Well it didn’t take long for rumors of Madonna being a diva-esq bitch to surface on her latest tour. Madge has been a legendarily demanding over-perfectionist since her early days. In fact a lot of people have argued that’s why she’s been successful for so long, and maybe that’s true. Still you’d think that with her crazy amount of money it wouldn’t be impossible for her to show some kindness to her employees – she’s got over 250 of them on her current Sticky & Sweet tour.

Members of Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet tour crew are reportedly fuming after they were forced to stay in a cheap hotel while she booked in to a luxury castle.

Several of the 250-strong staff are said to be unhappy at their travel and accommodation arrangements for the mammoth jaunt, which began last month. It is claimed they were furious at being booked on no-frills airlines while the Material Girl flew by private jet.

Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper also reports that there is growing resentment after the singer recently stayed at a $20,000 a night castle on the Cote d’Azur, while some crew were put up in a $92.50 a night hotel.

A source tells the newspaper, “Everyone is absolutely furious with her… they feel they are being treated like second-class citizens, despite all their hard work over the last few months.”

[From Starpulse]

This is one of those stories that – if it’s true – I could argue both sides. On the one hand Madonna is their employer, and she’s only responsible for making sure they have safe, reasonable accommodations. There’s no union stipulation that they must be in fancy or even nice digs, as far as I know. She’s paying them a legal wage and all that.

But I’m guessing most of the employees are actually annoyed because they’re working their butts off and they probably don’t get much credit. I would think if anyone’s show would be demanding in all aspects, it’d be Madonna’s. Everyone needs positive reinforcement. Perhaps if she were more liberal in showing her appreciation in other ways, her crew wouldn’t begrudge her the $20,000. Okay any reasonable person would probably be annoyed by that – but maybe less so. And these are the guys who set up her trap doors and special effects. I’d want them on my good side.