Toxic

I met Britney Spears in the summer of ’99.  It was at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach.  She was doing a concert that evening and a bunch of media were invited to a special “meet and greet” in the afternoon.  This was when “(Hit Me) Baby One More Time” was a huge radio hit and she did that provocative cover on Rolling Stone magazine.  She was also on Entertainment Weekly with N’Sync.  They were the two biggest musical acts of the year.  We had also just found out she was dating Justin Timberlake. 

It was exciting to meet a pop star.  Britney was completely unassuming, shy and cute.  She said hello and signed my copy of EW.  We took a photo together and she moved on.  I thought she was adorable and was certain she would be around for a long time. 

Well, I was right!  She released another album.  She had more number one songs.  She won awards.   She did those cute Pepsi ads.  She went on a huge worldwide tour.  She released another album.  She said she was a virgin.  Justin “implied” she wasn’t.  They broke up.  She starred in a movie.  She performed on MTV with a huge python.  It was an iconic moment.  Then, things got…weird.

She kissed Madonna.  She married a childhood friend in Vegas.  It was annulled after 55 hours.  She cancelled her tour.  She dated and married a backup dancer.  Then she got pregnant and had her first baby, Sean Preston. Then she got pregnant again and had her second baby, Jayden.  Then, she filed for divorce. She checked in and out of rehab.  She shaved her head in the window front of an LA salon.  She was hospitalized and held under psychiatric evaluation.  She lost custody of her kids. She went to the VMA’s and did a terrible performance.  She had a shady manager and she was dating a member of the paparazzi.  She would go out late at night to get cigarettes and walk barefoot to the gas station bathroom.   I remember telling my husband that I would not be surprised to wake up one morning, turn on the computer, and see her obituary.  It looked bad.

But she turned it around!  Her dad seemed to save her.  She got the “bad” people out of her life.  She went back to the recording studio and made music again.  She had a number one single.  She went on tour.  She went on How I Met Your Mother.  She got custody of her kids back.  Now she seems…better.

I hope she is.  She’s a mom now and her kids need her.  I’m sure they make her happy.  Judging by this super cute video, they sure made me smile today.  Good Luck Britney.  Remember what’s important: these little guys.