Madonna: Sex, Erotica and Body of Evidence (Erotic 90’s, Part 10)

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In the early 90s, Madonna was the biggest pop star in the world, and she used – and in the minds of some, squandered – her star capital to launch a multi-media exploration of sexuality: the album Erotica and its companion book Sex, followed by her starring role in the much-maligned erotic thriller Body of Evidence. What was Madonna really trying to do in 1992-1993, how was it perceived and misunderstood at the time, and how does the blowback she experienced then relate to how she is being criticized today?

Madonna's Justify My Love Music Video, 1990

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

“Madonna -- Finally, a Real Feminist” by Camille Paglia, NYTimes, Dec. 14, 1990

Madonna Video Will Steam Up Stores by Patrick Goldstein, LA Times, Dec. 2, 1990

“Madonna Set to Push Limits Once More With NC-17 Movie” LA Times, August 31, 1992

“MGM Planning No Appeal As Body Is Rated NC-17” Variety, August 31, 1992

“Madonna Exposed -- Will the Pop Star’s ''Sex'' Book be as Outrageous as its Hype?” by Sharon Isaak and Tina Jordan, Entertainment Weekly, September 25, 1992

MTV Report, Erotica, and Sex Report, Oct 15, 1992

“Madonna's Anticlimax” New Yorker, October 18, 1992

“Madonna In Wonderland” by Maureen Orth and photographs by Steven Meisel, Vanity Fair, October 1992

“The Empress Has No Clothes” by Caryn James, NYTimes, Oct. 25, 1992

“Madonna’s Movie Will be Edited for R” David J. Fox, LA Times, Oct. 30, 1992

“The New Voyeurism, Madonna and the Selling of Sex” Newsweek Cover and Articles, November 2, 1992

Kurt Loder on MTV News, Sex book donation declined from Arizona Public Library, 1992

MTV Interview w/ Madonna and Steve Blame about her 'Erotica' Album, 1992

“Madonna’s Star Turn” Liz Smith, Dec 30, 1992

Jonathan Ross Presents Erotica Madonna Interview

“R vs. NC-17--What’s the Difference? : Filmmakers, Exhibitors Are Bewildered by Inconsistent Ratings” by David J. Fox, LA Times, Jan. 18, 1993

“American Hot Wax” by Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly, January 22, 1993

“Overexposure” Variety, January 25, 1993

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/1993W03/occasion/us_mlkday_weekend/

“Sex Machines” J. Hoberman, Village Voice, 1993

“Baser Instincts” Terrence Rafferty, New Yorker, Jan 25, 1993

“Immaterial Girl” by David Denby, NY MAg, Jan 25, 1993

“Order in the Multiplex! Madonna’s Movie Misadventure” People, Feb 1, 1993

“Get Me Rewrite” People, Feb 1, 1993

“MGM Tug-Of-War Over Hot ‘body’ by Doris Toumarkine, The Hollywood Reporter, Feb 19, 1993

Year In Review Issue, Rolling Stone, Dec. 23, 1993

“The Madonna Complex : You Don’t Have To Tell Her It’s Been A Rocky Couple Of Years. ‘sex’ Fizzled, ‘Erotica’ Disappointed, And The Movies Bombed. Does She Think Her Grip On Pop Culture Loosened?” by Sheryl Garratt, LA Times, Oct. 23, 1994

“Express Yourself: The Making of Madonna’s 20 Greatest Music Videos” by Christopher R. Weingarten, Maura Johnston, Jason Newman, Bilge Ebiri, Rolling Stone, February 25, 2015

'Justify My Love,' 25 Years Later – A Short History of the Song, the Controversy and, Yes, the Sex Madonna's Most Scandalous Song Ever Is Now A Quarter-Century Old by Drew Mackie , People, November 2, 2015

Madonna’s ‘Erotica’ Turns 25: An Oral History of the Most Controversial ’90s Pop Album by Joe Lynch, Billboard, October 20, 2017

“Madonna’s 9 Most Controversial Videos, From ‘Papa Don’t Preach’ to ‘God Control’ by Sal Cinquemani, web.archive.org, June 26, 2019

“'Batman Returns' 30 Years Later: Tim Burton, Michael Keaton Version Of Movie Is Still Divisive After Decades” by Elisabetta Bianchini, Yahoo News, March 4, 2022

Madonna - The Celebration Tour Announcement

“Candace Owens Accuses Madonna of 'Touching Upon Pedophilia' in 'Sex' Book” by Ryan Smith, Newsweek, Jan 26, 2023

Who Is Michael Ovitz? by Michael Ovitz

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Music:

The music used in this episode, with the exception of the intro, was sourced from royalty-free music libraries and licensed music collections. The intro includes a clip from the film Casablanca.

Excerpts from the following songs were used throughout the episode:

TJ Collie - Lemon Jelly

Divider - Chris Zabriskie

Boston Landing - Skittle

Nine Count - Reflections

Neon Drip - RadioPink

JoDon - Orange Cat

Pastel de Nata - Orange Cat

Mill Wyrm - Potions

Chai Belltini - Vermouth

Four Cluster - Fornax

Vik Fenceta Lan - The Fence

Vik Fenceta - The Fence