pre teen, so please correct me if needed. But Rocco is a 15-year old boy. To me, it isn’t odd for a boy to seek his father at that time in his life. Puberty – all the emotional and physical changes – he needs someone he can talk with. I’m not trying to be old fashioned, but wouldn’t most boys prefer their fathers then?

  24. Malificent says:

    I don’t have a horse in the race on Guy, but I think that Rocco’s complaint about not getting enough time and attention from his mom is legitmate. I’m a single/only parent with a white-collar job who is able to work from home most of the time. Logistically, I have it easy.

    But when my work schedule kicks in to high gear, I struggle to find enough time and mental energy for my kid, along with my job and the rest of my responsibilities. I can’t imagine headlining a tour with Madonna’s legendary work level, and then having time to parent 3 kids.

    It’s not about the politics of whether working mothers have the moral right to work. Or the unfairness that dads are not forced to make the same decisions. It’s about the human limitation of not being able to physically and mentally be in two places at once. Even with good child care, kids just plain need time and attention. Maybe Madonna needs to reconsider her work choices for a while and make decisions that allow for a more consistent environment for her kids. Through her hard work, she has the money and flexibility to do so.

    • Tara says:

      You said that so well Maleficent!!

    • Sarah says:

      Exactly, agree with everything you said. Like you I have the luxury of working from home and can spend a lot of time with my kids. But there are times when I need to travel & I don’t drag my kids with me when I do. I recognize that as much as I miss them, they need stability & their routine. I think Madonna should just let Rocco stay with Guy when she’s on tour if that’s what he wants instead of going to court to force him to come home.

  25. Cocteau Twins says:

    This latest stuff confirms what I suspected of Guy Ritchie – big thumbs down on the Ritchie camp. Fine if you want to get primary custody, but apparently we can’t expect a “man” like him to model respect for the mother of his son/ all women.
    Also, Celebitchy is so much better than Page Six, especially y’all who post on here 🙂

    • Luca76 says:

      Disagree with your opinion but I just wanted to give a shoutout to the Cocteau Twins!!! I don’t know if you saw my previous comment to you but I love them!

      • Cocteau Twins says:

        Yes, I was glad to see your comments!
        I’m also wondering why I’m commenting on a family situation I know nothing about. I’m old enough to remember that celebrity gossip once consisted of Entertainment Tonight, Liz Smith, and People magazine, and that was about it. No comments sections. Stupid internet. Love, Part of the Problem (but Proud to say I’ve never watched a Kardashian show)

  26. EscapedConvent says:

    I don’t doubt that Madonna loves her kids. But living with someone with her personality would be absolutely hellish. She’s lucky they didn’t try to get emancipated when they were in kindergarten.

  27. word says:

    Well Lourdes is now an adult and doesn’t have to tour with her mother. In fact, Lourdes is a sophomore at U of M and lives no where near her mother.

  28. Ferris says:

    This is going to be Goop’s kids in a few years. She should get ready. “My mom never let me have frenchfries” said Apple.

  29. anne_000 says:

    Why did Madonna post a photo of Norma Desmond?

  30. Lama Bean says:

    I just can’t believe she’s still on this damn rebel heart crap.

  31. AnotherDirtyMartini says:

    Rocco’s old enough to decide which parent he wants to live with. The End.

  32. ND says:

    WTF is she doing in that picture?

  33. AtlLady says:

    I am Team Rocco in this one. The poor kid is 15 years old and being dragged all over the world when he just wants to hang at the mall and play his guitar. Plus, think back to your own teen years and the “soundtrack” to those times. Rocco, instead, has to listen to his mother’s music night after night. Would you want that to become the soundtrack of your youth? Ick! Then add in Madonna’s controlling ways. I think she tried to “butch” Rocco up with the underage drinking pictures. When that didn’t get the response she wanted, she did the “little sausage” comment, the pigtails picture, dressed him in “Mom” jeans, and seems to be trying to see if having a “gay” son might bring her even more publicity because look at how progressive she is despite what her son, a fellow human being, might want. Even her comments about Rocco wanting her to cook for him were twisted to make it about her and ignoring his plea for her to just be a Mom for a bit.

    • Hejhej says:

      I’m also Team Rocco. No doubt both his parents are strong personalities, but both ought to put their own interests aside and look at what’s good for Rocco and what he wants first.

  34. minx says:

    You don’t force a kid that age to spend time with you, unless you’re a masochist.
    However, Guy just irritates me–he got his English estate out of the marriage and he still bad mouths his ex.
    Madonna wanted him, she got him, and she paid for it.

  35. paolanqar says:

    I’m sure one day Rocco will thank her mother for being strict, giving him rules and protecting him so much from the outside world.
    Madonna is many things, she’s often desperately clinging to her youth, vulgar and sometimes a phony but she also is a great example of how to reach success through hard work. She’s a self made woman, a trailblazer, an inspiration for millions of young girls during the 80s and so on.
    Too bad Rocco’s father can’t put a stop to this nonsense. This speaks volumes of what an asshole Guy Richie is.

  36. maggie says:

    If you dishonour the other parent you dishonour the child. These two should try to work it out amicably for the sake of the boy. It’s sad it’s come to this.

  37. EM says:

    What many people don’t realise is that despite all the money and trappings of wealth, these kids are very lonely.

  38. Londongal says:

    I think the issue here is how Madge is handling this Rocco is 15. it’s common for lads in a divorce situ to want to live with their dad at some stage and if Madge is working *a lot* and playing the media game (she’s the mistress of that, she’s very good at it and it comes with the territory) then Rocco should be able to be with his dad and stepmom if that’s a more consistent environment. Totally hear the sexism callers, but actually don’t feel GR is a sexist, if it was a male parent dragging a kid on tour we’d be saying he should go and live with the stable parent who isn’y on the move. Also, the ‘wishes Mum would cook’ is just a teenager wanting to be normal which all teenagers want. My Mum is a fucking hoot badass who used to collect me from school in a massive faux fur coat and march in to bollock a bully teacher. Now I love that, but at the time I died inside!!! So she and Rocco had a huge row and he made a planned trip and refused to come back, that seems to be the situation. How can the next sensible step be ‘involve a court and order him back against his will’?! that does speak VOLUMES about her behaviour as a parent, her naturally controlling ways and why Rocco wants space. All the money in the world can’t ease a strained or difficult parental relationship. Having Madge as a Mum must be hard emotionally. So Rocco is privileged financially but deserves a break.

  39. Eru says:

    Well I believe that Madonna can be controlling mother and he might be tired. Still majority teenagers live ordinary poor life. And can only dream to have rich parents as Rocco has. That boy was born with silver spoon,

    Whole situation with guy reminds me Mrs. Doubtfire. When mother was right when she said something like that Robin Williams does nothing and just plays around while she has to be Bad Cop to children and grown up adult. And children are angry at her for that and love their goofy dad who just plays around.

    Someone has to be responsible adult and prepare kids for grown up life. And in this case its Madonna who will make Rocco learn, go to college and be his own adult with own money later. While it looks like guy just lets Rocco be rich kid and do nothing. And then come to mommy and daddy for more money even in his 30-th. Guy is Robin Williams in this situation. And Madonna is Sally Field.

    • Colette says:

      I see it as the opposite.Madonna is a female Peter Pan who tries to be young by dating 20 year old boys,wearing grills and calling her sons ni##as,trying to be cool.

  40. Curious64 says:

    IMO, there is a teenager who, by his actions and words, seems to want to live with one parent while the other has business obligations that require them to travel extensively. That is Madonna’s choice but it shouldn’t necessarily be the choice of her son. She has a lifestyle that is in conflict with the lifestyle the teenage son seems to be craving. It is not misogynist to think that Madonna’s schedule may not be best for her son who as a teenager going through physical and psychological maturation. I think It is sexist to say that Guy received his legal divorce settlement because of the hard work of his wife and he did nothing. It is the law to separate assets accumulated during the marriage. A man or woman who is as successful as Madonna generally would receive the same treatment under the law. If we want equality it has to cut both ways.
    As a mother with teenagers, I understand the conflicts, emotions etc. and can understand Madonna’s desire to keep her son in the current situation but there is another parent who has equally the same rights to see that his son is in the best situation for their child. There does appear to be two very differing home lives and what is best for the son – and his opinions should count – should be what drives any custody decision. I don’t think one can allege that one parent will make them hardworking and the other a do-nothing before it happens. Rocco’s life and decisions will be his own.

    • Jayna says:

      Where people go after Ritchie for the amount he received from Madonna was he boasted he would never go after Madonna’s money, all macho The man.. That sure changed.. He didn’t just get some money. He went after and pushed a big settlement and got between 75 million and 100 million. Bitter a little? Yeah, I think Madonna felt used by him.

      • Bridget says:

        Not to mention, it wasn’t because he was being chivalrous, it was because he was trying to protect his delicate male ego. This was a guy that couldn’t handle Madonna’s fame, especially with his macho worldview. Of course, when no one was looking he was happy to demand the money. Ugh.

    • Jayna says:

      Plus, he bragged in an interview about financially the marriage had been good for him, or something.

      • Curious64 says:

        Divorce is rarely an emotionless and blameless event. Doesn’t matter what interviews report. The law mandates an equal split of assets acquired during a marriage and I would surmise that Madonna had the best legal counsel available. Guy Ritchie can’t “push for a big settlement” that he is not legally entitled to unless Madonna agreed to do that. And I don’t see her as an ignorant person nor victim.

  41. Erics says:

    One of the people quoted in the New York Post article, Matt Rettenmund, has said on his Facebook page that he was misquoted in the article and he even apologized to Madonna’s management for allowing them to interview him in the first place. He was trying to stand up for Madonna, but they twisted his words. I hope Madonna sues the paper. Shame on everybody else, Madonna fan or not, for falling for this bs story.

  42. geneva says:

    I am just venting here but 15 is sort of the turning point for boys…

  43. geneva says:

    Just saying that it is horrible to see your child want to go live with the other parent…but by letting them go it helps to ensure they will return to you. Reading through all the comments..and people have a lot of wisdom on this site…shows exactly how common this tug of war is in divorce…and yet, just imagine, if this was Anywhere, USA and as a mother you just had to prove there was some stability in your life in the event social services might come to call…how bizarre it would be to sindMadonna in the house inatead. Facing the loss of her custody of her son. she reacts by posting these narciss-tic photos of this great so-called artist Madonna in a kind of soft porn pose…reaching to the sky with a weird hairstyle and layers of plastic surgery… then picture the kids saying Where’s my dinner, Mom? … Truly, Anywhere USA custody battle might let the child stay with Dad until Mom can be stabilized herself. But, the rules are different for the rich and the famous.

  44. Pink Elephant says:

    Is it just me, or do many of these comments seem more reflective of contributors’ interpersonal wounds than anything involving Ms. Ciccone and Mr. Ritchie’s custodial struggle? Hm.

    …that said, every time I read anything about Madonna’s parenting, I get a big ol’ psychic flash of “Mommy Dearest 2.0”. No idea why, but it’s vaguely chilling.

  45. cocoo says:

    PLEASE for God”s sake put your family shit out of social media and stop acting like a fourteen year old. I know you are not educated and you are far far away from anything classy. STOP hassling your kids and let them live their lives. If I was a 15 year old boy whose mother regardless of having $600 million feels she needs to masturbate with a microphone pole on the stage to make ends meet, I would have wanted nothing to do with her. I read that her daughter fell in love with her latest 25 year old boyfriend and she got ride of the boyfriend and send the daughter to some 24 hour school far away from home. Well done Madonna!!

  46. teen behaviour says:

    Who are the “sources” ?