Thank you CP for telling it straight. The video and the first single were boring and the CD is weak for a Madonna album. It seemed cringe-worthy that Madonna felt she had to get street cred into her video with "ethnic extras," that she couldn't think of a better way to boost the song. It showed how weak the whole concept was--and what was up with those stockings?

But Ms. Paglia--where was Beautiful Bend and USA/European Express on your hot disco list? Talk about contemplation and trance.......

Madonna has reached a huge milestone with her latest hit, why can't we be happy for her success? Why does Camille Paglia feel the need to try and tear her down? Agism? Jelousy? Madonna is a pop singer with lasting fame and success in a world where pop singers' fortunes melt faster than an ice sculpture in a volcano. Madonna clearly has something on the ball.

If you want to throw rocks at aging rock stars, the Rolling stones are even older and having less commercial success these days than Madonna. That said, they still have more musical talent in their little fingers than Camille Paglia could ever hope to match with her writing.

I see the voices of dissent are many, but I for one am glad that Camille Paglia is back. I hope Salon sees many more articles from her, and on a regualr basis. Camille is a lightening rod, invoking strong opinions both for and against her positions. I don't always agree with her, but her knowledge and wit are always refreshing. (And a word to the unnamed feminist in letter one: Camille was right, Dworkin lost - and thank God. I went to an ultra-feminist college and read every , EVERY book by Dworkin - I had to. Her philosophy of bitter repression and vindictiveness was required reading in practically every discipline, from Anthropology to Film Studies. We largely have Dworkin to thank for the toxic atmosphere of 1980s and early 1990s gender politics, which still infects the pages of Salon.) As for Madonna, she's not the greatest songwriter in the world, at least for me, though I do enjoy much of her music. What is most captivating about her is her determination and sheer creative energy. Madonna has been producing number one albums for over twenty years, and that's a pretty impressive feat whether you like her music or not. I understand the criticsms aimed at her latest album, but at the same time I think we might expect too much from her, and place an unrealistic burden on what she is expected to deliver. Being a huge fan of early David Bowie, I have to concede that though I think he is a far more serious and interesting artist than Madonna, she has been more consistent - turning out album after album with every one worth a good listen or two.

I'm overjoyed that Paglia is back! I hope at least on a weekly basis.

As for Madonna, Paglia's been down on her for some time. Madonna's always been aspirational, pretentious, and ironic. That's always made her albums seem uneven on the first listen.

Her "American Life" single and video were way ahead of the curve and rather brave for a mainstream American star trying to move units. (Then she cowardly withdrew it in the face of criticism from the Karl Rove-driven media.) The CD had a fitful profundity, though not the usual calculated success we have come to expect from M. Mrs. Ritchie could take a page from Paglia's book and learn the virtues of writing lyrics draft by edited draft.

But as for Paglia, where has her productivity been squandered? On "B,B,B"?

Domesticity? Middle age repose? Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks. Or maybe Paglia should. Sometimes a rock actually hits a worthy target. I hope Paglia contributes lots of copy on a current basis, because we'll benefit from her pithy observations during this increasingly depressing American Life.

i always love to see camille paglia in salon. welcome back, please write more. i'd love to hear your take on the new post-heart surgery bill clinton and perhaps a long discussion with monica.

but back to madonna.....trained or not, she used to be a pretty crappy dancer--clunky and stiff. maybe she's better now. her voice is unlistenable. her acting talent? staggeringly bad. BUT: she did one thing that i will always love and respect her for. in the very early 80's the world was introduced to the cruel blight of aids. understandably, people were terrified, and innocent people suffering from the disease were horribly, ferociously stigmatized in the most cold hearted ways. As i recall, Madonna's voice was one of the very first to speak up for friends with aids, to use her concerts as a way to educate people about aids and to lend a loving and human hand to everyone with the disease. when her producer jellybean benitez became ill, she kissed him, if i recall correctly, a little gesture at a time when the rest of the world ran shrieking from the room. she kissed him.

that, to me, is worth more than anything. that makes makes madonna truly outstanding and courageous.

Paglia has it all wrong from the first sentence: "Madonna cannibalizes herself in a misguided attempt to appeal to today's youth."

Madonna is savvy enough to know that it isn't the teens and twenty-somethings buying her album. It is people my age � those who grew up listening to her music. I bought the album and I'll buy every remix single that will follow.

Comparing Madonna to Joan Crawford and Bette Davis was meant to be an insult. But, those ladies were cool (especially Davis) well into their senior years. "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" is a classic that ensures nobody will ever forget its stars.

Likewise, Madonna will be remembered long after people start saying "Camille who?" (I think that was last week, by the way.)

There is one thing I want more than anything in the world... I want to interview Madonna and ask her what she thinks is up with Camille Paglia's obsession with her. It's impossible to read a Paglia column or DVD commentary (Basic Instinct Special Edition)without hearing her take on Madonna. And man! She rakes Madonna over the coals every time. But she keeps coming back for more. I for one am happy for Madonna's success. Her new album sold 4 million copies worldwide in the first week. When she found out her album was number 1 in America (after hearing through her husband) she opened a bottle of champagne and then cried for 20 minutes. Paglia suggests that it's number 4 position on the charts in the 2nd week is something to be embarassed about. Lest we forget in 2003 when American Life dropped down to number 9, and then nosedived into oblivion without a single radio hit. After being written off, Madonna staged a world tour that broke records and landed her in the number 8 position on Forbes Celebrity Power list. And now she resurfaces with a no. 1 album and a new top 10 single, rivaling Elvis's record. What can she do to make Paglia happy I wonder? Get fat and die of a drug overdose? Now I understand why Madonna doesn't read the newspaper. Nothing she does will ever satisfy anyone, but she's held to unrealistic standards. She'd go mad. Paglia takes a jab at her for plagiarizing the ABBA sample, as if she's the first artist to ever use a sample to get a hit song. Where was Paglia with the town mob when Janet Jackson scored a number 1 hit with ALL FOR YOU with Luther Vandross's THE GLOW OF LOVE sample?