Ultra rich pop star Madonna has a homeless brother in Traverse City, Michigan who lives under a bridge.
On Tuesday The Sun revealed how the 55-year-old is living rough under a bridge in his home state of Michigan while his superstar sibling enjoys a £400million lifestyle.Jacked from The Sun
But according to Anthony his sister one of the world's most famous women, who could buy him a mansion without a second thought isn't interested in rescuing him from his troubled situation.
He said: "How did I end up here? Ask my family."
His nicotine-stained hands shook as he lit a cigarette before continuing: "I haven't had anything to do with Madonna in years. I doubt if she cares about my predicament.
"The only reason people seem to care about me is who my sister is. I know I could tell stories about her but I won't. She wants nothing to do with me. She has her life."
Surrounded by empty beer cans and soggy old blankets beside the river in Traverse City, Anthony looked like a weather-beaten pensioner with his straggly white beard and ruddy face. He added: "Being homeless is hard but I've got nowhere else to go. I used to live in Manhattan, in the East Village.
"Then I went to Hollywood to work as a carpenter in the movies. Then I came back here to Michigan to work for our father's vineyard and it all went wrong.
"I'm the eldest and I'm what I call the red-headed stepchild that's an American expression for an unwanted kid. The black sheep of the family, if you like.
"A year or so ago my father ordered me out. I had nowhere else to go. I have an ex-partner and a son out in the Midwest who I haven't seen in years. And although I am the eldest of eight children, my siblings don't want to know."
Madonna, 53, was a fresh-faced 26-year-old when her first smash hit, Holiday, reached No 6 in the UK charts in 1984.
Since then she has sold more than 300million records worldwide and is estimated to be worth more than £400million. But Anthony insists he won't be asking her for a handout.
He said: "I am not going to ask Madonna for anything. Why would I? We had little to do with each other, even in the 1980s when I was in New York and she moved there to find fame and fortune."
Madonna has spoken in the past about the pain of losing her mother — also called Madonna — to breast cancer in 1963 and how she and her siblings, including Anthony, had struggled to cope.
Their father, Silvio, later married the family's housekeeper, Joan Gustafson, and went on to have two more children, Jennifer and Mario.
Silvio is now in charge of the family's vineyard on Michigan's picturesque Leelanau peninsula, from which Anthony was fired last year.
He added: "This area of Michigan is beautiful. It's the cherry capital of America.
"The homeless have gravitated to it because local churches provide food and you can sleep in the lobby of the local jail when it's cold.
"The police directed me to this river bridge. It's out of the way the tourists can't see us hidden down here. But it is rough.
"I've seen people get trown in the river. The native Americans get drunk and start fights.
"I fell in the river once. I slipped on ice and cracked my head open. I was rescued by a cop.
"Last winter I got frostbite on my toes. The pain is excruciating but luckily I got treatment. I have a friend who lost all ten toes to frostbite. Now he gets about with a cane — he can just about walk. And he's still homeless. I saw him at the church for breakfast this morning.
"People have died out here of hypothermia. Of course, given the chance I wouldn't be out here but I don't really have a choice.
"In Manhattan I had a rent-controlled apartment in Alphabet City. It was a s***hole but it only cost $300 (£190) a month.
"I was a carpenter and I wanted to work on the movies, so I moved to Hollywood. I did videos, commercials, the odd TV and film show. But I never worked with Madonna on anything. She didn't ask me.
"People said I should be in front of the cameras but I never did it. Should have done really."
Then, egged on by his vagrant pal Michael a man in his 30s with purple hair and a stutter Anthony started singing.
Avoiding Madonna songs, he warbled She's Not There, the 1964 hit by British group The Zombies which ironically includes the line, "It's too late to say you're sorry".
11 comments:
Lets keep it real! not all siblings are close and it seems they never really liked each other in the first place. madges dad is like 80 or 90 years old, so in the hell knows why he kicked his son out of the business. he could have been influenced by his other children. Madonna also has a gay brother that wrote a book about her, why doesn't he reach out to that sibling? something isn;t right! sounds like dude has issues, and it's with the bottle. If I was madonna i would give him a small spot to crash in at some cheap hotel, but that's about it.
Family should help family no matter what, I know it aint known of my business, but what that man is going through is a really bad serious situation/Madonna should reach out to him and offer her help or offer him a job. she could even set it up to give him help without him knowing the help was from her. If she can rescue and adopt that baby all the way from Africa, she can help her brother. Not helping him makes her look bad.
12:17am
Yes! Yes!
Remember this is just one side of the story
@ 12:17 Am I guess. However, I personally don't deal with some members of my family cause they're dirty. As in, they have very underhanded ways about them. It's at the point I see them as strangers, so they better not dare ask me for no money. Sorry, I could be counting out hundreds loudly and probably wouldn't give them one. I have no problem being generous but if I do give you a break and you fuck me over, I'll just smile at you cause you won't ever have to worry bout me so " no" ever again. Being that I'm a stickler for loyalty, I don't give known traitors any second chances.
This guy is a long time drug addict and alcoholic. His family has helped him many, many times over the years. Madonna has paid for him to go to rehab many, many times and he always fucks up. His Father fired him and kicked him out because he was probably stealing to support his habit. Sometimes you have to just let people go and hit rock bottom so they know what the situation is if they don't straighten up.
well if I was madonna I would buy him an (small)house or apartment at least for him and his homeless friends pay the utilities monthly but I would not support his drug or drinking habit he is her blood
He was paid for the interview he gave, probably at least 10K. He can get himself a place to stay. Bet he won't though. He will run through that money to support his habit and the habit of his "friends" that live on the streets with him. Anyone who has ever had an addicted family member that doesn't think they have a problem knows. She doesn't owe him anything.
Doesn't matter......there's no way you can be worth 400 million dollars, and your brother is living under a bridge!?!?! I wouldn't care what side of the story you're on?? She bought children, soooooooo......yeah she bogus!! Madge that's fukked up, help a brotha out!!??
@sex_e_lex_e
what you need is a big strong hand to lift you to a higher ground. Madonna , express yourself
I'm from Traverse City, I know exactly where that bridge is (by the corner of 6th and Union). I like to feed the ducks just across the river, but I have never seen this guy.
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