Media Rants & Reflections IV: You Want a Piece of Me? Britney Spears and the Spectacle of Fame

**NOTE: The following assignment is your first blog entry for EMS30: Media Studies and involves your response to the study of Paparazzi and the business of gossip that we have been studying. Your response is, ultimately, informal, but must adhere to proper spelling and grammar rules. Be sure to write following the assigned criteria for editorial writing. ALL borrowed information MUST be documented using MLA format at the end of your post. USE INTERNAL FOOTNOTING TO INDICATE BORROWED MATERIAL!

NEW! Police arrest Kanye West at LAX after fight with photographer. CLICK HERE

NEW! Lindsay Lohan Hits a Paparazzi - CLICK HERE

At the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, Britney Spears made her "comeback". Unfortunately, it was less than stellar (to say the least). Moments after, the internet and gossip pages were full of criticism and ridicule about her singing, her dancing, and her body. Was it fair to critisize Britney's figure? What does this ultimately "say" about us as people and as a society?

Refer to your answers to the article: The Spectacle of Fame, and the documentary, Britney: Speared by the Paps....

What role did the media and the paparazzi play in her emotional “breakdown” and erratic behaviour prior to this event? Is Britney an innocent victim or a contributor to the frenzy? Be sure to refer to as many media products as possible (i.e. articles, documentaries viewed in class, music videos - i.e. Pieces of Me and Rumors). As always, it is necessary for you to provide three things: 1) your opinion - based on your studies; 2) the opinions and ideas of others - with examples and proof; 3) some form of commentary on the issues with suggestions and analysis - with substantiation (examples and proof).

Celebrity Worship Syndrome: Is America's Obsession With Stardom Becoming Unhealthy?
Celebrity worship addictive: study

Refer to your answers for the article, As Paparazzi Push Harder, Stars Try to Push Back: Do you agree with the celebrities that are "fighting back" to protect their privacy? Should celebrities expect for their daily lives to be newsworthy? How far, if at all, is too far for the paparazzi?

What is the "Britney Law"? You will need to discuss this in your response.

And, finally....

What is the media saying about Britney's 2008 MTV appearance? Is it positive or negative? What are your thoughts? Conclude your blog with your suggestions for the paparazzi and celebrity news coverage in the future.

If anybody knows how to make an appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards, it's Britney Spears! Click here to see what I mean!

NEW! Britney Spears + Russell Brand = Boffo MTV VMA Ratings!

For a great opinion on Britney's "crotch" photos, Click Here.

Read these articles to help shape your opinion and to provide background!

Is it Fair to Savage Britney's Figure?

The true meaning of VMA?

Kanye West's opinion on the Spears incident!

A Timeline of Britney's Meltdown

A Photo Essay documenting the rise, fall and rise again of Britney Spears

IMPORTANT BACKGROUND READING!
Celebrity Worship

A third of people reportedly suffer from Celebrity Worship Syndrome, a fascination in the lives of the rich and famous that can become a dangerous addiction. Why do people care so much about celebrities? Has celebrity worship become a new form of religion? If so, is it legitimate or false? Do gossip magazines provide "a fix" for those obsessed with gossip? Here are some sites to get you started...

Celebrity Worship Syndrome: Is America's Obsession With Stardom Becoming Unhealthy?
Celebrity worship addictive: study

SOME HELPFUL VIDEO CLIPS TO GET YOU GOING!

Britney Spears Watch on South Park
I can't embed this clip. Clicking the link will take you directly to YouTube in a new window.

South Park - Leave Britney Alone!