Madonna has been a constant presence in Britney Spears' life at least since Madge gave Britney her very first kiss from a girl back in 2003, the year Madonna appeared on the Brit-hit "Me Against the Music." Now it looks like she's giving her tips on ticking off the Catholic League. In two photographs illustrating the liner notes of Britney's critically acclaimed new album, "Blackout," the Southern Baptist-raised singer is shown slinking into a confessional with a handsome young man dressed like a priest. Britney herself is hardly dressed.
In response, the League's Bill Donahue released a bit of boilerplate sensitively noting Britney's alleged inability to raise her own child--that's how to make converts, Bill--and suggesting the photos are a shameless bid for publicity.
Publicity is one thing Britney doesn't lack, however. After nearly four years of living out the pop tart ideal without releasing an original album, credibility as an artist is what she's after, and it looks like Madonna has given her lessons in gravitas. Madonna's fascination with the Catholic Church--from her name to provocative choreography with cassocked and surpliced backup dancers--has given Madonna a certain nubbly texture in a disco world of lamé and chiffon.
Madonna's manipulation of Catholic imagery, however, has never really criticized the Catholic Church. Her frolicking priests and glittering crosses, rather, fit into a psychic landscape of idealized fathers and lovers, and the sacrifices women make for love. Britney, raised in a evangelical church in Kentwood, Louisiana, can hardly claim to bear the weight of a confessional in her subconscious. The problem with Britney blasphemy is not that it's offensive, it's that it's meaningless.
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Britney Spears displays poor taste in my opinion in this latest news event, but she has the right to do her thing.
I wonder if Ms. Spears will continue to dig deeper until she buries herself, or if she will get some tips and pointers from those who have already traveled down that road and have since classed up their image. If there's anything she needs, it's a little class and some purpose (and not to be the raunchiest girl on the block). It's too bad that someone so beautiful cannot see beyond her own sexuality. Hopefully she will get smart and acquire the desire to be an example for that child of hers, some day. Then again, beauty is temporary, and dumb is forever....
I'm beginning to think less and less about Ms. Spears (if she can be called that). The more she "digs" herself, the further in a hole she gets. I agree that the scene of her squirming her way into the "confessional" is "gratuitous," rather than "meaningless." I hope her handlers (managers, publicists, hangers-on, etc.), will get ahold of her and get her the psychiatric help she so desperately needs. However, they probably are NOT going to do that, since she is their "meal ticket," and any allusion to her having a mental illness would certainly ruin her so-called "career."
She is pushing the boundaries of civility; I admit I read about her in the "rag-mags," and on posted blogs, but only to see what "mischief" she has herself into now. She needs to grow up, or, barring that, get advice from older people who could become her "mentors" instead of the silly people she surrounds herself with.
She COULD be the "big star" she so badly craves if only she would get help, NOW.
God bless the child...
I think both Madonna and Britney Spears are pigs and a disgrace to women.
I feel sorry for Britneys Mother. She is helpless and wants to help her but her daughter refuses to get help. She needs to clean up her act and be a good Mother to those boys. She will pay a heavy price for it later if she doesn't. I only wonder why someone can't commit her to get the help she needs. SHE NEEDS HELP!
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