On the heels of what marked the tenth anniversary of Britney Spears’ epic head shaving/simultaneous beginning of a mental breakdown, it’s only fitting that the paparazzo whose Ford Explorer, Daniel Ramos, was attacked by Miss Spears and her now iconic green umbrella would go up for auction on eBay.
Handed to him at the time by a fellow photographer, Ramos couldn’t have known in that instant that it would become such a significant part of the lore of the night–and this very specific and frequently revisited piece of Britney’s history. Though the color is pretty unique, it could still always be possible that Ramos is using a dummy “rain-blocker.” If so, at least he’s purported to be donating half of the proceeds to a charity of Spears’ choosing (though apparently she has yet to comment on the auction, if she plans to at all).
A few months after the incident, Spears made a Lindsay Lohan-like apology by stating, “I apologize to the pap for a stunt that was done 4 months ago regarding an umbrella. I was preparing my character for a role in a movie where the husband never plays his part so they switch places accidentally. I take all my roles very seriously and got a little carried away. Unfortunately I didn’t get the part.” No, no that sort of method acting would instead be reserved for her “Everytime” video.
In any case, what it all means is that Spears’ mental breakdown only continues to be a source of endless fodder for the media, which seems to continue to view her as merely another white girl who had hissy fit as opposed to a legitimate problem.
