In a series called Mondo Bullshittio, let’s talk about some of the most glaring hypocrisies and faux pas in pop culture… and all that it affects.
Let loose out of her cage, Britney Spears has made it apparent that she refuses to stifle any of her emotions after what she went through. Undeniably, such a sentiment on her part falls under the category of “rightly so.” At the same time, it seems as though Christina Aguilera, her longtime friend—or frenemy, if you prefer (billed as an occasional rival when it was pop culturally relevant in the 00s)—should not have been at the source of her latest social media “venting.”
“Calling out” (a term that implies there was actually any behavior to blow the whistle on) Xtina, as though she wasn’t simply standing there being interviewed about an entirely different subject matter before the interviewer came at her with the casual question, “Britney. Have you had any communication?” It was at this point when Xtina’s publicist intervened before Xtina could even really form her own thoughts on the matter by saying, “We’re not doing that.” Xtina then makes a sad face and says, “I can’t.” Perhaps because of time constraints, an NDA, bad advice from management—who can say? There could be any litany of reasons, and who knows what she might have said were she not interrupted by this shutdown, still finding the time to assure, “I’m happy for her.”
In what universe should that invoke Britney to go on a tirade about Xtina not being supportive? In fact, she was one of the first to come forward after Britney’s infamous June 23rd testimony, writing, “These past few days I’ve been thinking about Britney and everything she is going through. It is unacceptable that any woman, or human, wanting to be in control of their own destiny might not be allowed to live life as they wish.” Aguilera added to the lengthy series of tweets, “To be silenced, ignored, bullied or denied support by those ‘close’ to you is the most depleting, devastating and demeaning thing imaginable. The harmful mental and emotional damage this can take on a human spirit is nothing to be taken lightly.”
Either Spears did not note that heartfelt sentiment, or she feels a celebrity is only as good as their last attempt to stand up for what’s right. Which is evidently why she took to her Instagram story to shadily lambast Xtina with the caption, “I love and adore everyone who supported me… but refusing to speak when you know the truth is equivalent to a lie!!!! 13 years being in a corrupt abusive system yet why is it such a hard topic for people to talk about??? I’m the one who went through it!!!! All the supporters who spoke up and supported me thank you… Yes I do matter !!!!!” The last thing Xtina indicated in any way with her comments was that Britney didn’t matter. In fact, everyone in Hollywood is well-aware of how much she matters, and how her influence is changing to become even more powerful as she uses her experience to help other people stuck in abusive conservatorships.
What’s more, after what Aguilera said in June, she doesn’t exactly sound like someone who “refuses to speak” about Britney’s situation. To add insult to injury, of all the people to drag in the celebrity world for treating Britney like shit (including Justin Timberlake, a man that, for whatever reason, Britney appears to have “nothing but love” for), Aguilera is probably among the least worthy of such venom. Indeed, Jeffree Star, the nefarious makeup artist Spears just foolishly praised as a “genius” (before deleting the post in question), is far more deserving of such contempt in his treatment of Britney, once cattily declaring in a 2007-era video clip, “Don’t support her habit” in reference to Britney’s known substance abuse issues at the time. To make the video even cuntier, Star was in it with Perez Hilton, who outright branded Spears as a “drug addict.”
And so, Spears’ “take” on what happened when Xtina “refused to speak” appeared to come from a place of knee-jerk reaction thinking, one that didn’t consider the context (a context that perhaps she herself has forgotten what it’s like to be in after being sequestered for so long), or the fact that the question had nothing to do with what Xtina thought about the conservatorship, so much as if she had talked to Britney. It all just feels like misdirected anger, and yes, internet hawks were quick to point out that Spears’ own fiancé also glossed over a question about the conservatorship at the same House of Gucci premiere Lady Gaga was at.
The one that prompted Spears to lick Gaga’s asshole about her own effusiveness every time she was asked about Britney’s situation. Yes, let’s applaud the “feminist” who worked with R. Kelly (even when his reputation was already well-known, and a move that ironically caused Gaga to pivot the feature toward Aguilera) just because she happens to better understand how to milk a spotlight for her own benefit in coming across as a “beacon of light.” Lady Gaga, who Spears was actually quite averse to when, as Jo Calderone, she tried to kiss her (as though trying to channel Madonna) at the 2011 VMAs. But now that she’s saying what Britney wants to hear, Gaga is ostensibly all shiny and new again (“Like A Virgin,” if you will).
In any event, maybe Xtina will address the conservatorship more in-depth when the right situation presents itself (just like how Britney is waiting for her own “right situation” by talking to Oprah about it), or maybe she would prefer to speak privately about the matter with her old “chum” (possibly not so chummy at all when you realize the only photo that ever really comes up of the two of them together in “recent years” is from the 2000 VMAs). Or perhaps all Britney really needs is for Xtina to show up at her door with a bouquet of red roses while singing, “I am beautiful in every single way/Yes, words can’t bring me down.”
