Britney Spears Gets Permanent Restraining Order Against Former Manager, Posts a Video of Her New Closet
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Yesterday, Britney Spears was officially granted a permanent restraining order against the “predatory” Sam Lutfi. It will last 5 years, and include stipulations to ensure he has no public or private channel to the pop star. (This includes speaking to the press.) While the news is expected, there are some interesting details emerging as the story develops. The case was shown before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny, who’s been involved in other high profile celebrity conservatorship like that of Zsa Zsa Gabor in 2017. Marc Gans, Lutfi’s lawyer, previously represented Courtney Love in a 2015 defamation case. This was before her falling out with Lutfi over the kidnapping of her ex son-in-law over Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged guitar. Judge Penny, who previously called Lutfi “evasive” in the initial May 8th hearing, further said that Jamie Spears’ was found “forthright and credible.” From Page Six:
James Spears testified that Lutfi, who was close to Britney Spears in 2007 and 2008 and served briefly as her manager, has been a “predator” on his family for more than a decade whose harassment has recently resumed. “I worried that he was trying to take down the conservatorship,” Spears said from the stand. “I was very angry. I was worried that we were right back in 2008.” Spears and his lawyers suggested, and Penny appeared to agree, that Lutfi has attempted to incite fans who have used the social-media hashtag #Free Britney to criticize the control James Spears and the court have had over the pop star for the past 11 years. Lutfi’s Twitter account, the subject of much of the testimony, consists almost entirely of posts critical of Spears’ circumstances and those surrounding her.
Britney’s father also testified that “Me and my daughter’s relationship has always been strained,” illustrated by his daughter’s absence in court. (It’s unclear if the nature of the conservatorship dictates her testimony in matters like this.) Gans used this as “evidence” to prove that “her father and his lawyers were not speaking for her and had provided no evidence that she had in any way been harmed by Lutfi’s statements.” Page Six further reported:
The judge also shut down most of Gans’ questions toward James Spears. The questions asked him to discuss his daughter’s mental state and tried to establish that disparaging online statements Lutfi had made about James Spears’ use of alcohol and his enriching himself through the conservatorship were true and constitutionally protected.
Amidst the legal proceedings, Britney Spears posted an Instagram video showing off her closet’s new organizational pattern (courtesy of her housecleaners.)
[People]
In a social experiment spanning generations designed by the aliens controlling our simulation, Kim Kardashian continues to prove that wealth and fame will open any door in this country. Her latest leg of this journey involves an appearance at the “Second Chance Hiring and Rehiring Event” at the White House. She posted the following tweet en route,
My initial takeaway teeters towards galaxy brain, but doesn’t she sound just like Donald Trump? “I’m so excited to announce some exciting things.” Without context, you’d think this was the launch of a new line of lip glosses or crucial moment in a reality television show confessional. Perhaps I’m reading too much into her body language and that summer lob she’s advertising. Or she’s as delusional as this video suggests. There’s also a troublesome photo where the Yeezy billboard is flanked by animatronic wax figurine Jared Kushner and the Night King they forgot to slay, Ivanka Trump.
And speaking of photo-ops that’ll age terribly, she delivered her speech accompanied by Donald Trump and his latest toupee. E! News unfortunately transcribed the event:
“After speaking to Ivanka [Trump] and Jared [Kushner], who really fought for me to get here, I plead the case of Alice Johnson, who the president granted clemency to, and after that I really spent so much time going to different prisons, because I really had no connection to anybody on the inside, and really, it just felt like for me, I’m at the place in my life where I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to do the right thing. But I didn’t know how or what to do. After going to visit so many different prisons and really sitting down with lifers with every situation you can possibly imagine, my heart just completely opened up, and I wanted to do more. I am so happy to be here today among people who want the same thing.
What’s genuinely so troubling is that Kim Kardashian has become the public face of “prison reform” based purely on following the rules of a system that black and brown activists have worked decades to dismantle. Why reject evil, corporatized structures when you can find ways to profit alongside them? This is further illustrated by the revelation that her “prison reform” activism includes working alongside Uber:
“I’m so happy to announce today that we have a ride share partnership, where formally incarcerated people will be gifted gift cards so they can get rides to and from job interviews, jobs, family members. That is so important, so needed.”
This is what happens when celebrities like Kim Kardashian, whose brands are rooted in wealth accumulation and commerce, enter politics. They bring their business ideals with them! Prison reform cannot happen when working alongside companies lobbying to destroy their workers chances at unionization. Nobody is free if we all aren’t free!
[E News]
Drew Barrymore hosted a “Boat Party” for “Mom Friends” that cost over $5000. #ladyliberty#libertyenlighteningtheworld
- Lauren Sanchez was seen outside with a $5500 Chanel crossbody. [Page Six]
- Former Housewife Meghan King Edmond’s “fought back” against cheating allegations by admitting he cheated. [Us Weekly]
- Wendy Williams has “extended” her new flings stay in NYC. [TMZ]
- Giada De Laurentiis obtained a permanent restraining order against a fan. [The Blast]
- Cardi B releases statement: “I’m never getting surgery again.” [People]