After a three-year absence from performing, Britney Spears is back — looking and lip-synching better than ever. Over the last two days, she’s popped up on stages in San Diego (pictured) and Anaheim, Calif., shimmying her way through old hits with the help of a few backup dancers. (They’re expected to hit the House of Blues in L.A. tonight before heading to Vegas on Sunday.) Clearly, the gigs are successful as a publicity stunt — warranting "COMPLETE COVERAGE" on one entertainment website and a commentary questioning the sanity of her fans, who spent $125 to see a 15-minute set, on another — but have they made anyone think Spears is relevant in today’s pop world, which casually replaced her with the Pussycat Dolls while she was away?
This isn’t meant as a bash-Britney post. I own her greatest hits; I saw her at the MGM Grand in Vegas years ago (for a male friend’s 30th birthday, but at least O-Town opened). I just think there’s got to be a better way to make a comeback — and that we need to help her think of it. My plan: If you insist on making these shock-and-awe club appearances, give people a 15-minute Britney-ized ballet. No lip-synching — just dancing. Doesn’t even have to be your own songs. Find a choreographer that uses your body to tell a story that actually says something (other than "Where’s my pole?"). When choreography is as uninspired as this "Toxic" routine, people mind if you’re lip-synching. But when you give them a production and a storyline, they remember that no one comes to hear Britney sing, they come to see her move.
Do what you do best, Britney. Get us to remember that you’re creative on the dance floor, and we might be eager to hear what dance tracks you’ve whipped up in the studio.
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Credit where it’s due, she looks pretty good for a woman who’s had two kids. That said, wassup with that wig? A good stylist could help her grow out that hair with some style n grace, the way that Natalie Portman, Demi Moore and Sigourney Weaver did after their stints as baldies.
I agree, this whole comeback looks a tad on the trashy side. There really has to be a classier way to do this. She does look like a stripper. I definitely think it’s possible to earn some respect back from her fans. The wigs are just silly to me too. She could pull off her hair style like Ep said. There’s no doubt what she went through or what she’s going through was difficult. But I think she’s selling herself short by looking like that.
So, Britney’s comeback is just her dancing to a prereorded track? How is that any different from what she used to do in 1999? Obviously, she will make a comeback, which is cool because she’s a solid entertainer. The thing that bugs me about her is…she is just a liar. She complains about the paparazzi but she LOVES them. Shoot, I’ll be she calls them before she goes out so her picture will be everywhere. She’s bald voluntarily but wears wigs. She pretends to sing when she’s just lip synching. She should stop the facade and just embrace the fact that she’s bald, a dancer not a singer and an attention whore or go away.
So, Britney’s comeback is just her dancing to a prereorded track? How is that any different from what she used to do in 1999? Obviously, she will make a comeback, which is cool because she’s a solid entertainer. The thing that bugs me about her is…she is a liar. She complains about the paparazzi but she LOVES them. Shoot, I’ll be she calls them before she goes out so her picture will be everywhere. She’s bald voluntarily but wears wigs. She pretends to sing when she’s just lip synching. She should stop the facade and just embrace the fact that she’s bald, a dancer not a singer and an attention whore or go away.
Hey, give her props. Her tickets are selling for more than Xtina and Beyonce’s right now-and she’s only performing for 15 minutes! I’d say she’s gonna have a big comeback if after all the negative press she’s received she can still have a big turn out and make international headline news for these mini performances. Good for her. I think she’s back.
She didn’t stay away long enough…. she just got out of rehab! She outta go play mommy for a year…let everyone forget about her ‘problems’, then come back.
Way too soon…. what’s the hurry??
Sure, Britney’s crazy fans will pay $125 for 15 minutes of lip sync, but most sane people wouldn’t pay that to see her for any length of time. As for how she could make a real comeback, how about focusing on the MUSIC? As in, take voice lessons, learn to play an instrument or two, learn to write songs, and SING LIVE in concert. Seriously, no one’s heard this chick sing live since the “Star Search” days. But she’ll never do all that–she’s too undisciplined, shallow, and surface-y. So instead, she should just go away. Forever.
sarah, i agree. i don’t know what is worse – the fact that she is charging money for these “shows” or that people are actually buying tickets.
I can’t beleive her “comeback” is lyp synching to 3 year old songs!! She didn’t even introduce a new song! She’s all about the attention and staying in the spotlight, just pathetic. Also pathethic are the fans who paid $125 and encourage her, who are these sad little people?!!
Hey Britney, they forgot to liposuction that poochy belly you have happening.
The reason she doesn’t embrace the bald head..photo op for $. Same as why she keeps her 2nd son hidden. This girl is as narcistic as the get. And her dance moves are so circa 5 years ago.
Why can’t Britney just go away and live in remote Lousiana? The girl is a complete trainwreck and as talent-less as they come. When did there get to be so many white-trash people with big dreams that can shell out $125 per ticket to see their poster girl?
Lose the wig, put on some decent classy clothes that show off your body without showing your body, engage with the fans, and sing…that’s my advice for her. She can’t just regain her old fans…she needs to get new ones.
maybe the divorce has cost her too much and she needs the money. maybe she should chill some more and hang with her babies. maybe we (ok, I) want to know what slezak thinks.
Britney is a huge pop act and indisputably part of the American landscape so I eagerly await her return.
What you guys are forgetting is that these House of Blues gigs were supposed to be completely under the radar and a surprise for unsuspecting fans. She was on the bill as “The M&M’s,” and did not charge anyone for entrance herself.
People who paid this much money to see her 15-minute set were those who caught word that she would be appearing — probably leaked by House of Blues itself for publicity.
For Britney, this was dance practice as well as an opportunity to prove to small audiences and probably herself that she can still put on a show like none other, even after rehab and that messy couple of years she just endured.
Cut her some slack.
My suggestion: A “raincoat only” section for her TRUE fans.
3 words: Britney just sucks!!! I dont’ really care about the problems this girls had. She probably went nuts because she realized she has no solid talent what so ever and might loose her fame. All she wants is to be famous and she is getting what she wants. Everything she does gets her press.. Its nuts!!! Her music is awful and she NEVER could sing. She needs to go away!!!!!!!!!
She is not talented. She can’t dance that well (Shakira, Beyonce, Ciara do it much better). And she can’t sing.
Her performances are ameturish, and they always have been. This would fit in at a high school talent show, but she is supposed to be a professional.
On Access last night they were saying that many fans were “disappointed”. I wonder if those fans have been paying attention to any of her performances in the past. She has always been boring.
Maybe once she cleans up her act a little better, she can do a guest spot on American Idol (maybe next year, not this year). She shouldn’t be a mentor, but she can perform. She also needs to start dressing nicely. Maybe she should join some more au courrant acts for a couple of performances when they’re in concert. She really needs to cover up a bit more and stop looking so trashy. She’s shameless and determined enough to make a comeback, but the question is: come back as what?
What’s up with that picture? It looks like someone photographed their hands in front of a mag pic of bloated J.Lo.
The shows were not supposed to be “under the radar”. If you give out tickets on the radio, you are not trying to keep it a secret. Her people leaked it to the press, guarenteed.
She has a deal with x17, the tabloid/paparazzi company, and she has been wearing their hat to advertise for them. Why would you advertise for people that are “stalking” you? Because you love the paparazzi and attention!
As much as I am a Mariah fan who really loves real singers, Britney has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. She looks great. Here’s hoping she makes it all the way back. I’ll take her music over, ah, never mind, let’s keep it positive,lol…
By the way, Mindy, love your ‘Where’s my pole’ crack, lol.
Two ideas:
Ditch the wig, rock a short brown pixie cut, and do something acoustic and “real.” Sorta Britney unplugged style … where she can croon about alcoholism, how much she loves her kids, how hard it was to fall out of love, etc. Perhaps a mournful country ballad?
Find Jesus and follow Brian Littrell from the Backstreet Boys into the Christian world. Sing songs about “Oh, I was so lost and I’m such a sinner, but I’m trying now and with Jesus’ help I can get through this…” etc.
Or just pack it up and head to Vegas and do the Celine Dion thang.
Dave, you’re so naive. Under the radar?!! Puhleeze, this is a gal who would call the photogs to take a pic of her on the throne in the bathroom if she could. Looks like Britney, the master media manipulator worked her magic on you! You fell for it! A dance practice?! Under the radar, hahahahahahah I’m still laughing at you that you believe that.
A market can always be created for any product, as long as the public is willing to be sold to, and a person is willing to be that product.
These two prerequisites have always existed for Britney. From where we stand now, it looks as though they always will, at least from her side.
I’m just sad to see a mother of two trying to run screaming back to her teenage body and life. This can’t be done with any kind of grace, and it’s usually done at the cost of a person’s self respect and career longevity.
I just wish someone in her camp could clean up her act and create a focused career plan that could mature with her as she ages. The way it’s going now, she looks like she’s taking the fast train to Palookaville.
master media manipulator…love it!! Maybe that’s what the M & M really stands for. Somebody hit Britney one more time and knock her down for good.
There are many dance competitions that are televised on tv. Look at the pros on Dancing with the Stars or the college dance championships….Britney’s level of dancing skill is NO WHERE NEAR their level!
Open your eyes, she her level of talent is junior high.
There are many dance competitions that are televised on tv. Look at the pros on Dancing with the Stars or the college dance championships….Britney’s level of dancing skill is NO WHERE NEAR their level!
Open your eyes, her level of talent is junior high.
Agreed with those who said Britney needs to move beyond what she did as a teenager. It seems most folks want her back, but they want something fresh, which is what Britney was in the late 1990’s.
She’s a good enough dancer/singer/entertainer to make a comeback, but she needs to go the route of Madonna and reinvent her public image. The strategy worked well for contemporaries/competitors Christina Aguilera (reinvented as less trashy) and Jessica Simpson (reinvented as a legit movie star AND as the love interest of the very charismatic John Mayer).
Contrast that with those who attempted to relive the heyday of the 1990’s without changing anything since then. For example the routes taken by Fugees or Pearl Jam in their most recent releases.