Freelance Writing Jobs | Today's Articles | Sign In

Articles
Writers

Britney Spears' Breakdown

From Teen Queen to Total Wreck

Jan 10, 2008 Tara Sena-Becker

From chart-topping pop princess of the 1990s, to broken wreck of 2008, where did it all go so wrong for Britney Spears?

Britney Spears is not alone. From Drew Barrymore to Lindsay Lohan, Mary-Kate Olsen and Haley Joel-Osmond, growing up as a superstar is no doubt a risky business. But despite the disorders, drug-taking, DUIs and days in rehab that appear as a constant feature in the lives of young Hollywood, there are few public meltdowns that could rival the rapid descent of Britney Spears. From chart-topping pop princess of the 1990s, to broken wreck of 2008, where did things go so wrong for this teen idol?

Like a Virgin: The Rise of a Star

It was 1999 when the teen sensation that was Britney Spears first burst onto television screens worldwide. Dressed in a Catholic school uniform, with her blonde hair in pigtails and gloss-heavy lips begging listeners to hit her baby one more time, Britney was the perfect combination of teenage innocence and coquettish deviance.

With the arrival of the new millennium, this fresh teen queen had officially established herself as a top female artist, selling more than 70 million records and ranking as the most powerful celebrity in the world on Forbes Magazine’s 2002 list.

Yet despite global acclaim for her music, it was Britney’s sexual image and social life that took prime place under the world spotlight. From her boyfriends to her breasts, her break-ups and back tattoos, the world was hooked on the comings and goings of its newest teen starlet. Famously declaring that she would remain a virgin until marriage, Britney became a role model for young girls worldwide, with songs like “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” standing as a testament to her innocence.

Not That Innocent: The K-Fed Era

It was in 2003 that Britney made the shock confession that would change her image of innocence forever. In an interview with W magazine, she guilty whispered the exclusive revelation that she was most certainly no longer a girl but definitely a woman, claiming that “I’ve only slept with one person my whole life. I thought he was the one. But I was wrong.”

And so, Britney, having reached the peak of her career, began a rapid descent from angel of innocence to sexual deviant.

With her virginal status now a mere memory, the young starlet wasted no time in furthering her relationship experience, making headlines worldwide by marrying and divorcing her childhood friend Jason Alexander in a true 5:30am Vegas style ceremony. Total period of wedded bliss: 55 hours.

Despite this first public eccentricity, it was Britney’s second marriage that really captured the always wandering tabloid eye. Thus it was in 2004 that the world was introduced to Kevin Federline. Back-up dancer and wannabe superstar, K-Fed was certainly not the man that the public had in mind for their not-so-innocent pop-princess. Yet, whilst the couple’s pimp and ho’s themed wedding did little to inspire confidence in the longevity of their nuptials, their relationship progressed quickly, with two sons being born in their first three years of marriage. Yes, Britney was certainly no longer a virgin.

Crazy: The Final Decline

Perhaps the only thing more disastrous to Britney’s public image than her 2004 marriage was her text message divorce in November of 2006. It seems that this event was the catalyst to a period of most significant controversy – an extended breakdown in the life of a teen star that continues to captivate the paparazzi, control tabloid covers and enthrall fans and foes across the globe.

From befriending party girl Paris Hilton to famously being photographed without her underwear, shaving her head and losing custody of her kids, the year 2007 will no doubt go down in history as a Britney Spears breakdown hell.

Indeed the true story of Britney’s decline is far more scandalous and truly indecent than the most outrageous of mid-day soap operas. In the space of a mere year, Britney has managed to get divorced via text message, be charged with hit-and-run, attack the paparazzi with an umbrella, drive continually without a license, be forced to undergo random drug testing, suffer a mini meltdown at an Ok! Magazine photo shoot, have an affair with a paparazzi, be dropped by two divorce attorneys, be investigated for child abuse, get a restraining order slapped on her, run over a paparazzi’s foot, be involved in a sex tape scandal, miss almost every court appearance in favour of partying all night and give the most infamously terrible performance of her career at the 2007 MTV Awards. And that’s just the start of it.

The most recent development in this saga? On the night of January 3rd, police were called to Britney’s Los Angeles home after the pop diva took her two kids hostage and refused to follow court-appointed custody orders. Following a three hour stand-off documented by thousands of light-bulb flashing paparazzi, Britney was rushed off to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, from where she was released the following day (after a personal consultation with Dr Phil of course).

So how has Britney really been coping through the past year?

Well, as the diva herself recently responded, "Eat it, lick it, snort it, **** it!"

Charming.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the tabloids, as with Britney already out of hospital no doubt the paparazzi will be back on her trail, documenting more of the extended diva meltdown in the New Year. Let’s just hope that this troubled starlet has made herself a very long list of resolutions.

Sources:

The copyright of the article Britney Spears' Breakdown in Celebrities/Pop Culture is owned by Tara Sena-Becker. Permission to republish Britney Spears' Breakdown in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Not that innocent, Google Images Not that innocent
   
What do you think about this article?
NOTE: Because you are not a Suite101 member, your comment will be moderated before it is viewable.
post your comment
What is 6+7?
;