Madonna, at age 50, is ferociously intent upon proving that she is not slouching gently into middle age. Lately we are often confronted with her wiry body performing feats that would have women half her age in traction.
The hair is blonde, the face line-free, and in her most recent video with young Justin Timberlake she struts around saucily in dominatrix boots and a funny flesh-coloured body suit.
Last week, still striving to shock, Madonna grabbed one of her female dancers for a passionate kiss, echoing her on-stage snog with Britney Spears some years back. No one raises an eyebrow at faux-lesbian kisses any more: indeed, some of the racier ladies in the Women’s Institute will no doubt be doing them soon to raise money for charity.
But it got me thinking about the etiquette of such matters. I’m sure the clinch with Britney had to be cleared in advance with Britney and her “people,” but I suspect - from the dreadfully awkward angle of her head - that the poor little dancer was taken unawares
