Britney Spears - Pray for her

Looking at the photos, I can hardly wonder why. People should show some courtesy, but really, what is she thinking? This is about a singer? Looks more like an attempt at erotic dancing. Guys grabbing girls, girls grabbing girls. This is entertainment?

The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) are the latest source of dear Britney’s embarassment. Recent reports are that the reason she flopped is because she arrived more than four hours after a scheduled rehearsal. And she had been boozing. Not to mention the report of her being out until at least 3 AM the night before with Miss Paris Hilton and Mr. P. Diddy Doo.

It must have been shocking and sad for fellow performers who would expectedly be impacted by being part of the … event … that then transpired in the public eye in Las Vegas and on TV screens worldwide on Sunday. This was Britney’s first big appearance in four years. She performed her latest song, “Gimme More”, and spectators from the Las Vegas event or just critics observing from TV described it as “nervous” and “shaky”.

An unknown source at MTV supposed alleges that producers were most upset (read: furious) after Britney failed to make the rehearal at 1 PM, the same day as the VMAs. Do they only rehearse a few hours before an event, when they have not been in the public eye for four years? Who is their manager? Smart move.

This inside source relates to New York Post’s gossip column Page Six,

“She didn’t even get to Las Vegas until 4:30 p.m. It was ridiculous. The production people at MTV were freaking out. Nobody can tell Britney what to do anymore. No one can control her. She is a mess.

“She went to her hotel room and ordered a bunch of food and some frozen margaritas. She came down an hour later with a frozen margarita in her hand.

“The dance number was spectacular — without her. When the stand-in was rehearsing with the dancers, in the hours they were all waiting for her, it was amazing. Then Britney showed up and refused to do anything. The more complicated dance moves had to be erased because she couldn’t do them.”

“MTV wanted her to wear a corset outfit. It would have looked great and covered a lot of things up, but she hated it and didn’t think it was sexy enough.”

Ok, even if it was rehearsed with Britney present, do you think anyone would call what the performance was supposed to be real entertainment? I didn’t see the video (I threw out my TV), but from photos online, it looks like something you’d expect from some types of nightclubs.

Hardly suitable entertainment for the kids for whom these “entertainers” are supposedly role models.

Britney should turn over a new leaf. If encouraged, I’m sure she could make a comeback that would bring back old fans and gain new fans.

It seems MTV is the only one who is willing to cheer for poor Britney these days. While critics panned the recent performance at the awards show, MTV and company have ensured that the video is only available online through them, with their commentary. Bloggers cannot post it, and videos previously posted on YouTube have disappeared, likely due to legal threats.

The back story you know: Britney Spears’ performance at MTV’s Video Music Awards was billed as a make-or-break comeback, and it broke. The Web gossips say that rather than cramming for the show — whatever that would mean — Spears spent the pre-VMA weekend partying with celebs in Vegas. Come concert time she lethargically lip-synced through her single “Gimme More,” bringing about as much enthusiasm to the gig as she does to mothering.

But you want proof. You want to watch the video. And so, naturally, you consult YouTube. And hey, look, someone’s uploaded it.

But wait: Click on the several VMA clips that come up when you search for Spears and you find they’re gone. “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Viacom International Inc.,” YouTube tells you.

Huh. Viacom is MTV’s corporate parent and a YouTube archrival. The company has sued Google, YouTube’s parent, seeking remuneration for the many Viacom videos people have watched on YouTube. So it’s understandable the company would quickly pull down its wares from YouTube — and, as this search shows, it’s completely ridiculous, because rather than helping you watch its videos, Viacom is standing in your way.

So after YouTube, you do a Google search for britney spears vma video. And again you find nothing. Of the top 10 links that come up, there are a couple of Spears fan sites and several blog and news reports panning the performance, but no links to the video.

But wait. Look to the right side of the page in the “sponsored link” section — yes, that section you never look at. Right there is a link to MTV. The tag says “Watch Clips From Brit’s VMA Performance — Only on MTV.com!” Click it and you get to this site, MTV’s Buzzworthy blog, which — aha! — includes the VMA video. Finally.

Interesting? You bet, read more here: http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2007/09/11/spears_viacom/