"Where is Britney?" - New York Magazine Exposé Out Now

[buzwei2005]

i cannot read this past the first page… just crap. people like this shouldn’t have jobs.

[SlayOut]

6 hours ago, britneyluv said:

I actually think it does the opposite. If anything, it acknowledges the crazy conspiracy theories, and then does a great job explaining why they're a bunch of nuts. It lulls the reader into a sense of "hmm I've kind of heard these crazy things, and omg but wait are these actually true?!" to poking through all the holes like a flimsy piece of Swiss cheese.

I mean... "When she's not working at her job in corporate finance or posting on her dog's TikTok, 23-year-old Anita Datta moonlights as the host of one of the largest - and most extreme - Free Britney 2.0 TikTok accounts, @BritneyIsNotFree.

The posts about the wedding were the cherry on top - 

Anitta: Britney's hand blends into Sam's jacket! NYMag: She was wearing white fingerless gloves you idiot.

Anitta: Uh but Kathy Hilton (the mother of one of Britney's friends) was at the wedding!! WHY? And why is her leg missing?! NYMag: It was obscured by the church pew you moron. But sure, ask your followers for a reasonable explanation like you're writing to the UN for an answer to how to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 

I'm just glad a major outlet published something that basically says, "Yes, we don't know exactly what's going on with Britney right now. Maybe she is struggling, but let's lay out specifically what the conspiracy theories are and why they're nonsense. Britney will speak when she's ready. In the meantime, MYB and leave her alone."

I think we’re in agreement here

[Jordan Miller]

7 hours ago, SlayOut said:

Maybe because we’re so aware of the tensions in the fanbase caused by these conspiracies, it feels like the article may be giving some of the Free Britney 2.0 folks a platform.

I would like to think, though, that Britney fans are not the primary audience for the article. Rather, maybe, it’s directed towards the casual fan or someone who has tangentially heard about Free Britney but hasn’t followed every development since the conservatorship ended. I think in a landscape where social media algorithms and the ability to gain a following gives any random person clout and authority, it’s important to actually push back on these people and establish a baseline of facts. It’s also important to direct people (who may be curious and looking for information) to as best a knowledge source as possible, since many of these sources (Free Britney 2.0 folks) aren’t the most reliable narrator.

Like why does [redacted] have authority to make claims about the status of Britney’s freedom? Because he reads social media posts and various articles for 30 hours a week?

  Reveal hidden contents

Pray for my wig

So many of these theories are based on opinions and half-truths, but rarely on facts. It’s important that the journalist called out the contradiction that Free Britney 2.0 folks claim Team Con is trying to invent a reason to put Britney back in a conservatorship, despite the fact that, according to those same people, she’s still in a conservatorship. Like do they have an answer for this? Which situation is it? Is it the one that fits their narrative? Does one pick and choose whichever theory to use at their convenience?

Idk, I think the article underscores that yes, there may be a lot that we don’t know, or isn’t clear to us. But just because we don’t know things, doesn’t mean that we should go out of our way to invent facts or scenarios that fill in the gaps. Because, in my opinion, that does more harm than good.

Love this take. Definitely gave me a new perspective of the article. I’m still unpacking the ‘so what’ of this article, but you are definitely shedding light on that. 

[Jordan Miller]

6 hours ago, britneyluv said:

I actually think it does the opposite. If anything, it acknowledges the crazy conspiracy theories, and then does a great job explaining why they're a bunch of nuts. It lulls the reader into a sense of "hmm I've kind of heard these crazy things, and omg but wait are these actually true?!" to poking through all the holes like a flimsy piece of Swiss cheese.

I mean... "When she's not working at her job in corporate finance or posting on her dog's TikTok, 23-year-old Anita Datta moonlights as the host of one of the largest - and most extreme - Free Britney 2.0 TikTok accounts, @BritneyIsNotFree.

The posts about the wedding were the cherry on top - 

Anitta: Britney's hand blends into Sam's jacket! NYMag: She was wearing white fingerless gloves you idiot.

Anitta: Uh but Kathy Hilton (the mother of one of Britney's friends) was at the wedding!! WHY? And why is her leg missing?! NYMag: It was obscured by the church pew you moron. But sure, ask your followers for a reasonable explanation like you're writing to the UN for an answer to how to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 

I'm just glad a major outlet published something that basically says, "Yes, we don't know exactly what's going on with Britney right now. Maybe she is struggling, but let's lay out specifically what the conspiracy theories are and why they're nonsense. Britney will speak when she's ready. In the meantime, MYB and leave her alone."

Well said

[Jordan Miller]

2 hours ago, Hamelia said:

I read the article pretty fast and superficially, and I thought it was way too long. By the time I came to Jordan's comments, most casual readers would have long given up. Rebecca gave way too much space to the conspirators which makes them important. Do they really come across as deluded? Maybe, but I thought that before. Would someone else think, yeah, the most deranged among them are nuts, but some of them may have a point. That is my problem with the article.

Maybe a serious journalist will pick up the money trail questions at the trial. 

Another valid point. I’m glad the article pokes holes in what the conspiracy theorists have to say, but what am I / the reader meant to take away from it all?  

[itsjames]

We helped free Britney. We should be able to demand to know where she is. Don't we?

[Lmfc1993]

To be honest britney has some fault on it. 

We all know that with cship we were crazy about all the thing that we didn't know what happened. And ther her social and the image she is projecting to gp is just bad. 

I know she is traumatized but you need to control what You're putting outhere ti the public. Once you make it public is not foing back. 

I'm happy she speak up on court, but all the weird post, the dancing videos., the bad edits, all of that contributed to this. 

[Gutterguppy]

8 minutes ago, Lmfc1993 said:

To be honest britney has some fault on it. 

We all know that with cship we were crazy about all the thing that we didn't know what happened. And ther her social and the image she is projecting to gp is just bad. 

I know she is traumatized but you need to control what You're putting outhere ti the public. Once you make it public is not foing back. 

I'm happy she speak up on court, but all the weird post, the dancing videos., the bad edits, all of that contributed to this. 

Sorry, I don't believe in this victim blaming at all. And I'm sure even if she had said something about it, there still would be more speculation on something else. The bottom line is that these people thrive on the conspiracies because they love the drama and do not care about Britney the person. Period. 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Zoey1.25

[Hamelia]

I read the article again, more slowly this time. Thank you, Lola, for posting it.

Yes, there are very good parts in it. They should have been given more prominence. 

No, I haven't changed my mind about the tenor of the article. It still gives too much space to the crazies. It begins and ends with them. I am glad other people read the article differently. 

[Jup1ter]

2 hours ago, itsjames said:

We helped free Britney. We should be able to demand to know where she is. Don't we?

She's at home like a person that doesn't go out to work would be

[BUWYGF]

They call this journalism?

It's unchecked, unfactual, conspiracy theory fueled text. I would be ashamed of publishing this with my name on it if I were a journalist.

Disgusting tbh

[Jordan Miller]

Commenting this as well:

I participated in the new New York Magazine article about Britney. At the time of my first interview, it wasn't clear to me that it was going to center around conspiracy theorists who were trying to paint me / BreatheHeavy in a light that defended the very people who forced Britney into a conservatorship (despite there being 15+ years of evidence to support the contrary) 🤔, nor did I know it was going to unpack all of the madness regarding claims that Britney is still not free / her content is AI / she had a fake wedding etc. etc. That was only revealed to me during my followup interview two weeks ago. 🥴

The story focuses on the radical #FreeBritney conspiracy theorists. While the article does poke holes through their ludicrous claims and offers facts disputing the conspiracies, it leaves me wondering... so what? Why are we exploring the underbelly of the post-Free Britney movement? What is the reader meant to take away from this? 

I'm just trying to remember that, at the end of the day, the conspiracy theorists want to protect Britney, but it comes at a cost (at Britney's expense ie. calling the police on her and forcing her to relive trauma). 

I've made mistakes in the past, I'm not perfect, but I've always tried my best to support Britney online with a positive spin. I'm not convinced these people do that; their illogical posturing is now being highlighted in a national publication. I'm disappointed.

Have you read the article? It's a lengthy read, but I'd love for you to check it out then comment your thoughts. 

[DiamondCircus]

Unfortunately, it seems as though if Britney isn't working and cranking out a big promotional run-on project many out there will think things aren't okay.

Many seem to forget that Britney isn't okay, who would be? After being controlled, drugged, placed in facilities and hurt by her family and management.

The Instagram people tend to go after being strange and fans and the GP have lost trust, as anyone would when the Princess of pop was controlled in that disgusting unlawful, unwarranted C Ship.

I think it's great to keep an open ear and eye when it comes to Britney since so much of her life the last 13 years had been filled with lies, hidden truths, and mysteries from Team Con.

People refuse to believe Britney is free and won't accept she doesn't want to work much at this time.

One thing for sure there is a lot of strange things going on and I'm sure Britney will tell her truth and shed more light on situations in her upcoming iconic book.

[Hamelia]

Jordan, like I said before, it is good that you participated. Please don't regret it. 

I blocked cocky or however he spells his name. Interesting to see a bit of the person behind the conspiracy. No job other than 30 hours of harassment per week and a veiled threat with a gun? Is he part of the Spears clan? A Duck Dynasty look alike? Southern Gothic? Can he be the deranged mastermind in Grisham's next novel? I am not kidding, just letting my imagination flow freely. 

[blackingouthenegativity]

3 hours ago, Jordan Miller said:

Another valid point. I’m glad the article pokes holes in what the conspiracy theorists have to say, but what am I / the reader meant to take away from it all?  

I don’t know, maybe the same conclusions we’re all supposed to take away when you let conspiracy theorists run amok on Exhale or when I was banned in January for yelling at Glitter for posting a “Where Is Britney” thread

[MonaLisa613]

I’m glad I ended up reading it, initially I wasn’t gonna cuz many comments here were giving the impression it was pro BAnon nonsense, but it’s not at all, if anything, it shows them for the idiots they are.

[Jordan Miller]

Getting torn to shreds in the comments. Not sure why I didn't see that coming

 

[Jordan Miller]

18 minutes ago, Hamelia said:

Jordan, like I said before, it is good that you participated. Please don't regret it. 

I blocked cocky or however he spells his name. Interesting to see a bit of the person behind the conspiracy. No job other than 30 hours of harassment per week and a veiled threat with a gun? Is he part of the Spears clan? A Duck Dynasty look alike? Southern Gothic? Can he be the deranged mastermind in Grisham's next novel? I am not kidding, just letting my imagination flow freely. 

Appreciate that! And yea the gun part was honestly terrifying. 

[Ghoulia]

9 hours ago, Hamelia said:

Jordan, like I said before, it is good that you participated. Please don't regret it. 

I blocked cocky or however he spells his name. Interesting to see a bit of the person behind the conspiracy. No job other than 30 hours of harassment per week and a veiled threat with a gun? Is he part of the Spears clan? A Duck Dynasty look alike? Southern Gothic? Can he be the deranged mastermind in Grisham's next novel? I am not kidding, just letting my imagination flow freely. 

There’s a song in there somewhere 

[bitbitboi]

The craziest thing about conspiracy theorists is that they are STILL treating Britney like she's a being with no mind or will or power, a woman who needs constant defending... Let's remind everybody that, even though the Free Britney movement alerted the GP about what was going on (at least, that something was seriously wrong, even if we knew so little at the time, and we still don't know much about it), it was BRITNEY HERSELF who decided to speak her mind and tell everything to the judge in that testimonial... So in the end she freed herself. She is an agent in her own life, in her own way and time and pace. Let her be.