Media Scribbler

It’s hard to debate that Britney Spears has been pretty unforgettable this year. How many of us woke up on a couple of mornings in January to find out that she’d been the subject of another media circus, with paparazzi and mainstream press nudging each other aside as she was committed to some sort of involuntary treatment? She was the first story on CNN’s live morning coverage, for crying out loud.

Now Britney’s back and from all appearances will cement her “comeback” on Dec. 2, when her new album comes out on her 27th birthday. Shortly before that, she will be on MTV again, but not with another shambotic performance like last year’s VMA’s. This time she will be the subject of an MTV documentary about her life now. And instead of presenting a portrait of a perfect pop princess who rules the world, like it would’ve been just three years ago, it actually seems to show the truth of her struggle with a mental disorder.

According to an Los Angeles Times article about a pre-screening of “Britney Spears: For the Record”, which debuts Nov. 30, Spears is very candid about her mixed feelings concerning her current life. Previous tabloid reports describe her comparing her existance to a prisoner. But if nothing else, the LAT was left with the impression that Britney’s terribly bored most of the time, and not the least bit peppy.

From the LAT article:

She reveals to the filmmaker that her trust has been “battered” and that she’s “grown up big time.” Tears well up in her eyes when she talks about how feeling lonely led to poor decisions with major consequences. “I’m sad,” she says finally before bursting into tears.

They end up interviewing Larry Randolph, the manager who was largely responsible for Spears’ initial stardom and who ended up being dropped, then rehired after she spiraled into disarray. Rudolph, along with Britney’s dad and current conservator, Jamie Spears, helped her not only get her career back on track, but helped her regain joint custody of her kids and probably saved her life. Which is something that Britney does recognize on the show. And seemingly Randolph has somehow stayed Britney’s biggest fan.

When he was asked if he had any doubts about returning to Britney’s side after her breakdown, he said:

 

I’ve known this girl for over half her life, since she was 13. We have a very close friendship, but it’s sort of hard for me to explain my relationship with her. It’s a friendship, it’s a business relationship, there are some paternal aspects to it. We get along very well. I understand her better than everyone other than her immediate family. There’s a shorthand we use in terms of dealing with each other that just works. The bottom line is I think she’s amazing. I love her. She’s been a big part of my life, and I’ve been a big part of her life. Being a part of this new phase in her career is something I was very open to.

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