Madonna On Late Show With David Letterman - Aftermath

Aftermath

Madonna later explained her behavior as a failed attempt to make a stand against television censorship, and made up with Letterman by having him escort her onstage at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. In an interview with Bob Guccione, Jr. in Spin magazine in the fall of 1995, Madonna further defended herself: "You can show a person getting blown up, and you can't say 'fuck'? It's such hypocrisy. The fact that everyone counted how many fucks I said—how small minded is that?...The other thing that was ridiculous was that David Letterman knew I was going to do it. I talked to the producers of the show. Everybody was like, this will be really funny if you say 'fuck' a lot they'll just keep bleeping you. Well, I came out and started doing it, and David freaked out. The way he introduced me was derogatory, so my whole thing was, okay, if that's how you want to play it, you cannot beat me at this game."

In a subsequent interview with USA Today, Letterman noted how Madonna sent him a fax on his birthday, shortly after the episode aired. "It was more of the same," he revealed. "'Happy fucking birthday. Have a nice fucking day.' I know she was trying to be funny about it." The fax sent April 12, 1994, reads:

"Happy Fucking Birthday Dave!

glad you could get so much mileage out of the fucking show. Next time you need some Fucking publicity, just give me a fucking call.

love

the anti-christ

M. xx"

The incident was widely referenced in popular culture. For example, in an episode of The Critic titled "Sherman, Woman and Child", Madonna is featured as profane guest of Humphrey the Hippo.