Today's meltdown is the price of unrealistic expectations...

[Prince Ali]

3 minutes ago, Steel_Magnolia said:

It was the Circus era that set fan expectations so high.

Some of her best videos came out of that era - Womanizer, Circus, If U Seek Amy...Radar (  )

Some of her best concert staging, choreography and costumes came out of that era. Also some of her best photoshoots.

I'm not sure it's fair to say that the conservatorship and/or Britney was the problem...at the start. It hasn't been nine years since she delivered quality work. It's only been more like five.

I tend to think the biggest problem right now is the budgets. They can no longer afford to hire "the best," so they're working with what mid-level professionals are offering them.

The biggest problem was actually releasing Circus so early.. I mean she was in hospital 6 months earlier.. like seriously?! I think they should have waited at least until 2009/10 to give her time to catch a breath and figure out her new life under c-ship..

[Steel Magnolia]

2 minutes ago, chris_fives said:

The biggest problem was actually releasing Circus so early.. I mean she was in hospital 6 months earlier.. like seriously?! I think they should have waited at least until 2009/10 to give her time to catch a breath and figure out her new life under c-ship..

They were trotting her out in front of the paps for photo ops within two weeks of her being released from hospital.

http://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Britney-Spears-Her-dad-Jamie-Leaving-LA-Club-1050171#photo-1050171

It's no wonder it all imploded on them once the Circus Tour was over. I'm sure she thought she'd be released for "good behaviour," only to realize that it was a situation with no end. 

[Prince Ali]

Just now, Steel_Magnolia said:

They were trotting her out in front of the paps for photo ops within two weeks of her being released from hospital.

http://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Britney-Spears-Her-dad-Jamie-Leaving-LA-Club-1050171#photo-1050171

It's no wonder it all imploded on them once the Circus Tour was over. I'm sure she thought she'd be released for "good behaviour," only to realize that it was a situation with no end. 

That is so sad It really breaks my heart

 

[Steel Magnolia]

1 minute ago, chris_fives said:

That is so sad It really breaks my heart

 

That's why I've always had a bee in my bonnet when it comes to those around her (not Larry so much as Jamie and Lou).

Yes, the conservatorship has been great for her in many ways. But there's always been a focus on image, branding and making money, without much emphasis on spiritual healing. That's why I'm so happy to see her finally return to her love of music on Glory...and why I get so angry at their penny pinching when it comes to marketing her now.

[Applejack]

Circus era was so weird. I love it, but her managers deserve much more credit for putting everything together than herself. FTR makes that clear when you consider when they're shooting the videos: people are just telling her concepts and what she should do, and she's just nodding her head and doing what demanded. She does deserve credit for pulling it all off so soon after 2007 though, but she clearly wasn't ready.

Femme Fatale was when things started to blow off in their faces. Then they settled for Vegas and halted plans.

It feels like she's conformed now, and as result of that it feels like she's got more liberty to do what she wants career wise.

[Steel Magnolia]

6 minutes ago, Applejack said:

Femme Fatale was when things started to blow off in their faces. Then they settled for Vegas and halted her reconstruction.

It feels like she's conformed now, and as result of that it feels like she's got more liberty to do what she wants career wise.

"Halted her reconstruction."

I'd never thought of it that way, but that's exactly what happened. Maybe it was a way to buy her time for the "spiritual healing" that she needed?

And yes as well to "conforming." Sometimes it feels like she's learned to conform so much that she's afraid to take chances now, or backs away from things once she decides to do them. Every time a glimmer of her old self appears it's as if her new self second-doubts the decision.

[MissBuffySpears]

@Steel_Magnolia thanks for all your postings. I remember most of it but it is nice to see it all put together as a reminder. It would be nice to have a website or something where all of this stuff is archived and timelined.

[Steel Magnolia]

13 minutes ago, MissBuffySpears said:

@Steel_Magnolia thanks for all your postings. I remember most of it but it is nice to see it all put together as a reminder. It would be nice to have a website or something where all of this stuff is archived and timelined.

That's only a small portion of it. Much more where that came from.

A web site...hmmmm...let me think about the best way to do that. 

[britisthecolor]

but why we had high expectations?we wouldn't be that hyped if they didn't tease us with photos etc from the original video(pics from the set and leaked scenes) and wouldn't be THAT disappointed when we saw the released one.if britney didn't post mm rehearsal video on instagram  we wouldn't be that disappointed after seeing the shitty one they use in pom...of course ı love it when she shares something with us through social media but if they are about her work she shouldn't tease us until being sure about using it.they always do that.don't you remember larry and britney said that dancing was going to be good and she was going to be singing.you say we need to stop being disappointed but no, they should stop disappointing us.

[Steel Magnolia]

1 hour ago, britisthecolor said:

but why we had high expectations?we wouldn't be that hyped if they didn't tease us with photos etc from the original video(pics from the set and leaked scenes) and wouldn't be THAT disappointed when we saw the released one.if britney didn't post mm rehearsal video on instagram  we wouldn't be that disappointed after seeing the shitty one they use in pom...of course ı love it when she shares something with us through social media but if they are about her work she shouldn't tease us until being sure about using it.they always do that.don't you remember larry and britney said that dancing was going to be good and she was going to be singing.you say we need to stop being disappointed but no, they should stop disappointing us.

THIS. 

They do it to themselves.

[MoodRing]

1 hour ago, britisthecolor said:

but why we had high expectations?we wouldn't be that hyped if they didn't tease us with photos etc from the original video(pics from the set and leaked scenes) and wouldn't be THAT disappointed when we saw the released one.if britney didn't post mm rehearsal video on instagram  we wouldn't be that disappointed after seeing the shitty one they use in pom...of course ı love it when she shares something with us through social media but if they are about her work she shouldn't tease us until being sure about using it.they always do that.don't you remember larry and britney said that dancing was going to be good and she was going to be singing.you say we need to stop being disappointed but no, they should stop disappointing us.

I remember him saying that, but why should I believe him? She's been hiding stuff from rehearsals since Mannequin. And I honestly do not get the original video meltdown when if we believe what has been said, Britney just thought it was smutty. Shouldn't we be happy that she got her way? Or are we going to put our happiness first and keep demanding a video that Britney didn't want out there? Because it would have made the song a hit at the expense of Britney's pride? Larry is her manager and as long as she's making money, he'll spin anything any way he wants to.

 

Some songs just don't become mega hits. Make Me has had moderate success. Are we forgetting that having Britney in the top spot nearly killed her? Maybe she just doesn't want that anymore for that reason. Maybe she's content knowing that she has fans who continue to pay to watch her lip-sync. Maybe she knows she's just riding the last wave of her success at it washes up on the shore. 

[britisthecolor]

23 minutes ago, MoodRing said:

I remember him saying that, but why should I believe him? She's been hiding stuff from rehearsals since Mannequin. And I honestly do not get the original video meltdown when if we believe what has been said, Britney just thought it was smutty. Shouldn't we be happy that she got her way? Or are we going to put our happiness first and keep demanding a video that Britney didn't want out there? Because it would have made the song a hit at the expense of Britney's pride? Larry is her manager and as long as she's making money, he'll spin anything any way he wants to.

 

Some songs just don't become mega hits. Make Me has had moderate success. Are we forgetting that having Britney in the top spot nearly killed her? Maybe she just doesn't want that anymore for that reason. Maybe she's content knowing that she has fans who continue to pay to watch her lip-sync. Maybe she knows she's just riding the last wave of her success at it washes up on the shore. 

ı don't think you get the point.britney posted photos from the set, made an interview on the set, some scenes were leaked and probably some of them were leaked by someone related to britney...yes we might still be complaining if the released one was the original one because it is not so good but do you think we would be that disappointed and angry?no, because we are angry since we know that the other one was going to be better.also we are not expecting anything unrealistic or extraordinary.

[MoodRing]

2 minutes ago, britisthecolor said:

ı don't think you get the point.britney posted photos from the set, made an interview on the set, some scenes were leaked and probably some of them were leaked by someone related to britney...yes we might still be complaining if the released one was the original one because it is not so good but do you think we would be that disappointed and angry?no, because we are angry since we know that the other one was going to be better.also we are not expecting anything unrealistic or extraordinary.

So is there any doubt about the reason Britney gave for not liking the finished product? That is genuine question as I'm not sure what everyone else knows. But in my mind, if Britney watched the end result and didn't want it publishing, we should not be demanding it. It's her art, and if she had the control to can it, good for her.

[Jelly Spears]

I can't believe people are still bitching about the video. I'm gonna get negative feedback for this, but you all need to get a life.  You're letting it consume you as if you just watched your mother or father get hit by a bus. 

It's not that serious. There are bigger and more important things in this world that matter. 

Imagine if all of exhale put as much energy and thought in to fixing the planet as they do about bitching about Britney's career choices...we'd be saved! 

[britisthecolor]

35 minutes ago, MoodRing said:

So is there any doubt about the reason Britney gave for not liking the finished product? That is genuine question as I'm not sure what everyone else knows. But in my mind, if Britney watched the end result and didn't want it publishing, we should not be demanding it. It's her art, and if she had the control to can it, good for her.

britney didn't say anything as far as ı know.look, all ı'm saying is, meltdown is not the price of our unrealistic expectations like you claimed, why do you insist on giving irrelevant answers to things that ı say?normally of course we should show respect to her decisions but they are the ones that get us so hyped for the original video, it would be more professional of them if they prevented us from seeing anything related to the video instead of teasing about it until it was certain that they were going to release it or shoot a better video after cancelling it.they don't think before they do something.they don't think the consequences.

[britisthecolor]

16 minutes ago, Devilish0415 said:

I can't believe people are still bitching about the video. I'm gonna get negative feedback for this, but you all need to get a life.  You're letting it consume you as if you just watched your mother or father get hit by a bus. 

It's not that serious. There are bigger and more important things in this world that matter. 

Imagine if all of exhale put as much energy and thought in to fixing the planet as they do about bitching about Britney's career choices...we'd be saved! 

do you know what we do when we are not on exhale?how do you know we are not worried about anything else?what do you now about us really?how do you now that we don't put  more energy into important things?

[Jelly Spears]

6 minutes ago, britisthecolor said:

do you know what we do when we are not on exhale?how do you know we are not worried about anything else?what do you now about us really?how do you now that we don't put  more energy into important things?

I could care less what people do outside of Exhale.  This site is great for news and occasionally there are some good posts to read and comment on.  

However the constant berating and minuscule critiques towards Britney is irritating.  Her own fanbase is worse then the haters. 

[MoodRing]

20 minutes ago, britisthecolor said:

britney didn't say anything as far as ı know.look, all ı'm saying is, meltdown is not the price of our unrealistic expectations like you claimed, why do you insist on giving irrelevant answers to things that ı say?normally of course we should show respect to her decisions but they are the ones that get us so hyped for the original video, it would be more professional of them if they prevented us from seeing anything related to the video instead of teasing about it until it was certain that they were going to release it or shoot a better video after cancelling it.they don't think before they do something.they don't think the consequences.

It's not irrelevant, and if you read carefully I made it clear that 'today's meltdown' referred more to the glut of subsequent threads about her career. They stemmed from Larry's comments about the video and it turned into several discussions about her investment in her career.

 

Unfortunately the original video was promoted and then someone changed their minds. This was not without good reason; do you actually think Team Britney wanted the current video out instead of the original? It's rubbish as a fan, but we have to accept it. They are not going to release it, even though they know we don't like it. 

 

The Glory era will not be defined by the first single and video if there are another two singles and they are done well. 

 

I'm tying this into expectations because I can't remember the last time we had a Britney music video without drama. Work ***** seemed to be an exception; nobody was content with Ooh La La or Pretty Girls because they didn't like the song, Femme Fatale videos were a mess with body doubles, Perfume was a disaster and now Make Me has suffered the same fate. Why is it surprising everyone else? In my support of Britney I've learned that things are rarely done right by her team or herself. I can't change it, so I'm better off enjoying what I get, and then been pleasantly surprised when something amazing happens. It's done, you have the official video in this form now. Why is something that is set in stone now STILL polarising fans? 

[BLΛƆKPIИK]

I didn't read all of that but I agree.

[glitterfalls]

11 hours ago, Steel_Magnolia said:

May 29, 2007

"Dear Fans,

I just wanted to reach out to all of you and explain some of the things that I have been faced with recently.

It’s so funny how many stories are put out there about people. It’s like we all want our side of the story out there as well, but at the end of the day only a few people care to hear what is really going on since the bad is always so much more interesting than the truth. I don’t know why, but this is so weird to me. I used to be angry at the tabloids for printing horrible things about me, but now I try to just be numb to what I see. I saw Tyra Banks once get really upset and cry on her show because they made her look fat. We all want a certain image of ourselves out there, and at some point we all do really care what other people think or we wouldn’t be here.

Recently, I was sent to a very humbling place called rehab. I truly hit rock bottom. Till this day I don’t think that it was alcohol or depression. I was like a bad kid running around with ADD. I had a manager from a long time ago come in and try to direct me and my life after I got my divorce. I was so overwhelmed I think that I was in a little shock too. I didn’t know who to go to. I realized how much energy and love I had put into my past relationship when it was gone because I genuinely did not know what to do with myself, and it made me so sad. I confess, I was so lost.

This letter is to not place blame on anyone, although I do see the world with a completely different set of eyes now. Being in that vulnerable state and taken to dinners and parties with friends and finding out later you paid for everything was a huge learning lesson for me. I think the whole problem was letting too many people into my life. You never know another persons intentions or what another person wants. I feel I was too open and looking for answers when I had it all to begin with. I have had to cut so many people out of my life. It is so sad, because if anyone is a family person…it is me. When I was little I remember every night watching movies with my family and feeling so at peace. Dancing and singing all the time just like a little girl should. Now recently I find with my children that I want them to have that feeling all of the time. I am having to face a lot of things right now since I have children of my own. A lot of insecurities from when I was little are coming up again. It is like we are never good enough.

I know everyone thinks that I am playing the victim, but I am not and I hate what is going on right now so much. Maybe this is the reason for this letter…to maybe allow people to look at me differently. It is like when you are a real woman and say what you feel and how you think things are supposed to be, that people just say you are a “*****.”

I feel like some of the people in my life made more of some issues than was necessary. I also feel like they knew I was beginning to use my brain for a change and cut some ties, so they wanted to be in more control of my life than me. I think it is actually normal for a young girl to go out after a huge divorce. I think it was a bigger issue because I had not gone out in such a long time. I am 25 and I do still have a lot to learn, and I am going to make mistakes everyday, and I am sure every mistake I make will probably be on CNN or Good Morning America. I am only human people and I love you for still loving me.

I am sitting here at home and it is 6:25 and both of my sons are asleep. I am truly blessed to have them in my life. Everyday is so surreal. Life in general is so surreal and crazy.

I just hope this letter made some of you think a little bit more of me and where I am coming from. I just want the same things in life that you want…and that is to be happy. It is just so weird because everyone has their own perception of me and how they think I really am. It is so weird how stories are told. There is your side, my side, and the truth. Somebody has to figure it out. I guess we will never really understand or figure out life completely. That’s God’s job. I can’t wait to meet him…or her.

Love, Britney"

http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2c%2c20012207_20040543%2c00.html

That part right there in bold is what I want to point out. It truly is a shame when a person is treated as if they're a winning lottery ticket.