On Monday, a clip of my beloved Cher on Ellen made the rounds. She pulled no punches as usual and said she would be happy to record with Pink or Adele, but Madonna? Not so much. And, just in case you thought Cher was kidding, she made the declaration again during an interview with ET Canada.
When asked if a recent mash-up of Cher’s cover of ABBA’s “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” and Madonna’s “Hung Up” inspired her to record with the Material Girl and release a new duet, Cher said “Probably not. That’s the answer.”
This, not surprisingly isn’t the first time Cher has said something about Madonna. In past interviews, she’s been as diplomatic as she can be when talking about the singer. She’s admitted that Madge is “creative,” but has also pointed out that “she’s not talented or beautiful” and, after spending time with her while she was still married to Sean Penn, found her “rude” and noted that she “acts like a spoiled brat,” even going so far as to call her a bitch. This recent set of comments is just same sentiment, different day.
Cher also talked about love and relationships during the interview, sharing some advice and her take on romance. She said:
“My mother gave me some wisdom that I’ve kept my whole life. And it’s, ‘If it doesn’t matter in five years, it doesn’t matter.’ And we always think that this love is the only love,” she explains, though she’s not looking to fall in love any time soon.
“I don’t believe you can give up yourself! You can be in love, you shouldn’t fall in love,” she says. “Falling is a negative thing. It just says, I have no control over anything. I am just cascading into ‘I don’t know where.’”
“Someone was asking me about different boyfriends and I’m friends with all of them. And I think that…I liked them before…I think that’s something you have to do. I think you should like the person you love. Because when you break up, if you don’t like them, you just don’t want to know them anymore. I always think that’s sad.”
Don’t get me wrong, I like Madonna, but I will always be 100% #TeamCher. I kind of think Cher’s sentiments are pretty much spot-on, even though some of them are over 20 years old. So, if you were hoping for some epic Cher and Madonna duet, you’re just going to have to suffice with the mash-up, which is probably better than what they actually would have done together.
Not the real Cher and Madonna, but the real Chad Michaels
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Photos: Getty
Team Madonna. Haha
ITA with Cher – Madonna is driven and creative who can sing but she’s not as talented as she or her stans think she is. Part of what has made Madonna’s career last this long is her ambition, drive and willingness to take risks.
What Madonna did well was package herself. She had an image and picked great songs that were within her ability. And she can put on a show
Exactly. I think Madonna is extremely talented, just not in the way someone like Adele like is. Packaging, marketing, taking risks (especially with music videos), and being one step ahead of the trends for a looong time – that takes talent, brains, industry knowledge, whatever – it takes “something.” And Madonna had/has that. But she’s not the same thing as Adele or Pink.
Or Stevie Nicks. Because I am ALWAYS #teamstevie
But haven’t you just described the Kardashians? (don’t kill me)
No discernable ‘artistic’ talent, but have a way of marketing themselves and being one step ahead of the curve when it comes to packaging and selling themselves, creative at selling themselves, and ambitious. Ok maybe just the mum – but you know what I mean.
@Clare – I hate the Kardashians lol (at least Madonna makes music and dances and performs and such as part of her marketing/packaging/risk taking) but I do think they have done a good job (unfortunately, haha) of marketing, packaging and selling themselves.
I think Madonna is talented. She never had Cher’s voice, but dammit, by that measure… who does?
But given those options, I’ll be #teamstevie too!
“If you are gracious, you have won the game” — Stevie. Take note, Madonna.
Madonna’s talent is self-promotion. She does work hard, but she’s not an original creative force. Once she got the beginnings of fame and influence, she made sure to work with talented songwriters, producers, designers, and music video directors to prop her up. Her best songs were “collaborations” with others. The songs she wrote by herself are her weakest releases. She has probably been sued more than any other singer for copyright infringement and appropriation, and has paid confidential settlements to minimize the bad publicity.
There is the persistent myth she was a trendsetter. She’s not. She was never a step ahead. She looked at what was trending in the mainstream or what was popular in subcultures, then capitalized on it for her sole benefit. Some examples: 1) For her Vogue video, she copied voguing from the underground gay ballroom culture. 2) She performed in late 18th Century costume (a la Marie Antoinette) at the 1990 MTV VMAs more than a year after the film version of Dangerous Liaisons won some Oscars. Two of her dancers said the performance was based on the film. 3) She dressed in 1930s lingerie for a racy Rolling Stone black & white editorial 8 months after the controversial NC-17 film Henry & June was in theaters. 4) She dressed in geisha-inspired clothing for her Nothing Really Matters video because Memoirs Of A Geisha was a NY Times bestseller for many weeks. She admitted the book was her inspiration. She did not originate any of these trends, which is the belief of the ignorant among her fans. She merely looked at what had been getting attention and imitated them. That’s a trend follower.
Maripol was responsible for her earlier street-inspired style in the 1980s. Madonna then copied the images/personas of classic stars like Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich. She also imitated lesser known celebrities (her appearance in Papa Don’t Preach directly copied Jean Seberg in Breathless) . And she rarely gave them props.
Photographic proof of her plagiarism:
http://www.listal.com/list/lady-gaga-did-not-steal
Cher is right: Madonna is not a nice person. Reports of her negative attitude and unpleasant behavior are numerous. Clearly, she has contempt for her own fans, regularly inconveniencing them at her concerts by starting 2-3 hours late. Madonna got very far in her industry because of her drive, her narcissism, and her willingness to use people and discard them after she got what she wanted. Many “successful” people achieve fame and fortune through ruthlessness and selfishness. It’s easier to get ahead and remain there when you don’t have qualms about stepping on others. On their deathbed, people with a conscience regret that they should have treated others better. They don’t lament that they should have made more money or gotten more fame.
The original thirsty stunt queen, she manufactures controversy to try to stay in the spotlight because she needs the constant attention. Secure people don’t need the validation of millions of strangers. She made her 3 public “tributes” to Michael, Prince, and Aretha all about herself. It’s interesting that many are surprised at how immature she is and how she still resorts to the same tricks she used 25-30 years ago. I’m not surprised. She’s always been this way. She got away with it in her youth because the young are given leeway for their antics. She hid behind all those different personas because her authentic self was less interesting.
But her old shock tactics aren’t working anymore. People are embarrassed on her behalf. Instead of evolving and growing with her loyal older fans, she’s interested in appearing hip to the kiddies. Unlike Cher, she hasn’t matured over time. She’s a great example of celebrities whose emotional maturity level stops at the point when they achieved fame.
I was a Madonna fan when I was a teenager, then I grew up. I’m more a fan of Cher’s acting than her singing, but this is easy: Team Cher.
I’m always #TeamCher
I love them both and always have. They both bring something different to the table. I also really love this mash up. Its a dang shame no duet will ever be seen.
I’m team both of them. I’ve always loved Madonna’s music because it’s great to dance to. Her song was playing the very first time I danced at a club at 18yo. She’s insufferable to say the least, but I don’t like her for her personality. In fact, I find 98.9% celebrities insufferable. I remember watching Sonny and Cher as a very (VERY lol) small child. I remember listening (and laughing) to Believe. Sad because of Sonny. Funny because of autotune. She’s fun because everyone tries to mimic her voice when singing … I’ve been hearing it for decades. And she can be insufferable too, in her own disgusted-with-aging way. I don’t want a mash-up. They don’t sound good together at all. 😆
I love Cher’s candor. Whether you agree with her or not, I just find her openness disarming. I tend to believe that Madonna acted like a spoiled brat, I’ve gotta that vibe numerous times from her over the years.
I had a contact at WB during the time of Madonna’s debut release. Only people in the dance clubs knew who Madonna was because of “Burning Up” and “Everybody”. Madge wasn’t mainstream. My contact said she wasn’t a pleasant person. Yet I’ve enjoyed her music and have seen her in concert numerous times and was in awe. The Blonde Ambition tour was my favorite.
1. Madonna is an absolute female symbol, she may not be Maria Callas, but she is one of the best contemporary show women, a rebel and a Dancing Queen.
2. We cannot love without falling in love. You cannot exclude danger in love. There are no guarantees, no safety.
That being said, I love Cher.
I’m just here for Chad Michaels LOLOLOLOLOL
I remember reading in the old days a gossip about Cher approaching Madonna and wanting her to make songs for her/with her, but Madonna turned Cher down, with some very rude comments about how Cher just wants to revive her career with Madonna’s help (mind this is 80s-90-s gossip). Don’t know if it’s true, but maybe that’s where the root of all this? If it is true, Cher surely knows how to hold the grudge.
Friend of a friend story here. I worked with a woman who worked with one of Cher’s ex-husbands while he was in a high-dollar “rehab” (think Ben Affleck’s place). She said whenever Cher came to visit, she was a total bitch and acted like the nurses and staff were annoying servants. I was really surprised to hear that. She said yeah, she’d always liked Cher before that but after meeting her she completely changed her mind.
I guess maybe Cher and Madonna are too much alike to ever enjoy each other’s company. Still Team Cher though.
Team Cher always BUT it is funny that she’s calling Madge a rude b, while Cher is the one throwing shade here.
Team Cher all the way. I’ve ALWAYS loved her and always will.
All I know is cher’s bottom lip is doing something interesting. Any guesses as to what’s happening there?
I honestly couldn’t pick out a Madonna song if it was the only thing playing. lol I’ll always be Team Cher. Having said that though, they both look like wax figures, badly done. Both of them could have aged into beautiful women, but instead they chose to become caricatures of themselves. I think they’re both sad old ladies (and Madonna is only a year older than me).
Madonna is rude. There’s a difference between being driven and plowing down everyone in your path, which Madonna has done since the beginning. Maybe at that time, it was necessary–she was young and headstrong, and it was the early 80s–but once she made it, she should’ve learned some humility.
I don’t say this because women have to be soft and humble creatures who never celebrate their achievements. I say it because attitude trumps achievements.
I like them both for different reasons. I don’t care for Cher’s music, but I think she’s a talented actress. Madonna has a mediocre voice and definitely can’t act, but she’s an incredible business woman and entertainer.
Madonna definitely is the most talented, she has the better voice. Her vocal abilities and clarity of voice are much stronger than Cher’s (reference Madonna’s song ‘Say Goodbye’). Given all the stories we’ve heard about Madonna I have no doubt that Madonna is a narcissistic spoiled diva. But she is the better vocalist BY FAR.