After receiving quite the backlash on social media last night, The Material Girl, Madonna, came forward with a statement on her Instagram account about the “misunderstanding” of how she made the Aretha Franklin Tribute all about herself on the telecast of the 2018 MTV VMA’s from Radio City Music Hall in New York City,

The VMA’s wanted to acknowledge the Queen of Soul’s passing on the show, and Madonna expressed after being lambasted by the media and the fans: “Just to clarify: I was asked to present video of the year by MTV! And then they asked me to share any anecdotes I had in my career connected to Aretha Franklin! I shared a part of my journey and thanked Aretha for inspiring me along the way. I did not intend to do a tribute to her! That would be impossible in 2 minutes with all the noise and tinsel of an award show. I could never do her justice in this context or environment.  Unfortunately most people have short attention spans, and are so quick to judge. I love Aretha! R.E.S.P.E.C.T. 🙏🏼. ”

When Madonna took to the VMA stage, she spoke of her difficult and humble beginnings in show business relating: “Aretha Louise Franklin changed the course of my life. I left Detroit when I was 18, $35 in my pocket. My dream was to make it as a professional dancer. After years of struggling and being broke, I decided to go to auditions for musical theater.   I had no training or dreams of ever becoming a singer but I went for it. I got cut and rejected from every audition — not tall enough, not blend-in enough, not 12-octave-range enough, not pretty enough. Not enough.   And then one day a French disco sensation was looking for backup singers and dancers for his world tour. I thought, ‘Why not? The worst that can happen is I can go back to getting robbed, held at gunpoint and being mistaken for a prostitute in my third-floor walk-up that was also a crackhouse.’ That’s right, I’m a ‘Rebel Heart’.  So I showed up for the audition and two very large French record producers sat in the empty theater, daring me to be amazing. The dance audition went well. Then they asked me if I had sheet music and a song prepared. I panicked. I had overlooked this important part of the audition process.  They looked over at the pianist, he shook his head. ‘I don’t need sheet music,’ I said, ‘I know every word. I know the song by heart, I will sing it a cappella.’ I could see that they did not take me seriously — and why should they? Some skinny-ass white girl is going to come up here and belt out a song by one of the greatest soul singers that ever lived? And a cappella … I said, ‘Bitch, I’m Madonna.’ No, I didn’t, I didn’t say that. ‘Cause I wasn’t Madonna yet. I don’t know who I was. I don’t know what I said, I don’t know what came over me.”

Then to tie it all back to Aretha and the impact she had on her, Madonna ended with:  “So you’re probably all wondering why I’m telling you this story. There’s a connection, because none of this would’ve happened — could’ve happened — without our lady of soul. She led me to where I am today and I know she influenced so many people in this house tonight, in this room tonight, and I want to thank you, Aretha, for empowering all of us. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Long live the queen.”

You can watch the Aretha tribute via Madonna from last night’s VMA’s below.  What did you think of it? Should the producers have done something else ,and had a few singers salute the legendary singer who died a few days ago, or was it just too short of a time for them to properly pay homage to her, and since Madonna was scheduled to present the last award, tying her story to Franklin was the only way they could do it? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Congratulations are in order for The Bold and the Beautiful’s Karla Mosley (Maya),

The talented actress gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on August 17 a bit after midnight.

Soap Opera Digest broke the news on Monday that Mosley and her man beau John Rogers named their new bundle of joy, Aurora Imani Mosley Rogers.

She weighed in at 8.1 pounds and 22 inches long.

Mosley has been on maternity leave from the CBS soap opera, thus Maya will not be seen at this week’s on-screen wedding ceremony of Hope and Liam’s.

Share your congrats to Karla and the newest addition to her family in the comment section below.

Exciting news for Days of our Lives’ Camila Banus (Gabi).  The actress will be seen in the upcoming third season of Star.

For those who may not know, Star is co-created by Lee Daniels (Empire) and Tom Donaghy.  The story follows three talented singers who are running from their pasts and desperate for a new start.  The young women are filled with ambitions of stardom, as they navigate the cutthroat music business.

According to Deadline, Banus will play the role of Nina Ferrera.  The wife of Mateo Ferrera, played by William Levy.  Mateo is said to be a driven media mogul who can charm the devil into church. He is rich, successful, smooth as silk and married to his equal, Nina.

Camila confirmed the news of her casting of the series that is shot in Atlanta via her Instagram account stating: “Well the news is out ! So excited to a part of STAR ON FOX season 3!! Can’t wait for everyone to meet NINA FERRERA and who better to be my other half but William Levy, watch out everyone the FERRERA’S are here to stay !!”

The actress also answered a tweet that she is not leaving DAYS.

So, looking forward to seeing Camila and William heat up the screen in the new season of Star? Comment below.