Madonna: ‘I Forgive’ Elton John
Just a few weeks after Elton John declared Madonna’s career to be “over” in a TV interview, Madonna issued her first public response onstage in France on Tuesday, decidating a performance of “Masterpiece” to him – the same song that beat out his Gnomeo & Juliet tune for a Golden Globe earlier this year.
“Yes, I know he’s a big fan of it, and I know he’s a big fan of mine,” Madonna said in Nice while introducing “Masterpiece,” originally recorded for her latest directorial effort, W.E. “And you know what? I forgive him.”
It’s safe to assume Madonna’s dedication was sarcastic, since John has done pretty much the opposite of declare himself a “big fan” of the tune. During an interview on the Golden Globes red carpet in January, John said, “Madonna hasn’t got a fucking chance [of winning]…those are accurate words.” After “Masterpiece” bested John’s “Hello Hello” for Best Original Song, John’s husband, David Furnish, wrote on Facebook that “Madonna winning Best Original Song truly shows how these awards have nothing to do with merit. Her acceptance speech was embarrassing in its narcissism.“
Shortly after the award show, John wryly advised Madonna to “lip-sync good” during her Super Bowl halftime performance. Most recently, he referred to Madonna as a “fairground stripper” and criticized her for being “horrible to Lady Gaga,” referring to the tension between the two pop stars that arose from the similarities between Gaga’s “Born This Way” and Madonna’s “Express Yourself.”
Now that she has forgiven, is Madonna also ready to forget? “You gotta start somewhere,” she said onstage, before flashing a wide, cheeky grin.