Madonna Turns 40 in

Madonna Turns 40 in _____ Hours


Ten years ago, Madonna turned 40. It was, of course, a huge affair, as Madonna was , and cantankerous pop culture theorists found it a staggering victory on her part that she still managed to be relevant at such an age.

This was 1998, before reality TV had killed the video star. VH1 made sure its viewers stayed well aware of the impending milestone by flickering "Madonna Turns 40 in _____ Hours!" across younger incarnations of the singer wriggling onscreen. Then she turned 40, and--to the shock of the entertainment world--it didn't seem to change anything.

Things have changed. In August, Madonna turned 50, and while the paparazzi managed to get plenty of shots of her entering and exiting her London party, this birthday didn't seem such a big deal.

Perhaps it's because there are now so many beautiful women who are breaking barriers in a formerly youth-obsessed industry. Sure, cynics may credit plastic surgery for the staying power of these women, but they're overlooking the fact that surgeried or not, these women are fascinating to watch. Some we've loved for decades, while others hit their strides later in life. All are alluringly mature, and all are sexy

Madonna’s Home Improvement Project

Madonna’s Home Improvement Project:

Lots of people start new projects on their home in the summertime, and it seems Madonna is jumping on the home improvement bandwagon.

The Material Girl is reportedly adding a new floor to her $32 million townhouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, designed to hold her gym equipment.

According to an inside source, Madge will add 1,614 square feet to the property, for a total of 13,847 square feet.

In addition to the gym area, Madonna is also putting in a playroom and a wine cellar, all to the tune of $1.7 million.

Gwyneth and Madonna's Falling Out

They’ve been dear friends for quite some time, but rumor has it Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow have called it quits on their friendship.

An insider told press, "They don't speak. I can't tell you exactly why they had the falling out, but Gwyneth can be jealous and competitive."

Though Madonna's rep denies the "breakup," an Us magazine source tells that things went downhill slowly for the duo after Madonna split from Guy Ritchie in 2008, leaving "Gwyneth and Madonna with less in common." (Paltrow's been wed to U.K.-born singer Chris Martin since 2003.)

Both Madonna and Paltrow have had falling outs with friends in the past. The “Material Girl” singer and Sandra Bernhard broke things off in 1991, while the “Shallow Hal” actress and Winona Ryder had a falling out in 1998.