Deconstructing with Della: Madonna's Passion
January 30, 2017 |
| Madonna accepts her Billboard 2016 Woman of the Year Award Photo Source: Billboard |
As I started to watch the clip from the Billboard event, I felt a slight cringe coming on. Madge begins with a rough, edgy tone and makes a crack about being most comfortable with something hard between her legs. She plops the award down behind her like a discarded wine bottle and gets back to her speech. She sounds angry but, as per usual, I can't take my eyes off her. She rants with such intensity. I was not sure where she was going with the speech and wondered if it would have an overall message for the crowd. Her appearance is always part of the show and her colourful tailored suit does not disappoint. It distracts me but only for a moment.
In our presentation training workshops we focus our groups on making sure they deliver something of value to the audience. At this point, I was debating on whether this was going to be a "do" or "don't" example.
Deconstructing while watching her, I could tell she was well prepared. She was focused and using this opportunity to the max. The turning point in her speech came when she said, "Thank you for acknowledging my ability to continue my career for 34 years in the face of blatant sexism and misogyny and constant bullying and relentless abuse."
Wow. Now I know where this is going. She then shocks us with her personal reveal of rape and bullying attacks. She tears up a few times - honest, no BS tears and deeply emotional.
She ends with a strong, direct message for the women in the audience and the hundreds of thousands who will watch the video:
"What I would like to say to all women here today is this: Women have been so oppressed for so long they believe what men have to say about them. They believe they have to back a man to get the job done. And there are some very good men worth backing, but not because they're men -- because they're worthy. As women, we have to start appreciating our own worth and each other's worth. Seek out strong women to befriend, to align yourself with, to learn from, to collaborate with, to be inspired by, to support, and enlightened by."
Whatever you think of Madonna, you can learn from speeches like hers. Good speeches capture your interest, surprise you and make you think.
Since writing this blog a few weeks ago, Madonna has made headlines again with her speech at the Women's March on Washington. I was watching her live on CNN when she dropped the F-bomb three times before CNN could react and cut away. Later, I heard about her "Blowing up the White House" comment. Of course, that stirred up the ultra right to call for an investigation. Here is the full sentence from her speech - "Yes, I'm angry. Yes, I am outraged. Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House. But I know that this won't change anything. We cannot fall in despair."
Even in this era of unpolished, alarmist rhetoric from political leaders, she can still get attention.
Even in this era of unpolished, alarmist rhetoric from political leaders, she can still get attention.
The greatest part of her Billboard speech was the passion. Passion, like Madonna, never goes out of style.
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