Forlorn Madonna, 68, breaks cover with toyboy Akeem Morris, 30, in first sighting since VMAs disaster led to family intervention
Madonna surfaced in Beverly Hills on Monday with her toyboy Akeem Morris, in her first sighting since her shambolic appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The 68-year-old, who was the most feted artist at the ceremony with seven prizes, opened the broadcast with a medley of songs from her new album Confessions II.
Joined by Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX, she raised fan concerns with her labored moves, and as the evening wore on it emerged her left knee was strapped up.
Even her wins proved embarrassing because of her speeches, one of which saw her cling to presenters Charli and Troye Sivan, fumble a joke about removing a prop laser from her ‘a**’ and then forget which of her videos was being honored.
In the wake of the ceremony, the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that her family reacted to her chaotic showing by staging an intervention.
The following night, the Like a Virgin songstress wore a forlorn expression as she stepped out to dinner with her dashing 30-year-old boyfriend.
The Daily Mail has contacted Madonna’s representatives for comment.
Madonna surfaced in Beverly Hills this Monday with her boyfriend Akeem Morris, marking her first public sighting since her shambolic appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards
The Like a Virgin singer showed no hint of disquiet when she stepped out to dinner the following night with her dashing 30-year-old toyboy
While Morris appeared in bright spirits, Madonna’s expression as they exited the restaurant seemed slightly more tired and forlorn
Morris, who has been dating Madonna for slightly over two years, towered over her as they left the upscale Italian eatery Funke.
The former professional soccer player gallantly held the passenger side car door open for Madonna and wrapped an affectionate arm around her.
For her latest night out, the Material Girl opted for head-to-toe black, draping herself in a long leather coat with sumptuous fur trim at the cuffs and lapel.
While Morris appeared in bright spirits, Madonna’s face as they exited the restaurant seemed somewhat more tired and careworn.
The previous night, her 10-minute medley of her songs Bring Your Love and Danceteria Afterhours drew not only criticism of her dance moves, but also allegations that she was lip-syncing.
Along with Carpenter and Charli, the Queen of Pop’s guest-stars included her best friend Debi Mazar as well as actress Julia Garner, who was cast as Madonna in a self-directed biopic that failed to materialize because of a budgetary dispute.
Social media users theorized that Madonna seemed ‘out of breath’ during the ‘mess’ of a performance Sunday night, which saw her wear a pained look as a group of backup dancers hauled her onto a moving platform.
Although she emerged as the evening’s biggest winner, her freewheeling speeches also left viewers wondering about her wellbeing.
The former professional soccer player gallantly held the passenger side car door open for Madonna and wrapped an affectionate arm around her
Morris, who has been dating Madonna for over two years, towered over her as they emerged from the upscale Italian eatery
For her latest night out, the Material Girl opted for head-to-toe black, including a long leather coat with sumptuous fur trim at the cuffs and lapel
In the wake of the ceremony, the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that her family reacted to her chaotic showing by staging an intervention
When Sivan and Charli presented her with the best dance award for Confessions II (The Film), Madonna pulled them towards her, saying: ‘Safety in numbers.’
She then admitted: ‘I’m kind of unclear as to what this award is for – I guess it’s for the short film?’ forcing Charli to refresh her memory by showing her the announcement card she had pulled out of the envelope.
Her joke about extracting a prop from her backside failed to land, prompting her to say: ‘You guys didn’t get the joke about the laser up my a**, did you?’
Madonna had not sung onstage at the VMAs since 2003, when she set off a media firestorm by kissing both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
She famously performed at the first-ever VMAs in 1984, bursting from a gigantic wedding cake while dressed in a bridal gown for a rendition of Like a Virgin.
Sunday’s fracas took place three years after Madonna had to postpone the North American leg of her Celebration Tour because of a sudden health downturn.
She was confined to the ICU for several days after contracting what her manager announced at the time was a ‘serious bacterial infection.’
In the days following her hospitalization, a family member informed the Daily Mail that Madonna’s loved ones were ‘preparing for the worst.’
During her opening medley at the VMAs, during which she was joined by Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX, she left fans concerned with her labored dance moves
Social media users lambasted the ‘mess’ of a performance, which saw her wear a pained look as a group of backup dancers hauled her onto a moving platform
Even her wins proved embarrassing because of her speeches, one of which saw her cling to presenters Charli and Troye Sivan and forget which of her videos was being honored
Madonna subsequently revealed that the cause of her hospitalization was sepsis, which resulted in her being unconscious for four days.
She also disclosed that she required the use of a ventilator and spent 48 hours in an ‘induced coma,’ in an interview with self-help influencer Jay Shetty.
Sepsis takes effect when the body reacts to an infection by releasing chemicals that can result in serious organ malfunction, sometimes with fatal consequences.
When she mounted her return to the stage in 2024, Madonna told the live audience that she had suffered a ‘near-death’ experience.
‘I’m pretty sure that was God saying to me: “Do you want to come? Want to come up with me?”‘ said Madonna, whose answer to the question was: ‘No!’