Spears Can't Escape The Heat

The Hits On Britney Keep On Coming, But She Says She's Making A Comeback

(CBS)  With the closure of her largest fan Web site, rumors of frustration at her record label and unflattering photos published in the New York Post, Britney Spears is being forced to take notice.

"That is probably a wake-up call for Britney," US Weekly contributing editor Katrina Szish told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm. "Her fans are so loyal. No matter what she does, they seem to love her and forgive her. But the fact that this huge Web site has said we are not approving and will discontinue this Web site should make her realize there's a problem."

The Post reported that Spears recorded sub-par tracks and her label, Jive Records is fed up with her. But according to Szish, Jive said it stands behind Spears. The unflattering pictures made Spears look bloated and aged. Szish said in an industry in which every photo counts, those pictures did a lot of damage.

"We had reports that she was in a spa prior to New Year's or checked in response to those bloated photographs. But it looks like she's doing anything to get her positive image back," Szish said.

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Photos: Britney Spears

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But there has been some good news for Spears: the custody agreement she reached with ex-husband Kevin Federline works in her favor. Szish said that for the month of January, Federline will be able to visit their sons Sean Preston, 1, and Jayden James, 4 months, three times a week for four hours at a time. He will only be able to spend time with the children at Spears' house, Szish said.

In a recent message on her Web site, Britney Spears addresses her future, her new album and the closing of one of her biggest fan sites.

The pop star, who has taken heat lately for her late-night escapades, said in the message: "The media has criticized my every move and printed a skewed perception of who I really am as a human being. Behind every decision I have made in my public life there always seems to be an apparent contradiction. I have come to terms with that which is why I usually don't pay much attention to it."

Spears went on to call the last few years "very enlightening" and discussed her new album, which is in the works.

"Now that I've had the time to be 'me,' I've been able to sit down and think about where I want to go with myself as an entertainer with absolutely no strings attached. I am now more mature and feel like I am finally 'free,' I've been working so hard on this new album and I can't wait for you all to hear it and to go on tour again! I would like to exclusively tell you that I am working hard to release the new album sometime later this year, but the date is of course not certain yet," she wrote.

Spears says she is planning a comeback that is "bigger and better than ever" and plans on reaching out to her fans even more.

"I noticed today that one of my biggest fansites is shutting down soon and I want you all to know that I do understand all the reasons that went behind making that decision, and I am sad to see it closing," she wrote. "If I were you I'd be unhappy too if I had to read what I've been reading every day. But trust me, I get it. I know I've been far from perfect and the media has had a lot of fun exaggerating my every move, but I want you all to know that I love my fans so much, and I appreciate everything you have done for me, so Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"

The message comes on the heels of a USA Today story, where her manager Larry Rudolph said she is calling the recent spate of bad media coverage her "rocky moment." She has been criticized not only for exposing herself while in the company of Paris Hilton, but also for staying out late without her sons, 1-year-old Sean Preston and 3-month-old Jayden James.

"Britney knows exactly what she needs to do," he told the paper. Spears' bad behavior following her November announcement that she would divorce her husband of two years prompted the closure of one of the largest Spears fan sites, Worldofbritney.com.

"I've not been happy with the way she's portraying herself," site founder Ruben Garay told the paper.

Last month, Garay posted an official announcement on the site: "As Britney keeps losing her identity and credibility within fans and industry people, so is WoB. We're moving on to greater, bigger things. I would therefore like to announce the permanent shut down of World of Britney.com beginning January 31st, 2007."

Rudolph said that Spears may not be behaving perfectly, but many of the reports are either fabricated or exaggerated, especially the New Year's Eve report of a collapse.

"We were sitting there drinking orange juice," he said. "She got tired in a club, and we took her back to her room. Suddenly, I'm hearing words like 'collapsed' and 'passed out.' "

Rudolph said that Spear's album is half-finished, and she sees this as her moment to win dispirited fans back.

"Britney is increasingly motivated to get out there," he said. "She sees this as a challenge, that some fans may be questioning her. She is respectful. She sees this as her challenge to win them back."

[beachbound57]

What not go all the way?
Call Hugh Hefner
Do a spread in Playboy
Release new Album - ata hte sale time The Playboy issue comes out.
Make tons of money

[scully815]

Leave her alone. Let her live her life. Granted she should not go out as much as she does AND she SHOULD cover up some more because lets face it people she does NOT have the same body she used to.

[patriotic9]

catt42701
Freedom is a right of every human being.Life is for fun.Should people die after having kids.Why should Britney stop having fun in her life she deserves.The purpose of women's creation is not only Baby sitting but their own lives and fun in life is the most important aspect.If you force women to quit partying after becoming mother,that'll only result in them to start thinking whether mother hood is a right thing to do or it's a way for the end of their own lives and it's pleasure.We have already seen the effect of teaching which forbids men to comit adultery unlike the study done in the University of Illinois according to which "Men are genetically programmed to cheat on their wives because of the Y chromosome present in their genes".Thousands of years old moral values which forbid men from their basic human right of comiting adultery couldn't stop them from that action but only resulted in sky high divorce rate.I may sound harsh but this is a reality if you look around yourself.Don't forget we are Americans.We cannot and should not be like those Radical Muslim men who don't even look at a woman as it is dishonesty in their religion to look at any woman with lust except their wives so they end up blowing themselves up to please their Allah.

[mt5937]

...a good first step would be to wear underwear.

[ike4nsync]

Ruben Garay has closed his website "World of Britney" 3 times now. I stopped going to it after his first rant in 2001. He was arrested for stalking Britney when he lived in Sweden. After he moved to LA, he was arrested again. He's sold unlicensed Britney Spears merchandise for his own gain. He's been warned about that from Jive and Spears. It finally took lawyers to get him to stop.

The press has always underestimated Britney Spears. They called her a one hit wonder. 80 million albums later they are predicting her doom again.

Britney Spears has a lot of fans. They aren't little preteen girls. They are 15-30 year olds that like great music and amazing performances. I look forward to more great music from her.

[godofredo29]

I blame myself.

[catt42701]

The remark she made about finally being free shows how immature and not ready to be a parent she really is. Wake up Britney, you have two children. You are no longer free and never will be. If you don't feel tied down by those children and that they aren't first then find someone to care for them that feel like they come first in their life.

[patriotic9]

All the RADICAL CHRISTIAN TALIBANS who are against Britney Spears'freedom and liberty,should be sent to Afgahnistan and start living with their muslim Taliban brothers.Those parents who don't want their kids to grow up in a free western society should also be kicked out of United States.Britney is the one responsible for her kids nobody else.I bet however she acts, won't hurt her kids' future at all.They'll more easily get admission in Stanford and Harvard then all of you complainers.Impose your old fashioned values on yourself.These old fashioned Moral values have been built to fool people with low education and poor financial status.Poor people need to stop playing around and partying after having kids because they can't effort to pay their college debts,credit card debts and raise kids at the same time.Britney doesn't have to worry about all those junks in the life.She is a real ROLE MODEL of WESTERN FREEDOM,LIBERTY and DEMOCRATIC LIFE STYLE.If you can't tolerate FREEDOM and LIBERTY,please leave UNITED STATES.

[ajaxrose1]

And?

[marquezw]

In the words of Justin Timberlake " Do you all know theres a war going on in iraq ???"~~theres far more important issues in the world than these dum*ss celebrities who dont appreciate what has been given to them !! Britney grow up !!

[tifket]

I'm sick of looking at this *** as much as anyone else, but the media doesn't have to show it morning, noon, and night. The media in this country has no business preaching moral or ethical values to anyone. Britney was never a role model and neither is Rosie the Cow or Donald the Stump. These idiots are not role models. Stop making them out to be.

[joc749]

I agree that she is a no talent has been. As for her statement about how she has grown....well if this is a person who has matured and grown I hope parents have the good sense to not let their children get back in her fan base. As for her ME time! Well, she wasn't worried about that whe she was on TV broadcasting about her wonderful *** life and how she wanted a housefull of babies. Look, if she wasn't done with the party life, and if she is stupid (yes, stupid) enough not to know how to prevent a pregnancy she should have been sterilized.

[momnique]

she should start by putting on some clothes and act like a respectable person. you teach people how to treat you!

[lanaedawn]

To all of you who post things such as why is this news? And 'I could care less' 'Who cares' etc etc...Don't read the story. Go read things you find more newsworthy...but to take time to read the story...and then comment on it...especially when you find it arcane...seems like a lot of time to spend on something frivolous.

[louklou51]

Britney Spears needs to go back home to Louisiana,recuperate, regroup and get a new life.Oops, I did it again!

[lifeguardmom]

Where is Britney's family in all this? Where is her mom? She should be pulling this stupid girl aside, smacking her upside the head and telling her that she is now a MOM and has responsibilities!

Nannies do not raise a child. A mother does.

This girl has no discernable talent. She can't sing unless it's digitally enhanced. She can't act. If she releases another CD, it will plummet like Jessica Simpson's did; another no-talent tart whose 15 minutes of fame was up a LONG time ago.

Britney - you chose to have these boys, now raise them! Get out of the spotlight and be a MOM. Your days as a pop singer are over.

[lifeguardmom]

Where is Britney's family in all this? Where is her mom? She should be pulling this stupid girl aside, smacking her upside the head and telling her that she is now a MOM and has responsibilities!

Nannies do not raise a child. A mother does.

This girl has no discernable talent. She can't sing unless it's digitally enhanced. She can't act. If she releases another CD, it will plummet like Jessica Simpson's did; another no-talent tart whose 15 minutes of fame was up a LONG time ago.

Britney - you chose to have these boys, now raise them! Get out of the spotlight and be a MOM. Your days as a pop singer are over.

[bluestardad]

ObservantX; Right On well spoken!

[bluestardad]

And People care why?

[mjv2944]

Sorry, WHO IN THE HELL CARES ABOUT SOME SPOILED LITTLE SINGER. My advise to Spears, GET A LIFE!!