At the beginning of the winter, during an earlier period of craziness for Britney Spears, I wrote a piece called "Fragments from Death Comes For Britney Spears! The Musical" for Gawker.com, and later updated it for McSweeneys. In between the original and the update, the filmmaker and writer Erika Yeomans, the creator of the great "Chubby Buddy," decided to adapt the Britney musical into a short film. The premise is that I'm bored at my job and my thoughts turn to gossip, and then Death comes for Britney Spears. Many people have criticized me for piling on Britney, and I guess I'd have to plead guilty, but with mitigating factors. First of all, I wrote the piece before she actually entered a mental hospital. Second of all, even if the piece is meant to make light of her almost cartoonish downward spiral, it's also intended to make the whole celebrity cycle look ridiculous, even the part of the cycle that includes writers and satirists.
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Britney and the Grim Reaper
Posted Feb 5th 2008 12:01PM by Ben Greenman
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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. It is very sad to watch a child in a grown-up body be consumed by the vacuous idiocy that is today's contemporary pop culture. This woman desperately needs help and one thing she needs to do is grow up, find another career and become a responsible adult and parent. I doubt that will happen.
Dave at 1:12PM on Feb 5th 2008
2. While I found this amusing, it is so sad that everyone can make fun and money from someone who is genuinely mentally ill. It would not be funny if she were your sister or daughter. Mental illness is not funny. And, I find it interesting that so many people are more willing to believe that she is a drug addict than mentally ill. Yes, mentally ill people do "self-medicate" with pot, cocoaine and/or alcohol, but it does not cure them, it just makes them feel better and more in control while they spiral downward. It is sad that people sit back and revel in her demise.
Sarah at 1:49PM on Feb 5th 2008
3. I totally agree, Dave. On the other hand, that video is hilarious. I love when Death is explaining to her what his job is and she just doesn't get it. He looks so fed up.
Ken at 1:49PM on Feb 5th 2008
4. It is sad when a person falls apart into drugs or alcohol. I have a close family member who that happened to. On the other hand, in this case, Britney is such a public figure that it's impossible to say that she doesn't at some level want the attention, or help to create most of it. I went and read the text of this musical and it actually was kind of sympathetic to her and her situation -- she decides to die because she's angry that her pregnant sister is getting too much attention. We create these monsters so we should be scared of them.
Tracy at 1:52PM on Feb 5th 2008
5. Well said, Dave.
IRONBLUEEYES at 2:02PM on Feb 5th 2008
6. I guess I'm safe, because I never wear undershorts.
How does this draw sympathy for Britney?...Oh I get it she's such a bufoon we feel sorry for her.
mac at 2:03PM on Feb 5th 2008
7. I get the feeling it's creating sympathy by showing that there's a real Britney and then a fake Britney that's created by all the gossip. No real person could believe that the cartoon we see on Entertainment! Tonight! or in this musical is the real person. That's why I was happy to see the written musical, which is very weird and complicated.
Tracy at 2:08PM on Feb 5th 2008
8. """I wrote a celebrity musical about Britney Spears for Gawker.com"""
"""I updated it for McSweeneys"""
"""People think it's intended to mock Britney, and it is, a little bit,..."""
You're really funny Rain Man. How much money did you stuff in your pocket after taking pot shots at her?
You remind me a lot of Kathy Griffen who saw Anna NiCole Smiths situation as hilarious.
Willet at 2:21PM on Feb 5th 2008
9. I am convinced fame and money just make some people nuts - Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Howard Hughes, etc.
Yes, there are those who love to watch the mighty fall, and shame on them. But no one holds a gun to your head and makes you seek fame and fortune, either.
At some point, if you are that miserable, leave the business, get yourself together, and try to lead a private life.
David S. at 2:31PM on Feb 5th 2008
10. I doubt McSweeneys and Gawker pay a dime. Maybe a dime. I think it's for the literary value, which depends on the eye of the beholder. I happened to love love love the piece when I saw it on Gawker last year. I like the movie, but for me, part of the fun of it was imagining how it would be staged.
Allan at 2:35PM on Feb 5th 2008
11. Very funny performances - but isn't the timing just a tad off? I wonder that the point of excusable satire expired by January 2008....oh and love the birds...
Basil07 at 2:55PM on Feb 5th 2008
12. One last opportunity to laugh before who we once knew as "Britney" comes crashing down before our eyes like Anna Nicole. I feel so bad for her children.
On the bright side....I thought this sketch was HILARIOUS! Very creative.
Manni at 3:05PM on Feb 5th 2008
13. Bill should check out my website
Dana at 3:26PM on Feb 5th 2008
14. Really funny stuff!!!!
Ya'll gotta try this:
http://www.fakebuddy.com
marina at 5:42PM on Feb 5th 2008
15. WE SHOULD ALL FEEL SORRY FOR BRITNEY. A TALENT PUT TO "SLEEP" BY THE ETHO-CULTURE OF A CORRUPT, LIBERAL, SECULAR-PROGRESSIVE, PERMISSIVE SOCIETY WHOSE ONE CREDO IS, "..IF IT FEELS GOOD--DO IT."
AND SHE WON'T BE THE ONLY VICTIM.
Strong at 9:34PM on Feb 5th 2008