Britney Spears: In Deep Denial?

Critics Say She Doesn't Seem To Understand Gravity Of Situation

(CBS)  A court has ordered Britney Spears to give up custody of her two children beginning tomorrow.

A celebrity Web sites says that Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, are already with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, and were handed off yesterday as part of their regular shared custody agreement.

The court made its decision after a closed door hearing. All transcripts from that proceeding have been sealed, so the exact reason behind the decision is not known, but Court TV anchor Lisa Bloom said she wasn't surprised with the judge's decision because Spear's didn't follow what Bloom called "the first rule of litigation: Do not mess with the judge's order."

"I don't think the judge cares that much about her driving without a license, but he wanted her to sign up for parenting classes, go to drug counseling, random drug tests, even sign the order acknowledging she's supposed to do these things," Bloom told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "She didn't do it, and that was the last straw for the judge."

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Photos: Britney And K-Fed

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Lawyers for Federline couldn't be happier. But for Spears, 25, the ruling is a new low.

"Go back even just a week and a half ago, this court order came down where she had to undergo these random drug tests, we knew she had to meet with a parenting counselor, so you would have thought she was going to pull her act together and then that night we saw her out partying," Kim Serafin, senior editor at In Touch Weekly, told The Early Show national correspondent Hattie Kauffman.

Early Show contributor and assistant managing editor at People magazine Jess Cagle said it doesn't seem like Spears is aware of the gravity of the situation and is in deep denial.

"Even yesterday, after the order was handed down that she had temporarily lost custody of her children, she was out shopping and tanning and things like that," he said. "She did do one thing, which was she went to the DMV to take a driver's test so maybe she could get her license. She seemed to hear that."

2Questions about Spears parenting skills began almost as soon as she became a mother. She was photographed driving with Sean Preston on her lap and on another occasion, sitting in an improperly secured car seat. There was also a picture of Spears holding him while nearly losing her balance and dropping him. But the real downward spiral started after she filed for divorce in November 2006, and the all night partying began. On Feb. 16, she shaved her head and was soon in and out of rehab.

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Photos: K-Fed Gets A Text Message

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Early last week Spears took another huge hit in the court of public opinion. Her former bodyguard called her an unstable mother, who pranced around naked and abused drugs and alcohol.

She was also hit with a hit and run charge, and driving without a valid license. Then she was seen over the weekend driving without a license with her kids in the car.

"Britney has really tested everybody and this judge doesn't really care what the parents do he is looking out for the kids and I think he is getting to the point enough is enough," family law attorney Tina Schuchman said.

Spear's inner circle also seems to be dwindling. She lost the services of her attorney, Laura Wasser and her manager, Jeff Kwatinetz. She is estranged from her parents. One of her major problems, said "Insider" anchor Lara Spencer, is that she will not allow people in her life that question her behavior.

"If somebody tells her what she doesn't want to hear, then they're out," she said. "It's happened time and time again."

Her big chance at redemption came last month when Spears performed at MTV's VMAs, but even then, Spencer said, the singer wouldn't take expert advice.

"It was a perfect example of this, you know, systematic self-destruction," she said. "You know, she was out drinking and partying all night for two nights before going on. I mean, this is her -- you would think you would rehearse, you would be ready to go, you would listen to what the experts told you about what to wear. She didn't do any of that. Even down to her outfits. The MTV producers had a very ... chic bustier, elegant outfit and she said not sexy enough. She had a wonderful hairstylist who left because she wouldn't listen to him. She styled her own hair. She can't seem to make the right decisions."

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Timeline: Britney's Meltdown

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Jive, Spears' record label, has been very supportive, Cagle said, and her new album is due in November.

"But it does seem that she is intent on alienating herself," he said. "I think what you're seeing is this sort of delayed, very rebellious, rebellious adolescence that she never got to have and is now doing it."

While some question whether Federline is himself a worthy parent, Bloom says there is no choice but to grant him custody for now. The fact that the judge took such young children away from their mother shows how serious the situation is. The judge, who called Spears a habitual drug user, said the safety of the two boys is at stake.

"Judges want parents to succeed. If she straightens up and flies right, as you said, complies with all the laws and the orders and gets back on track, she can get those kids back," Bloom said. "It's possible, at this point, not probable, but possible."

Spears, clearly enjoys playing the child. She drove around this weekend, sucking on a pacifier and when she ran out of gas, a paparazzo stepped in to fill her up.

There will be another hearing. Custody arguments can go on for years -- and Spears is most likely paying Federline's attorney's fees.

[keithle1]

Fame is a huge monster that will chew you up & spit you out. You''re under the microscope 24-7. You can''t walk down to the edge of your driveway when you''re a famous celeb without cameras tracking your every move. Lots of pressure for female celebs to look good all the time. Can''t get fat. If you do, the paparazzi will photograph your thunder thighs in shorts going to the 7-Eleven for a loaf of bread & pack of cigarettes. Can''t get fugly. Oh no. Can''t get old if you''re a woman. Heck, they don''t want actresses to hit 40!

[gmond]

So who says Britney is in denial? A bunch of talking heads who have to say something to fill the dead air? What do you want her to do - break down, pitch a fit, throw a tantrum, have a hissy fit, cry? She is obviously trying to act as normally as she can, as would anyone in the position of having just lost custody of their children - to behave any differently would never convince a judge to give them back.

[jcr103]

Britney Spears may be in denial but not nearly as deeply in denial as her fans who beleive the "music" she puts out is worthwhile.

[signof4]

at 45 seems more like a sickly 65. So sad!
Posted by nevadalady at 01:27 PM : Oct 03, 2007

Britster probably won''t live that long. She''s got the money to go out in a big ball of flame!

[nevadalady]

Spears reminds me sooo much of my niece, who started doing drugs around 14 years of age and by the time she was 25 she was a physical and mental wreck. Although she went through rehab, my niece never completely regained her mental health or metabolism and at 45 seems more like a sickly 65. So sad!

[ljb6599]

It is quite clear that Ms. Spears has serious mental health problems,but like most rich celebrities, she will most likely never get the treatment she desperately needs.If there is a friend or family member out there, whom truly cares about her, please get her some help as soon as possible before it is too late.

[borismrm]

I can''t understand that the law knew she was driving on a invalid license and they still let her drive. If that was a regular joe blow or sally can. They would be locked up! Go figure.

[Krazcarl]

I''ve read 3 types of post here.1 Lets cut Brit down and make fun, easy her life is under a microscope but most post just reak of jeolousy, K-fed is a money grubber trying to get more cash, true to be honest he was married to her and had a hand in this problem plus he won''t have to raise the children he''ll just hire someone else to do it and bleed Brit a real piece of work. 3 politics it always escapes me how folks draw in the president or political party to this issues. As for me I hope she gets the help she needs I went through a nasty breakup years ago and it took me some time to get my life back on track and hopes she can to.

[sevenveils]

Who is more in denial, Britney Spears or George W. Bush?
Which one is more in need of psychological counseling for their Napoleon complex?

[keithle1]

It''s too bad more women aren''t sterile. So many women should not be having kids.

Stupid girl.

She is worth over $140 million, how can she be so stupid, doesn''t she have anyone that can advise her? She is getting what she deserves.

[tnt1954]

what situation? the international situation?

[tnt1954]

no, britney is not in denial, she went to AA.
no, britney is not in denial, i wonder if the Judge is. no, britney is not in denial, but george bush is.
no, britney is not in denial, but half of the
country is.

[wattermelann]

Yep, Kevin Federline is a scammer and he scammed Britney. All of these troubles Ms. Spears has been having started when she hooked up with Federline. I wouldn''t doubt it that there is a conspiracy going on between "Char" and Kevin to bilk money out of Britney. I will say that what goes around comes around and Federline''s is coming-perhaps when his boys grow up and they decide that Federline is and was not a great dad, the two little boys becoming big boys will be the
K-Dred''s backlash.

[lieslies99]

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[markangeloo]

Why doesn''t Disney take the kids.

Then they could all play in mousekateerland

were all this began.

Disneyland; dont they realize this is another

tragedy that people will blame on them,

the place where U never grow-up.

[mh4cbs1]

Why are you people reading about Britney Spears? If Americans paid more attention to what their elected leaders were up to, we would never have allowed us to be LIED into Iraq!

If you had been paying attention, you would have know that Cheney and Bush were LYING about WMDs, aluminum tubes, mushroom clouds, Saddam-Osama links, Niger Uranium, fake color coded ''terror alerts''...

3,800 Troops would not be permanently DEAD, thousands more maimed for life, $500 Billion wasted on a needless WAR for regional dominance and control of Iraqi Oil.

WAKE UP AMERICA! Give Britney some time off! PAy attention to the Democracy that you are losing slowly but surely.

[embee6]

I am a divorced parent with 3 years sobriety. My ex-husband has custody of our daughter. On the Early Show while getting ready for work, I heard them say if the mother is trying to follow a program of sobriety they will not take her child away. I had 1-1/2 years of sobriety at the time of our divorce. My ex-husband got up in a court of law and admitted under oath to trying to strangle me and hitting our daughter. He was given custody of our daughter because of a stereo type. Far too often the media focuses on the people who are very early in their recovery. It''s not unusual for someone early in their sobriety to fail, sometimes several times. Is there anyone in Hollywood who is practicing sobriety, enjoying their new way of life, and helping others to achieve the same thing?

Losing custody of my daughter is the worst feeling I have ever felt in my life. Britney Spears has been ordered to give up custody in front of the entire world. I feel horrible for her. You have to be tough to live through something like that sober. That is why these stories are important, so people like me can hear them and throw a new light on things.

If I could give anyone a gift, it would be to help them to learn to accept life on life''s terms. Instead of being upset, please take a moment instead to say a little prayer for these people who need help, whether the know it or not. I hope she finds the right path for her.

[tnt1954]

having the ''disease'' of addiction is terrifying.
all addicts know they have it. it scares the
heck outta them. she is not in denial, she''s hooked.
i can''t wait for her next cd to come out november
13th. i hope she doesn''t end up another janis
joplin, jimi hendrix or jim morrison who all
died of addiction at age 27. rotsa ruck kiddoe.
you''d be surprised at the millions who were rescued
from the brink of death, and made a quiet recovery.

[tnt1954]

it''s a hedonistic nation, the meaning of life
is to have fun, fun, fun. they who have the most
fun wins. there are lots better ways though to
have fun besides, love, dope, rock n roll, which
is the main religion of the Empire.