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Madonna Denies Adoption Rumors

Madonna has always been quick to jump on fashionable bandwagons, so it wasn't much surprise when government officials in Malawi -- an African nation of about 12 million -- claimed that Madonna had "pulled a Jolie" and adopted a one-year-old boy from a Malawian orphanage.

"None of that is accurate," said Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's chief spokeswoman at Warner Brothers. "She has not adopted a child. She went on a private visit to Malawi…to participate in the building of an orphanage and several other initiatives that are all under the auspices of an organization called Raising Malawi."

Note the plug. Madonna is working closely with Raising Malawi (http://www.raisingmalawi.org/), a grassroots organization dedicated to helping orphaned children, who make up a staggering one-twelfth of the country's population. Of the million-plus orphans, 30% are estimated to be infected with AIDS. Madonna has pledged $3 million of her own money to working on the plight, and has also announced plans for a documentary on Malawi's struggles.

But whoever put out this apparently false story about Madge becoming a Mommy should be ashamed! Actually, nobody is even pretending to be upset about it -- not even Madonna herself.

"I think that anything that brings attention to the country is fine with her, even if it's information that's not correct," said Rosenberg. "She wants people to pay attention to Malawi and to the one million children who don't have parents and don't have care there."

--The ARTISTdirect Staff
10.05.06