There was no denying it. Spears needed help. She herself realized it but bounced in and out of rehab in a celeb tale that was as old as time, voluntarily checking in to LA treatment centers to no avail. She met manager Sam Lufti in a club and quickly agreed to hand over her entire life in exchange for fifteen percent of her earnings.
Sam had one big request: no more illegal substances. Spears was hooked as her marriage and relationship with her sons crumbled. Lufti spent eight years as Spears’s manager and established new rules, too.
She Did it Again
Right after giving herself a new 'do, Spears made her way to a tattoo parlor to get a small tattoo of lips on her wrist (reason: unknown). The tattoo artist asked her why she had shaved her head, and Britney's response gave us all pause.
She told the tattoo artist: “I don't want anyone to touch me. I'm tired of people touching me.” A few days later, Britney was caught ringing Federline's doorbell, desperate to see her sons. After no answer, Spears turned her attention to the cameras. She grabbed an umbrella, attacked the paparazzi's cars, lashed out at photographers, and screamed obscenities.
Questions That Must Be Answered
A popular saying arose: “If Britney Spears survived 2007, you can survive this.” What happened to make the star snap? She had everything. Millions of dollars, a legendary career, adoring fans, even a family, just like she always wanted. Now she was a warning to stars and someone who clearly needed help.
It turns out her breakdown was a long time coming. She had been acting erratically for months. Her musical performances had become robotic moments of going through the motions. Fans and family alike couldn't help but we worried for Britney.
Keep the Cameras Away
Some of the rules Lufti came up with were for the paparazzi. He drew up a code of conduct for them that included keeping off her private property, not following her into shops, and not run red lights chasing her. They also had to save her a parking space if they knew where she was going.
If – and only if – they complied with these rules, they would be allowed to see Britney's itinerary for the day. Despite all of Lufti's efforts, things would take a lot longer for Spears to right the ship. Another big blow was just around the corner.
Blacked Out
Among all of this, somehow, Spears released her fifth album, "Blackout." Many hoped it would mark a return to the singer's spotlight and a way to escape her troubles. She performed her new single “Gimme More” at the 2007 MTV Music Awards, where she has always been welcomed with open arms, though it didn't go as she had planned.
The "New York Times" panned the performance, calling it a fiasco. The "Toronto Star" said Britney was “lumbering, in slow motion, as if somebody had poured cement into her streetwalker boots.” David Willis of the BBC said it would go down as one of the worst MTV performances of all time.