Madonna's iconic MTV Video Music Award 'MoonMan' statuette awarded in 1987 for 'Papa Don't Preach,' measuring approximately 12.5″ tall from the bottom of the base to the top of the flagpole, with a black 5″ diameter cylindrical base. An engraved metal plaque on the base features the MTV logo and reads: "Video Music Award, 1986-1987, Madonna, Best Female Video, Papa Don't Preach." In fine condition, with slightly uneven stance from an extruding screw on the bottom, and some tarnishing to the removable flag piece. Award originates from a high-ranking member of Madonna's management team and is accompanied by a notarized letter of provenance.
The wildly successful 'Papa Don't Preach' was released in mid-1986 as the second single from Madonna's third studio album True Blue. Within eight weeks of release the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved critical acclaim. Directed by James Foley, the music video shows Madonna's second image makeover, featuring her with cropped platinum blonde hair and a more toned and muscular body. Georges-Claude Guilbert, author of Madonna as Postmodern Myth, describes this look as a 'combination of Marilyn Monroe, Jean Seberg and Kim Novak.' The video and lyrical content dealing with teenage pregnancy and abortion stirred worldwide controversy—even the Pope made comments—and the attention only increased its popularity. In addition to winning this award for Best Female Video, 'Papa Don't Preach' received two other VMA nominations as well as a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. The MTV 'MoonMan' is one of the most recognizable awards in all of entertainment and this exceptionally rare example is elevated due to the cultural importance of the song in shaping the sociopolitical discourse of the late 1980s.
