Madonna: Super Bowl show a "dream" come true

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Pop superstar Madonna said it was a dream come true to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday and conceded she was feeling pressure at the idea of singing in front of the huge live television audience.

Last year's Super Bowl attracted 111 million U.S. viewers - the largest for a single TV broadcast in the United States.

"This is a Midwesterner girl's dream to be performing at the Super Bowl halftime show," said Madonna, who was born in Bay City, Michigan.

"In over 25 years of performing that I've done, I have never worked so hard or been so scrupulous or detail-oriented or freaked out as much as I have ... trying to make the most major show at this Super Bowl," she added.

Asked if she felt the pressure of the massive audience, Madonna, who has performed at stadiums around the world on her global tours, replied simply "Yes, I do."

Madonna, whose biggest global live TV performance was likely Live Aid in 1985, said she would sing three "old songs" and her new single "Give Me All Your Luvin'" during the show.

The 53-year-old Material Girl said she would dedicate her performance to her father.

"I was raised in the Midwest, and he is the personification of Midwestern values, he gave me the work ethic that I have, so if I am a hardworking girl who never stops it's because of him.

"Also, I am sure of all the things I have ever done in my life this will be the thing he is most excited about," she said.

The halftime show has increasingly featured high-profile pop acts, a far cry from the first Super Bowl in 1967 when college marching bands entertained the crowd.

Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, U2, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, The Black Eyed Peas and Janet Jackson are among recent performers.

Jackson's appearance in 2004 was the most controversial as she made headlines worldwide with her infamous "wardrobe malfunction." Justin Timberlake, who was performing with Jackson, grabbed her costume and tugged at it, exposing her breast's nipple to millions of TV viewers.

Madonna said all efforts had been made to ensure there would not be a similar episode in her show.

"Great attention to detail has been paid to my wardrobe, there will be no wardrobe malfunction - I promise," she said.

Asked which quarterback she would choose if both called her for a date on Saturday night, the entertainer picked the New York Giants' Eli Manning over the New England Patriots' Tom Brady. Why Eli? Because of the New York connection, she said.

A question about Victor Cruz, the salsa-dancing wide receiver from the New York Giants, got her doing some salsa moves for reporters who packed the room. "He's inspired me," she said.

(Reporting by Susan Guyett and Simon Evans; Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Bob Tourtellotte)

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Madonna dazzles with slick Super Bowl halftime show

(Reuters) - Pop superstar Madonna dazzled football fans and more than 100 million television viewers on Sunday when she performed during a glittery, spectacular Super Bowl halftime show.

Madonna, the first female Super Bowl halftime headliner since the notorious Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" of 2004, was carried, Cleopatra-style, into Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium by a cadre of muscled gladiators.

Wearing Egyptian regalia, complete with headdress, and spiked black boots, the pop superstar launched into her seminal hit "Vogue," with lighting and other visual effects contributed by the Canadian performing troupe Cirque du Soleil.

Next came "Music," which included LMFAO, followed by a cheerleader-themed "Give Me All Your Luvin'," from Madonna's latest CD. Madonna was joined by Nicky Minaj and M.I.A., with the latter preferring a fleeting obscene one-fingered gesture on-camera.

In a nod to the sport whose fans she was entertaining, the Material Girl performed much of her act on, or in front of, bleachers, with high school marching bands and drumlines augmenting the show, which lasted about 10 minutes.

After a mini-medley of her hits "Open Your Heart" and "Express Yourself," Madonna closed her act decked out in a Gospel-goth black gown, performing "Like a Prayer" with Cee Lo Green before dropping out of sight in a puff of smoke.

Madonna was not the only pop superstar to grace the high-profile Super Bowl on Sunday, one of U.S. television's most-watched programs: Kelly Clarkson performed the national anthem.

Last year's Super Bowl attracted 111 million U.S. viewers, the largest for a single TV broadcast in the United States.

The halftime show has increasingly featured high-profile pop acts, a far cry from the first Super Bowl in 1967 when college marching bands entertained the crowd.

Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, U2, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, The Black Eyed Peas and Janet Jackson have been among recent performers.

Jackson's 2004 appearance made headlines worldwide with her infamous "wardrobe malfunction," during which fellow performer Justin Timberlake tugged at her costume, exposing her nipple to millions of TV viewers.

Madonna had promised that all efforts were being made to ensure her show would not be marked by a similar episode.

"Great attention to detail has been paid to my wardrobe. There will be no wardrobe malfunction - I promise," she said.

Madonna, who was born in Bay City, Michigan, told reporters last week her appearance was "a Midwesterner girl's dream, to be performing at the Super Bowl halftime show."

"In over 25 years of performing that I've done, I have never worked so hard or been so scrupulous or detail-oriented or freaked out as much as I have."

(Editing by Stacey Joyce)

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Madonna says she never planned "Wild" performance at Super Bowl

LOS ANGELES, Feb 5 (TheWrap.com) - Sorry, Joe Francis; Madonna won't give you a chance to rake in a Super Bowl payday.

On Friday, David R. Houston, attorney for "Girls Gone Wild" mogul Francis, sent Madonna a letter threatening legal action if she performs her new song of the same name at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday. The letter was obtained by TMZ.

Houston told the singer, "our misappropriation of my clients' trademark will not be tolerated" and accused her of trying to take a "free ride" on "the valuable consumer goodwill and brand recognition of my clients' trademark." ("Girls Gone Wild?" Goodwill?)

Noting that Francis is "ready and willing to pursue legal action," Houston is demanding that Madonna "negotiate an immediate licensing agreement for use of the Trademark" and pay Francis' attorney's fees in the matter.

Oh, and he also insisted that the Material Mom promise not to "perform or market the song at the Super Bowl this Sunday."

As it turns out, Francis could have given his lawyer the day off, because Madge doesn't plan to perform the song -- and never did.

"The song will not be performed at Super Bowl halftime show," Madonna's publicist told TheWrap. "It was never a possibility. She has confirmed she will be performing her new single and three of her gems from the past."

Her new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin'," was released Friday.

"Girls Gone Wild" is on Madonna's upcoming album "MDNA," which is scheduled for a March 26 release but went on presale at iTunes on Friday.

In the letter, Houston said that his "research" indicated that Madonna would be performing the song at the Super Bowl.

Perhaps now Francis can get back to what he really should be outraged about in Madonna's halftime show -- the singer's vow that there won't be any wardrobe malfunctions this year.

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World tour of Madonna to start may 29

NEW YORK (Reuters) - the S & P 500 posted its big decline in daily percentage 2012 Friday after a volte-face on deal long-awaited debt of the Greece ended in a series of five weeks of gains for the shares. All the components of Dow 30 ending lower while all areas of S & P 10 fell, with the cyclical sectors such as energy...

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Madonna not totally sharing the love with Lady Gaga?

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lady Gaga has been up front about her admiration for Madonna. But does Madonna share the love?

The "Material Girl" sounded lukewarm in U.S. interviews released on Friday, calling her influence on Gaga's music "interesting" and "amusing." Sometimes.

"I certainly think she references me a lot in her work. And sometimes I think it's amusing and flattering and well done," Madonna, 53, told ABC News in a television interview.

"There's a lot of ways to look at it. I can't really be annoyed by it...because obviously, I've influenced her," the pop star told ABC.

The comparisons between the two divas, both known for combining provocative stunts with catchy dance-pop hits, came to a head when Gaga released her "Born This Way" single last February.

The song was instantly likened to Madonna's 1989 hit "Express Yourself".

"When I heard it on the radio .I said that sounds very familiar," Madonna said. Asked if that felt annoying, Madonna responded, "It felt reductive."

Pressed by ABC interviewer Cynthia McFadden whether that was a good or bad thing, Madonna replied "look it up".

In a separate interview in the upcoming issue of Newsweek, Madonna described "Born This Way" as "a wonderful way to redo my song."

"I mean, I recognized the chord changes. I thought it was... interesting," she added.

"Born This Way" became an instant hit for Lady Gaga, 25, topping the charts in 19 countries and becoming the fastest selling song in iTunes history.

The Grammy-winning singer told U.S. talk show host Jay Leno in February that she was Madonna's "hugest fan personally and professionally."

As for "Born This Way", Gaga told Leno; "The good news is that I got an e-mail from her (Madonna's) people, and her sending me their love and complete support on behalf of the single."

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy)

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