Arts & Entertainment
All hail the queen
Madonna’s back but a lot is at stake — can she still deliver in a post-Gaga world?
Madonna (Photo by Tom Munro; courtesy Liz Rosenberg Media)
Madonna sometimes likes to lay low for a few years, give people a chance to miss her, then come roaring back with a flurry of new projects and appearances. And the world is in the throes of the biggest such onslaught in years.
It’s been percolating for weeks — her song “Masterpiece” was a surprise winner at last month’s Golden Globes, her interview with Cynthia McFadden on ABC’s “20/20” found the singer famously weighing in on Lady Gaga and she was on Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” this week. Fans are salivating in anticipation over Sunday night’s Super Bowl halftime performance, this week’s release of new single “Give Me All Your Luvin” (with Nicki Minaj and M.I.A.), new album “MDNA” (slated for a March 26 release) and, to a markedly lesser degree according to some camps, the new movie “W.E.” which had a limited release in December and went into slightly wider U.S. release this week (no word yet on D.C. screenings).
Madonna fans, of course, are whipped into a frenzy but the rest of the world is curious too and it raises an ocean of questions: Is too much being made of the Madonna/Gaga comparison? How can Madonna call Gaga’s work “reductive” when the former spent years mining old pop culture imagery for inspiration? Is it unfair that we keep wondering if Madonna still “has it” to a degree we don’t require of, say, the Stones or U2 each time they re-emerge? And could Madonna — known, of course, for her controversial TV performances — risk a Janet-caliber disaster if she tries something outrageous at the Super Bowl? We checked in with several gay pop culture observers — some fans, some not — to weigh in.
Snark king Michael Musto, famous for his “La Dolce Musto” column in the Village Voice and author of the new book “Fork On the Left, Knife in the Back,” says, for starters, that the similarities between Gaga’s “Born This Way” and Madonna’s “Express Yourself” justify some questioning.
He calls Madonna “the ultimate pop culture sponge,” but says it’s important to differentiate between homage and an all-out rip-off.
“It wasn’t Madonna at all who was pointing this out at first,” Musto says. “Everybody online was chirping that it was eerily similar with the chord progressions and the rappy part being kind of ‘Vogue’-ish,” he says. “But I’m all for anything that drives Madonna crazy … her haughtiness, her pretentiousness. I mean let’s face it, she’s not the warmest tool in the shed and that has led to some ill will. Lady Gaga is deeply talented and obviously a better singer than Madonna, though I do think Madonna was great for calling out that one song. I am still on the Gaga team, but I did recently write that Madonna has, once again against all odds, made herself hot again just by putting herself out there.”
Musto predicts Madonna will continue to stay front and center in the pop culture limelight as long as she wants.
“She comes at it with steely determination and she wears these blinders 24 hours that bar out negativity,” he says. “To her, her new project is the best thing in the world. Yes, the deck is increasingly stacked against her, but she knows all the tricks to stay on top. She knows to work with the young, hot people and once again, she’s made herself hotter than she’s been in a long time.”
Others say Gaga’s success doesn’t mean Madonna can’t continue in a big way too.
“I don’t think there has to be a Gaga-versus-Madonna thing like you’re either one or the other,” says Michael Crawford, a gay activist with Freedom to Marry who’s been a huge Madonna fan since the 1983 single “Burning Up” was released. “It’s not like you’re either a Republican or a Democrat. Clearly I worship the ground Madonna walks on and I always will, but I think Gaga is very good too. A lot of people just want to be bitchy but Madonna is Madonna, Gaga is Gaga.”
Others say the comparisons are inevitable and warranted.
“I’ve always told the rabid Madonna fans who’ve said Gaga is overly inspired by others that they’re on a weak foundation considering Madonna’s many homages and references in her work,” says Matthew Rettenmund, the gay author of “Encyclopedia Madonnica.” “Sometimes when you listen to Madonna’s most ardent fans, the ones who dislike Gaga anyway, they are using many of the exact same slams against Gaga that were used against Madonna her whole career by her detractors. That lack of perception is discouraging because I think Madonna’s work does attract pretty smart fans. Her references are not low brow and while you don’t have to understand every one of them to enjoy her work, being educated and informed does enhance your appreciation of it. I think Lady Gaga is the only artist in 30 years to even approach Madonna’s blueprint and I hope she is able to change and grow and keep it interesting in the way Madonna has been able to. One doesn’t cancel out the other.”
Madonna, of course, clearly channeled Marilyn Monroe — from the all out recreation of the “Material Girl” video to the more subtle bleached blonde looks she sported in the “Bedtime Stories” and “Who’s That Girl” eras — but is that any different from what Gaga’s doing with her or what Monroe herself may have channeled from her own predecessors such as Jean Harlow?
“It would be interesting if Marilyn had been around in the ‘80s and gone on ‘Nightline’ or something and been asked about Madonna,” says local nightlife impresario Ed Bailey, who DJs the popular Madonnarama events here and around the country. “I think [the ‘Material Girl’ video] was not just using that old concept for her own good, it was more of an homage and a statement about a strong powerful woman, which is something that clearly speaks to Madonna. I think there is a line between copying somebody and taking inspiration from something and there is a line between those two concepts. Sometimes it’s very blurry and sometimes it’s very clear.”
Rettenmund says the comparisons get silly after a while.
“I think it says more about gay men in particular and how they project themselves into their idols and how personally we take this trivial stuff,” he says. “I mean, ‘My diva is better than your diva,’ is the level at which this is and my reaction to it, aside from obviously admiring and liking Madonna for 30 years and being brand loyal, is that I love Gaga too and I’m happy to have all the divas around. It’s gay-on-gay crime to be attacking over this nonsense. It’s a homosexual civil war.”
Others wonder if Madonna will continue to be able to capture the world’s attention indefinitely. She’s been at it for decades now and even with all the changes in the way people hear and buy music, pop radio — especially in the U.S. — is as much a young person’s game as it ever was, especially for women artists. On the last few albums, Madonna almost always manages a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit with the first single, but follow-up singles routinely fail to chart stateside (they do better abroad and on the dance chart) and her last few singles — “Celebration” and “Revolver” — failed to hit big on U.S. radio. Younger divas — from Rihanna to Kelly Clarkson to Gaga — are logging much higher numbers. But while her chart peaks have waned, Madonna’s concert tours have skyrocketed in popularity.
Musto says that’s just how the industry works.
“I mean imagine if Peggy Lee had released something in the ‘80s or something,” he says “Would it have charted? No way, not unless she hooked up with the Bee Gees or something. Diana Ross could come out with the most amazing song ever right now, it wouldn’t get played. Working with these younger artists, like M.I.A., that’s [Madonna’s] way around it.”
Madonna at the New York premiere of 'W.E.,' the new movie she co-wrote and directed. (Photo by Amanda Schwab; courtesy the Karpel Group)
Bailey says this time could be different.
“I’ve been in clubs for 20 years and never in that entire time has there been a time when the dance music in the club and pop on the radio were identical until now,” he says. “It’s just the way the world is right now. People are listening to Lady Gaga and Chris Brown and David Guetta and Flo Rida, you wouldn’t call them pop artists really. They’re dance artists. Now it’s every single thing you hear. People have an appetite now for that dance/pop sound with Rihanna, Katy Perry. I think for Madonna, this is gonna work out really well.”
And as for the Super Bowl? Is Madonna taking pot shots at her old rival Janet Jackson when she promises “no nipples” or is it just more of the gays making too much of off-the-cuff remarks?
Rettenmund says it will be huge. Rumors abound that she’s invited the Gay Men’s Chorus of Indianpolis to join her on stage.
“I’m assuming it’s going to be a visual orgy of cheerleading with water cooler moments,” he says. “Madonna is an artist who is never considered fully proven … every time she returns, there is this expectation of ‘OK, show me’ from some quarters. And the Super Bowl is no exception, except this time Madonna has set it up as a make-or-break moment of her own doing … so it has to be great. She knows that and in the past, she has lived up to expectations.”
Bailey calls it “a tall order.”
“The Black Eyed Peas were really good last year and she’s got to live up to that. It has to be a visual spectacle. She can’t just come out and say, ‘I’m gonna strip it all back and just make it about good, quality music.’ That won’t work.”
And if a stunt should backfire?
“Madonna would just laugh and keep going,” Crawford says. “I think Janet is really great, but Madonna just goes for it and makes no apologies … Janet apologized and Justin sold her out, there was a lack of strength in that whole episode. Madonna has a unique ability to make things work to her advantage.”
Arts & Entertainment
A reign defined by commitment and human impact
Nicole Murray Ramirez defined era in International Imperial Court System
Writing about the reign of Nicole Murray Ramirez and the close leadership of King Father Terry Sidie requires far more than listing achievements, because what has been built over these years cannot be reduced to titles, ceremonies, or public recognition. It must be understood as the result of a sustained vision rooted in service, memory, solidarity, and the real ability to build bridges within and beyond the LGBTQ community.
At this point, looking back and assessing this period means acknowledging that this was not just another chapter in the history of the International Imperial Court System. It was a time shaped by far-reaching initiatives, a clear commitment to concrete causes, and a style of leadership that moved confidently between symbolic representation and public action. In that context, Nicole Murray Ramirez’s announcement that her reign will conclude in February 2027, along with the coronation of the person who will assume the throne as the new Queen Mother of the Americas, should not be read simply as the end of an era, but as a moment to fully recognize what has been built while also understanding that a new chapter is about to begin.
One of the most defining aspects of this reign has been its understanding that visibility alone is not enough. Visibility matters, but it only becomes meaningful when it leads to action, support, and measurable change. That has been a consistent strength of the work led by Nicole Murray Ramirez alongside key figures such as Terry Sidie.
The Jose Nicole Terry Scholarship and Educational Fund reflects that commitment. Reaching $400,000 is significant, but what matters most is what that represents in terms of opportunity and access.
This leadership also prioritized historical memory through initiatives like the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor at the Stonewall Inn and the recognition of Jose Julio Sarria.
Efforts such as the Harvey Milk postage stamp, the USNS Harvey Milk, and multiple recognitions for Sarria reflect a sustained commitment to public recognition and justice.
International outreach, financial support to global causes, advocacy for transgender communities, and engagement with organizations beyond national borders further define this period.
The expansion into Canada and the opening of a new chapter that includes Puerto Rico highlight the evolving nature of this leadership. The upcoming June coronation marks an important step in that direction.
Acknowledging that the reign was not perfect does not weaken its legacy. It reinforces its authenticity.
This was not an individual effort. It was collective work supported by a broad network.
As the transition toward Feb. 5, 2027, continues, what remains is a legacy built on action, commitment, and responsibility.
Theater
Diverse cast tackles ‘Aguardiente’ at GALA Hispanic Theatre
Best friends rediscover their Caribbean heritage in new musical
‘Aguardiente: Where Magic Transcends Borders’
Through May 24
GALA Hispanic Theatre
3333 14th St., N.W.
$25–$65
Galatheatre.org
(surtitles in English and Spanish)
With its latest musical offering “Aguardiente: Where Magic Transcends Borders,” GALA Hispanic Theatre has cast its net wide in gathering a blend of talent including the production’s diverse 18-person cast.
Commissioned by GALA, the spanking new musical is about best friends Alberto and Alejandro (two New York writers from Puerto Rico and Colombia respectively). Together, within a short timeline under unrelenting pressure, they struggle to write the project musical of their dreams.
Along the way, the friends rediscover their Caribbean heritage through cumbia, bomba, currulao, and the magical realism of García Márquez.
Offstage, the work has been created by Luis Salgado (book), and Daniel Alejandro Gutiérrez (music), also respectively from Puerto Rico and Colombia. Multiple Helen Hayes Award-winning Salgado is directing and choreographing the GALA production.
In the role of Alejandro, out actor Sebastián Treviño is making his GALA debut opposite Samuel Garnica who plays librettist Alberto. Alejandro is the music composer who doesn’t come from a musical background. He’s simply a lover of Latin music.
Is Alejandro recognizably similar to Gutiérrez?
“Oh yeah,” says Treviño, 36. “Like Gutiérrez, Alejandro doesn’t necessarily follow musical theater rules and etiquette, and it’s his uniqueness that brings a spark to their partnership.
“I got to know him and Luis [Salgado] while touring with ‘On Your Feet!’ in 2022. You really get to know people by spending endless hours together on a bus.”
Language and voice are intertwined for Treviño, and fortunately for the amiable New York-based actor, he enjoys the challenge of a new way of speaking. To play Alejandro, it helps to sound Colombian.
As a native of Monterrey, Mexico, Spanish and Mexican dialects are Treviño’s first languages. He attended American school starting in kindergarten, consequently acquiring flawless English; and because his mother is Colombian, he is familiar with that accent too.
GALA Spanish speaking patrons can be a tough crowd. For instance, when a Mexican actor is playing a Cuban character, they know at once. And while they may embrace the performance and the production, there sometimes remains a niggling dislike for what feels a vocal inaccuracy.
“Since I’ve arrived in D.C., I’ve been practicing my Colombian accent at restaurants and other places. When a Spanish speaking server asks if I’m from Colombia, I know I’m doing something right.”
“Aguardiente” (translates as “Firewater”) is composed of several layers of reality. He explains: “First it’s us creating the show, the work, and all of those pressures and limitations that the industry places on Latino centered projects; and then there’s the fantasy layer.”
A talented tenor, his lengthy bio includes Mexico City (“Wicked,” “Rent”), Off Broadway (“Kowalski”) and North American national tours (“On Your Feet!”).
He says his “Aguardiente” solo specifically feels like ‘80s Latin rock. Also, he enjoys a fun medley number where they’re playing around with “Tropipop” (Colombian pop), classic Broadway sounds, and there’s even a Beatles moment.
In this show, we meet two determined friends, one is holding an American passport because he’s Puerto Rican, while the other, a Colombian, struggles to secure a visa.
“It’s not a stretch for me to relate to that. I’m here on a working visa, so I know all about the stress and costs that comes with that,” says Treviño.
“So much reflects their own story. That includes the setbacks and obstacles faced when trying to build something from very little, and writing about themes that aren’t considered mainstream to white American audiences.”
At just eight years old, Treviño saw “A Chorus Line” at Mont Tecnológico de Monterrey, the same college that he’d later attend. He remembers, “Seated in the second row, the young actors were rock stars to me. When I asked my father who loved the arts if one day I could perform onstage, he said yes, instantly his son’s new dream.”
Looking forward, is there a role he yearns to play? Treviño ponders the trite query with some seriousness before answering “I think it’s yet to be written.”
Books
New books reveal style trends for a more enlightened century
Guidelines that hint about gendering clothing are out
Books about Fashion and Style
By various authors
c.2026, various publishers
$19.95 – $29.95
Don’t look now, but your legs are showing.
It’s OK, it’s almost summertime and you want to show both skin and style. So how about a few hints for looking your best? Check out these great books and get stylin’.
Who says there are rules about fashion? Wearing white before Memorial Day is OK; socks with sandals not so much? Fine, but in “Bending the Rules: Fashion Beyond the Binary” by Camille Benda with Gwyn Conaway (Princeton Architectural Press, $29.95), you’ll see that any guidelines that hint about gendering clothing are oh-so-last century.
Along with lively, fun narrative, there are lots of photos in this book, ads for how clothing used to be worn along male-female lines, and short biographies of some of today’s best designers. Here, you can check out prom dresses from the 1950s and new haute couture gowns practically right off the runway – and see how one parallels with the other. The timeline reaches back centuries, so you get a nice idea of where certain kinds of clothing originated and how it’s relevant today – making what’s inside here perfect for browsing.
Pick up this book, in fact, and you might also pick up some ideas for filling your closet and creating your very own style.
The fashion you wear on your body isn’t all you’ll find in “Pretend to Be Fancy: A Field Guide to Style and Sophistication” by Whitney Marston Pierce (Chronicle Books, $19.95). You’ll also read about other nice things you can have.
So you’re not a pinky-in-the-air kind of person, whatever. You can easily hang with those who are, once you read and absorb this book.
Tongue-tied at fancy soirees? Not anymore, there are tips for talking here. What do you know about canapes, hors d’oeuvres, and the kind of foods you don’t get at the corner c-store? How do you make a charcuterie that everyone will Ooooooh over? And how do you give a gift for the person whose taste seems scads better than yours? That’s all in here, along with what to drink, how to dress, and how to make every corner of your home look like something right out of a high-end magazine.
Will this book make you chic? Possibly, yes. Will it help you get invited to all the best parties? Maybe, but for sure, it’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you feel fabulous, look fabulous, and live your best life with the surroundings you deserve. Out May 5, so put it on your list.
But let’s say you need more ideas. You have questions or thorny issues with fashion that you really need answering. That’s when you ask for a talented fashionista at your local bookstore or library, that knowledgeable someone knows books and knows how to get what you need to be your most dazzling, best-dressed, finest-appointed self in a home you can be proud of, with comfortable furniture that will be the envy of everyone who sees it.
In the meantime, grab the above titles, because these books got legs.
Key West Pride’s state funding pulled
DOE investigates Smith College’s trans-inclusive policy
A reign defined by commitment and human impact
Ukrainian MPs advance new Civil Code without protections for same-sex couples
Gay ICE detainee freed after 150 days in detention
Republicans attach five anti-LGBTQ riders to State Department funding bill
Tennessee’s trans data bill a frightening omen
New Zealand blood donation rules shift
The university that refuses to let go
