Madonna criticised for using gun at Denver concert
Published Oct 20 2012, 18:07 BST | By Colin Daniels
Madonna has been criticised for waving a gun on stage while performing 'Gang Bang' at her concert in Denver on Thursday.The singer, who uses a fake gun to shoot a masked gunman as part of her 'MDNA' show, has been branded insensitive for her actions at the Pepsi Centre given the recent shootings in nearby Aurora.
© PA Images / Sean Dempsey/PA Wire
© PA Images / Sean Dempsey/PA Wire
Masked gunman James Holmes opened fire during a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises on July 20, killing 12 and injuring another 58.
"We're dancing and all of a sudden people started realising what the song was," concert-goer Aaron Fransua told the AP.
"We all just stood there. Everybody who was around me all had shock on their face. I heard a lot of, 'Wows'."
Local radio personality Peter Burns, who lost a friend in the tragedy, added: "You could see people kind of looking at each other.
© PA Images / Sean Dempsey/PA Wire
"You could hear people talking about it and it was little bit unsettling. I saw two or three people get up and grab their stuff and actually leave their seats."
Madonna's rep Liz Rosenberg said there was no way to eliminate the scene from the show, claiming it would be "like taking out the third act of Hamlet".
Madonna, who has courted controversy throughout the run of her 'MDNA' tour, was advised to cut guns from the show by Edinburgh police in the immediate aftermath of the Colorado shootings.
Photo gallery - Madonna's most controversial moments:
Copyright: Everett Collection/Rex Features
Madonna caused controversy at the MTV Video Music Awards back in 1984 after she performed Like A Virgin in a white wedding dress before simulating sex on stage.
This is completely stupid. If people are going to a Madonna concert then they should not expect sunny days and picnics. The song is from her latest album and clearly references guns in the song, if people are going to her concert, promoting the album MDNA without listening to it then they shouldn't be there anyway.
October 22nd 2012 at 12:15am
What a load of rubbish, it can't have come to a suprise to concert goers after the tour has been in full swing for months, would be more interested to know if the film was pulled at the time ?!?!?
October 21st 2012 at 5:58pm(+1 like)
This woman will do anything for publicity. If you dont realise that this was a calculated move to create headlines then ur stupid. She'd sell her kids (even the one she stole) if it meant furthering her career and creating publicity.
October 21st 2012 at 4:10pm(+2 likes)
she had this section in her show long before the shootings!!! why let someone spoil things...yes the guy shooting people was awful, but does that mean that every film or show should no longer show guns?? a bad mother..take a look at your local council estate pub if you want to see bad mothers!
October 21st 2012 at 6:00pm
The Madonna fans below sound like the One Direction posse on Twitter - with similar grammar skills.
October 21st 2012 at 3:16pm(+1 like)
I'd ignore this. After the Aurora shootings, too many people in this community came out as saying that guns weren't the problem. If real guns aren't the problem, then I doubt fake guns are.
October 21st 2012 at 12:19pm