• Viral badge

15 Times The Media Absolutely Failed Britney Spears

#FreeBritney.

This week, Framing Britney Spears, an inside look at Britney Spears' life and the #FreeBritney movement regarding her conservatorship, was released on Hulu and FX. It painfully recounts the horrible treatment Britney received in the media in the 2000s.

Britney in the 2000s

Here are some examples of just how badly the media failed Britney Spears, from the documentary and beyond.

1. When Primetime aired this story about the wife of a Maryland governor, who said she'd shoot Britney Spears:

Kendall Ehrlich said "...really, if I had an opportunity to shoot Britney Spears, I think I would"

2. And then when Diane Sawyer asked Britney about it and defended the woman's statement:

3. When paps would take invasive shots of her:

A paparazzi took a photo up Britney's dress while she was sitting in a vehicle

4. And when they'd completely surround her in an unsafe, inappropriate, and ultimately gross way:

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

5. When this interviewer tried to ask Britney about her breasts:

6. When this interviewer asked Britney for a kiss:

7. When the media supported Justin Timberlake's misogynistic portrayal of their breakup:

#FramingBritneySpears not to mention Justin Timberlake left Janet Jackson a black woman who already gets scrutinized up to get attacked by the country and media and yet he gets caught cheating on his wife and no one talks about it the next day.

NYT / Netflix

8. And when this radio interviewer asked Justin, "Did you fuck Britney Spears?" after their breakup:

9. When the tabloids completely demonized Britney as a mother:

Lester Holt holding a picture of a New York Post cover with Britney holding her baby

10. When Matt Lauer said this after Britney put her son on her lap while driving:

Matt said " You saw the question being asked: Is Britney a bad mom?"

11. When Diane Sawyer said, "Do you like your voice?"

Britney saying, "I think my voice is OK" in the interview

12. When talk show hosts like David Letterman made fun of Britney's mental health after she shaved her head:

David Letterman said Britney had chapped head

13. When Jay Leno also made a joke about Britney's mental health after she shaved her head:

Friends say it's the craziest thing Britney's ever done that didn't involve marriage

14. And when Jay Leno said this to her:

Jay said "In three years, you'll be married with kids, knocking around a trailer somewhere"

15. And lastly, when Family Feud had a whole category called "Name Something Britney Spears Has Lost":

This clip during #FramingBritneySpears made me cringe! It’s the clapping after all of those answers for me. Not ok. 😭 This would not be acceptable today.

Yup, disgraceful.

Some of the answers included "her hair, respect/dignity, her mind, husband/marriage, her children, weight, and her fans"

Framing Britney Spears is now available to stream on FX and Hulu. Let me know if you've watched and what you think in the comments below!