FANTASTIC Madonna Oscar Story!

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:02pm

During more than three decades as a producer, Michael Seligman has amassed enough anecdotes to fill a book or two. Or three.

While he can't reveal most of them, Seligman does recall one incident involving Madonna he can relate.

In 1990, the year of "Dick Tracy," Madonna is scheduled to sing the film's Oscar-nominated song "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" during the "Academy Awards" broadcast.

"And she worked her tail off for that song," recalled Seligman, who served as the show's supervising producer. "She worked with a choreographer. She worked for three weeks straight every day, day and night, refining this number. She's a perfectionist."

The problem is not everything works perfectly during a live broadcast.

"We rehearsed everything and it went fine," said Seligman.

The production calls for Madonna to rise from below the stage on a lift through a hole in the stage floor. Once Madonna is on stage, a stage engineer in the rafters will be instructed to switch on her microphone and she'll sing.

"So it's time for Madonna to sing and the stage manager with his headset on tells the stage engineer to switch her mike on. But nothing happens. He repeats himself. Nothing happens. The mike doesn't go on," said Seligman.

"So the stage manager tells Madonna in this nervous kind of voice that the stage engineer is not answering his call and her mike isn't being put on. 'But don't worry,' he said. 'You'll be handed a mike when you get up on stage. It'll be fine.'"

Madonna apparently disagreed.

"As the lift is about to go up, she grabs the stage manager by the neck," said Seligman. "Now the lift is going up and the stage manager is going up by his throat. She finally drops him, grabs the mike and does the number perfectly."

And the song that Madonna sang? It won the Oscar.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:11pm

Well, "sang it perfectly" is a matter of opinion. I think it was the only time I ever saw Madonna perform where she was physically and vocally nervous. As I read that story I thought to myself, "Well, that explains her jitters." So, to use that as an example as her "professionalism" is quite a stretch, especially that part about grabbing the SM by the neck while rising on a lift.

Updated On: 5/13/04 at 02:11 PM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:13pm

Oh, and her performance that night had nothing to do with it winning the Oscar. It is not like AI, these things were decided long before she took the stage.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:17pm

didn't one of her earrings come loose during the performance? I think one of them was left dangling on her hair.

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:19pm

If only Sutton Foster would grab someone by the neck...

If only someone would Do SOMETHING instead of shrugging and going "OK"!!

A Diva is someone who grabs a stage manager by the throat!

Broadway has no real living Divas!

Callas would have been proud of La Madonna! Updated On: 5/13/04 at 02:19 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:32pm

It's not like that "FANTASTIC" story wasn't told at the time. Madonna explained her nervousness in interviews later. She told the story, except for the almost strangulating the SM part. I mean, I guess re-heated Madonna news is still news to some people. I don't know WHY, exactly.

And let's not forget who the composer of the song was. And how VoiceAnth likes to put him down when he thinks it will get a rise out of people as he feels a need to do whatever it is he needs to do.

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:35pm

Re-heated!!? You would use a food reference! Updated On: 5/13/04 at 02:35 PM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:37pm

So what you are saying is that Sondheim won the Oscar despite Madonna's performance?

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:58pm

Let's talk about that shall we..

When Sondheim agreed to write for Madonna...everyone, at first, assumed that the songs would appear on the soundtrack CD...

Madonna had other plans...

Madonna had just come from working 6 months on Broadway and knew that she was used constantly as an example, much like Spears and Lopez are used now, of someone Broadway considered to be talentless and appealing to the lowest common denominator.

She was "beneath" a "REAL Broadway performer", they would cry….

Well, Madge, being a Sicilian, had a plan of revenge up her sleeve…

The Sondheim songs would only be included on her “I’m Breathless” CD…per her orders…

So essentially, all those pompous Sondheim freaks that hated her had to PAY HER to hear those three Sondheim songs and on top of it, they would have the indignity of having a Madonna CD in they're record collection.

I remember friends of friends having a conniption because they had to buy a CD of “that woman”!!

And the final nail in the coffin…all the Sondheim songs, SUCKED…All of Madonna’s other songs on that disc were fantastic including that little known song called “Vogue”!
Updated On: 5/13/04 at 02:58 PM

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 3:08pm

Voice - I think you're a great guy - but couldja puhleez stop referring to us Sondheim lovers as Pompous Freaks?...
thank you:)

Posted: 5/13/04 at 3:10pm

Madonna came off as a nervous wreck during that performance. I can still rember the shaking.

Posted: 5/13/04 at 3:16pm

Not all of you!!! not you red hot!

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 3:19pm

Thank you, Voice. I know how easy it is to lump people together for their beliefs - but there are a few of us left in the world who have open minds...LOL...

[DAME]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 3:20pm

Madona will be appearing at the Ryan Seacrest show in 2 weeks.

[junglered]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 11:27pm

Madonna = Fabulous!

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 1:51am

Madonna's performance of "Sooner or Later" was phenominal--enough so that it is one of only two musical numbers included in its entirety on the Oscar's Greatest Moments video. Yes, you could see her hand shake a little, but the performance was fantastic. If you really think she was a wreck, do go back and rewatch this performance--your memory is not serving you well. I think the 3 Sondheim songs are great--especially "Sooner or Later". I do find that story a little far fetched. Madonna is 5'4" and tiny--could she really lift a SM by the neck??

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 5:45am

Madonna is 5'4" and tiny--could she really lift a SM by the neck??

Have you seen the woman's arms? Of COURSE she could.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 7:18am

And now she has a withered chicken neck.

I used to like Madonna a lot before she became self-important and her music became crappy.

She's turning into late Jayne Mansfield without the humour.

Updated On: 5/14/04 at 07:18 AM

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 7:57am

And don't foget the "I'm Breathless" CD also contained "Hanky Panky". A song I used to consider my theme song. And I've heard she's gonna be singing it on her tour.

Posted: 5/14/04 at 8:16am

Nothin' Like a good spanky!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:10am

Missy needs to get back to cranking out more kickass dance music.
In the 1980s. NOBODY did it better than Madge.

[junglered]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 10:53am

The 80's just called and left a message on my machine and asked me to pass it along - "And you can dance...for inspiration...come on...I'm waiting...
GET INTO THE GROOVE"!

Posted: 5/14/04 at 10:56am

I remember learning the harmony to that song "just in case" she ever had the need for a male backup singer..

Getintothegroove..boyyougottaprove.....

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 11:09am

Jayne Mansfield died when she was 34, didn't she? And Mansfield actually had a hit on Broadway, and some of her movies made money!

Posted: 5/14/04 at 11:17am

Die Another Day US GROSS $160,932,247
Evita US GROSS $50,047,179
League of Their Own, US GROSS A $107,533,925
Truth or Dare Herself US Gross $15,012,935
Dick Tracy US GROSS $103,738,726
Desperately Seeking Susan US GROSS $27,400,000

and what are Jayne's stats besides 47-45-47?????