Madonna is suing an auction house to block the sale of some of her “highly personal items”– including a love letter to a former boyfriend, the late rapper Tupac Shakur, a pair of underwear and a hairbrush containing her hair.
“I understand that my DNA could be extracted from a piece of my hair. It is outrageous and grossly offensive that my DNA could be auctioned for sale to the general public ,” her Madgesty says in court papers.
Madonna says auctioneer Gotta Have It! Collectibles should not be allowed to sell the 22 items at a special, rock and roll themed-auction later this month.
“I was shocked to learn of the planned auctioning of the Shakur letter, as I had no idea that the Shakur letter was no longer in my possession,” the Material Girl says in the lawsuit.
The Shakur letter is expected to fetch up to $400,000, according to court papers.
She says a “former friend” and art consultant named Darlene Luz “would have had access to these items on numerous occasions” including as a “frequent overnight guest” in her homes when she was “not in residence.”
Other items on the auction block include personal photographs, unreleased sound recordings and unsent, “intimate love letters” involving other past boyfriends including John Enos and Peter Shue.
“The fact that I have attained celebrity status as a result of success in my career does not obviate my right to maintain my privacy, including with regard to highly personal items,” Madonna says in the suit.