purplesweat said:

I agree with you, but I just find Gary Coleman to be one of the most fucked up cases of tragic child stars in entertainment history. That whole cast of young actors from 'Different Strokes' is tragic actually and many of the original 'Little Rascals', because many of them died broke...the actor who played Alfalfa was shot to death while trying to steal a chicken to eat because his parents spent all of his money and left him with nothing. It's because of these tragic cases that child stars nowadays usually have trust funds set aside for them and many other safeguards. I was shocked when watching that E! True Hollywood story of "Different Strokes" to find out that Gary had alot of medical problems as a child and his parents would force him to go to work when he was very ill. To me, that's just pure child abuse right there. Usually, it's hard for me to sympathize for anybody because there are people in this world who have terrible illnesses and other life dilemmas and many of them don't feel sorry for themselves, so why should I?

I don't think parents should be quitting their jobs when their kid becomes a star because the child has now become the bread winner of the family. I think it's sad and disgusting when these parents choose to live off of their child's paychecks. For me, it's just as disturbing as watching little girls who are constantly in beauty pageants. At some point, it's more the parent living vicariously through their offspring than the child actually liking the whole process. Personally, I see many similarities between stage parents and parents (usually mothers) who suffer from Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. One bestows physical abuse on their child to get attention, the other bestows psychological abuse on their child to get attention....not that huge of a difference IMO.




You know his ego is going to be scarred by that comment, but hopefully he doesn't become spiteful and ask for an increase in child support because of it. Now that she's actually back to working, he'll probably do that regardless. Sad that a lot of her money from this album and her upcoming tour will probably be going to her legal team, her handlers, and her ex-husband. I really think she needs to disappear and get as far away from the limelight as possible (at least for a few years), because it's brought her just as much heartache as it has happiness; and, it's obviously very stressful for her and that's not something she needs to be dealing with while fighting her mental health issues, but I honestly don't think that she'll be able to disappear any time soon. She has too many people on her payroll and if she doesn't keep bringing in the money, than the MC Hammer scenario could very well happen to her. He was worth quite a bit back in the early 90s and because of his huge entourage and lavish lifestyle, he blew threw his fortune, so I refuse to say it's an impossibility for any celebrity. Before her father became her legal guardian, court papers revealed that Britney was blowing through as much as $700,000 a month. That's just pure insanity to me, because even Donald Trump had to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in the 90s and he was a billionaire, so I just really hope that her father is truly a good man who will make sure that this doesn't happen to his daughter.

I'm actually going to watch her documentary tomorrow with an open mind and see what she has to say. I don't really feel that she needs to apologize to the world because everybody makes terrible choices throughout their lives and as long as she changes for the better I feel that should be apology enough. I figured she married K-Fed for that reason, because that was pretty much the same reason she got married the first time. It's sad when people have these overly optimistic and at times very unrealistic ideals of what marriage is only to find out that marriage usually isn't anything like the fairy tales. I just hope she doesn't show her dislike for him in front of her kids. I've had too many friends and close acquaintances tell me horror stories of what it was like to have to experience the heartaches of being caught in the middle of an ugly divorce when they were kids. I just hate when mothers or fathers bad mouth each other to their children. I really get disgusted when they mention to their children how much they hate or dislike their ex-spouse. The child should not have to deal with that, but some parents seem to think otherwise. I still can't understand how someone can say they love their child, yet hate their ex-husband/wife. How can they hate someone whose DNA makes up half of the child that they love soo much?
[Edited 11/29/08 11:58am]

estelle81 said:

Yeah, I was one of the only fans who didn't want an album this year, way too soon IMO. I don't think I'll be buying the album either.



Hmmm, weird, cause I read that's how much she was earning, not spending.



Yeah, well, I've always thought there must be a very interesting reason the courts chose him over her mother. While he's fixing his daughters life, she's busy penning her little book on parenting. I couldn't even get through a chapter of that book, she disgusts me. It's no wonder Britney made the mistakes she did in her life with the kind of influence her mother must have had.



That's good, it's nice to see someone willing to give another person a chance. Celeb or not. And it's even nicer to talk to someone who doesn't see celebrities as people who owe us something either!



I guess in some ways it's lucky the two boys are as young as they are when all this happened. They probably won't remember much although I'm sure there's been confusion and stress for them =[



Yeah, I've noticed in her recent magazine interviews she puts a little jibe at him in there like he doesn't make the food they like or they learn swear words at his house. Who knows what's true.

She did the same performance on X factor in the UK last night with an altered outfit. I have to say she was more with it than the infamous MTV awards one but she still didn't seem 'into it'. I wouldn't say she was enjoying it at all.

And then when Dermot (presenter) spoke to her afterwards she definitely didn't want to talk and gave some impersonal BS about how it was awesome.

Her eyes tell a much much different story to the rest of the spin you hear. Britney is much too honest a celeb to be able to pass this off as something her heart desires. I am guessing this is the route to get back the boys, secure her financial future and have less written about her personal life as was back when she was exposed and under the influence of that fake manager guy.

I feel very sorry for her. It seems she is trapped one way or the other. The woman who has had everything taken away from her including her babies.

Have to say though she is still making cracking records. They keep all the best songs for Britney and as X factor showed nobody can sing her own songs like she can.

Totally mimed performance though! How anyone can say that's live is beyond me!!

newpowerhippies said:

She's been more with it in all three of the European performances she's done this week than that VMA one. I already made a thread about the X Factor performance, too.



I think every celebrity does this, it's part of the job to talk up where ever you're visiting.



It's definitely live with a very loud backing track.

Hey I like Britney - but this was very orchestrated and I felt like it may have been better than the VMA's but I saw a performance of Toxic the other day - also mimed but it was really energetic. She had that look in her eye that is missing these days.

And those responses were rubbish that she gave Dermot IMO. It was the cheesiest stock answer ever. Yes celebs do that but she seemed like one of the stepford wives with the way she answered. She quite clearly lost her nerve and / or had no idea who the contestants were and what to say for the best. I was disappointed but hope that it keeps betting better.

She's not nearly reached her potential from what I see - either that or she's not into it any more.

Just my opinion!

Lisa

newpowerhippies said:

It's confusing as to why people think she'll instantly snap back into that Toxic girl again. Imagine how nerve wracking it would be going on stage knowing that everyone there has seen your privates, seen you shave your head, lose your kids and go insane. I'd look a little nervous too if that were me! I also think it's why she's having trouble talking to people, she feels like they might ask about last year or she's afraid to answer wrong.

But I must say, all celebs sound fake when they talk about those things. Everytime a celeb comes to Australia I hear the same generic "omg its so beautiful here I'm gonna buy 8 houses here tomorrow!". It's just part of the job and it's nitpicking to criticize her for that when it's something they all do.

Basically, having no expectations for these performances has allowed me to enjoy them more. She's not gonna be where she used to be, although X Factor was her most confident yet, and that's fine with me. Give me a slightly nervous performance any day over a trip to the mental hospital.

Here here!

Give me a slightly nervous performance any day over a trip to the mental hospital.[/quote]

purplesweat said:

Even though I'm not a fan, I don't think you should miss out on her new album because you fill her 'comeback' is premature; if you like it, go and pick it up ...I actually really like 'Kill the Lights'; I think it's a very good pop song. If her fans are going to support her, I would much rather see them buying this album than "Blackout". I had heard most of the tracks on 'Blackout' on Youtube after it's release; and it's a very well produced pop album; but I don't think it should have sold as much as it did when it was initially released for the simple fact that it could have given Britney a false belief that her fans were supporting her and her bad actions during that time.

I don't think it went platinum until a few months later, but her fans that went out and bought it on the day of it's release obviously weren't really helping her get any better, as was apparent due to all the bad things that befell her shortly after the album's release. I used to see the whole situation as being similar to when a family has a member that is a crack addict. Family and friends say how much they love this person and want him/her to get better, yet they keep either giving this troubled individual money to buy crack or taking them to the crack dealer. They're not really helping them at all; and it's kinda putting the idea in that person's head that if I cry and look pathetic enough, than I'll get what I want in the end (learned that while
watching "Intervention" ; amazing series btw). Now, I'm not saying that Britney was addicted to crack, but drug addiction is hereditary and a mental illness just like mental disorders, eating disorders, and alcholism. Sometimes not supporting someone is the thing that saves them, but that's only sometimes and also depends on how strong the person who is fighting the illness really is. I used to love Whitney Houston, but the moment I found out that all the money I was spending on her albums was going up her nose, I refused to buy anything else she put out until she cleaned herself up. I just wasn't going to help her destroy or kill herself.

estelle81 said:

Oooh, you're right. That is actually her monthly income. My mistake, sorry. It's crazy how much she was spending though in just one month and not really saving or investing much. Hopefully, this issue is being controlled now because she has to make sure that she and her babies are always going to be taken care of financially since dad isn't exactly doing much in that department.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/S...index.html



Her mother is definitely no where near what I would call a good mother and she was wrong for putting out that book especially so shortly after what happened to both of her daughters, but on her E! True Hollywood story, (man, I love that series; I think I've seen pretty much everybody's story ) people close to Britney at that time were stating that her mom left her in the care of her former assistant, Felicia; and her manager towards the beginning of her career because she had to take care of Britney's little sister. I don't know what the actual truth really is, but I believe that everybody should be held accountable for their actions and the mistakes that may occur because of said actions regardless of how much their parents screwed them up.

It's sad, but if a person is caught protecting a family member or friend who is a fugitive, the courts will charge that person with harboring a criminal and will arrest them and put them on trial. Even though that person may see it as simply protecting a loved one, it's still a big mistake in the eyes of the law and they should be held accountable for it. If that family member committed a crime, they should take responsibility for their actions and serve their time instead of running and getting their friends and family members in trouble with them if they genuinely love their family. Britney has made lots of mistakes from her bad decisions; and she should be held responsible for them just like everybody else in this world should be held responsible for theirs regardless of what happened to them as kids. Even though her dad wasn't much of a father when she was younger, he's there now and seems to be keeping her in a stable place.



The only people she ever should have to apologize to is her sons and I'm pretty sure they don't care because they love their mommy regardless of who she is and what she's done. The love a child is the purest love there is in this world. Sad that many mothers don't see how great it is sometimes and dump on their kids to be with guys who are total assholes to them...my younger sister being one of those women unfortunately. Seriously, my little sister makes the bad Britney look like a nun.



Sadly, the only reason they will probably remember all of this is because it was media fodder for almost a year; but for now, I think they are just happy to be driving in their toy trucks...they are soo cute in all those pictures; such precious little boys.




Kids pick up swear words and bad behaviors like they pick up dog poo and other nasty things. I've never met a little kid that if you accidentally say a curse word in front of them won't say it back to you at some point. My little cousin was saying 'shit' before she was saying 'mom' or 'dad' and her parents had only accidentally used the word on a few occasions in earshot of her, yet they were telling her to say 'mommy' and 'daddy' every five minutes. Kids say and do the darnedest things sometimes. I don't think either one of them should be bad mouthing the other, because neither one of them has really proven to be outstanding in the parenting department. Just my