Singer Madonna raised eyebrows during an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon last week—including the host's own—when their discussion took an abrupt, booty-baring shift that was right on brand for the pop icon.
While chatting about Madonna's artistic inspiration, she suddenly popped out of her chair and draped herself over Fallon's desk, who played along, acting flustered by the ever-provocative singer's spectacle.
Then for added effect, she flipped up her dress to flash her butt on her way back to her chair.
See the moment below.
Madonna was visiting Fallon's show to talk about her newly released tour documentary, Madame X, which chronicles the 63-year-old singer's 2019-2020 tour of the same name.
It was a most unlikely discussion that led to the bum-flashing incident on Fallon's desk: the writer and Civil Rights activist James Baldwin, whom Madonna cited as one of the greatest influences on her often political work.
"[H]e was a great source of inspiration for the show. And one of the things I quote over and over again in the show is that 'artists are here to disturb the peace.'"
The singer then joked:
"And so I hope that I have disturbed not only your peace this afternoon, but... people's peace while they watch the show--but I mean that in the best way."
Fallon then referenced late Democratic Congressman John Lewis to sum up the singer's boundary-breaking career and long history of activism.
"Yeah, you get in good trouble."
Seemingly to prove his point in the most chaotic way possible, Madonna nodded and launched herself across his desk as Fallon jumped up and tried to cover her with his jacket. She then exclaimed, "Nobody's gonna see anything!" before flashing her butt at the audience on the way back to her chair.
Madonna has made a career out of provocative stunts, especially those of a sexual nature, so the moment wasn't exactly out of character. But as ever with Madonna, the appearance proved divisive.
On Twitter, some applauded her.
But others were less than impressed, with most basing their criticisms on the singer's age.
Others cited the response to Madonna's appearance as proving the singer's oft-made point about ageism, particularly where women are concerned.
Madonna has faced criticism for being "too old" for her often provocative work since the early 1990s, when she was in her early 30s.
Despite this, she remains one of these best-selling female recording artists of all time and the fifth-highest selling artist over all, behind The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Elton John.
@ZoeyCatBell
@twinkb23/Bluesky