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Why Britney Matters

Posted: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 7:54 AM by Noah Oppenheim

Image: Spears, FederlineWe did a story this morning covering the latest developments in the divorce of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline.  It’s a sordid mess, and frankly, gives many an icky feeling. 

Spears has gone from multi-talented, international superstar to a sad punch line, her life the model of a celebrity implosion.  Federline has been a punch line from the start, which makes it doubly alarming that he’s starting to appear the more responsible half of the former couple.

Of course, it’s fair to ask… What makes any of this news?  Why should anyone care what happens to these wealthy, foolish people?

First, for the millions who admired Spears as a performer, there is an understandable interest in how an outwardly successful woman could so rapidly decline into a pattern of behavior more commonly associated with the struggling fringes of society.  The “fall from grace” is a legitimately fascinating narrative arc, and one Spears is taking to new extremes.

Second, Spears is just the latest illustration of how early fame appears to fundamentally corrupt many of the child stars who enjoy it.  What does it say that we now look at talented young performers and actually expect they'll grow into self-destructive addicts?

Finally, you may not care how far Spears ultimately falls – she is an adult with nearly unlimited resources and the freedom to make better choices.  But there are two innocent toddlers caught in this mess.  I have no insight into what goes on behind closed doors, but there seems to be ample evidence that Spears is not a frontrunner for Mother of the Year.  If someone who wasn’t wealthy or famous behaved in the same fashion, what steps would be taken to ensure their children were safe?

Britney vs. K-Fed is hardly a matter of great national import.  But it does raise some questions about our society that are worth pondering.

Noah Oppenheim is a Senior Producer of TODAY.
 

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THE PROBLEM STARTS WITH ALL THE ATTENTION THESE YOUNG PEOPLE GET, AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY MAKE, THEN THE MEDIA FRENZY SETS IN, AND THEIR SHOWING OF ALL THE 'WONDERFUL THINGS' AND SPOILS THEY GET.ALSO FREE BY THE WAY.THEY NEVER SHOW THEIR TRUE EVERYDAY LIVES,SUCH AS HAVING IDIOTS OR DRUG BINGING PARENTS,JUST THE NICE STUFF.NEXT COMES ALL THE THINGS  THE ENDLESS MONEY BUYS THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN THEY'RE HAVING FROM BACK UP DANCERS ETC.AGAIN ONLY THE NICE THINGS ARE SHOWN.THEY NEVER SHOW THE NEGATIVE STUFF UNTIL THEY TIRE OF THAM AND THEN THE GLOVES COME OFF FROM THE MEDIA, AND IT STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME ALL THE NEGATIVE STUFF COMES OUT, TIME AFTER TIME TO THE POINT WHERE THE PUBLIC WANTS MORE AND MORE AND THE MEDIA IS ONLY TOO HAPPY TO ACCOMIDATE.THE MEDIA IS ALMOST THE ONLY THING YOUNG PEOPLE WATCH AND LISTEN TO.IF THEY HAD THE DECENCY TO GO AFTER THINGS THAT TRULY MATTER WE WOULDN'T BE HAMMERED WITH ALL THIS BRIT.,LOHAN, AND PARIS TRASH,PLUS ALL THE MUSIC VIDEOS GLORIFYING THE NEGATIVE THINGS IN LIFE WE WOULDN'T BE SUCH A MESS AS A COUNTRY
britney needs serious help her first mistake was k-fed(golddigger)which she could have done so much better she needs to get her life together and stop acting like a dumb retard her kids is what should matter to her at this moment but if thats not on her mind now she needs to start giving them to somebody thats gonna give them a normal childhood life and and somewhere where they are going to feel loved and happy.  
That's the crux of the biscuit, WE DON'T CARE... and we don't need you telling us WHY it matters - it doesn't. Let her self-destruct in peace...
this is a young woman with great talent, to much money,zero class and brainless, perfect if you are looking for a 2 AM booty call with cellulite and no sense of responsibility. ENJOY THE RIDE
This whole Britney and K-Fed thing is and will always be a complete joke! I do not consider either one of them to be ideal parents; the only people that I feel sorry for are her children! They both need to stop acting like pompous spoiled brats and start learning that their actions have consequences!
Overall, I am tired of all the press they get for acting like idiots!
I understand Britney's troubles and it is pretty much because of her position in life that she has not ever met a "real" man which she so desperately needs.  A man that is mature, responsible and a loving teacher that can guide her into adulthood. She is physically and adult, but not mentally and needs help getting there.  And this is true of many young people her age, not everyone, but not just her.
IT IS TO BAD THAT SOMEONE OF HER TALENT HAS LET HERSELF GO AND PUT THOSE TWO BEAUTIFUL BOYS TO SUFFER. K-FED SEEMS LIKE A REAL PRIZE OF A FATHER TO JUST WANT HIS KIDS FOR THE MONTHLY SUPPORT. I THINK HER MOTHER SHOULD TAKE THE BOYS UNTIL BRITTNEY CAN PROVE HERSELF AS A PARENT.
Maybe she should hire Karl Rove.  Look how stupid Bush is and he was elected president-twice!  Just think of what Rove could do with Britney!
First off, this girl is bum, plain and simple. Secondly, I love how so many women want to knock Federline (and trust me I'm no fan of that guy either) and say "Oh he's just riding Brintey's gravy train and living off her free money..." Hmmm....doesn't that sounds like every other divorce only flipped? Point being, for the most part you won't hear women throw around that accusation when a woman divorces her wealthy husband and asks for a tidy sum. They'll agrue, "she entitled to that." However, in the rare instance when the roles are flipped, i.e., when the woman earns the most money, we hear some of these so-called Womens-Libs gripe about how he's unfairly stealing her money. Unbelieveable! Like I said, I think Federline is screw-up himself, but in this instance, more power to you brother! Go get it, just like I said with Nick Lachey and Simpson...go get get it, because if the roles were reversed, you KNOW she'd be taking as much if not much more from you!
The major question I ponder is "How can we get the media to get Bitney out of our faces?"
I think that Brittany should loose a few pounds and then embrace her porn carreer. She will be right back on top. As for the kids we could have a reality show "Who wants to adopt Brittany's kids" This may sound bad, but a least they would have a chance of ending up with some decent parents.
Kevin Federline left a woman pregnant with his child so that he could grab a bigger prize: someone with millions of dollars. He spent like a drunken sailor, dressed like a slob, smoked and drank and partied. Now he wants more money. He's an unfit father and Britney is a spoiled brat whose family milked her for all they could get. The result is this pathetic person who hasn't a clue about motherhood. Federline is no better. These two boys will grow up in spite of their pitiful parents and emerge in the same pattern.
And we wonder what's wrong with our society???
If they were regular people, their kids would have been taken away from them...both are too selfish and addicted to raise two small children. Treat the selfish brats (Britney, Paris, Lindsey) like the spoiled kids they are and put them in a real permanent rehab/jail...not a fancy spa-like retreat. That's what would happen to the rest of us....and pulease stop putting them all over magazines...bad examples for our kids.
Britney should matter because she is a human being.  The child is sick.  Everyone needs to leave her alone especially the media.  She needs help, true help.  She doesn't need any of that "we'll tell you what you want to hear, come stay at my spa" help.  She needs to do some real soul searching and figure out who she is as a individual rather than who she is or who she should be as a celebrity.  I'm afraid if she doesn't we're all going to be reading very tragic headlines about a very beautiful and very talented young woman who lost her way and was never able to find it again.  The time for "making fun" of Britney and the time for Jay Leno and the rest of the late night talk show round up to get a cheap laugh at her expense has long past.  The girl is in deep, deep trouble and anyone who can't see that is either blind or just doesn't care.  Personally, I would not want to have anything to do with pushing her any further over the edge.  Wouldn't it be great if people could put as much energy into showing Britney that they care for her, that they wish her well, that they want her to come back from the "edge" that they support her etc.  What if she heard Conan O'Brien or Jay Leno talking to her from their set each night expressing concern for her and imploring her to seek treatment and telling her that she has their support and that of millions of Americans?  I wonder if she would then find a way to seek the help she so desperately needs?
I don't get it.  Everyone's worried about Britney's kids, but Michael Jackson's kids seem far more abused to me.  I don't see where she has done some horrible awful thing to them and if she had a penis, none of this would be mentioned.  If she were a man, she seems like a perfectly adequate father.  Its a double standard and everyone just wants to enjoy her failures and losses, which is sad.
WHY DOES EVERYONE CARE SO MUCH! THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT SHOULD BE IN THE HEADLINES THAN WHAT THE HELL BRIT DOES...I DO AGREE SHE IS LITTLE WEIRD...BUT WHATEVER....LET HER BE AND GO ON WITH OUR "NORMAL LIVES" HA!
It's quite possible we are all missing the point here.  Britney's erratic behavior has all the classic signs of bipolar disorder.  Her symptoms have been masked - or possibly exacerbated - by years of Paxil, Zoloft, and other antidepressants and antianxiety medications, as well as diet pills, alcohol, etc, all of which there have been reports of her using.  Mental Illness in the US today is rampant, and our laws do nothing to deal with it.  Unless and until they hurt someone, or hurt themselves, It's up to the mentally ill person to ask for help and commit themselves -- what is the chance of that happening, the mentally ill are irrational by definition.  Her family, friends, management, fans, the media, can only stand by and watch -- and film -- her self-destruction.  Thanks to our laws, no one can do anything to help her, even though she isn't capable of reasoning and helping herself.
Sure there are two kids...destined to become their generation's Paris, Nicole and Lindsay.  

Brittany was a commodity; commodities have a short lifespan in America.
why do we as a society take the time to be worried about how brittany spends her time. There are many drug addicted mothers in this country that could use more of the attention and media to put them behind bars and therefore the kids would be taken care of grow up america and really realize what is important!!!!peace out
why do we care? becouse if you look @ society as one huge tree,it means that britney is on the branchs just about to fall off. lets not judge her, but lets help her to stay on that tree of humanity.
she doesn't matter!  AT ALL! ! !  She is DISGUSTING!
God bless your innocence if you think the rest of America's children are being protected any better than Britney Spears's kids. I'm orginally a midwest girl and I can tell you that if you visit any of those bucolic small towns on a friday or saturday night there will be plenty of hard-partying single parents at the local bar. Ask them where their kids are. Of course, this doesn't mean it's right. It just means Britney is probably tragically like a lot of folks out there when it comes to protecting their children.
"She's that success story of someone who came from basically nothing and nowhere and "made it big!"

Again proving that you can take the girl out of the trailer park, but you can't take the trailer park out of the girl
You know that all people make mistakes, if the media and everyone else would get out of the way this girl might be able to grow up and take care of her children, I am also sick of the mess she has made but get out of her face and let her make mistakes like all of us other parents did without the news, cameras in our face 24-7 give the girl a chance to grow up and sure she needs to deal with her mother get the issues out on the table. Kevin does not deserve the kids either. He was only after the money everyone know that..............
Of course k-fed is being a model parent. Those kids are his meal ticket. It was all a set-up from the beginning to get Britney's money. Why else would a responsible father leave his pregnant girlfriend and mother of his child to get with a pop princess? It was always about the money. Britney needs to wake up, get over the heart break, and do what women have been doing from the beginning of time to get over men. FIND A NEW ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we all love to watch this 15-16-17 years old little girl half-naked doing very sugestive sexual moves on our living room."but it was ok" becouse they call "it" dancing.so! what is everyone judging? the fact that we no longer get to see the dancing? i think we all should realized that she's what we created. "a object to be looked @.so! lets stop looking.lets live her alone and let her take care of her self. but if you whant to look.sent her words of encoragement and give her time to grow up.have you looked @ your own life lately???
Why is Paris Hilton lumped together with Britney and Lindsay?  The latter two hold the distinction of, at least at one time, having been promising entertainers.  They can be classified as has-beens.  What, exactly, is Paris' talent as far as entertainment is concerned?  She can be classified as a never-was.
The poor girl peaked too young. She entered stardom at such an early age, that she never really got the chance to enjoy her childhood. The past few years, her actions have been normal to that of an early 20-something year old girl (who's hot and living in a major metropolitan city like LA). Now people just wont leave her alone. Let her be! She's trying hard to raise a family on her own. I may not agree with everything she has done (holding a baby in her lap while driving, etc), but there is no handbook on parenting. We all make mistakes, and we learn from them. If the paparazzi actually got themselves a real job, maybe all these young stars (Britney, Linsay, Paris, etc) wouldn't be lashing out making drastic decisions like shaving their heads or driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. I wish her the best of luck - because she really is trying the best she can do!
the saddest thing is neither of them should be parents at this point, if that idiot she was married to is such a standup guy, why doesnt he have this huge fight with the mother of his other children so he can have custody of them all..OH wait, the ex isnt rich and famous, so he doesnt get to sit and be a loser wannabe and get paid for it if he gets custody of his older kids...I'd be willing to bet that if he got full custody he would push for more childsupport and then hire someone else to take care of his kids.. Part of me feels sorry for Britney but she is old enough to stand up and take responsibility for herself...At this point I think a grandparent or aunt should have custody of these kids...Britney needs to straigthen out, and their moronic father just wants fame and doesnt care how he gets it.
Britney is a manufacatured artist, created by a media empire that exploited her for money and profit.  Is there any wonder why her values are skewed?  The hype of celebrities has to stop.  We are doing them a disservice.  She can't even shop for groceries without being hounded by cameras.  Every move is scrutinized so intensely that I don't think 'Joe Public" has a clue what that must be like for her and other celebrities.  They are in every magazine and weekly updates are given on their every move.  How about recognizing that these people, including Britney, have a right to privacy and a right to NOT BE JUDGED.  Instead of chewing her up and spitting her out, why doesn't someone offer a 'hand up' and out of the mess she seemingly has gotten into.  Remember first, that she is a human being, a mom and then an entertainer. We all make mistakes ... hers are just made public when she makes them.  Most of ours are kept secret.
How would you like to raise your children with a hundred cameras in your face all the time?  Britney obviously needs help; this could all be from having 2 children so close in age and losing your husband to money. Why should he get her money that she earned?  He has done nothing but leech on women in his life.
The apple never falls far from the tree, folks. Her momma is fat trailer trash from LA. and she will be no better nor, in the end, more presentable physically. Maybe she'll manage to hang onto some of her money, though.
I'm a 61 year old male.  I have two sons 27 and 33 and a daughter in law 28.  My children have done well, we have two teachers and a tv producer.  I've just been blessed with a 4 month old grandaughter.  I'm disgusted that the media has chosen to concentrate on a young women who is rich but someone I would not want in my family.  Why don't you write about the young adults who are making something of themselves?  I'm tired of Britney, Paris and Lindsey...  Move on...
I have to wonder how good of a father K-Fed would be as well.  Part of me thinks that he wants full custody so that he can get more money from her for child support.  I feel so sorry for those two boys and hope that Britney's mother hasn't tried to help more (she actually seemed like a fairly good mother).  I have two children and would hope that my family would intervene if I was doing them harm...something Britney and K-Fed are both doing.
Britney is a sick girl.  She is not ready to be a Mom.  Wants to play around as a teenager.  K-Fed just might be the answer for his 2 boys.  Sounds like is not in trouble out dancing without without clothes and hitting up bars and going with any chick he can find.  Britney was a cute a teenager but now she is ugly, fat, and mentally sick.  
She matters?

I couldn't care less what happens to her or anybody with her.
First of all, let us all stop calling them names because we don't know both sides of the story. What we do know is what the magazines tell us.  That being said, I believe Britney has put those children in danger (i.e. driving while her son was on her lap, taking them to Las Vegas....) But, we mothers do understand that when our children have babysitters, we do like to relax and have a good time, have a few drinks.  Maybe Britney has taken her 'away time' from her kids a little to the extreme with cloth-less rondevouz in the tub, but, again, what are the magazines not showing us?  I think Britney has a problem, for sure.  Maybe lack of common sense, maybe something more that needs medication.  
Children need stability.  They need to be the center of attention at that age.  The need to thrive.  Divorce sucks, and they need to start trying to get along before the children get to an age where they understand that mommy and daddy don't like eachother. At the same time, moms and dads needs breaks also. But not to such an extreme. Maybe Britney should join a book club or make friends with women who also have small children who can be of some good influence to her. Anyways, good luck to those children.
Someone said Britney's mother should have the kids.... Who do you think created Britney?
The more news coverage they get, the worse they get: Brittany, Paris and Lindsey . . . if I behaved like that I would HAVE to stay in jail whether I was eating or not !!!  The ladies, and I use the term loosely, ARE NOT role models, stars or anything spectacular: they are drug-abusing drunks who need to use a little of their millions to CLEAN UP THEIR ACTS AND START TAKING CARE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.  The media is guilty too, because their images are splashed across newspapers and TV screens nationwide for young women to read and admire (?)  What's to admire about drunkeness, child neglect, drug abuse and conspicuous consumption of outlandish wealth?  It isn't NEWS and it's all jsut a sad commentary on the loss of true values in our culture.
I didn,t realize she did(matter)
This is what's wrong with our country. We report on some "bimbo" who lacks judgement and common sense and everyone's brother has to comment on how they feel sorry for her. People, get a life and worry about yourselves and how you can contribute to society in a more normal way.
People always compared Britney to Modona.  Well I never cared for either, but I now have to give Modona props.  She waited until her "wild" days were over to have kids.  as a result, she is a pretty good mother.  Briteny has never been a good singer/performer and it's time for her to fade away.  good ridance to both her and "kfed", the loser leach
For the first time I thought Feder-tard was being sincere about his children's welfare... at least until I heard about his lawyers asking for Britney's financial information.  Now I know it's all about the money.  Those poor kids... they have a bunch of crazy people as family members!
Grow up Brittany.  Your two boys need a mother who is healthy in mind, spirit and body.  Currently you are not any of the fore mentioned.

Stay home with your boys and raise them properly and stay out of the public eye.
Spears is someone that we (fans and public) have destroyed. This young star was put into the spotlight at a very young age. She wanted to be a star and we gave her everything to do so. She is a beautiful girl and we all know we love beautiful young stars. Her life has to be hard because of all the attention she gets and soon as she makes any kind of mistake we are right there to shove her down. It's funny because we want to see people exceed in life and we want to see them fail. She is no different then anyone else, we all make mistakes in life. We all like to think we are perfect, but I don't care what anyone says, no one is perfect. Just let the girl live and learn. We don't need to know every little thing she does wrong. Let the poor girl have a life.
Britany Spears is a MAJOR disappointment!!! She needs to grow up, be a MOM, lose the pop tart, don't give a darn attitude and realize she is an adult that has made choices to have a family and step up to the plate.  I hope K-Fed gets those kids they can't be any worse off than they are now.  I could care less if I hear hear the names Britany Spears, Linsday Lohan or Paris Hilton again.  They are the gross examples of young ladies!!!
If the cameras were not on her every move, maybe she will do something other than party, party, party.   She should have never had children until she was grown up and had control of herself.  What a waste of life.
Maybe we should concentrate on the young girls that do take care of themselves and families.
I have always loved Britney Spears as a person and a musician.  I think it is VERY sad what is happening to her and especially those little boys.  I think she is very foolish to continue her life like she is and to expose her babies to the things she does. I hope for her sake and for her children that she can get some help and allow her mother to be in their lives again, every child needs their grandparents too.  I think as a society everyone cares, because people of fame live their lives in the lime light and to a degree, we feel like a part of it.
i honestly hate seeing that crap making the news headlines every single day of the week - if its not britney, then its one of the others. what the heck?! these "ladies" just need to grow up, get their crap together & live like there's tomorrow - for those of us that have kids, we know what that means. it means putting our kids first and guarantee OURSELVES that our kids were provided with a good upbringing and will be ok if we (mothers) didn't make it. i have three kids and they are the best blessing i've ever had & every single day, I work hard to ensure that their future is bright & that they know i love them. i know its hard when you don't have your parents' support & its not all their fault....sorry....its the person in you that ultimately matters. prayers & a lot of personal sacrifice make you. not the stardom, not the PEOPLE, not so and so, its YOU. You matter to YOU and your kids, britney. quit being so selfish.
Here's what I think. You dance, you have to pay the fiddler. She had her "career" in music and movies. She opted to have kids (was she raped, NO). Now it's time for the next roll, motherhood. Do you remember when Christina Aguilara was behind her in the charts? Now look, Christina is a pop sensation (no kids and better morals). Do you ever see her in the papers, drunk and showing her various body parts? When was the last time she got a DUI? I whole hardedly agree with one of the previous posts, where are/were the parents of all these looser chicks? Now these loosers are going to raise little loosers of their own. What kind of morals can they possibly come out of this with?

My 2 cents, thanks world.......


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