# Does Britney’s career deserve a second chance? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370 "2008-12-02T18:02:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/1 "2008-12-02T18:02:22Z")
When I look at the entertainment headlines and blogs today there are stories about B. Spears hving a comeback, starting a new tour, new album, woo hoo. I could care less on the one hand, but on the other it makes me angry. Why does this loser get this media attention? Yes, I suppose all human beings deserve a second chance, but why should the public be interested in supporting her career with a comeback at this point? She has enough money. She had her chance. There are other pretty no-talent pop-tarts out there who can dance and lip synch at the same time. Plenty of them. Some can even sing! Britney and her gum-chewing just make me sick and I wish she would go away. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/2 "2008-12-02T18:04:01Z")
Yep we all deserve second chances. Except Hitler. I like ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’, ‘Slave 4 U’, ‘Toxic’, ‘Piece Of Me’ and one or two other of the tunes she has done, which makes her all right by me. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/3 "2008-12-02T18:09:16Z")
I thought she had her second chance already. Or was it her third? ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/4 "2008-12-02T18:10:15Z")
She’s just a youngster. As long as anyone is willing to pay to see her she should be given the opportunity to perform. Media is a different issue. Does she deserve the attention? I never thought so. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/5 "2008-12-02T18:19:07Z")
Whether she deserves it or not has nothing to do with it. People still buy her albums, go to her concerts and tune in when she’s on TV (her guest turn on How I Met Your Mother supposedly saved that show from cancellation). She gets to have a career as long as the public is willing to let her have one. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/6 "2008-12-02T18:20:02Z")
What does ‘deserve’ have to do with it? ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/7 "2008-12-02T18:22:42Z")
If the music she’s producing right now is good (I have no opinion on that) and she isn’t out beating homeless people or advocating genocide in Darfur, what reason would there be to not enjoy it? ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/8 "2008-12-02T18:24:35Z")
I was flipping through channels the other day and I caught part of an interview with her. the interviewer asked if she needs more control in her life and she replied that if anything her life was too controlled and she wanted more freedom. Can’t she just decide to chuck it all? Is there anyone (besides K-Fed) that she’s beholden to? ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/9 "2008-12-02T18:31:33Z")
If anything, the flame-out of “Britney as media darling” has been a good thing for her music; last year’s _Blackout_ is one of the best pop-art moments of this decade, a phenomenal, weird, and challenging record. I haven’t listened to the new one yet. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/10 "2008-12-02T18:33:01Z")
I saw her on TV this morning, and was completely unimpressed, though she seemed in better physical shape than the last time I saw on TV (forget when: it was her last comeback, at some awards show, and she seemed overweight–for a dancer, that is–and listless.) But the thing that impressed me least of all this time was the choreography–has she always done this sort of glorified cheerleading moves, or did she used to be able to really dance? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/11 "2008-12-02T18:47:20Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I saw her on TV this morning, and was completely unimpressed, though she seemed in better physical shape than the last time I saw on TV (forget when: it was her last comeback, at some awards show, and she seemed overweight–for a dancer, that is–and listless.) But the thing that impressed me least of all this time was the choreography–has she always done this sort of glorified cheerleading moves, or did she used to be able to really dance? I agree, i saw her on TV this morning and while she looked better than she ever has she moved like an old lady. Her dancing basically boiled down to walking to a spot and striking a sexy pose and maybe waving her arms around a bit. I doubt she even broke a sweat. She really did look incredible though. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/12 "2008-12-02T18:47:30Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Whether she deserves it or not has nothing to do with it. People still buy her albums, go to her concerts and tune in when she’s on TV (her guest turn on How I Met Your Mother supposedly saved that show from cancellation). > > She gets to have a career as long as the public is willing to let her have one. If this is true, I’m probably obligated to buy her album, aren’t I? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/13 "2008-12-02T18:50:12Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > If this is true, I’m probably obligated to buy her album, aren’t I? Yes. And while you’re at it buy my copy for me because I don’t want to waste my own money on it. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/14 "2008-12-02T19:05:02Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > If this is true, I’m probably obligated to buy her album, aren’t I? Obligated? What kind of lame attempt at humor is that? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/15 "2008-12-02T19:28:32Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I saw her on TV this morning, and was completely unimpressed, though she seemed in better physical shape than the last time I saw on TV (forget when: **it was her last comeback,** at some awards show, and she seemed overweight–for a dancer, that is–and listless.) But the thing that impressed me least of all this time was the choreography–has she always done this sort of glorified cheerleading moves, or did she used to be able to really dance? That’s what boggles my mind, though. Every time she makes an appearance or produces something new, it’s another “comeback.” The implication being that she has to start over because the previous effort didn’t have the impact she was hoping for. She could just release albums, make videos and TV appearances and live with the attention she does get. Instead, she and her crew refuse to accept that you only get one chance to be a breakout star. After that, you’re just working. She reminds me of an actor named George Bancroft. He was a huge star in the silent era, playing gangsters. But no one stays on top forever, and he spent his twilight years as a bitter, lonely old drunk. The thing is, though, he could never appreciate that he was one of the lucky ones, because his career didn’t end, as so many others’ did, when sound came in. He still had work. But if he couldn’t be **the** star, he considered himself washed up. And soon, he was cast accordingly, and eventually work just dried up because people were tired of his ego. He failed by his own standards, despite what most people would call a successful career. And Britney is very similar. Her crew still presents her as an icon, like it’s sacrilege to admit that nowadays, she’s just **another** pop singer. She was influential in her day. She’s lucky to still be working now. But that doesn’t seem to be enough, and it looks like she’ll just keep on with the endless comebacks that make her look pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/16 "2008-12-02T19:48:36Z")
I can’t imagine anyone thinking that all of these “second chances” for Britney are _good_ things. Every other “second chance” that the media has glommed on to for her, they’ve ended up savaging her and she shortly thereafter went back off her rocker. Again. She had a comeback, they criticized her musicality, off her rocker she goes. She had another comeback, they criticized her gaining a little (very little, really) weight after childbirth, back off her rocker, again. At this point, I think the tabloids are pushing all these “second chance, yet again” angles just so they’re assured of being able to cover the inevitable trainwreck that will ensue. It is downright cruel. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/17 "2008-12-02T19:51:04Z")
I disagree that Britney has had some inordinate number of comebacks. It was really just the _Blackout_ thing last year and _Circus_ now. At any rate, I agree that “deserve” doesn’t really apply to something like this. I liked _Blackout_ and I like _Circus_ (though not as much). ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/18 "2008-12-03T08:28:26Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > What does ‘deserve’ have to do with it? What I was wondering too. If she produces a product that people want to buy, more power to her. It’s not like she has defrauded anyone. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/19 "2008-12-03T17:30:55Z")
Meh. Her new song is catchy and she looks pretty hot in the video. That’s about all I care about. They keep trying to make her into the next Madonna for some reason. Madonna used to be all controvertial all the time too. But she always had the musical talent. Problem is Britney doesn’t have the range or talent to put out anything more than catchy dance tunes. Christina (or Xtina) Aguilara, Pink or Avril Lavign have far more singing talent, IMHO and far less drama. I guess we’ll see who’s still around in their 50s. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370/20 "2008-12-03T17:57:45Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Yep we all deserve second chances. Except Hitler. Well, if somebody had given a second chance to his artistic career… think of all the lives that could have been saved. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-britney-s-career-deserve-a-second-chance/475370.md?page=2)