About this episode
The episode discusses the theft of Madonna's costumes and the implications of losing pieces of pop history.
It is, on the face of it, a slightly odd sort of crime. Not subtle, not especially discreet, and certainly not small. Costumes belonging to Madonna have been stolen, and not just any costumes, but the sort tied up with entire eras, performances, identities even. Which makes it less like nicking clothes and more like walking off with fragments of pop history. These are the pieces that once sat under stage lights, absorbed applause, helped construct the whole carefully managed spectacle. Now, apparently, they are elsewhere, in that murky space between private collectors, opportunistic theft, and the slightly surreal economy of celebrity memorabilia. One imagines they do not exactly turn up at the local car boot sale, though stranger things have happened. There is something revealing in this, though it takes a moment to settle. Fame gives the impression of permanence, of things being fixed and protected simply because they matter. But in practice, it is often rather porous. Objects move, security lapses, people take chances. And suddenly something that felt untouchable is, well, gone. Of course, the value here is not just material, though that is considerable enough. It is symbolic…
People in this episode
Hosts: Mark, Pete
Topics covered
- theft
- celebrity memorabilia
- pop culture
- fame
- identity
Keywords
- Madonna
- costumes
- theft
- celebrity
- pop history
- memorabillia
- fame
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