Is there a secret in Madonna’s book?

Plus: Billy Joel gets his motor running; David Blaine, the old salt

Madonna with a young fan the singer met while promoting her new book.

By Jeannette Walls with Ashley Pearson

MSNBC

Sept. 18 - Madonna is coming under attack for preaching her new religion to children. The singer has penned a much-hyped kiddie’s book “The English Roses,” a tale about the hazards of jealousy.

Madonna has said the book was inspired by her studies of Kabbalah, an esoteric form of Judaism, but some critics are charging that she’s using her fame to proselytize her beliefs to impressionable youngsters.

“Star Launches Kids’ Book Based on the Kabbalah Cult,” read one UK headline.

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“As Madonna Pens Children’s book on Kabbalah, Is the Sect Exploiting Her Devotion to It?” asks another headline, which goes on to discuss the “Cult Guru and his ‘Rich Puppets.”

Fodder for the critics is that the book’s main character is Binah, which is Hebrew for wisdom.

Madonna’s spokeswoman couldn’t be reached for comment.

Get your motor running
Image: Billy Joel
The Piano Man doesn’t want his motorcycle playing second fiddle to other rock memorabilia.

Billy Joel donated his 1974 Moto Guzzi 840 Eldorado motorcycle to the Hard Rock Café on 57th Street in Manhattan and stopped by last week to make sure it had prominent placement. “He walked up to Tim the bartender and asked him where his bike was and Tim directed him to the motorcycle on the main floor,” a source informs The Scoop, saying that Joel was apparently unhappy that it was being somewhat obscured by other celebs’ former belongings. “Mr. Joel then proceeded to move the bike to a more highly visible position on the main floor, and told the manager that the front wheel has to point out to the restaurant so everyone can see.”

The insider says Joel then straddled the bike, announced, “Okay, now this looks good,” then dismounted and left without another word.

Notes from all over
Image: Jennifer Lopez
Some overseas reports are saying that J.Lo has burned her unused wedding dress to get rid of the bad vibes coming from it. . . . Illusionist David Blaine claims he’s surviving in a glass box for 44 days on pure water, but scientists say he can’t go that long without salt. While a human being can go that long without regular food, even hunger strikers take salt supplements to keep their systems from shutting down. “If he lasts the distance, it will be highly likely that he has been lying to us,” writes Graham Lawton in New Science magazine. . . .

A source who was dining at the L.A. restaurant Ivy when Ben and Jen had their wedding-cancellation dinner there has this tidbit to relay: “Ben’s table manners were terrible. I couldn’t believe it. He eats like an animal. He was using his fingers. It was unbelievable.”

Jeannette Walls Delivers the Scoop appears Monday through Thursday in MSNBC Entertainment.