Sidewalk Social Scientist


PRESBYTERIANS




















Can someone please explain to me the appeal of Britney Spears? Here is someone who should have been a one-hit-wonder but has a long-lasting career. Her singing is laughable at best and embarrassing at worst. “But, she can dance!” say her defenders and I would agree except that her latest videos cut away from her so quickly that I think even those talents have left the building. Also, if all she can do is dance shouldn’t her deserved level of fame be as the hottest dancer on the Stripper circuit?

At the beginning of her career, she did the whole virgin/whore thing but in a kind of vacuum because when asked about it, Ms. Spears would just feign ignorance and/or lie about it. I’ll admit that I find lying celebrities annoying.  With Britney, it just came across as really stupid. Like, there’s-actually-something-wrong-here stupid.  I know Madonna did the same thing a generation earlier, but when Madonna did it she spoke about it and called it art and political expression even when the lack of any real talent was evident. She had a point of view and something interesting to add to the conversation. With Britney it was all, “All y’alls think I’m sexy? I’m just havin’ fun, y’alls.”  One wonders what her IQ is?

These days, there is a conservatorship over her head and she can’t do anything without her Dad’s (who is also drawing a paycheque from her) permission.  These conservatorships, according to Wiki (grain of salt here), refer to “the legal responsibilities over a person who is mentally ill, including those who are psychotic, suicidal, incapacitated or is in some other way unable to make legal, medical or financial decisions on behalf of themselves.”

Should her Dad really be sending her out to do videos and singles and performances if she’s that messed up?  Are we being “entertained” by someone who is too mentally ill to be in charge of her money but not so far gone that we can’t have her “sing” into a mic in a recording studio or be propped up in a pretty dress for a video? Something in this stinks to me, and as much as I’m not a fan of her work, it seems very Frances Farmer-esque to me.  Has anyone noticed that she doesn’t do interviews any more? 

I don’t begrudge anybody success in the crazy business called Show especially these days when there are Kardashians and the like running around. For me, Britney has never been interesting or very talented so that leaves nice if not-too-smart. Does her appeal have something to do with projection? Like the way people project personalities onto their cats? There is a big blank there so whatever you think of her has more to do with you than it does with anything she is or does?

When I was a teen, there were teen pop stars that came along. Tiffany and Debbie Gibson were there names. They each got a hit or two and then were laughingly ignored and their careers disappeared.  I expected the same thing to happen to Britney after “Baby One More Time,” but her generation didn’t reject her like mine did with our Teen Dreams. After about 6 years or so I realized that Britney was a lifer.  I really don’t get it and I guess that’s why they call it a Generation Gap.

Now you may be reading this and thinking, “Well of course you don’t get it, you’re an old.”  That is true. I’m an old. But, there are people who have come after Britney Spears that I can get behind. Take Ke$ha. Same idea as Britney but she has a point of view and some kind of personality beyond “nice.”  Same with Katy Perry.  Both are in the same genre as Brit but bring something to the table beyond dancing and lip synching.

I would say the only time Britney was interesting was when she had that meltdown. I was checking my computer a couple times a day during the whole, “I’m a trade pantyhose with those dancers at the club” and “I guess I’ll shave my head” and “This car needs to be beat by this umbrella” phase.  The whole messed up weave, barefoot in the gas station washroom, strapped to a gurney laughing period was interesting but when I wipe away my own mean voyeur crap it’s actually less funny and just sorta sad and pathetic. 

If you look at any picture of her since the breakdown and cover her face other than her eyes, you will only see sadness. Don’t believe me? Google Image her and try it. Deep pools of despair.  Another thing with her is that everything she does is mediocre. She is never stylish, never has good hair (Google Image "Britney Spears weave" if you don’t believe me), Is this intentional on behalf of her handlers or is she just that clueless?  Doesn’t she have a team of gheys to make sure this doesn’t happen?

Perhaps, its a combination of Generation Gap and taste. I just don’t like her music and her personality isn’t enough for me to be in her corner. Before you go all, "Leave Britney alone!" I'll admit she seems a little sad and a little lost and maybe she just needs to take a break from the public eye to sort herself out. But, until she does that, could somebody seriously explain to me what they like about her?