Madonna is heading to Malawi this weekend, no baby is safe

I might need to start watching Glee. Everyone loves that show, and it's getting amazing buzz. Who knew a show about a Glee Club would be so popular? I sure didn't. Anyway, the big Glee news this week was that next year, Glee will do an all-Madonna episode. Madge has opened up her catalog to the show's producers, but it is unknown which songs will be used. My guess is at least one heart-wrenching version of Don't Tell Me', which I think is one of Madge's best. Also, Madge might be looking to return to acting (NO!). The Daily Mail is reporting that Madge is interested in playing Wallis Simpson, the infamous American divorcee who romanced King Edward, and forced his abdication. Oh, Madge cowrote the script too. And she might direct. Guess who is advising her? Guy Ritchie. Seriously.

In other Madge news, she announced yesterday that she'll be returning to Malawi this weekend. Lock up the babies! No, Madge is going to Malawi to lay the foundation stone' for the multi-million-dollar girls school she's building (that she announced in April). This NYDN article doesn't say, but I'd be willing to bet that the school is being built is affiliated with Kabbalah, which is the only charity (besides The Charitable Upkeep of Boy Toy Jesus Luz) that Madge gives to, according to Cityfile. Madge only gives to Kabbalah, and even then, she only gave less than .05% of her earnings this year. It's also thought (by me) that this Malawi school is part of the millions of dollars Madge was spreading around (paying off' if you will) when her adoption of Mercy was initially denied.

Madonna will visit Malawi on Sunday to lay the foundation stone of a multi-million dollar girls' school she is building, her charity Raising Malawi told Reuters.

The singer, who has adopted two children from the southern African country, is due to arrive on Sunday and attend a brick-laying ceremony in Lilongwe on Monday. The school is expected to cost about $15 million.

'She plans to meet the President Bingu wa Mutharika and together lay a foundation stone for her multi-million dollar girls school,' a staffer at the charity, who declined to be named, said on Thursday.

An AIDS epidemic has left over a million children orphaned in the impoverished country of 13 million.

Malawi's government came under fire after Madonna adopted a 13-month-old boy, David Banda, in 2006, with critics accusing it of giving her special treatment by skirting laws that ban non-residents from adopting children.

In June this year, Malawi's Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling made in April which said Madonna could not adopt a four-year girl — Mercy James — because the singer was not a resident of the country.

[From the NY Daily News]

Yeah, it's been said before, but Oprah much? I think building a school in an impoverished community is a great thing. I think sticking with development projects in an impoverished community is a great thing. I think focusing on the educational development of young girls is a great thing. But with Madge is always something, isn't it?

Oprah got a lot of flack for her South African girls school - even before it was opened and had the abuse problems - because Oprah was seen by some as swooping into a country, taking girls away from their families and forcing them into a regimented curriculum that few were prepared for. And let's face it, Madonna is no Oprah. One thing I'll give Oprah, she dealt with all of those criticisms and problems head-on, in a way that Madonna couldn't or wouldn't if and when problems occur at her school. If this school is affiliated with Kabbalah, as I suspect, then there are many large, looming disasters waiting to happen.

If it was anyone else, I would give some lip service to the celebrity at least trying to make a difference. But with Madge is just seems like yet another big stunt to get attention, doesn't it? Or am I being too harsh? I'm open to the criticism that I'm being too harsh. It's just that, to me, everything about Madge's involvement in Malawi seems off'.