# Spears flees rehab again **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 21, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129 "2007-02-21T20:16:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/21 "2007-02-21T22:58:52Z")
**Sunrazor** , I see your point. But think about this for a moment: > [@Sunrazor](#): > > Britney Spears has been given huge opportunities to make something significant of her life, and she squanders them almost daily. She deserves all the razzing she gets. Doesn’t her squandering suggest to you that she might be having some _actual psychological or emotional problems_? After a decade or two of working her ass off, her sudden “squandering” all that she’s tried to achieve (and has achieved, to a large degree) doesn’t look like mere stupidity; it looks like she’s encountering some real problems, of the kind that can’t be solved simply by throwing money at them. Believe it or not, rich, famous, beautiful, and successful people can develop addictions. They commit suicide. They go through various mental and emotional disorders, and they get laughed at while they’re down. Think Winona Ryder, the astronaut-diaper woman, Christian Slater, and now Britney. The fact that these people have piles of money and opportunity, yet do bizarre and dangerous and irrational things, doesn’t look like stupidity; it looks like they’re having no-shit breakdowns. It just ain’t funny, any more than it’s funny when my next-door neighbor does it. (Not that my neighbor has; that’s just an example.) Don’t get me wrong; I’m as ready as the next guy to laugh and make fun when Big Shots do stupid, arrogant things. But when the behavior goes over into “not just stupid but actually in need of help,” the picture changes. > [@Sunrazor](#): > > Remember what a media whore Madonna was in her early days? Are there photos of her naked cooch splashed all over the internet? No, Madonna put them all in [her book](http://www.amazon.com/Sex-Madonna/dp/8440631170/sr=8-1/qid=1172098443/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-5536033-2850840?ie=UTF8&s=books), via a shrewd marketing decision. Britney is making no such clear-eyed decision here. Out of curiosity, did you watch the [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bbaRyDLMvA) I linked in my previous post? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/22 "2007-02-21T23:27:29Z")
[QUOTE=jackelope] On Monday night, Craig Ferguson’s opening monologue related to Britney’s public implosion. It was an amazing speech, especially for a late-night TV host: sincere, honest, insightful, and funny. He discussed his own alcoholism (currently fifteen years sober), the circumstances under which he bottomed out, etc., and then related it to Britney and the easy way everyone seems to be ignoring what is, or may be, actually going on with her. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bbaRyDLMvA) is the clip; it’s about 12 minutes long, and well worth watching to the end. Frankly, after watching it, I’ve lost all interest in taking pot-shots at easy, vulnerable targets. (This may well change in the future.) [/QUOTE] Thank you for that and for describing so well what the link would contain, which made me click on it. Until I clicked on the link I didn’t know who Craig Ferguson was (I’d heard the name but that’s all) and now I think I’m a bit in love with him. What a great guy. I don’t like Britney Spears’ music or persona, but I do feel sorry for her a bit (and even sorrier for her little sister). All I know is I’m really really glad there weren’t any cameras around when I went through some crazy, depressive times, though mine were mostly internal. ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/23 "2007-02-21T23:37:19Z")
[QUOTE=jackelope] On Monday night, Craig Ferguson’s opening monologue related to Britney’s public implosion. It was an amazing speech, especially for a late-night TV host: sincere, honest, insightful, and funny. He discussed his own alcoholism (currently fifteen years sober), the circumstances under which he bottomed out, etc., and then related it to Britney and the easy way everyone seems to be ignoring what is, or may be, actually going on with her. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bbaRyDLMvA) is the clip; it’s about 12 minutes long, and well worth watching to the end. Frankly, after watching it, I’ve lost all interest in taking pot-shots at easy, vulnerable targets. (This may well change in the future.) [/QUOTE] Wow. I always liked Craig Ferguson. I’m now officially impressed. Thoughtful and eloquent, he is. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/24 "2007-02-21T23:39:38Z")
She’s an addict and alcoholic. That alone explains all her bizarre behavior and her fleeing from treatment after treatment as soon as she gets uncomfortable. Perhaps one day she’ll get uncomfortable enough or desperate enough to stick it out thru a full detox and a treatment. Then her chances of getting well go up. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/25 "2007-02-22T00:02:46Z")
[QUOTE=Hung Mung] Wow. I always liked Craig Ferguson. I’m now officially impressed. Thoughtful and eloquent, he is. [/QUOTE] He had a nice turn on the most recent episode of Bill Maher’s _Real Time_, too. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/26 "2007-02-22T00:34:25Z")
[QUOTE=Antigen] Hardwood cooter? [/QUOTE] Good name for a band. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/27 "2007-02-22T00:39:45Z")
Well, until she can get her act together, I think Shar Jackson should get the kids. I’m more than a little serious. She probably doesn’t want them. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/28 "2007-02-22T00:41:38Z")
Somehow you’re shocked that an el-lay chick decides to go shave her head?!? Rather it makes much more sense to attribute it to lice or a potential drug test :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/29 "2007-02-22T00:49:25Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] She’s an addict and alcoholic. That alone explains all her bizarre behavior and her fleeing from treatment after treatment as soon as she gets uncomfortable. Perhaps one day she’ll get uncomfortable enough or desperate enough to stick it out thru a full detox and a treatment. Then her chances of getting well go up. [/QUOTE] Not to diminish her suffering if she is indeed one of us, but god damn it, “rehab” has again become the refuge of every fucked up fuck up in Hollywood. It’s embarrassing. And her chances will never be great. I once knew a fucked up rock star who was trying to get sober- it was damn near impossible, as it seemed that she couldn’t make a single misstep without half the world watching. I felt bad for her. ETA- It’s like the Mel Gibsons, Michael Richards, Lindsay Lohans and the rest are making drunks look bad! 😉 I want to shout “No, they aren’t with us! They’re just bigots-racists-idiots!” ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/30 "2007-02-22T01:09:57Z")
Jesus, I just watched that link. I had no idea that Craig Ferguson was one of us. He was so eloquent. He is my new hero. Debbie, 16 years sober next week ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/31 "2007-02-22T08:27:34Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] I don’t like Britney Spears’ music or persona, but I do feel sorry for her a bit (and even sorrier for her little sister). [/QUOTE] From what little I’ve seen of Britney’s younger sister, she has even less talent and brains. Remember back when Britney suddenly sprouted ginormous boobs and her mother claimed that it _wasn’t_ a boob job, just Britney “blossoming” and how some months later her boobs became somewhat smaller? I’m wondering if the cash cow that was Britney didn’t start drying up some time back and the family has decided to put her younger sister out there to keep the gravy train going, while abandoning Britney. That could certainly amplify her meltdown. Another possible reason why she shaved her head is that she’s a “tweaker” and it was itching, so she shaved it off. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/32 "2007-02-22T08:45:08Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Lice - according to UK’s Daily Mail > 2. Threatened drug testing - according to Extra > > Any other theories? There’s the “official” story put out by Spears’ publicity people. They’re saying her hair had been badly damaged by extensive dying, styling, and extensions and she decided it would be better to cut it off and regrow it from scratch rather than try to restore the existing hair. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/33 "2007-02-22T08:49:17Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m wondering if the cash cow that was Britney didn’t start drying up some time back and the family has decided to put her younger sister out there to keep the gravy train going, while abandoning Britney. That could certainly amplify her meltdown. Apparently both of her parents have met with her recently and told her she needs to straighten up her life and start being more responsible. Spears had been arguing with her mother over this issue right before she went out to get her shave and tattoo. I’m not saying they’re great parents and aren’t partly responsible for her problems. But they do at least realize she’s got problems and are telling her to get help. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/34 "2007-02-22T14:43:24Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] There’s the “official” story put out by Spears’ publicity people. They’re saying her hair had been badly damaged by extensive dying, styling, and extensions and she decided it would be better to cut it off and regrow it from scratch rather than try to restore the existing hair. [/QUOTE] That does make sense, but if the eyewitnesses are to be believed, she appeared very confused and “not all there”. That doesn’t sound like a person who is doing it for practical reasons. Besides, if she was willing to shave her own head after the stylist refused, why not stay home in the first place and have someone do it for her? Why risk the having the paparazzi swarming around her like locusts if she wants them to leave her alone, which she has repeatedly said. Even if it was due to all the damage done to her hair, it was a typical media-whore thing to do to make a big display of it like she did. > [@Doug Bowe](#): > > …and according to the news, just like last week she checks out after a day. That’s why I said “again” in the thread title. But thanks for playing. You can pick up your Turtle Wax on the way out. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/35 "2007-02-22T14:50:38Z")
Does K-Fed, or any ex for that matter, actually have the right to demand testing of her hair for drugs? If she’d been busted for drug use before I could understand the possibility but that’s not the case, is it? I can’t imagine in a divorce one member having that much sway over the rights of another. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/36 "2007-02-22T14:57:16Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] Does K-Fed, or any ex for that matter, actually have the right to demand testing of her hair for drugs? If she’d been busted for drug use before I could understand the possibility but that’s not the case, is it? I can’t imagine in a divorce one member having that much sway over the rights of another. [/QUOTE] IANAL, but they are reportedly in a custody battle over the children, so if she’s using drugs, he definitely has an interest in getting her hair tested. Could there be probable cause if there have been witnesses to her drug use? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/37 "2007-02-22T15:02:25Z")
[QUOTE=Antigen] Hardwood cooter? [/QUOTE] Berber. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Mood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Blue\_Mood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Mood)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/38 "2007-02-22T15:04:10Z")
[QUOTE=fessie] The mommy-boards think it’s post-partum depression, FWIW. [/QUOTE] It sounds more like post-partum psychosis to me. I had wondered about that back when those photos came out of her without undies. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/39 "2007-02-22T15:16:02Z")
[QUOTE=Sunrazor] Easy? Yes. Vulnerable? Come on! She isn’t some poor, lost waif who can’t help herself. She’s an industry. She’s an employer who’s workers make more than damn near anybody on this board. Her own children and those of others depend on her for sustenance. [/QUOTE] As **jackelope** said, this doesn’t prevent her from suffering from addiction, depression, or what have you. I am reminded of Edwin Robinson’s poem _Richard Corey_, or the Simon and Garfunkel song by the same name. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129/40 "2007-02-22T15:53:52Z")
As someone that struggled mightily with PTSD and depression I would just like to say THANK GOD no one was following me around with a camera - not that I would’ve cared. It is hard to explain to someone that hasn’t been through it, I feel badly for her and hope for her (and her children’s) sake she gets some help. I also hope someone is watching out for her kids, someone this unbalanced could do something very drastic “for love” of her kids. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spears-flees-rehab-again/393129.md?page=3)