Imagine a time when mesh was in, hairspray and a teaser brush were weapons of choice, there was lace on everything, and hundreds of young girls emulated a certain "Like a Virgin" pop star. The year was 1985, and Madonna ruled the world.
To commemorate the release of Madonna's 11th album, Hard Candy, MTV News decided to track down the girl who best embodied the essence of the Material Girl back then, the winner of a 1985 Madonna look-alike contest held at Macy's in New York.
In the picturesque neighborhood of Whitestone, New York, stands a quaint little house. An attractive blond woman wearing a white top, a pair of jeans and heels opens the front door while pitter-pattering feet and a squawking bird make noise in the background. She looks like a typical mom, minus the "mom jeans," but she was the strutting, pouting, rosary-wearing winner of the Madonna look-alike contest 23 years ago.
Then-16-year-old JeanAnn Difranco became the envy of teen girls everywhere when the judges — including Andy Warhol, MTV VJ Nina Blackwood and "Madonna: Lucky Star" author Michael McKenzie — named her the winner. She received tickets for the following night's Madonna concert at Radio City Music Hall and gained nationwide fame as the best Madonna look-alike around.
MTV's search for Difranco was a bit daunting, due to a little spelling mistake. There was an all-out search for Jean Anne Difranko, not JeanAnn Difranco. Needless to say, two spelling errors can lead to a week's worth of dead ends. After some experimentation with the spelling, the name and location of one of Madge's most devoted fans finally popped up on the computer screen.
These days, JeanAnn has traded her bangles for a wedding ring and her hairspray for a curling iron. The supreme Madonna body double got married (she is now JeanAnn Perzan); owns a cat and a bird; and has two children, 10-year-old Angelo and 6-year-old Gianna. But don't let the family and the different look fool you: She's still a die-hard fan of the Material Girl, and she's got the pictures, albums and magazine clippings to prove it.
"I used to rock the crucifix, the lace gloves, the Madonna mole," Perzan said. "Now, I rock two kids, a husband and pets."
The decor of Perzan's home is simple yet elegant, with no remnants of '80s style in sight. But her dining room table is piled with memorabilia from her Madonna years, and a framed collection of photographs featuring her different Madonna poses is in plain view.
In addition to her nicely coordinated outfit, Perzan donned a large gold crucifix necklace, a throwback to her look-alike days.
She beamed as she spoke about her teen years idolizing Madonna. She expressed pride in being a part of Madonna's history, but nothing brought more smiles to her face than watching footage of the look-alike contest in '85.
Perzan passed her adoration for Madonna to her children. Angelo knows all about his mother's love for the pop icon, and little Gianna even resembles Madge's own 11-year-old daughter, Lourdes. Dressed like a little Madonna look-alike herself, Gianna was wearing a lace dress, a crucifix necklace and the quintessential '80s Madonna accessory: the lace glove.
Perzan has never missed a Madonna concert, even when she was pregnant, and she was thrilled to purchase Madge's new album. Perzan enjoys her life as a wife and mother, but there's still one chapter left unfinished from her days as a Madonna look-alike.
"Madonna, 23 years ago, I dressed like you," she said. "I did everything to look like you. I won a contest and thought I was going to meet you. I never did. If you're watching this, I want to meet you. Make my dream come true!"
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