Throughout her years in the spotlight, Madonna has been called everything from genius to whore, innovator to anti-Christ. Once this new maelstrom of scrutiny subsides, she may garner a new title: humanitarian. For now though, she is enduring a harsh public lashing. Many civil rights groups became unreasonably frustrated when reports of an adoption by the singer came to light. This one adoption was the subject of mockery and chastisement from tabloids and credible news agencies alike.

Since the Oct 25 airing of an interview with Oprah, Madonna has become ubiquitous, appearing on BBC Newsnight, Associated Press, NBC’s Today Show, Dateline, Live with Regis and Kelly, and even Access Hollywood. In a prime time interview with Today Show host Meredith Vieira on Dateline NBC, Madonna very candidly discussed the abusive media frenzy that enveloped her recent actions in Africa. “I expected people to be cynical and say ‘Oh! She’s just doing this ‘cause she wants attention…’ people accused me, when I had my daughter, that I did it as a publicity stunt; I mean I expected that, but I didn’t expect to be demonized.” Publicity, of course, is a part of Madonna’s job, but her actions in Africa were not a stunt.

Rather than adopting from her native US, Madonna chose Africa because of the poor conditions in orphanages there. She says, “You know that in an orphanage in America [the orphans] are going to get their basic needs met…this does not exist in Africa.
The singer has been deeply affected by dehumanizing conditions on the hot continent.

The Material adopter, speaking to Nancy Odell on Access Hollywood, cited her early, motherless childhood as a basis for orphan kinship: “I know what that pain feels like.” During her interview with the BBC, Madonna insightfully quipped, “It’s interesting that when you want to adopt a child you have to go through all of these tests but when you want to have a child no one asks or expects anything of you.” When she first became aware of baby David Banda’s plight, Madonna considered financially assisting Yohane Banda, David’s birth father, in the boy’s upbringing. When Yohane refused the offer, preferring to abandon David entirely, Madonna decided to adopt the child outright. Although she has only recently made the addition to her family, Madonna hinted at the possibility of further adoptions: “I wouldn’t rule it out... I would like it to be less complicated in the future… but I would like to experience David for a while and see how it works out.”