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There was some grumbling from fans when Madonna passed over two beloved collaborators who were sitting front row at her Madison Square Garden show — apparently in favor of Kelly Ripa.
Buzz had been building in the days before the Manhattan show that there would be something of a “Blond Ambition” tour reunion because longtime background singers Niki Haris and Donna De Lory were set to be in the audience.
But not only did the Material Girl fail to so much as acknowledge them, she added insult to injury by bringing the “Live! With Kelly and Mark” on stage instead.
Haris and De Lory performed together with Madonna from 1987 until 2001. They were prominently featured in her 1991 “Truth or Dare” documentary, which captured the Blond Ambition tour, and music videos such as “Vogue.”
The duo now perform on their own as Niki + Donna and booked two New York shows last Saturday and Sunday at nearby Green Room 42. Their concerts led diehard fans and Billboard to speculate about a reunion for Madge’s 40th anniversary “Celebration” tour at the Garden.
The were asked about an on-stage reuion on music trade’s “Pop Shop” podcast a week before Madge’s show, Harris said, “I have no right to give any information that is not completely confirmed as of this moment.”
“With that said, we take joy wherever we can find it – if it’s on our stage, at Madison Square Garden, wherever the joy is. In [Madonna’s] living room…. The bottom line is, we’re in town,” she added.
There was even what appeared to be a perfect opportunity to get the two in on the action. During this tour, Madonna has bought audience member, family and friends onto the stage to play a judge in a staged “Voguing” contest. She’s called on her boyfriend Joshua Popper, her daughter Lordes Leone, Julia Fox, Diplo, her son Rocco Richie, and even her personal chef to take part in the set piece.
Meanwhile, “fans went crazy” when she brought out former “Vogue” dancer Jose Xtravaganza onstage during a show last week.
De Lory was overheard telling fans they’d be attending the concert during a meet and greet with fans at their show on Saturday night. “She said they wouldn’t be mic’d or anything, which led me to believe maybe [Madonna] would make them ‘Vogue’ judges,” a source told us.
Haris and De Lory were invited as Madonna’s guests and had prominent seats near the stage, an insider told Page Six.
But when the moment came on Monday, some fans were stunned and saddened when she brought out Ripa to join her onstage.
Ripa was a surprise judge during the “Vogue” ballroom portion of Madonna’s show. Matthew Rettenmund / SplashNews.comI
Madonna’s former background singers Donna De Lory and Niki Haris were invited as her guests. donnadelory/nstagram De Lory, Madonna and Haris at the New York premiere of the singer’s “Truth or Dare” documentary. WireImage“Madonna didn’t even akcnowledge them,” a concertgoer told us.
It’s unclear if the trio caught up backstage or after the show.
A rep for Madonna did not comment. Whatever the case, the ladies appeared to have a ball.
“Thank you for the Continuous Love… We had fun NYC!!!” Haris wrote on Instagram.
Haris and De Lory now perform as Niki + Donna. Matthew Rettenmund / SplashNews.comRipa had the time of her life too.
She attended the concert with her husband Mark Consuelos, Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Demi Moore and Amy Schumer, who we’re told “walked in with a ski cap, so no one would notice her.” She eventually took off the cap when the lights went down. Uma Thurman, Ana Navarro, Jessica Seinfeld, Maripol and downtown cabaret artist Joey Arias were also in the crowd.
