Show Notes
How did we get here? How did one of the world’s most influential and successful pop stars end up losing control of her own life? Unable to make decisions about her finances, day-to-day tasks or even her own health...but at the same time still performing on stages around the world and drawing in millions of dollars. Britney Spears has been under the conservatorship of her once-estranged father for well over a decade. And as the world asks why, we're digging deeper into the factors which lead Britney to where she is today. Are the media to blame? Is it the machine of the music business? Her own family? Or perhaps is it us who are the problem? GUESTS Author of Britney: Inside the Dream, Steve Dennis Paparazzi, Daniel Ramos Attorney and conservatorship expert, Lisa MacCarley Journalist for The Atlantic, Spencer Kornhaber Lawyer and the Director of the Spectrum Institute, Thomas Coleman AUDIO SOURCES Britney Spears on Star Search - T.P.E./Rysher Entertainment Britney Spears at 2002 Video Music Awards - MTV Britney Spears at 1999 & 2000 Billboard Music Awards - Fox Broadcasting Company Britney Spears at the 2014 People's Choice Awards - CBS Entertainment Group Britney Spears on E! News, Big Stars Big Stories - E! News Fox News Commentary on Britney Spears Child Custody Battle - Fox Broadcasting Company Britney Spears attacking Paparazzi - X17 Britney Spears transported to Cedars Sinai - Hollywood.TV Britney Spears interview on For The Record - Radical Media / MTV CREDITS Executive Producer: Edwina Stott Audio Production: Adrian Walton Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from Unpacked
On Friday the 12th of November, it took Judge Brenda Penny just 30 minutes to terminate the Conservatorship that had been in existence for almost 14 years. In this episode, we look at what happened in the courtroom and what it means for Britney moving forward. GUESTS Conservatorship Attorney, Tamar Arminak Free Britney Campaigner and Conservatorship Attorney, Lisa MacCarley AUDIO SOURCES Britney Spears fans react with joy to conservatorship ruling, Guardian News CREDITS
In 2008, journalist David Samuels spent months with Britney Spears' paparazzi pack. He hung out with them in the Hollywood Hills, watched how they worked and at one point found himself standing next to Britney herself. In this interview, he talks about the lessons we should all learn from what he observed. GUEST Journalist, David Samuels Read his article here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/04/shooting-britney/306735/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Edwina Stott Audio Production: Adrian Walton Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There are very few people who know what it’s like to grow up with millions of people watching your every move but Skye Sweetnam is one of them. Skye got into the music industry when she was just 12 years old and by the time she was 14 she was touring with Britney Spears. In this interview, Skye shares the crippling loneliness of life as a teen star, what it was like working with Britney and how she struggled to maintain control of her image and her career. GUEST Singer-songwriter, Skye Sweetnam CREDITS Executive Producer: Edwina Stott Audio Production: Adrian Walton Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Britney’s next hearing will be on November 12th and we'll be back with another episode of Unpacked after that. In the meantime, we're releasing full versions of some of the series’ most fascinating interviews. First up, Perez Hilton because you can’t talk about Britney without talking about Perez. He’s faced fierce criticism for the role he played in Britney’s breakdown and in this interview he addresses how he feels about the impact of his behaviour and why he’s still comfortable being paid to talk about Britney. GUEST Celebrity Blogger, Perez Hilton CREDITS Executive Producer: Edwina Stott Audio Production: Adrian Walton Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Free Britney movement has been pivotal in Britney’s fight against the Conservatorship. And they continue to protest and amplify her story. So could the movement ultimately provide Britney with the key to freedom? GUESTS Entertainment Reporter, Dean McCarthy Influencer and Free Britney Protester, Hayley Herms Rock and Roll Cultural Historian, Jen Otter Bickerdike Lawyer and Member of the Free Britney Law Army, Marylin Shrewsbury Member of the Free Britney Law Army, Emily Lagarenne AUDIO SOURCES Crowd of Britney Supporters Outside Court - Ruptly, Global News "Leave Britney Alone" - Chris Crocker via Youtube Decoding Socials Videos Devin Strebler via Tik Tok - Matthew Litty via Tik Tok CREDITS Executive Producer: Edwina Stott Audio Production: Adrian Walton Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.