Little-Known Secrets About The Original Queen Of Pop
She's a fashion icon, a pop queen, a mother, and a force to be reckoned with: let's talk about Madonna. From her career to her personal life, Madonna Ciccone has never been shy about what she says or does. But that doesn't mean she pours all her secrets into the microphone. Even the Queen of Pop's biggest fans probably don't know the real story of her rise to the top — or the controversies that threatened to drag her to the bottom...
Hometown woes
Madonna was born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone on August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan. Though it seems she wasn't Bay City's biggest fan. She once referred to her hometown as "a stinky, little town in Northern Michigan" on national television. Ouch! One of six children, Madonna is named after her mother, who sadly died of breast cancer when the future queen of pop was only five years old. To distinguish her from her mother, she was referred to as "Little Nonni" as a girl.
Searching for that special something
As well as suffering such a tremendous loss at a young age, Madonna once described her young self as a lonely girl who was searching for something. "I wasn't rebellious," she said. "I cared about being good at something. I didn't shave my underarms and I didn't wear make-up, but I studied and I got good grades. I just wanted to be somebody." And 'be somebody' she certainly did, but that wasn't without hard work.
Brains and beauty
Even though she was apparently a quiet kid during high school, Madge still made the cheer team, which paired perfectly with her love for athletics and dance. In fact, she later wore a vintage cheerleader outfit during one of her concerts. Not only has she always been athletically and musically gifted, she was also a real brain box. She always got straight As during her studies and reportedly has an IQ of 140.
The jam incident
After finishing high school and waving goodbye to the cheerleading squad, Madonna headed to the bright lights of New York, where she spent her time trying to make ends meet while studying dance. While waiting for her big break, Madonna took work wherever she could find it, including at a Dunkin' Donuts. There, she was reportedly fired for squirting jam in a customer's face.
