Super Bowl halftime review: MADONNA

[Note: the following is a rough review in a sort of "stream of consciousness" as I watched it unfold on NBC.]

The show opens with "Vogue," and showcases the typical Madonna/diva spectacle you'd expect.  Everything in gold, Roman gladiators dancing, and Madonna is sporting thigh-high stiletto boots. All is well by me.  There is a bit of a DJ remix to Vogue before she hit the main verse, which confuses me because it's obvious she's not singing -- so why is she lip syncing it?  Awesome dance moves, Madonna at 50 is spectacular.

Music: Well, the choreography is certainly cool, but the show itself is just kinda...boring...in some way I really can't put my finger on. Woah, there's a guy doing trampoline bounces on a tight rope.  It looks like Madonna has missed a step or two throughout the first two songs. I can't tell if it's from age or her 4-inch spike heels.

LMFAO has just come out and they're doing a type of DJ mash-up between Madonnna's "Music" and LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," which they just segued into, and then a few bars of "I'm Sexy And I Know It."  If only old people knew what LMFAO means.

"Give Me All Your Lovin" with Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. Frankly, I'm surprised both Minaj and M.I.A. are in on this track, which is OK. A bit corny if anything, since they're chanting, "L-U-V, MADONNA!" over and over. But, the chorus is decent, although I don't especially care for the lyrics.  F me, Nicki Minaj tears her verses to shreds, as she does everything she touches, best (female) rapper alive. M.I.A., aren't you like the Brett Favre of divas?  You retire, come back...have a baby, come back...please, just continue making music, especially mix tapes.  I feel like this song was made especially FOR the halftime show, which is kind of gimmicky -- even the music video has a football theme to it.  Obviously predictable that this would be the centerpiece to the halftime show.

Cee-Lo Green for the intro to "Like a Prayer," along with a huge drum line. Cee-Lo, why are you sitting in on this track?  Oh yeah, because NBC has a new show called "The Voice" (perhaps you've heard of it) premiering after the Super Bowl...so let's push Cee-Lo into the halftime show so people continue to have this new show, called "The Voice," shoved down their throats.  Perhaps you've heard of it.  The candle-lit background and on-stage choir are pretty cool additions, but again, why is Cee-Lo there?  Oh yeah, isn't he on some show premiering after the Super Bowl?  Madonna disappears under the stage via a cloud of smoke to end the show...pretty cool.  The stage reads the generic message of "WORLD PEACE" after the show. Completely unadulterated cheese.

Overall, slightly entertaining, not 100% predictable. (Why was LMFAO there?  Probably because they're the hottest thing on the planet right now. Understandable.  Why was Cee-Lo there? Isn't he on some show after the Super Bowl?)    The show itself featured a decent setlist, although I would have liked to have heard more classics. Good choreography, and strangely, Madonna is still slightly hot at age 50.  7/10.

Post script:  Shockingly, the first thing to run after the Super Bowl Halftime Show was an ad for, you guessed it, "The Voice."  Although I am a fan of Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" and a fan of Christina Aguilera's looks, I suddenly hope the show fails miserably.