Britney replaces latest lawyer
The revolving door at Britney Spears’s camp continues to spin: the singer is now in the process of replacing her latest attorney.
High-profile divorce lawyer Sorrell Trope, who has represented Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage, tells People mag he’ll soon work for Spears, 25, in her bitter custody dispute with Kevin Federline.
Trope will take over for Melvin Goldsman, who was named as Laura Wasser’s replacement Monday after Wasser stepped down. Shortly after Wasser left, Spears’s manager also quit.
“Yes, it’s true Ms. Spears quit Melvin Goldsman’s firm, but we haven’t been officially retained yet,” Trope says. “The paperwork has not been signed, and it has to have our firm’s, Goldsman’s and Ms. Spears’s signatures. I anticipate it will be signed [Wednesday].”
Source: People.com
Britney to get drug tested twice a week
Britney Spears is a “habitual, frequent and continuous” user of alcohol and controlled substances and now must undergo twice-weekly random testing, a judge in the singer’s custody case ruled.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon also ruled that both Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline may not consume alcohol or non-prescription controlled substances at least 12 hours prior to being with their children.
Spears, alone, was ordered to meet with a “parenting coach” at least twice a week for a total of eight hours, according to court documents released Tuesday.
“The parenting coach is to observe (Spears’s) interaction with the minor children and her parenting skills,” the Commissioner wrote. The coach will provide lawyers on both sides with written reports, and will appear in court at the ex-couple’s next hearing on Nov. 26.
Both Spears and Federline have also been ordered to complete a program called “Parenting Without Conflict,” and must enroll by the end of the week. They must attend joint co-parenting counseling, and both sides must decide on selection of a therapist by week’s end.
Britney’s lawyer quits
Britney Spears‘ lawyer, Laura Wasser is ditching Britney before her custody hearing, according to TMZ.
At the hearing, in the never-ending battle between Britney and ex-hubby K-Feb over custody of their two children, that was just about to start, Laura Wasser will submit legal papers to formally withdraw as the pop-tart’s attorney.
Sources report that the Britster’s new lawyer will be high-profile attorney, Marci Levine, reports TMZ.
Natalie Cole slams MTV for Britney’s Performance
Natalie Cole stated that MTV bosses should have pulled Britney Spears’s part beforehand as it was already known that it was going to end in a disaster.
“I don’t think she should have performed. She wasn’t ready, and she shouldn’t have been pushed to perform,” Contactmusic quoted her, as saying.
“I’ve been at big affairs where things happen - the director and the producer got together and said you know what, ‘Maybe we should find someone else.’
“That should have happened here. They put her out there to get the viewers in. And then she didn’t deliver and it’s not her fault. I think they put way too much pressure and stress on her,” she said.
Britney’s Manager Quits
Britney Spears’s manager has quit – issuing a statement Monday just hours after her lawyer also stopped representing her.
“It saddens us to confirm media reports that we have terminated our professional relationship with Britney Spears,” her management company The Firm said in the statement. “We believe Britney is enormously talented, and has made a terrific record. But current circumstances have prevented us from properly doing our job. We wish Britney the best.”
The statement didn’t say what those circumstances were.
Source: People Magazine
Britney’s former bodyguard the “secret witness”
A former Britney Spears bodyguard was the much-hyped “secret witness” in her custody battle with Kevin Federline on Monday.
Tony Barretto, 28, was prepared to testify about “issues of nudity by Ms. Spears, drug use and safety issues involving the children” that he witnessed as her bodyguard before she fired him on May 17, says Barretto’s attorney, Gloria Allred, who brought him to court. Instead of testifying, his written allegations were entered into court as evidence.
Spears’s lawyer, Laura Wasser strongly denied allegations of drug use by Spears. “He isn’t a credible witness,” said attorney Wasser after a two-hour closed-door hearing on Monday.
Britney ‘Just Wants to Be a Mom’
Britney Spears “just wants to be a mom,” her lawyer, Laura Wasser, said Friday – adding, “I believe this is a frustrating time for her.”
Wasser spoke to reporters outside the courtroom after another hearing in the custody fight between Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline. TMZ.com and CelebTV cited court documents signed Friday saying Spears will continue to pay Federline $20,000 in spousal support.
However, a legal source close to the case tells People mag that it “was an old document filed for housekeeping purposes… All the financial issues in this case have already been decided.”
The source says Federline’s spousal support of $20,000 a month ends in November. “But he still gets child support – an amount that’s already been decided. He can come back and ask for more child support, but he has not yet made that request. The only [additional] money that [his lawyer] has requested is to cover his attorney fees.”
Britney will not appear at the Emmys
Britney Spears’ camp has ended talks with Emmy producers about making an appearance on the awards show.
“Britney Spears has no plans to appear on the Emmy’s this Sunday,” a spokesperson for Jive, Spears’s label, tells Usmagazine.com.
Before discussions ended Emmy host Ryan Seacrest told Extra, “I’m trying to figure out how Britney fits into the context of television’s biggest night…I don’t know anything about it… it’s a possible first step.”
Backstreet Boy Defends Britney
Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean has defended Britney Spears following her comeback performance at the MTV Video Music Awards.
According to Digital Spy, McLean said that he felt Spears could still have a successful career.
“I think if she really puts her mind to it and stays focused and stops going out and kind of allowing herself to be easily distracted, she can do it,” he said.
“I think she’ll be fine… I think she’s a very talented, hardworking young woman.”
Simon Cowell wants to save Britney
Earlier this week he declared Britney Spears‘ career all but dead.
Now Simon Cowell has had a change of heart, vowing to help the troubled star regain her former glory.
Making public his offer to manage the mother-of-two along with his fellow American Idol judges, Cowell said: “We have decided we can bring Britney back.”
“We are serious. We plan to buy her underpants, get her bigger shorts to perform in and get her away from her stupid friends.”
“MTV ratings are up and all we’re hearing is Britney, Britney, Britney! She can turn it around.”
American Idol judge Randy Jackson chimed in, adding: “We’d love to take care of you, Spears! We will make you a superstar again!”
Source: Daily Mail