It feels like Britney Spears is always the center of attention, whether it’s because she’s legitimately involved in a major news story or whether it’s because some random opinion or minor news item (like where she lives) is generating controversy. A perfect example of that happened this past week when Spears was out to dinner, started getting filmed by random people at the table next to her and left. Her alleged storm out turned into a whole news cycle, where she was accused of being “manic.”
The pop star initially responded with a video of herself dancing and throwing up middle fingers, but yesterday, she also offered a more thought-provoking response. Hitting up her Instagram, Spears said she wondered what it would feel like to not be on the defensive all the time and instead get the type of attention that sinks into your bones and lets you love yourself. You can check out the Instagram post below…
It’s a really striking observation. There are some celebrities who seem to almost always be in positive news cycles, either because they have the goodwill of the press or a good publicist. Even if they get hit with negative stories now and again, it seems to be counterbalanced by pieces that talk about all the good they’re doing. Britney Spears got some of those stories when the conservatorship first ended, but throughout many portions of her career, it has felt like the exact opposite. The last few months have been particularly rough. It’s no wonder she feels like she’s on the defensive
The thoughtful quote and the middle finger videos weren’t her only responses to what happened. Spears also appeared on her husband Sam Asghari’s Instagram account last night and joked about how ridiculous the video that was posted on TMZ was. It featured Spears, being outrageously filmed by another diner at the restaurant, having an animated conversation with someone who worked at the restaurant, assumedly about how everyone was talking pictures and filming her.
Spears and Asghari joked about how hungry she was during the video and how she fantasized about jumping to another table and taking someone else’s pasta, which is what she really wanted. Asghari compared her hypothetical behavior to a cat. Here’s a portion of the quote below…
Alright so the best thing about the TMZ video, to me personally, I’m starving (for) the pasta. What if I jumped from one table to the next in the video and I ate the pasta? Wouldn’t that be hot? I got what I wanted.
I obviously wasn’t at the restaurant when any of this happened. I have no idea what she was saying to any of the employees or her fellow diners, but I’m very sympathetic to Spears on this issue. All she wanted to do was go out to eat. Instead, she couldn’t even eat her food because everyone was filming her and making a big scene. I don’t think I’d be particularly graceful if the table next to me literally got out their phones and started filming me while I was trying to eat pasta. But that’s Spears’ life right now, and it’s no wonder she’s on the defensive.
Here’s to hoping there’s a future for Britney Spears in which she doesn’t always feel like she’s reacting to the negativity around her.
