A Madonna Fan Sues the Icon, Accusing her of Subjecting Fans to Pornography

Madonna, the undisputed queen of pop, is once again hitting the headlines, this time amidst legal wrangling. A fan named Justen Lipeles has filed a class action suit against both the “Vogue” singer and the Live Nation, the tour promoter. The claimant accused both defendants of “flippant disrespect”.

Madonna is well-known for pushing the boundaries at her shows (Getty/Kevin Mazur)

The lawsuit, which was filed on May 30, alleges that both Madonna and Live Nation “purposely and deceptively” concealed certain key details about her show at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on March 7. Among the allegations were claims that concert attendees were “forced to watch topless women” simulating sexual acts while Madonna sang – an act Lipeles maintains amounts to forcing audiences to experience “pornography without warning”.

Despite the biting accusations, it’s worth noting that Madonna’s critically acclaimed world tour has often flirted with risqué themes. This global music tour was no different with a heavy presence of provocative elements, including lap-dancing, spanking, and kissing. Indeed, this level of courting controversy and pushing boundaries is fairly standard for Madonna’s elongated career.

The “Papa Don’t Preach” singer has a longstanding reputation for provocative performances – and this case offers a stark illustration of one fan’s reaction to her envelope-pushing artistic choices. However, the accusations don’t stop at exposing audiences to unexpected explicit content.

Lipeles also alleges that the star purposely delayed the start times of four shows in California. By not beginning concerts at the “promised” time, some shows allegedly did not commence until past 10 pm. Madonna was also accused of “lip-syncing” throughout her performances, while concert-goers were subjected to “uncomfortably hot temperatures” at the venue.

In relation to the allegedly high-temperature conditions within the Kia Forum, the lawsuit maintains that “Madonna refused to allow the air conditioning to be turned on”. Lipeles reported that he, along with other fans, were left “profusely sweating” and generally unwell due to high temperatures. When fans voiced their complaints, Madonna’s response was reported to have been nothing more than telling them to take their clothes off.

Madonna is being sued by a fan who claims her shows amounted to pornography (Getty)

The plaintiff is suing Madonna for an unspecified amount in damages, citing “breach of written contract, negligent misrepresentation, emotional distress, unfair competition, and false advertising.” The lawsuit describes Madonna’s actions as “unfair, unlawful, deceptive business practices” indicative of “flippant disrespect for her fans”.

Madonna and Live Nation are yet to publicly respond to these allegations.

Before wrapping up her tour with a free show for over 1.6 million fans in Brazil, Madonna faced various controversies. The tour itself was delayed by several months because of a bacterial infection-induced health scare that landed the pop superstar in intensive care last June. Additionally, the singer was previously sued by two other fans who claimed they were left “stranded in the middle of the night”, unable to get home due to lack of available transport after a late ending concert in New York. The artists and show organizer continue to face scrutiny over these matters, highlighting the complications and potential legal troubles that can plague even the most seasoned and globally revered artists.

In light of these allegations, Madonna’s attorneys have asked a judge to cast out the first lawsuit Maintaining, “Nowhere did defendants advertise that Madonna would take the stage at 8.30pm and no reasonable concertgoer, and certainly no Madonna fan, would expect the headline act at a major arena to take the stage at the ticketed event time.”