Something In Defense Of Madonna!

The "Material Girl" became more of a "Gossip Girl" at "TIFF" Tuesday as rumours swirled of an eyes-down policy foisted on festival volunteers who were told not to look at Madonna as she walked into a news conference at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

A Toronto newspaper reported that eight volunteers were asked to "turn their faces to the wall" Monday afternoon as Madonna headed into a press event for her movie, "W.E."

But Madonna’s longtime publicist, Liz Rosenberg, is denying the report.

"Neither Madonna nor her security ever gave instructions for the volunteers to turn away from Madonna", Rosenberg said in a statement.

"In fact, she was so impressed with the volunteers that she publicly thanked them from the stage for their hard work before the premiere of her film...She had a wonderful time at the festival and was especially delighted that she got to spend so much time with her fans in front of the theatre, which is a famous tradition at the festival."

Jennifer Bell, "TIFF" vice-president of communications and content management, said a staffer said the incident took place after the news conference as the room was being cleared. She was told volunteers in the area were asked to turn away by Madonna’s private security team.

"At (Monday)’s 'W.E.' news conference, we were disappointed to learn that volunteers were asked by outside security to turn their backs while Madonna exited the news conference area", Bell said in an email.

"If, in fact, this did occur, it flies in the face of how we operate as an organization and how we treat our staff and volunteers."

Some at the event defended Madonna.

"I was backstage for the entire time, and I was waiting for her, and I was looking down the hall when she came in", said news conference moderator Richard Crouse, film critic for "CTV"’s "Canada AM".

"She did not have a 14-person entourage, as people have reported. And she was friendly to everybody; there was none of this 'turn your back, don’t look her in the eye'. She (posed for) photographs, she signed autographs. I think this whole thing is a fabrication."

Charlene Coy, publicity director for "Entertainment One Canada", the film’s Canadian distributor, was with Madonna and said she "saw no evidence" volunteers were asked to look away before or after the news conference.

"She was completely gracious", she said.

Attempts to ask actress Andrea Riseborough, who plays Wallis Simpson in "W.E." and was also at the news conference, for her observations were thwarted by a publicist.

Madonna had it right when she mused about gossip, in response to a question at the media conference about Simpson’s reputation. "It starts off as one story, but by the time it gets to you, it’s a different one", she said.


source: torontostar