Madonna a Noisy Neighbor, Lawsuit Says

(CBS/AP)  One of Madonna's New York City neighbors says the superstar's loud music and frequent dance sessions are causing a commotion.

Karen George, of Manhattan, lives above Madonna in a building next to Central Park.

She says in a lawsuit against Madonna and the building's co-op board that the Material Girl is using her apartment as a rehearsal studio, forcing neighbors to endure "blaring music, stomping and shaking walls" for up to three hours each day.

George complained about "unreasonably high-decibel, amplified music" and vibrations pouring through walls, ceilings and radiators.

The building's board says it has already threatened to evict Madonna.

It's all led one New York tabloid to label Madonna the "neighbor from hell."

Madonna's representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

But attorney Steven Wagner told CBS News, "In the city, people live on top of each other all the time. And there is a degree that is tolerated and must be tolerated. ... Because of the difficulty of proving these types of cases ... I'd put my money on Madonna."

There is, observes CBS News Correspondent Terrell Brown, a lot at stake. A local real estate appraiser told CBS Newsapartments have sold for between $1 million and $5 million in the building within the past year and, if noise complaints turn out to be valid, they could affect the value of nearby apartments by several hundred thousand dollars.

[JTODD57]

TAKE THE ***** TO COURT WITH A GOOD RECORDER, MY MONEY'S ON THE CO-OP!

[redcrystle]

Ms. George is probally over exagerating because the neighbor is Madonna. There are noise laws but they usually don't apply till a certain time of night. If a neighbor played exceptionally loud noise in my area, the cops and courts probally wouldn't waste their time unless it was exceptionally late.They have better things to do than deal with problamatic neighbors.

[plplearecrzy]

Madonna is not capable of respectability. A woman of class would never subject her neighbors to this kind of abuse. She most certainly can afford to rent or purchase space in which to rehearse, she simply has chosen not to. Ms. George has every right to quiet enjoyment of her residence.

[hockeymom441]

Forget affording a studio... how about a headset!?!
Turning down the volume!?!

I think the point is, Modonna doesn't give one crap about her neighbors; come on... is anybody surprised!?!

[Henri_Rochard]

Is that really Madonna in that picture? It doesn't look like Madonna to me.

[Questionews]

Maybe if she would pull her bed into the center of the room the headboard wouldn't be banging the wall so load.

[pickaguitar1]

I would so love to tell my friends/family/etc who lived below me.
I'd certainly be trying to befriend her/party with her!

[dnamj]

This is what soundproof rehearsal spaces are for. They exist in NYC. You don't do this crap in a residential area, it's rude.

[jxknowles]

Not a Madonna fan, but as long as she's not tap dancing and doing backflips at 1am, I think she's within her rights. People practice music, dance and other activities in the comfort of their home. What she should do is buy out the complaining neighbors and rent to more tolerable people.

[Oregon_State_OSU]

Wow I would love to have Madonna for my Neighbor.