I think you can be defiant and rebellious and still be strong and positive. Madonna Ciccone More Quotes by Madonna Ciccone More Quotes From Madonna Ciccone When I first moved to New York I wanted to be a dancer, I danced professionally for years, living a hand-to-mouth existence. Madonna Ciccone new-york hands years A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That's why they don't get what they want. Madonna Ciccone success inspiring inspirational Hollywood is about playing the game, and I can't think of any successful actresses who didn't play the game. There's a lot more renegades in the music business, from Patti Smith to Janis Joplin. Madonna Ciccone successful games thinking I don't go to the sale rack. But I wouldn't say I am decadent in my spending. I am careful. Madonna Ciccone racks spending careful I am a survivor. I am like a cockroach, you just can't get rid of me. Madonna Ciccone cockroaches survivor Only the one that hurts you can make you feel better. Only the one that inflicts pain can take it away Madonna Ciccone pain feel-better hurt One thing I've learned is that I'm not the owner of my talent; I'm the manager of it. Madonna Ciccone owners ive-learned talent Art keeps me alive. I've obviously been devastated or heartbroken all my life, since my mother's death. Madonna Ciccone heartbroken alive mother If you're going to be an artist, real life is your inspiration. Madonna Ciccone creativity inspiration real Its boring not to take risks Madonna Ciccone risk boring Not only do we suffer from racism and sexism, but we also suffer from ageism. And that is that once you reach a certain age, you're not allowed to be adventurous, you're not allowed to be sexual and I think that's rather hideous. [...] I mean, is there a rule? Are you just supposed to die when you're 40? Madonna Ciccone racism suffering mean Love´s nothing else than a war in which both are the winners. Madonna Ciccone winner war I am attracted to a thug. I like that quality, but I like the other side of it, too. Because all guys who go around behaving in macho ways are really scared little girls. So you have to look beneath the surface. There's a difference between my ideal man and a man that I'm sexually attracted to, believe me. Therein lies the rub. Madonna Ciccone girl believe lying When I came to New York it was the first time I'd ever taken a plane, the first time I'd ever gotten a taxi-cab, the first time for everything. And I came here with 35 dollars in my pocket. It was the bravest thing I'd ever done. Madonna Ciccone taxi-cabs taken new-york When we take a picture, we have a negative. We put the right solution on it and, suddenly, the picture comes to life. So what do we do? We take the negative and turn it into a positive. Madonna Ciccone turns photography negative I love meetings with suits. I live for meetings with suits. I love them because I know they had a really boring week and I walk in there with my orange velvet leggings and drop popcorn in my cleavage and then fish it out and eat it. I like that. I know I'm entertaining them and I know that they know. Madonna Ciccone orange levels intelligent I think for the most part men have always been the aggressors sexually. Through time immemorial they've always been in control. So I think sex is equated with power in a way, and that's scary in a way. It's scary for men that women would have that power, and I think it's scary for women to have that power - or to have that power and be sexy at the same time. Madonna Ciccone sexy men thinking The thing I love most about being famous is people listening to me when I have something important to say. Madonna Ciccone important listening people Rejection is the greatest aphrodisiac. Madonna Ciccone broken-heart rejection music I am very proud to be Italian. Madonna Ciccone proud italian