Vegas is out as Madonna hospitalized
Madonna is not playing the Strip — or anywhere else — anytime soon.
The pop superstar has postponed her “Celebration” tour, because of what her team has called a “serious bacterial infection” and her ongoing recovery.
The New York post reported Wednesday that the 64-year-old pop star was found unresonisive Saturday night, and was rushed to a New York City hospital and intubated overnight. She is now reportedly recovering in a regular ward of the hospital, which has not been identified.
Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary posted on Instagram Wednesday the headliner had spent several days in an intensive care unit after becoming ill Saturday. He said the 64-year-old singer is expected to make a full recovery.
“Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care,” Oseary wrote.
Live Nation confirmed the tour postponement, citing Oseary’s post.
Madonna’s first two “Celebration” performances in Las Vegas were set for Oct. 7 and 8 dates at T-Mobile Arena. A Jan. 18 show at MGM Grand Garden is also off the books.
No further details about her health, or a timeline for her return to the stage, have been made available. The tour was set to begin in Vancouver on July 15.
The “Celebration” tour was also scheduled to make stops in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta and Boston, among other cities. Oseary said details about rescheduled dates would be shared soon.
Madonna most recently played Las Vegas on Nov. 7, 9 and 10, 2019, at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The shows were during her “Madame X” tour stop, for which she showed up at 12:15 a.m. Hundreds of fans reportedly left the venue, chanting, “Refund!”
“There’s something that you all need to understand,” the superstar said upon her arrival. “And that is, that a queen is never late.”
Prior to those show, Madonna headlined MGM Grand Garden in October 2015, her most recent arena date. The show was on her immensely successful “Rebel Heart Tour.”
The “Like a Virgin” hitmaker announced her eagerly anticipated “Celebration” tour in a video reminiscent of the famous truth-or-dare scene from the movie that chronicled her 1990 “Blonde Ambition” tour.
The video posted Jan. 17 on Madonna’s Instagram Reels feed. She appears at a dinner party with Diplo, Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow, Jack Black, Lil Wayne, Bob The Drag Queen, Kate Berlant, Larry Owens, Meg Stalter and Eric Andre.
Schumer challenges Madonna to play her four decades of music.
“I dare you to play a world tour and play your greatest (expletive hits),” the star comic-actress offers. Madonna shoots back, “(Expletive), yeah.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.