Madonna to Sean Penn: ‘I loved you from the moment that I laid eyes on you’

As we discussed on Sunday (you might have missed it), Madonna came out for Sean Penn’s now-annual pre-Globes fundraiser for his J/P Haitian Relief Organization. Last year’s fundraiser saw Sean walking the carpet with his then-live-in girlfriend Charlize Theron. And now he’s got his arm around his ex-wife Madonna and two of her kids (Mercy and David). Madonna was there to support Sean, of course, and to perform. She sang “La Vie En Rose” while strumming a ukulele, I sh-t you not. She also told the crowd, “I want to say Sean that I loved you from the moment that I laid eyes on you and I still love you just the same.” Oh, Madonna! Play hard to get a little bit. He’s nice to you a few times a year now and suddenly you’re back to making public declarations of love? SHADY.

As for Sean’s other shady mess, the interview he conducted with El Chapo for Rolling Stone is still making headlines here in America and around the world. Legit journalists are flabbergasted. Politicians are dumbstruck. Law enforcement professionals are investigating. You see, while law enforcement officials have said that Penn’s interview with El Chapo helped them track down El Chapo, they want it to be clear: Penn was actually trying to be sneaky and sly, but he was just a miserable failure at hiding his tracks.

Sean Penn’s bombshell Rolling Stone interview with Mexican drug cartel leader El Chapo was one of the “avenues of opportunity” that lead to the criminal’s recapture nearly seven months after his escape from prison, an American official with knowledge of the investigation tells PEOPLE. Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera was interviewed by Penn for the magazine back in October, while he was still in hiding from authorities. An anonymous Mexican authority told the Associated Press on Sunday that Guzmán was tracked down because of the Oscar-winner’s jungle meeting and the criminal’s efforts to make a biopic of his own life. However, that does not mean that Penn was working with authorities.

“The movie and Sean Penn were not part of a scheme designed to catch Chapo,” the source clarifies. “The process those people put in motion though opened up opportunities to be exploited. It created openings to explore, breadcrumbs to follow. They thought they were clever,” the source says of Guzmán and the people who helped him organize the meeting with Penn. “They weren’t. They were amateurs trying to beat the pros on the pros’ turf.”

Several Hollywood production companies also reportedly notified U.S. officials that they were working on Guzmán’s film – at least one of which was in contact with the fugitive’s associates, according to NBC News.

[From People]

The raid that eventually captured El Chapo was the result of six months of work by the Mexican authorities. The authorities were close to raiding his hideout right around the time of Penn’s interview, but El Chapo had women and children in his compound, and the Mexican authorities decided to wait. Meanwhile, the White House Chief of Staff, Denis McDonough, called Penn’s interview with El Chapo “maddening” and “appalling.” But McDonough didn’t say whether American authorities would investigate Penn for the way in which he conducted himself. Marco Rubio also said some words – go here to read.

Oh, and this morning Page Six had an absolutely hilarious story about Penn’s “Bad Journalism 101” – half of Hollywood knew he was going to interview El Chapo because Penn and his team would sit around the Polo Lounge loudly discussing how to meet up with El Chapo.

Photos courtesy of Getty & Fame/Flynet.

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90 Responses to “Madonna to Sean Penn: ‘I loved you from the moment that I laid eyes on you’”

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  1. cannibell says:

    I hope they remarry. They deserve each other. Also, his writing is as bad as his acting is good.

    • Duchess of Corolla says:

      They’re both equally awful…definitely deserve each other.

    • Pinky says:

      ‘Cause he nevuh hit her. Neva, nevuh, nevuh!

      Now her testimony in his class azzhole lawsuit is suspect. Way to go.

      And finally, Penn is losing any last shred of respect he might have had from anyone. Way to re-pick ’em, Madonna.

    • InvaderTak says:

      Same. I can’t stand her, and for some reason never could. Let them stew in their own disgusting juices together.

      • nicole says:

        There has always been something unlikeable about her, but I still love some of her songs, late 80s were good. She seems to me to be a bit obsessed by him, so I wouldnt be surprised if they get back together.

    • Farhi says:

      Yep, this is the case where two screwed up people are so well suited, they work and they should stay together to save unsuspected civilians from falling into a relationship with them.

    • BossyKat says:

      I feel you Rocco. That kid had to put with this nonsense – his mom acting like a gullible pathetic teenager over her alleged/purported/rumored (don’t want to get sued by Sean) one time domestic abuser.

    • Ravensdaughter says:

      Friends with privileges?
      Yes, poor Rocco. His mom is more than a bit flakey.

  2. Belle Epoch says:

    Poor Rocco.

    • Div says:

      I hope Rocco finds some stability in his life. Guy seems shady too though.

      • Bread and Circuses says:

        He might be shady, but with a home, wife, three kids, and a history of being a good, hands-on dad to Rocco and step-dad to Lola, he offers the more stable environment for a kid to grow up in.

        A fifteen-year-old should NOT be out on tour. Shady people, shady activities, no stability, no friends, different city every night…

    • Denisemich says:

      I believe this is why Rocco was out of there. Having a mother that constantly inserts the rotational loves of her life in your life is chaotic. You are important one minute and second fiddle the next. I am sure Madonna doesn’t realize the impact on her kids but Rocco is right to live with his dad.

      Madonna’s constant reinvention of her actual relationship with Sean Penn is just sad.

      Is he really that good in bed or is she just crazy?

      • Janis says:

        I agree with everything you said, Denise. Madonna has become an embarrassing caricature of herself. Her thirst for publicity at all costs and her fear of aging is beyond pathetic. No class but then she rarely showed class or insight. Poor Rocco indeed.

      • BossyKat says:

        Yup. One minute Rocco and the other kids are sharing a house with Madge’s college aged beau Egyptian pretty boy backup dancer, the next minute Ham faced ogre Sean is turning more red and more glazey ragey at you at the dinner table, because you ate the last pork chop.

      • I Choose Me says:

        To quote Awesomely Luvvie, “Maybe his peen is her patronus and she can’t conjure happy thoughts without it.”

      • QQ says:

        BWAHAHAHA his Penis IS her Patronus!! luvvie is everything to me for that

        Also Maddona Have no gfs cause any and All of my gfs even the least involved one would bodyslam me so as to never make such a declaration about an ex in a Public setting, is kind of mortifying

  3. Lama Bean says:

    Because I looooovvveeee ham.

  4. Div says:

    I find it disgusting that RS gave El Chapo editorial consent and sent an actor out there to interview him…..but this is hardly the first time someone in hiding has been interviewed (hell, several people interviewed Osama Bin Laden) so I don’t know why people think Penn’s going to get charged. This isn’t illegal and most journalists would do the same thing. The disgust is that Penn seemed to fawn over the monster nd that RS gave up editorial consent.

    It’s also interesting that he’s making public appearances with Madonna now and she’s giving him public declarations of love right before and right after she denied the abuse. I just can’t with these two pieces of beef jerky.

    • cannibell says:

      Also, speaking as a journalist, the writing is HORRIBLE. And the grammar….guess RS must have fired the copy desk staff to pay the damages it incurred after the UVA piece.

      • frivolity says:

        The bad writing aside (there’s plenty of that everywhere), what angers me is that celebrities think that they can just take on any vocation that they wish, supplanting those who already work in that vocation – and that they are allowed to do so simply because they are famous.

      • sauvage says:

        @ frivolity: The most maddening part about this, to me, is the fact that they seem to to think that they are CAPABLE of taking on any vocation they wish, simply because they are famous.

      • hogtowngooner says:

        @frivolity

        +1,000

        People work their butts off for YEARS to be a journalist. It’s a respected profession but people like Penn think they can swan in and do it better. The entitlement and arrogance is breathtaking.

    • CK says:

      Most people aren’t as knowledgeable of the law. There is also this undercurrent of “this offends me and my sensibilities so it must be illegal” that has come into play historically in the U.S/around the world. Someone needs to be fired at RS over that editorial consent mess though.

    • Carol says:

      What is up with RS? They used to have very credible stories and now its been one scandal after another. And really, Sean Penn? That guy doesn’t have a sophisticated thought or nuanced sensibilities. Just hear him speak about other countries’ problems and he just sounds like a dope. What is still shocking to me is how Charlize Theron ever thought Sean Penn was brilliant.

    • EOA says:

      Yep. One can question his ethics and those of Rolling Stones, but the fact is that this story is protected by the First Amendment. It’s doubtful that American authorities would bother wasting their time investigating Penn for this. Now, he might be under some legal jeopardy from the Mexican authorities, but that’s a different matter.

  5. Kri says:

    Oh my God. Madonna has finally lost it.A ukelele!?I am cringing so hard I would qualify for a cirque acrobat job.Someone arrest Sean Penn please. Outrageously arrogant fool.

    • CharlotteCharlotte says:

      When I used to go out clubbing, every time my friend and I were together, the club would play “Like a Prayer”. Live bands, DJs, whatever, it just always seemed to play for us. We thought it was our own special magic. This is in the 2000s, by the way.
      One NYE, after I had moved countries, my brother was hosting a party at his flat. 2 of his friends brought along their ukuleles to play for us all. I rang my friend to wish her Happy New Year, and there in the background, sprung the sound of 2 ukuleles twanging out “Like a Prayer”.

  6. grabbyhands says:

    No one is ever going to love Sean Penn as much as he does, but Madonna is a close second.

    Now they can hang out and talk about how amazing he is. Countdown to him chiming in on her “custody battle” commencing in 3, 2, 1……..

  7. Allie says:

    I guess I just don’t understand how Sean isn’t in more trouble for meeting with an escaped convict. Is it because it was Mexico and Sean is American, so he didn’t technically do anything illegal? Either way, more people should be making fun of him for this.

    • SamiHami says:

      Well, my understanding is that he was wanted in six different US jurisdictions, so I think his actions were probably criminal. Whether or not the choose to pursue any charges against him is a different matter. I really, really hope they do, but they probably won’t. Different rules for rich celebrities and all that.

      • EOA says:

        It has nothing to do with “different rules for rich celebrities and all that.” It has to do with the First Amendment, and the fact that he was acting in this capacity as a journalist. Reporters have met and interviewed fugitives before. Sean Penn may be any number of not pleasant things, but I don’t think he’s stupid. He likely made sure to line up Rolling Stone once he was contacted as a way of protecting himself since this gave him legal cover as a reporter. But the reality is that any reporter would have been protected, as well.

    • Mar says:

      Yes- This. What’s up with all of that?

    • Cindy says:

      It seems illegal to me too. Is it against the law to be in contact with a known fugitive, know where he is, and not contact authorities? That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. This was all attention seeking on Sean’s part, had to be. What a child.

    • CK says:

      Well on the U.S. front, Sean has certain journalistic protections since he conducted the interview for RS. Contacting and interviewing a known fugitive is protected as long as you don’t aid and abet them i.e. the CB authors could go interview Snowden under first amendment protections, but they couldn’t smuggle him into the country to do it.

    • supposedtobeworking says:

      There are no legal ramifications for Penn because he did not aid or abet the fugitive. It is legal to interview them, as long there is no exchange of money, resources or providing a criminal with a safe house.

      I think it is tied into the first amendment right – freedom of speech and fear of prosecution. Journalists have a right to tell a story, without fear of legal ramifications as long as they are not helping the fugitive. I’m Canadian, but that’s what I’ve pieced together from news reports.

  8. Nancy says:

    I thought she was smarter than this. Like Barbra Streisand sang, what’s too painful to remember, we simply choose to forget.

  9. OSTONE says:

    BARF. Madonna sounds so desperate and Sean is an arrogant sob. They deserve each other.

  10. Zaytabogota says:

    So if he wasn’t working with the authorities it was an eavesdropper who overheard his public bragging who tipped them off. Still his fault. Wouldn’t like to be him when the cartel come looking for revenge!!!

    He and Madge are perfect together, two narcissistic, self obsessed, moral cretins. I hope Rococo gets to stay with his dad. As for her two youngest, those poor kids.

    • Janis says:

      Was just thinking the same thing. Sean better watch his back – the cartel is coming for him…

    • supposedtobeworking says:

      The authorities already knew where El Chapo was. But they also used photographs to determine location based on topography in the background – there was a mountain range and some other clues to determine Penn was at the house they were surveilling.

  11. mia girl says:

    El Jerko interviews El Chapo.

  12. Helonearth says:

    Shoulda gone to specsavers

  13. Snazzy says:

    Strangely, this makes me feel sorry for Madonna. I used to love her, and then lately irritated by her but still respected the hustle and the work ethic. But this? Between this and the Rocco issue, I just see her a pathetic now, and it makes me sad to think of someone like Madonna, who has always been this empowering voice, transform into … whatever this is.

    • Delta Juliet says:

      Guess it’s just you and me haha. It makes me feel sorry for her too.

    • Ann says:

      I never understood why some people saw Madonna as empowered. She always was an attention craving mediocre talent who had nothing interesting or anything of importance to say. Compare her and her body of work to David Bowie and you’ll know what I mean. She always was minor league even though she got mega famous. As for Sean Penn, any woman who has this guy around must be very effed up.

  14. ell says:

    ok, on the one side i think it’s nice they’re age appropriate for each other, on the other side we’re talking sean penn. thing is, it would be a cute story of 2 people marrying when they’re young, divorcing then finding each other again with a different mindset, but again, we’re talking sean penn.

  15. Mrs. Darcy says:

    Much as present day Sean Penn gives me the ick, I can’t help but feel 80’s nostalgia for these two crazy kids/trainwrecks hooking up. I was a Madonna obsessed child, I remember the sh*t-tastic Shanghai Surprise (I think I made my Mom take me to see it). I am a sucker for couples reuniting later in life what can I say? These two grandiose airheads together would be bliss, so much comedy gold.

  16. Pinky says:

    Newsflash!: Sean Penn Makes Questionable Decisions

    In order of escalating lunacy: First, he files a questionable lawsuit against Lee Daniels. Next, he braggadociously interviews El Chapo and is so bad at being clever he leads authorities right to his ruthless, unrepentant, murderous subject, who’s not known to be merciful toward those who betray him. Finally, he gets back with Madonna.

    • Janis says:

      2016 is sure looking bad for Sean, aint’t it?

    • sauvage says:

      If I were Madonna, I would stay away from Sean Penn, AND KEEP MY KIDS AWAY FROM HIM, for that very reason (potentially having a ruthless, unrepentant, murderous subject, who’s not known to be merciful toward those who betray him, coming for his a**).

  17. GreenieWeenie says:

    The narrrrrrcissism. Yurrrrrrgh. This guy.

    Do you think La Vie en Rose was for Sean? Vom.
    Also…not really sure how appropriate that is for a Haitian fundraiser. You know, Haiti, island of slaves who rebelled against the French. Like pick a freaking Wyclef song or something.

    (Ok, yes, I’m being nitpicky but Sean is so GROSSSS. She is clearly NOT thinking straight).

    • Jayna says:

      No. She’s been doing it in her concert every night, that song and True Blue with a ukulele in her acoustic section. And the ukulele actually works on True Blue. Who knew? LOL. True Blue she sounds really good on. Now, if she had performed True Blue, a song written about him back in the day, then I would say, definitely.

    • Zwella Ingrid says:

      I know you are all going to throw something at me, but I find his looks appealing. Not his personality or anything, but I like his looks. *runs away and hides*

  18. What's inside says:

    This is actually the first time I have felt sorry for her.

  19. Who ARE these people? says:

    Charlize Theron must be so relieved to be done with him, for the sake of her children.

    • PunkyMomma says:

      Yes! Perhaps Penn’s meeting is what caused Charlize to “ghost” him. Protecting her family from this egotistical ham (Penn). (My apologies to pigs everywhere.)

      • FingerBinger says:

        Charlize broke up with Penn in June ,El chapo escapes in July and the interview happened in October. El chapo was obviously the reason she ghosted him.

  20. Christin says:

    Does she just enjoy a dangerous douche of a guy? Because he is probably in big danger due to his stupid interview stunt.

  21. The Original G says:

    I don’t understand why the CIA could’t find someone and Penn and soap opera actress did?

    Now, the Mexican police……they knew. This guy will not do time until he’s extradited to the US.

  22. MAC says:

    They are just an extension of themselves to each other. Everything of Madonna I own I am destroying !! I wish a famous professional psychiatrist would way in!!

  23. Mimz says:

    Classic Stockholm syndrome.

    And I never liked SP, only in one movie, I am Sam , it made me cry.
    But besides that, Zero. So this El Chapo story I guess we should be happy he (unknowingly) helped capture a criminal.

  24. Eleonor says:

    Call me crazy but she looks happy…

  25. Betti says:

    I have always thought Madonna never got over him, that she always had a thing for him. I remember when they were married he was abusive toward her I. Front of the press on many occassions and then there are the police reports when they were called more than once to the home to deal with domestic situations.

    In Penn she found someone who was just like her, a vain narcissist driven by ego. Wasn’t he nasty toward Robin Wright toward then end of their marriage? He certainly had/has a rep for banging most of Hollywoods young starlets.

  26. sauvage says:

    I just on another thread described myself in my twenties as “a self-absorbed a**hole”. And then I click on a Sean Penn story and I am officially at a loss for words. I suddenly feel like being kinder to myself.

  27. Shiba says:

    “…and I still love you just the same” because of all the attention I’m going to get from this performance – you brilliant journalist, you!!!!!!!!

    • Lauren II says:

      Sean and Madonna are outcasts at this juncture. They are supporting eachother, because no else can be bothered.
      Both seem emotionally exhausting and incapable of seeing how narcissistic they are.
      Madonna has always loved Sean, perhaps because he is a mirror image of herself.

  28. ND says:

    Is she having a really late midlife crisis, or something? The desperation is palpable, and not a little bit sad.

  29. Dr. Funkenstein says:

    Oh, I get it. So, Sean Penn gets fifteen minutes of press, and suddenly Madge needs to comment on her undying love for him. Probably not related to trying to divert attention from her latest flop of an album. I’m sure it wasn’t related to that. Or to her potential custody issues with Rocco. Or whatever. She’s so desperate for attention it’s a bit pathological.

  30. Amelie says:

    I mean I guess you can use the argument of other reporters interviewing known fugitives as similar situations. John Oliver went to
    Russia last year to interview Edward Snowden who is wanted in the US for leaking sensitive intel. I guess the difference is the US knows where he is and Snowden isn’t the instigator or perpetrator of violence and his actions didn’t kill anyone. Also John does his research and the interview was very well done.

    Calling Sean Penn’s article an “interview” is rather generous. He spends most of the article talking about the travel logistics to get to El Chapo which aren’t that interesting. He finally meets El Chapo in the jungle but he does NOT interview him then. They mostly talk and shoot the breeze but there is no formal interview. This is where everyone seems to get mixed up. El Chapo was supposed to grant him an in person interview 8 days later but it never happene because the Mexican authorities were closing in on him. Kate Del Castillo sends him the questions over BBM and El Chapo makes a video with one of his associates asking the questions. A lot are skipped over, some are rephrased, basically El Chapo picks and chooses what to answer. You don’t learn anything insightful or ground breaking. So not an interview… Just a long winded article of meeting El Chapo and Sean Penn’s musings in the form of terrible writing.

  31. Jayna says:

    What’s sad is Madonna over the years has always professed her love for Sean. Sean, nada. Of course, he became involved with Robin not long after and was in a longterm relationship and marriage to her,. So he wouldn’t comment on his ex-wife. Then he falls for Charlize, and he is screaming from the rooftops about her. And even when doing that, he mentions his ex-wives and refuses to call them by name, just that he is friendly with his first ex-wife.

    Now maybe they are back together or thinking about it, but nothing from him about her, and she is already declaring her love. He’s needy right now and needs her. But they both are narcissistic and strong-willed and have baggage, so it won’t last. And he probably won’t even have acknowledged her once by the time that happens.

    Have some pride, Madonna.

  32. Kath says:

    I’m surprised no one has mentioned Madonna’s nauseating use of her #rebelheart hashtag when supposedly tweeting her condolences about David Bowie. Everything has to be about her, 24 hours a day. I can’t imagine being a 15 year old boy having to put up with such a raging narcissist as a mother.

  33. Diane says:

    Daily Mail had a piece today about how this charity paid $126,000 in one year for first-class airline tickets for Penn because he has to travel first class due to his ‘celebrity’ status. That could’ve fed a lot of Haitians, if he really cared. Couldn’t afford his own plane tickets? Flew on his donors’ money? Cheap bast*rd. Things are gonna start to unravel for this guy. And if I were Robin Wright, I’d be really worried about my family’s safety.

    • alice says:

      Oh thank god finally someone starts to investigate his “charity” this guy is shady and I really doubt about his good intentions. The charity thing is yes a good thing, but it mainly exists IMO to feed his ego and his belief that he’s this relevant international personality that HE’S NOT: he’s just an actor, barely qualified to important issues. His opinion is not important as he think it is. And again, all that story that Venezuelan authorities paid him millions to give “acting classes” to the poor students…did somebody ever investigate that? I really think this guy is a nasty a calculating opportunist.

  34. Anotherjen says:

    Crusty love!