FRIDAY LINK LOVE—6/16/06

Y'all watch Britney last night? Everything aside, there is seriously something wrong with that poor girl. Does she have no "people" left? No one left to fix that errant eyelash over her right eye? No one left to remove her dollar store extensions and start again? No one left to tell her not to chew gum during an interview? No one left to tell her not to pick at her feet while on national television?

For someone of her stature not to have "people" means that something is terribly wrong. If anyone needs people, she needs people. Where's Rachel Zoe when you need her? She'd never let Nicole step out like that. Or maybe Britney really is human.

Have we been too harsh on BritBrit?  I dunno. Did she sound remorseful to you? She sounded tired. She sounded frustrated, sure. But did she ever once say, "What I did? It was wrong?"

Matt Lauer: "Why were you crying in that restaurant after you almost dropped your baby?"
Britney: "Because I was hungry, oh, and people were taking my picture..."

Or something like that.

That picture was sad. It broke my heart. Does she owe anyone an explanation?  Probably not. But if she did that interview to get people to sympathize with her cause, she needs to work a little harder than "Cuz I was hungry," doesn't she?

Matt Lauer (love!) asked why she drove with a kid on her lap down PCH, and her explanation was because "Starbucks was only five minutes away from home." And, "We're country." (shrug) And shame on that bad, bad doctor for "treating her weird' and calling CPS on her country ass.  How terrible that doctor was for doing his or her job. Looking out for the best interest of the child? How awful.

Oh, I know, it's tres au courant "to forgive Britney her sins," but I'm sorry, I ain't feelin' it. I'm sick and tired of reading all the sympathy lists of "bad things that happened to my kid that I'm glad the paparazzi didn't see." That is so not the point.

I'm all for supporting moms in need, but it's really hard to be supportive when she says inane shit like, "Accidents happen." I love that. Let's not take an active role in parenting because accidents are bound to happen. I mean really, why step up to the parenting plate at all? "What could I do about it? Accidents happen."  Please. There's a time for support, and a time for knocking some sense into someone's ass.

We all agree: no one is a perfect parent and being stalked by paparazzi 24/7 has to be horrifying. Yes, yes, yes. But, I've said it before and I'll say it again, why aren't her loved ones helping her? Wouldn't you reach out to a friend that was obviously hurting that badly? Haven't we all had to talk some sense into a friend or loved one that wasn't thinking clearly?  I'm not trying to get all Mommy Wars on her ass. I just really wanna know: where is that person for Britney?
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Now that that's done, let's get down to the link love:

• Try to look away from Loobylu's new site, Kiddley. It's just so cute ...and informative. (Thanks, Melissa, for bringing it to my attention.)
• Mir from WCS has a new thing and it's totally cool.
• This is insane.
• Blogs I'm digging: Another Mommy Moment and Cartwheels at Midnight

Have a frappuccino-tastic weekend, y'all!

Comments

[Imperfect Mommy]

And can we all remember that she was a big G.W. supporter in the past election? She's what we call stoopid, s-t-o-o-p-i-d. And she definitely needs her people ... I mean when I saw her with the childseat in the wrong direction, all I kept thinking was why did anyone let her out of her house in freakin' curlers?

[Jenn]

Girl, I know... I felt sorry for her too, about the gum and the eyelash and that picture in the restaurant. And a couple more things:

1. I don't for a minute believe that she has a maid that only comes once a week, and if you knocked on her door right now she'd be cleaning a toilet.

2. 20 years ago when her daddy was driving around with her on his lap in the pickup truck, they didn't have airbags. If you hit something, the kid would bump his head on the steering wheel... not that big a deal. Today, a kid riding on your lap in the front seat WOULD DIE.

3. I got the impression that she didn't want to talk about her kid or about being a mother because she doesn't really know how she feels about it.

4. I wanted to smack her every time Matt Lauer asked her a question that, I don't know, I guess made her sad to even have to contemplate, and she would poke her bottom lip out like "a hurt puppy" as he pointed out.

5. Did you see her fingernails? Short (as in bitten down to the quick) and looked like she'd painted them herself (purple.)

Bottom line, yeah I feel sorry for her, but at the same time she needs to grow up... she seemed like a kid who got married way too young and if it weren't for genius marketing, she'd be living in a trailer park in Louisiana. Oh, and if I were Julia Roberts, I would be going looking for Brit today.

[allie]

I'm so pissed that I missed. I saw the clip where she was crying in the resturant and I felt sympathetic so I really wanted to see what she'd say in the interview. I did catch the tail end of it and I was shocked to see how awful she looked.

Later, I read up on it and it sounded like she said a lot of stupid things. Was the head bobbing really that annoying? "country" as a defense. So odd.

She did this interview because she wanted to show that she's not going take the paparazzi's abuse?! " I am damn tough!" "This business makes me a stronger person." I think not. Stupid? Strange? etc.

Poor Brit...

[Motherhood Uncensored]

I missed it and pissed too. The girl needs a better publicist FOR SURE. She's always been a gum chewer, however, you just have to SPIT IT OUT sometimes. OY.

And the other stuff, I mean, they really should have coached her on her answers. "It was only 5 minutes away" made me LESS sympathetic. I could even SEE it if she was being run down by paparazzi or something. BUT "I'm Country????" Really. Just be honest and say "It was stupid and I really set a bad example for young moms and I'm sorry. It's hard being watched 24-7 - we all make mistakes and I'm still learning."

Damn. I should be a publicist.

I think folks sort of let her do her own thing because she has $$, but it's obvious she needs some real heartfelt guidance from someone who doesn't want her money and actually cares about her as a person and not a PRODUCT.

:)

[Motherhood Uncensored]

I guess I should have said "WAS PISSED too"

I didn't miss it because I was pissing.

Leaving now... er...

[MetroDad]

And so the avoidance of personal responsibility and the culture of victimization spreads unfettered to live another day. Just once, I'd love to hear someone famous simply say, "I made a mistake. I'm sorry. I learned my lesson." Ugh...this woman makes me physically ill.

However, I would like to say that I annoyed my wife all evening by repeatedly turning to her and saying, "It's just words, y'all!"

[Laura]

Didn't watch it, had better things to do with my time

[Mom101]

I dvr'd it, and just about to watch. Because unlike Laura, I HAVE NO BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH MY TIME. Your assessment is excellent. I don't care about her one way or another, but I do care about kids who are being neglected by shitty parents and this one seems to fit the bill.

[johnsondaw]

That interview BLEW MY MIND! I made my husband watch it with me so that I could have someone to say "No, she did NOT just say that" to. Britney needs to get her ass back to Kenwood, LA so that her mom can actively supervise her before something really bad happens to one of those kids. How can a person worth 100 million go on tv looking like truck stop hooker? I know she's pregnant, but wearing an outfit so lowcut and then leaning over during half the interview makes you look like a whore, Brit. I think that interview hurt her cause, not helped. If you really want them to leave you alone, then why are you living in paparrazzi central? Kevin can set up a recording studio anywhere. She obviously lets him wear the hideously low-slung pants in the relationship. Kevin wants to stay in L.A. so he can party like a rock star.

[alison]

I dvr'd it too...haven't watched yet and I.can't.wait. I am oddly obsessed w/this whole ridulous situation b/c if she was someone non-famous, I'm not sure she'd have custody of her child!!!! I did read that her mom has moved out to West for like 6 months in preparation for baby #2 and her cousin helps out a lot. So, it appears she has people, just not good people. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree?

Off to the Zoo with the wee one. You know, active parenting & all that jazz...

[BadKitty]

Hey Brit: Liza called to reschedule her mentoring session for later this week, but she said good job with the eyelashes. They could see you in the cheap seats!

[cici]

I caught the last half of the interview. In the words of my husband, "why are we watching this?". I think he was seriously dismayed at how far Brit has slid (he doesn't keep up).

My take on this is she's just garden variety dumb, and we get to witness it and cringe. In addition, she's been groomed for stardom since she was a little tiny girl and has probably been coached like a trick pony for years. I bet she's sick to death of it and is having some kind of midlife crisis, just way too early. I agree wholeheartedly that she needs some serious guidance and it's kinda sad she doesn't have that (or people are too intimidated by her fame to provide it).

[CityMama]

Mom 101, I sweahtagawd if we lived within driving distance of each other we'd be having some martini playdates, because I have nothing better to do with my time, too.

And BadKitty: you win the prize for best comment. I'm sending over a bottle of vodka right away.

[Lori]

That person was Mama Lynne, and she was obviously too busy molding Little Miss Gumsnap into the barely-legal, Protool-enhanced, Madonna-kissing idiot that America still seems to be obsessed with for no good reason (myself included).

I suppose that Mama Lynne has since turned her attention to little sister Jamie Lynne, aka Britney 2.0.

Yikes!

[Kateri]

I didn't see the big interview, but I sure as heck sought out the transcripts to see what kind of trouble *this* interview will get her in!

My biggest complaint is the overuse of "you know." Makes me want to claw my eyes out...add to that the gum chewing and huge boobies hanging out of her top - poor Matt...he must've had a hard time keeping his eyes averted from the peep show. And, I love the title of the transcript "I don't care what other's think." A-huh. Looks like it.

[cici]

by the way - that kiddley site is adorable! thanks for posting.

[radzilla]

a couple of my favorite parts are the plentiful "inappropriate" air "quotes" that she sprinkled "through" her "responses". I also loved how whenever matt asked a particularly spicy question, she gave him this wide eyed look like she didn't quite understand what he was saying. and my personal favorite moment was her response to the claim that she was a redneck which was "i am not a bible belt". no, but you do make good "taaay".

[Megan]

I couldn't get over how terrible she looked! I know she's got a lot going on over there but still, my God, make an effort. Also distracting - Matt Lauer choosing not to wear socks with his poo-colored loafers. Yarg.

[Stacy]

I love your blog - and I second the Matt Lauer loafer comment by Megan - very distracting.

Anyways, I am such a huge fan and have just recently (now on three weeks) started a blog myself over at ClubMom.com.

I am compiling a list of blogs I want to link to - sort of like a link exchange. Are you interested in being on it? And if you like my blog, are you interested in linking to me as well?

Let me know! Thanks!

[Karyn]

She was "hungry" ... and PREGNANT! Is your heart made of stone? LOL. Just kidding. sorta. I know when I was pregnant if I got hungry and there was no food within lip-reach, I'd have been crying too.

[Laura]

I suppose what I find so disapointing about this post and your last about britney is the smug, sneering tone you so comfortably take. Work yourself into an outrage about spf levels and car safety if you want, but children really do survive in circumstances where parents are less than careful. Is motherhood really just about fastening a carseat the proper way? I had always imagined it was more... perhaps compassion or at the very least guidance in good taste.

[wood from sweet juniper]

so did you get that fancy TiVo thing working? 'cause I didn't even know that there was an interview, and I NEED TO SEE IT NOW.

although, short of that, your summary was pretty freaking satisfying.

[Deb]

Hey CityMama...this is sorta off topic but I could "hear" your commentary in my head as I watched Jennifer Love Hewitt last night on Jay Leno.

What the fuck is up with her hair???? Is she going bald, does she have an illness or something? Why is she constantly wearing really clearly obvious hair pieces attached to the back of her head in some kind of groovy That Girl kind of thing?

Please take a look and comment, I was laughing just thinking about it!

[Jackie]

Couldn't someone tell her that her pink bra was hanging out?

[alison]

UPDATE on my previous comment: Watched it and...I freakin' DVR'd the TODAY show, *not* Dateline so alas, I did not see the whole thing, just a "preview"-- the comments you made & those made by commenters pretty much sums it up.

I too was also taken back by Matt's bare ankles, WTF? Was he just trying to bring it down a notch to empathize w/Britney?