To what extent is a celebrity who has chosen to be in the Public keep certain areas of his or her life private? A U.S. Supreme Court judge opined that an international pop star, like Madonna, deserves privacy, particularly where information about her past is being unnecessarily divulged.
The court recently ruled in favor of Madonna and issued a preliminary injunction that blocked the sale of about 22 personal items that the iconic singer regarded as “extremely private.” Intimate memorabilia was all set to be auctioned online by the online auction site GottaHaveRockandRoll that specializes in pop and rock & roll art.
Revealing stuff
The pop icon felt violated for what her legal counsel described as the ” “unauthorized display, disclosure and dissemination of highly personal information, including her, her friend’s and former boyfriends’ confidential mental thoughts and impressions.” It turned out a female consultant who once had access to the high-profile celebrity’s homes had offered for sale personal items that included a breakup letter, photographs, a personal checkbook, and cassette tapes of unreleased recordings, among many others, the New York Times reported.
While countless things about the "Material Girl” crooner have been widely publicized – including her current relationship with fashion model Kevin Sampaio, there is certain stuff she regards as “intensely personal” and not for public consumption.
Many people are inclined to agree that there are times when the line must be drawn between public interest and what -- as certain sectors may perceive -- people may find interesting. A clear-cut illustration is a blow-by-blow detailing of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce, media coverage of which dragged on for months.
In the case of Madonna, the pop superstar countered that she never sold, gave as gifts, nor transferred title of any of the memorabilia to the seller.
The halting of the auction offering the celebrity's intimate items was justifiable, then.
Material Girl asserts rights
Madonna may be a public figure, but her personal items are not the business of the public. Moreover, she expressed that the memorabilia items were taken without her permission. "The fact that I may have attained celebrity status as a result of success in my career does not obviate my right to maintain my privacy," she stated.
When not protesting an issue or infringement of her rights, what has Madonna been up to? The “Like A Virgin” singer has been quite active on social media, often sharing photographs of herself with her A-list friends, like when English musician Noel Gallagher marked his 50th birthday.
