Major Singer Faces Fan Backlash: Celebration Tour Sparks Class Action Lawsuit

Clear Facts

• Madonna and her promoters are facing a class action lawsuit filed by a group of fans, led by Justen Lipeles, who claim they were misled and exposed to “pornography without warning” during “The Celebration Tour.”
• This is not a first for the pop star. Madonna has previously been sued several times, particularly for starting her concerts later than the time given on the tickets.
• The recent lawsuit also criticizes Madonna for the “hot and uncomfortable temperature” at the concert, and alleges that she lip-synced her performances.

A group of fans have initiated a legal proceeding against pop icon Madonna, alleging they were “purposely and deceptively” sold tickets to a concert experience that did not meet their expectations. The class action suit was filed in Los Angeles by Justen Lipeles.

The fans accuse Madonna and her team of creating a false image of her “The Celebration Tour.”

The lawsuit alleges that Madonna had topless dancers on stage while she sang, “subjecting [the fans] to pornography without warning.”

Madonna and her promotional team have also been criticized for the concert conditions. The fans allege they were forced to endure a “hot and uncomfortable temperature” while Madonna “would lip sync” her performances.

According to court documents, “Forcing consumer to wait hours in hot, uncomfortable arenas and subjecting them to pornography without warning is demonstrative of Madonna’s flippant disrespect for her fans.”

Madonna’s previous legal troubles also revolve around concert proceedings. The “Material Girl” singer has been taken to court a few times, specifically for starting her concerts later than the scheduled time.

In a recent instance, a group of fans who attended her concerts in Washington, D.C. on April 18 and 19 took legal action, accusing her of “wanton exercise in false advertising, intentional and negligent misrepresentation and unfair and deceptive trade practices.”

Madonna also faced a lawsuit in New York filed by Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden for “unconscionable, unfair, and/or deceptive trade practices” due to the late start of a “Celebration Tour” concert.

The suit states, “Madonna had demonstrated difficulty in ensuring a timely or complete performance, and Defendants were aware that any statement as to a start time for a show constituted, at best, optimistic speculation.”

Madonna’s lawyers have responded to the New York class action suit, filing a motion to dismiss it. They have argued that the inconvenience of leaving the concert venue after 1 a.m. or having to wake up early the next day for work is not a valid reason for seeking damages.

The dismissal motion stated, “That is not a cognizable injury.”

Despite the controversy, Madonna’s “Celebration Tour,” which also marks her 40th anniversary in the entertainment industry, went ahead after being postponed due to her battle with a serious bacterial infection earlier in July 2023.

The pop star eventually returned to the stage in December, following her recovery.

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