Christopher Ciccone, the younger brother of pop icon Madonna, passed away, at the age of 63 after battling cancer. Christopher had a profound influence on Madonna’s career, working closely with her during her early days. He started as a backup dancer and later became her art director, most notably for her Blond Ambition World Tour (1990) and The Girlie Show (1993). He was also a production designer and interior designer, expanding his career beyond his association with his famous sister.
Born in 1960, Christopher and Madonna shared a complicated yet deep bond. Despite their professional and personal ups and downs, including public disagreements, their connection remained significant throughout their lives. Christopher was one of the key figures behind the scenes of Madonna’s ascent to superstardom, contributing to her visual style and performances. He was also known for his candid 2008 memoir, “Life with My Sister Madonna,” where he shared details of their complicated relationship and experiences growing up together.
Christopher’s death follows the passing of their stepmother, Joan Gustafson Ciccone, who also died from cancer in September 2024, and their eldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, who passed away in 2022. He is survived by his husband, Ray Thacker, and his siblings, including Madonna. His passing has left a deep void in the Ciccone family, especially given the close familial losses in recent years.
Despite their differences, Madonna paid tribute to her brother following his death, expressing that she believed he was “dancing somewhere,” a touching acknowledgment of their shared past in the arts. Christopher’s contributions to the creative world, particularly through his work with Madonna, have left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.
McDonald’s Flipped Its Arches Upside Down To Make A Powerful Statement
March 8th is “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women,” according to the official International Women’s Day website. Additionally, the day serves as a call to action to accelerate gender parity. 2018 saw a McDonald’s in Lynwood, California, that may have given you the impression that you were seeing ghosts.
When you glanced through your Facebook feed the following morning, you might have spotted something that looked like a glitch, or even that you were in an episode of Black Mirror. It was not an error; none of those notions were accurate.
It wasn’t a trick of the eyes: the iconic McDonald’s arches emblem was inverted. It had nothing to do with their ongoing Twitter beef with Wendy’s, and it just looked like a huge, bubbly “W.” In “celebration of women everywhere,” McDonald’s revealed that the emblem has been reversed.
Although the sign at the Lynwood, California restaurant may have already been flipped, McDonald’s turned its arches inside out on Thursday, March 8, International Women’s Day, across all of its social media platforms. Workers wore hats and shirts with the “W”-style emblem, and 100 retailers countrywide had unique packaging with the logo on them.
Wendy Lewis, a spokesman for McDonald’s, provided some context.
Wendy Lewis, the chief diversity officer at McDonald’s, stated, “We flipped our iconic arches for International Women’s Day for the first time in our brand history in honor of the extraordinary accomplishments of women everywhere and especially in our restaurants.”
Lauren Altmin, a McDonald’s spokesperson, continued, “The new logo honors women everywhere.” Altmin said, “We have a long history of supporting women in the workplace and giving them the chance to grow and succeed.” “We are proud to share that, in the United States, six out of ten restaurant managers are women today. We take pride in our diversity.” Every social media platform used by the company saw a change in the logo, and 100 restaurants got unique “packaging, crew shirts, hats, and bag stuffers.”
Similar steps have been made by other brands to recognize women. With the launch of the “Jane Walker” bottle, Johnnie Walker donated $1 from each bottle to organizations that support women. Gender-related discussions are still highly relevant in popular culture. And vice president of Johnnie Walker Stephanie Jacoby stated, “We firmly feel there is no better time than now to introduce our Jane Walker icon and contribute to trailblazing organizations that share our mission.” “We are honored to celebrate everyone’s contributions to the advancement of gender equality as well as the numerous accomplishments of women.”
Brawny started a campaign called “Strength Knows No Gender,” in which she substituted female characters for the Brawny Man and gave $100,000 to Girls, Inc., an organization that assists young women in developing their financial and leadership abilities. McDonald’s did not, however, declare that it would be contributing to this effort.
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