Being the fickle-minded, ADD-infected pop culture fans that you no doubt are, you'll have probably forgotten that Madonna recently adopted a boy from Malawi so that he could enjoy a pony-riding life of drizzle-filled luxury in Great Britain.
Oh who are we kidding, of course you remember Madonna's adoption of little David Banda from Malawi – at one point even serious news programmes were furiously trying to work out whether the boy would get a better life as an orphan in a poverty-stricken AIDS-ravaged country or as the son of an elderly millionaire who wears manky leotards a bit too much. But just because nobody has mentioned Madonna's adoption of David Banda for just over a fortnight, it doesn't mean that it's all gone away. A consortium of 67 human rights groups are still trying to block Madonna from permanently adopting David Banda, and they're waiting to find out if they can proceed with their case. And they will find out, just as soon as the sodding judge stops delaying his ruling.
Of all the controversial things Madonna has ever done – simulating masturbation near the Pope's house, singing a song on a cross, getting married to lunk-headed mockney director of several awful gangster movies Guy Ritchie – going to Malawi to adopt a boy is by far the most controversial. Madonna's adoption of David Banda wasn't controversial because it apparently annoyed Guy Ritchie, or because David Banda wasn't actually an orphan like Madonna said he was, or even because Madonna got to defend the adoption to Newsnight while seemingly between takes of a Turkish Delight advert, but all the controversy comes from the alleged bending of international adoption laws by Madonna and the Malawi government.
All kinds of human rights groups are trying to block Madonna's adoption of David Banda because they say Madonna hasn't lived in Malawi for 18 months as adoption law states, and they're waiting to see if their challenge will actually go to court. They've been waiting for a while, since the legal proceedings was adjourned last month, and then again last week. And it's been delayed again today, after the Malawi judge realised he had a load of other shit to do, as Reuters reports:
Malawi's High Court on Monday postponed a ruling on whether rights groups could challenge pop star Madonna's adoption of a Malawian child, saying the judge was too busy. Lawyers for both sides in the case said they hoped the court would rule next week. "The judge has not communicated to me or my colleague but we hear that he is very busy and he might rule next week," said Justin Dzonzi, lawyer for the advocacy groups. Maxwell Matewere, executive director for Eye of the Child, one of 67 advocacy groups seeking to block the adoption, told Reuters the court had informed them the judge was away for a week on official business.
So hopefully we'll know by next week whether or not David Banda can stay in Britain with Madonna, although don't know how much Madonna will actually care; after all, she's had David Banda for 34 days already so she's probably already a little bit bored with him by now anyway.
Read more: