Behind the Britney Story: A Conversation With Writer Jenny Eliscu

So, as I say, it wasn't until after my last meeting with her that I realized how far beyond the scope of my interview this level of control extended into all facets of her life. And so, unfortunately, I wasn't, like, checking to see if she blinked out an S.O.S. code or whatever. But in hindsight, I did have a new understanding of the quote of hers at the end of the story, which is the last thing she said to me, in the context of being interviewed. She was describing this song she wrote about artistic expression and masquerade — pretending to be other people and putting on shows. And she says, "Through this, you create your world." The song is about a girl who likes to live in a world of make-believe, and she's got all these people trying to come into her world that she didn't invite in. It's pretty telling. When you think about it, Britney Spears is an artist — a pop artist, in the truest sense — and sometimes artists do crazy things. I'm not sure why Britney isn't allowed to act out in the ways that we normally consider acceptable from artists. And we're guilty too because we created this Britney Spears character and we won't let her change.

What do you think will happen next? Is this conservatorship thing going to be a problem for Britney in the future?
It's a problem for her now. And the commissioner recently granted their request to make it permanent. If something doesn't change — if somebody doesn't contest it — it would theoretically remain in effect until her father dies. So far, Britney has failed in her attempts to hire her own lawyer.

Why do you think the court keeps approving the conservatorship?
One credible theory goes that the conservatorship manages to remain in effect due to political pressure on the courts to keep Britney off the streets. Her reckless behavior definitely was a problem for tax-paying Los Angelenos, who deserve to be able to drive their roads without fear of being run down by a Britney-led paparazzi chase, you know? She was creating mayhem, and it's fair to consider the impact on her neighbors and community. But I also think it's important for conservatorship not to be manipulated into a form of censorship. As Britney herself notes in that documentary, the punishment for her antics ought to fit the crime. At this point, it's like we're punishing her for acting shamlessly. and for being tacky. And this is America! If Britney is famous for acting tacky, we've got no one to blame but ourselves.