Monday, October 15, 2007

BRITTANY SPEARS

That cover of her first CD is the absolute objectification of teenage innocence cum sexuality. She has or had that IT girl quality and they used it as a vehicle for her average talent. They dressed her up in the Lolita outfit and had her dance near the school lockers and they had a hit. Her family became rich and she had everything she could ever want. . . or not.

Around the time of the breast implant question (circa 1998) she came to the Studios. We were eating lunch backstage and Dan pointed her out as she walked by our window. She was with a few of her people when we looked over. There were no fans around, no one to look good for, but she saw that we were looking and smiled and waved to us. It was a very genuine thing. I have seen other celebrities in the same situation and they were only “on” with an audience. Backstage they were different people. It impressed me that she was the same wherever.

Brittany was not a person who was ready for this kind of money and fame. She has made poor choices again and again. But she is not the first person in Hollywood to do so. What she lacks is the identification of some leftwing cause to provide her cover. Angelina Jolie slobbering on her own brother in public is long forgotten now that she is on some U.N. panel. Carrying vials of Billy Bob’s blood is yesterday’s news because she delivered her baby in a third world country. When Donald Trump got a little backlash from the Rosie attack, he criticized President Bush and then he was back in the good graces. Didn’t we all want Princess Diana to suck it up and be Queen? Yeah but that was before she embraced the end of land mines and Aids awareness.

It will be interesting to see if Brittany’s public rehabilitation is accompanied by some sort of leftist position or cause. You pretty much need to wear one to be in the club especially after being naughty. I would guess that some publicist is dreaming up a plight right now. I won’t begrudge her if she follows that script. She was nice to us when no one was looking.

3 comments:

E said...

Well said, Tom.

Dude said...

Good piece, Tom. With Britney, it seems the publicists have fled the scene. I don't think she is making any money for anyone anymore. She is just a rich hick kid with no clue and a bevy of photographers documenting it all. I don't think she has the good sense to take up a cause. I predict this story does not end well.

Sir said...

Genius! Great Analysis, as usual.

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