Madonna

Lady Gaga and Madonna

Looking for Madonna Memorabilia

Madonna is arguably one of the biggest superstars in the world. She is a musical icon, an actress and a trend-setter. Her fan base is one of the biggest in the world and as a celebrity she is instantly recognisable across the world. Madonna has been on the scene for decades and therefore there is a lot of memorabilia around to collect. It can be very easy to get carried away and spend thousands of pounds on Madonna collectibles but if you are a savvy collector then you don't have to spend this sort of money to build up a collection.

Before you even start collecting it is important to consider that you may have to work quite hard to build up a good collection. If you are a huge fan then this will not be a problem as you will not see it as hard work rather enjoyment. You may want to consider how much of a fan you are before beginning your collection and assess how effort you are willing to put in.

If you have decided to go ahead with your collection then the best place to start is to search garage sales, car boot sales and jumble sales. You may be able to find hidden gems that have been discarded in these places but it may take some searching. If you are lucky you might expect to find some rare albums and singles that didn't do too well and pay very little for them. Car boot sales and the like are becoming less common events as more and more people turn to eBay to sell their unwanted goods, however the advantage of more traditional sales is that most people will want to get rid of things in a quick and hassle-free way so the prices won't be high and they are unlikely to haggle to get a higher price from you. You may be able to pick up old record albums, framed concert tickets, old official fan magazines and the likes from traditional sales.

If you are not already a member then you should join Madonna's official fan club, Icon. Membership includes a magazine of Madonna; official fan perks like advance sales for concert tickets and an autographed Madonna item. You may want to take out an advertisement in the official fan club magazine as you will have access to her fan base after joining the fan site. On here Madonna fans sell items that they have duplicates of or do not want anymore and you will be able to encounter some real finds. Madonna fans span several decades so there is plenty of memorabilia to be collected. You may find some very early memorabilia such as old interviews or signed photographs. Madonna was constantly changing her look throughout her career so autographed photographs of her are very sought-after.

You can also visit mainstream music stores to purchase Madonna t-shirts, badges and other speciality gifts. Although these are not vintage yet, they may be worth something in the future and add to the trail of your memorabilia. Here you can also purchase her music on vinyl if you so wish.

Finally, use the internet as a resource for memorabilia (like this site). You can bid on rare items here or even concert tickets. There are plenty of items in the internet market but be careful to check the history of the piece when buying off auction sites to ensure that the piece is authentic. Unfortunately, there are a lot of fraudsters out there looking to make some quick money by ripping off naive fans, so make sure you don't get conned.

- Suzanne Greenfield

Ellen's First Interview with Madonna

Madonna to take Glee cast on World Tour

Last year's Madonna-themed special of Glee was a sensation, sprouting a successful album and providing some of the most memorable moments of the show�s first season (Jane Lynch vogue-ing, anyone?).

With such a rave response from her fans, it has been hard for Madonna to ignore the Glee phenomenon. And being the shrewd mind that she is, the veteran artist has struck an interesting idea � why not take the Glee cast on tour?

According to the News of the World, Madonna will take the Glee cast on her 2011-2012 Urban Treats tour. The tour will begin later this year and is due to reach the UK in spring 2012.

A source close to the popstar told the newspaper: 'Madonna wants to break records and make her career bigger than ever.'

'And because the Glee episode featuring her music was such a hit, there are plans for the cast to appear.'

'She is in amazing shape for her age but this could be her last big world tour she does for a while as she wants to concentrate on business ventures.'

Madonna�s Sticky + Sweet Tour in 2008 and 2009 became the highest grossing of any solo artist in history, bringing in revenues of $408 million (�320 million). The international tour was her fourth since the start of the decade.

- Ben McDermott @ Beehive City (beehivecity.com)

Live to Tell

Celebration

"I want Madonna on my Show"

TV presenter Graham Norton has admitted that he would love to get Madonna as a guest on his chat show - and would devote the whole show to her if he did.

Graham - who is also currently hosting Over The Rainbow on BBC1 - described the singer as the "Holy Grail" of talk show guests.

"If we're on the air long enough, hopefully there will come a day when she'll come on," he said.

"Essentially it's because I'd like to meet her, it's as simple as that. I've never met her and I'd like to.

"In her case I think you'd do a special," he added. "I think you'd have to do a special just with her, maybe with other people along the way but it would be the Madonna show. If Glee can give up their show for her then I'm sure I can."

Recent guests on The Graham Norton show have included Hollywood actress Jennifer Lopez and funnyman John Cleese.

"We always aim to have good people on, that's our plan," Graham said. "Some weeks are easier than other weeks. It does help to have that star power to kickstart the evening."

Madonna's Malawi Mission

Brother of Madonna hoping for "Idol" Job

Madonna's brother has claimed that he would be a good judge on American Idol.

Christopher Ciccone, who is hoping to replace Simon Cowell, has launched a Facebook page to promote his cause and currently has just over 600 supporters.

"I think I can bring a particular kind of credibility to the show," he told the New York Post. "I'd be the only person sitting at the table who actually created a popstar from the beginning, and helped keep her there for 20 years. I know what it takes to make it."

Ciccone also dismissed his rumoured competitors, including DJ Howard Stern and gossip blogger Perez Hilton.

"I think Howard is a great guy but it's difficult to see him sitting there, with the demographic he brings to the table," he explained. "And I know producers are talking to Perez, although he's probably the only person who doesn't realise how irrelevant he is."

Ciccone claimed that Madonna would be "supportive" if he joined the panel and concluded: "I really love the show. It's become part of the American dream."

Earlier, Fox claimed that it will ensure Cowell's replacement is "credible".

Live Aid 1985

Madonna singing live for Live Aid 1985: