Madonna's attempt to "do a Jolie" and come over all humanitarian by adopting 13-month-old Malawian boy David Banda looks as if it might be deteriorating into a bit of a farce, writes Bonnie Malkin.
As well as opposition from child protection groups within the country, the Material Girl's quest for a new child is also prompting growing indignation from the rest of the world. This afternoon Reuters is carrying reports of a witness who claims to have seen a bodyguard working for Madonna boarding a plane at a Malawi airport with the little boy.
Rachel Whitmere, blogging on Families.com notes Madge's move to "save" David has been met by vigorous headshaking from the adoption community and asks "How often are celebrities allowed to bend the rules when they adopt?".
Hollywood Backwash says the whole deal "stinks to high heaven" and "reeks of preferential American celebrity treatment", while Pandymonium sums up the Madonna-Ritchie adoption campaign with one word - "selfish".
Questions are also being asked about correct protocol in Malawi's press. The Nation reports President Bingu wa Mutharika had "very little information on the pop star's intentions" and that her trip to the Mchinji Orphanage had been "shrouded in secrecy".
However, there are some voices of support for the queen of pop.
Fan site Maddonalicious asks "Why vilify Madonna's generosity?" and Right Wing News proclaims "Good for her!", arguing that any child in an orphanage in Malawi must be desperate to get out.
Then there are the sites that are conspicuous for their silence. There is no hint of controversy, nor any mention of David himself, on Madonna's official website, nor on her charity's homepage, Raising Malawi.
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