It seems almost everyone has an opinion about Britney Spears’ fall from pop grace. “Loveline” host Dr. Drew Pinsky recently joined the chorus in an interview with Us Weekly. The addiction-medicine specialist shared his informed opinion on what’s wrong in Brit’s life and whether or not there’s still hope for the singer.
“(Britney) is a drug addict,” Dr. Drew insisted. “It is an indisputable point.” To back up his claim, he told Us, “We know that she is a drug addict because she's been admitted to a treatment center. You can't be admitted unless you’ve met criteria for addiction.”
When asked if Brit’s problems could be traced to attaining pop success at such an early age, Dr. Drew wouldn’t entertain the blame game. “Her mental health has almost nothing to do with her career.” But he does believe her mega-stardom makes it harder to help her.
“Fame hinders getting to (Britney) now. It is hard to get through the sycophants who are enabling her and be able to find people around Britney who are willing to potentially sacrifice either their salary or their access to her by bringing her into treatment. That's the core problem. That is what is putting her in danger. That is what killed Anna Nicole Smith. She had people around her who didn't step up and say you need to get treatment!”
In the end, Dr. Drew’s no pessimist about Brit’s chances of recovery, only about her motivation. “She can get better, she just doesn’t want to.”
Hayden won’t join the Hollywood rehab crowd
Looks like “Heroes” hottie Hayden Panettiere plans to keep her good-girl image intact for years to come. The 18-year-old actress told GQ she doesn’t expect to become “the latest screwed-up girl in Hollywood.”
“You can’t schedule rehab for me,” Hayden said when asked about her future. “And I don’t think you can schedule any DUIs. I think I’m going to be one of those boring girls.”
Hayden isn’t without sympathy for the less boring types, though. “Britney Spears, for example. That girl was the epitome of beauty when I was younger. And we built her up and just ripped her down, put every aspect of her life under a microscope. Probably made 90 percent of the stuff up along the way. I can’t even imagine if I had it like she does. She’s someone that I’m rooting for, and I hope she can make that comeback.”
Workload worries Christina’s hubby
Just weeks ago singer Christina Aguilera confirmed what everyone already knew: her enormous bump is indeed pregnancy related. But the Times of India reports that despite the now-official happy news, Christina’s husband, Jordan Bratman, isn’t smiling. Turns out the man behind the woman worries about her busy work schedule with a baby on board.
“Jordan was hoping Christina would give herself time to just chill out, but her daily business appointments and meetings are endless,” an insider claimed. “Christina doesn’t plan on slowing down just because she is pregnant. Like any pregnant woman she does get tired, but she has told friends she intends to keep going right up until the birth.”
Dish on the fly
Even though Nicole Richie and baby-daddy Joel Madden set up an exclusive deal with InStyle magazine, someone tried to shop their baby-shower shots to a competing publication. NY Daily News spoke to an insider who thinks the culprit could be none other than Nic’s “Simple Life” co-star and shower hostess, Paris Hilton. “All the photos that were offered had Paris right in the center of them, as the star,” the source claimed. “They look set up.” … Moody Irishman Jonathan Rhys Meyers has no patience for prudish co-stars. Female First reported on the actor’s recent rant about ladies who won’t bare their bits for film. “I can't stand actresses who won't take their clothes off,” Jonathan complained. “It drives me nuts. I want to cut their ears off … If it says in the script you're naked, be naked, instead of moaning and saying, 'I really don't want to show my t*ts, I don't want to show my arse.” … “Getting married was a ball, but being married was… a nightmare,” Kid Rock told Extra TV of his brief union with Pamela Anderson. But the sad part for Kid wasn’t the how the breakup affected him or Pam, but rather their kids. “They don’t make as much sense of it as we do as adults.”
Tabloid Tidbits is compiled by Ree Hines and Helen A.S. Popkin.