#405510 - Thu Jan 10 2008 12:02 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Forum Champion
Registered: Sun May 18 2003
Posts: 7842
Loc: Arizona USA
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I feel for those two girls, I really do, even though Britney is an adult with two children of her own. Even if their parents took full responsibility, I don't believe it would do any good. The parents are the reason the girls turned out the way they did. I hope they get the help they need, through Dr. Phil or another expert in the field. And that goes for the whole Spears family not just the girls.
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May the tail of the elephant never have to swat the flies from your face.
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#405511 - Thu Jan 10 2008 01:48 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Multiloquent
Registered: Fri Apr 07 2006
Posts: 2321
Loc: Chocolate City Wisconsin�USA
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I don't like the way Dr. Phil turned what could have been an opportunity to offer this family real help into publicity for himself.
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"...better than before...better, stronger, faster!" - SMDM
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#405512 - Thu Jan 10 2008 04:50 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Multiloquent
Registered: Fri Oct 22 1999
Posts: 2249
Loc: New Westminster BC Canada
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I wish they would just leave them all alone.They won't be happy till they drive Britney over the edge and she ends up hurting someone or hurting herself.
She is to blame for alot of her problems but her Mother is a publicity hound and was living off her daughters fame.
And the father wasn't any better.
As for the 16yr old,well in todays society any kid who hasn't got a clue about using protection should be made to work in a Nursery for a month or so to let them see it's not all fun and games having children.
And what kind of guy was her BF who didn't use protection and why wasn't Mommy better clued in to her daughters life?
I think they all need serious help and as much as I disagree with what Dr.Phil did by talking maybe it will wake them up and make them realize they are all in denial.
I had to laugh when I read that the Mother had written a parenting book.Who would ever tske any advice from her?
I Just hope they all go away and we don't have to hear about them ever again.
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All Things Purple Are Relative!
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#405514 - Thu Jan 10 2008 04:39 PM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Forum Adept
Registered: Fri Apr 20 2007
Posts: 122
Loc: Wellington New Zealand
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WOW! I didn't realise Brittany's mum had written a "parenting book" Isn't that an oxymoron?!
I forgot to raise the serious issue of how much do you all think the paparazzi have contributed to this mess?
As for Dr Phil...(And the paparazzi were waiting for him outside)I feel sorry for him. He was put in a no-win situation by the Spears family. THEY contacted him, BECAUSE of his high profile...why didn't the family just use the yellow pages.Deflecting blame onto another(ie Dr Phil) just detracts from the primary problem.This seems to be the modus-operendi of the Spears family.Brittany's mental state was tragically obvious well prior to his involvement.
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“A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back - but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.”
Marian Wright Edelman
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#405515 - Thu Jan 10 2008 05:30 PM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Moderator
Registered: Wed Mar 15 2000
Posts: 16214
Loc: The Delta Quadrant
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The book was due to be published soon, but production was stopped after Jamie Lynn announced her pregnancy. It was to be published by a Christian publisher.
They didn't contact him *because* of his profile - he and his wife are apparently family friends.
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"Without the darkness, how would we see the light?" ~ Tuvok
Editor for Television Category
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#405517 - Thu Jan 10 2008 06:33 PM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Forum Adept
Registered: Fri Apr 20 2007
Posts: 122
Loc: Wellington New Zealand
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"apparently" ? a family friend. Not my words. Either way they did contact him....and he is a high profile personality. That was my point...if they wanted it kept quiet the family should have [accepted his offer of help,] and asked for a referral.
Edited by greenkiwi (Thu Jan 10 2008 06:40 PM)
_________________________
“A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back - but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.”
Marian Wright Edelman
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#405518 - Fri Jan 11 2008 09:32 PM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Moderator
Registered: Wed Mar 15 2000
Posts: 16214
Loc: The Delta Quadrant
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The news from several months ago doesn't mean he isn't a family friend.
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"Without the darkness, how would we see the light?" ~ Tuvok
Editor for Television Category
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#405519 - Sat Jan 12 2008 07:32 PM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Forum Adept
Registered: Fri Apr 20 2007
Posts: 122
Loc: Wellington New Zealand
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I don't understand
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“A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back - but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.”
Marian Wright Edelman
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#405520 - Sun Jan 13 2008 08:20 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Pure Diamond
Registered: Fri May 18 2001
Posts: 123698
Loc: Canton
Ohio USA
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I'm no expert (nor am I sorry about not being so, either - seeing all of this absolutely tragic situation unfold [and the creepy sideshow aspects of it, inclusively] makes me appreciate my ignorance  ) but I'd have to think that getting Dr. Phil involved at all was a shaky idea. First - one doesn't sidestep the media focus by inviting in yet another person (whether he can help or not is really not the point) who seems to be his OWN magnet for such attention. And, if he in fact is a family friend, I don't think that makes him the best source of "assistance" in its own light, famous or otherwise. Friends can be terrific support, but I'd think they'd be too personally connected to the parties involved to serve well as a "healer/fixer". Clearly, the young woman needs to be yanked out of the view of any camera, anywhere, first and foremost. This could prove most difficult on its own - since Miss Spears' whole "persona" has been based on cameras for a decade (it isn't realistic for her family/friends to think she can just expect them to "back off" now, no more that it is realistic to expect that as long as these ghastly snapshots are made available, hordes of people will stop paying lots of money to see them). To me, it wouldn't seem all that impossible for her to be simply made to *disappear* from any public scrutiny until she gets herself together. Jeesh, there has to be some remote cabin in the mountains of Slovakia (or something) where she could be tucked away until she's sorted out. The longer this goes on, the more clear it seems (to me, anyway) that she, or the people that should know better for her and/or love her, have no intention of addressing this mess in a NON-public way. Given that, what's to say? She's on a first-rate course of "crash and burn" and will have an audience as it happens. And there really comes a time when feeling sorry for any of 'em smacks like a waste of time better spent "feeling sorry for somebody else who deserves it more"... Just my opinion, there, though.
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"The best teacher is not the one who knows most but the one who is most capable of reducing knowledge to that simple compound of the obvious and wonderful." ... H. L. Mencken
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#405521 - Sun Jan 13 2008 09:00 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Forum Champion
Registered: Tue Jan 18 2005
Posts: 8717
Loc: Arkansas USA
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Interesting that somebody like 'Dr. Phil' would consider himself the friend of such a family, considering his tendency to come down on certain kinds of behaviour. In light of his recent problems, [temper tantrums and jealous rages over his wife] maybe his whole 'stern parent' pose has been nothing but show business, anyway.
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A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is just putting on its shoes - Mark Twain
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#405522 - Sun Jan 13 2008 01:30 PM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Prolific
Registered: Fri Jun 20 2003
Posts: 1179
Loc: Bay Area California USA
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Quote:
To me, it wouldn't seem all that impossible for her to be simply made to *disappear* from any public scrutiny until she gets herself together. Jeesh, there has to be some remote cabin in the mountains of Slovakia (or something) where she could be tucked away until she's sorted out.
The problem with this is that she's an adult and no-one can force her to do anything. They can't even have her 'committed' or anything, the laws are very strict about what constitutes a danger to herself or others. And she hasn't been listening to family and friends for quite some time now; word is she kicked Dr. Phil out of her room, and she's been calling some of the paparazzi her friends. 
I agree, she needs some intensive alone time, but I don't see that happening until she really does some internal scrutiny or someone does some major intervention.
I DO think that there is something other than drugs/alcohol involved here. I had a friend who was bipolar, and exhibited some of these same kinds of questionable behavior. One time she put on bikini and took off down the street saying she wanted to go swimming--this was in the middle of winter in San Francisco, a tad chilly --she knew where she was and what she was doing but somehow decided it was still an appropriate thing to do. She also shaved her head at one point and would never tell anyone why, she'd just say "I have my reasons".
I feel awfully sorry for Britney, especially if there is some mental health issue not being addressed. But being in the public eye is not going to help the situation any. 
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"A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking." ~ Jerry Seinfeld
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#405523 - Mon Jan 14 2008 09:54 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Star Poster
Registered: Thu Oct 07 1999
Posts: 10282
Loc: New York USA
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Dr Phil, aka Philip McGraw, may be a "self-help expert" and a television celebrity, but the one thing he is NOT is a licensed mental health professional who is able to represent himself as a psychologist and offer treatment as a psychologist, in the state of California. He did receive a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, but he does not apparently have a professional license to practice as a psychologist in any state. He did, at one time, have a license to practice in Texas, but he lost that as a result of ethical violations: Quote:
The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists imposed disciplinary sanctions on McGraw on January 27, 1989 for an inappropriate "dual relationship" reported in 1988 by a therapy client/employee from 1984. McGraw was ordered by the Board to take an ethics class, pass a jurisprudence exam, complete a physical evaluation, undergo a psychological evaluation and have his practice supervised for one year in order to continue his private practice in Texas. As of 2008, McGraw has not completed the conditions imposed by the Board of Examiners of Psychologists, and he is not licensed to practice psychology.
So, he seems a rather questionable choice for the Spears family to have turned to in order to get Britney some adequate mental health treatment. He is in show biz, and not in the actual business of treating people with serious psychological problems. If he had any vestige of appropriate professional conduct or ethics, he would never have have revealed the fact that he saw or spoke to Britney, or her family, and he would never have offered comments about his opinion of her psychological state. Because he is not licensed, he is technically not legally bound to maintain confidentiality and privacy. However, even if he visited Britney as a "family friend", and not as an alleged mental health professional, one might have expected him to still have the decency to maintain confidentiality, simply to protect Britney's privacy--as a true friend would do.
Dr Phil simply showed his true colors. He tried to exploit this situation for his own profit. He was possibly paid for the comments he made, about his Britney hospital visit, on one of the entertainment news/gossip shows, and he was planning to tape a segment for his own show, with the participation of Britney's parents, on how families can deal with psychiatric problems of adult children. Common sense would tell one, that taping and airing such a show, with the Spears family, would be of no possible benefit to Britney, would only exploit her more, and might further damage whatever relationship she has left with her family. Dr. Phil just canceled the taping, not because of any real ethical or moral considerations, but because he realized he was already generating too much negative publicity for himself about the whole fiasco--including loud and clear cries of outrage from people who really are bona fide licensed mental health professionals, and who were appalled by his conduct. Unfortunately, when Dr Phil practiced as a psychologist in Texas he engaged in unethical behavior. He continues to prove that he is still ethically challenged--as a human being.
I don't know much about the Spears family, although the idea that Britney's mom was going to write and promote a book on parenting seems more like a Saturday Night Live satire than an idea any reputable publisher should consider.
If her family really wants to help Britney, they should probably back off and just keep their mouths shut. Ms Spears doesn't listen to judges or the court, and she's not going to listen to them. When they publicly open their mouths they make matters worse.
Judging by her well documented stunts, Britney does seem to have rather serious psychological problems, likely involving substance abuse and a personality disorder--difficulties which often co-exist and severely compound each other. She seems unable to control her impulses or to demonstrate appropriately responsible adult judgement. Consequently, she is self destructing at a rapid rate and in a very public manner. She likely won't get meaningful psychiatric help until she actually tries to harm herself or someone else, is thrown in jail, hits rock bottom emotionally, or is actually willing to help herself by being receptive to treatment. Until then, it will all continue as a rather sad media sideshow. It really isn't a very pleasant spectacle to watch.
I can't say I feel particularly sorry for Britney. Too much of her behavior is just self indulgent, even if it does reflect true psychopathology and is somewhat beyond her voluntary control at the moment. But I do feel genuinely sorry for her children who are the innocent victims of their mother's actions. Her disregard of her children's welfare is rather stunning. Apart from how she might actually treat them, she has now lost custody, and even visitation rights, as a result of her actions and her defiance of court orders. These are very young children, who are undoubtably attached to their mother, miss her when they are separated from her, may be frightened by her erractic behavior, and probably cannot understand the extreme disruption that is going on in their lives. Britney may eventually get herself some help, but it is possible her children might have lifelong problems as a result of what she is putting them through right now. If she has any genuine concern for them, she should try to pull herself together and take the idea of seeking, and accepting, psychiatric treatment very seriously.
_________________________
Still Crazy After All These Years
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#405524 - Mon Jan 14 2008 11:09 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Learning the ropes...
Registered: Mon Jan 14 2008
Posts: 4
Loc: manchester
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Those poor wee Spears-Federline boys,they always look so unkempt and are nearly always crying in recent photos. Whatever Britney's personal demons are, she and her then husband brought two children into the world, and those children should be the priority in all this, not whether Britney's drunk/on drugs/attention seeking etc. The boys need loving care and stability.
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*my life is series of embarrassing incidents*
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#405526 - Tue Jan 15 2008 01:21 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Prolific
Registered: Sat Apr 29 2006
Posts: 1549
Loc: Brisbane Queensland Australia
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I'm not sure if anybody here knows Britney or her family, but I'd like to help. No cameras, no publicity, just good old-fashioned common sense.
Give me a month (or 3) with that young woman. I'd try to teach her how to be a mom (we'll start on "Good Mom" after we get through the first bit), how to live a life that gets her into less trouble. I'd look after her for no other reason than she needs a good role model herself - something she's clearly never had.
I do feel sorry for her a little - clearly she's a kid lost in the adult world, and nobody has ever bothered to teach her what she needs to know. I do think she needs a good kick in the pants too, but for the most part, she probably just needs someone in her life to give her a little guidance. She needs a real friend, rather than the people she has in her life who just take her for a ride and use her for her money.
_________________________
[color:"purple"]Whether it's God or The Bomb, it's just the same
It's only fear under another name[/color]
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#405527 - Tue Jan 15 2008 08:57 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Champion Poster
Registered: Wed Jun 07 2006
Posts: 20697
Loc: Gauteng South Africa
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Perhaps we should feel most sorry for her kids. They are being cared for by their father, who left a pregnant girlfriend to be with Britney and now he has custody of their boys. The mind boggles.
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"If Life Were Easy Where Would All The Adventure Be?"
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#405528 - Tue Jan 15 2008 09:41 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Star Poster
Registered: Sat Feb 10 2001
Posts: 18899
Loc: California USA
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You know, if you want to compare kids who were raised in the public eye and who are now parents, compare the two Spears girls to Jodi Foster or Brooke Shields. Although they've had their share of problems in life, they're dealing with them better than Britney.
The transition to adult life just didn't happen in the same way for Britney and it's not going to happen for the younger sister either now.
It's probably a miracle that child stars make it through unscathed at all. Foster grew up without a dad at home as did Shields and both young women had mothers who promoted their talents early on. Shields truly suffered from her post partum depression and wrote a book about it, and I believe, not because she needed the profits from this book but to help others get through it. Both of them have had traumatic events occur to them for having been raised in the public eye.
I think that if the Shields' kids don't find some way of transitioning into the adult world gracefully very soon, it will be a sad story. One thing that does separate these young women growing up under the hot lights of the media is that Foster and Shields both went on to further their educations and did well. For me, the fact they managed this feat speaks volumes. Someone must have encouraged them or they found it in them to resist the temptation to simply stay in the public eye instead of going to university for a few years. I'm almost dead certain that it was their mothers as after all their mothers are their managers for the most part.
Another example of child actors who are getting through better for some reason is Mary Kate and Ashley who despite the anorexia stories etc, seem a little better off than Britney.
I cannot imagine Britney maturing to that point where she takes a leadership role in her profession again, or takes on some charitable role like other famous young actors. I hope I'm wrong.
Britney's children are the losers in this whole mess. Their father does not inspire confidence from what I'm seeing and boys need a strong presence if at all possible.
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I was born under a wandering star.
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#405530 - Tue Jan 22 2008 07:11 PM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Forum Champion
Registered: Sun May 18 2003
Posts: 7842
Loc: Arizona USA
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Dr. Phil made a statement yesterday, January 21, on his show about the whole Britney/Dr. Phil hospital fiasco. I'm not quite sure if I can link to his website (FT rules), but he states that he went at the request of Britney's mom (and yes, they have been friends for about a year now). This is, in part, what he said: Quote:
I went to the hospital, by the way, fully aware that when I go somewhere behind the scenes for personal reasons, I have no expectations of going unnoticed. You can’t hide this head. I did everything by the book at Cedars-Sinai, by the way. They cut me no slack. I had to follow every procedure and every protocol. I was seen coming and going by the press, and after I left the hospital, I did give a statement confirming my visit, and I did that in hopes of quelling any further speculation about it. I disclosed not one word, not one syllable about what took place behind closed doors, nor will I ever. Have I been criticized for saying anything at all? Yes, quite severely in fact. Have I wrestled with the decision that I made a statement, even though I don’t feel like it added any information to what was already known? Yes, I have wrestled with that. Was it helpful in this situation? Regrettably, no. It wasn’t, and I have to acknowledge that, and I certainly do. If I had it to do over again, I probably wouldn’t say a word. I wouldn’t make a statement to anybody about anything. My intentions were good, and I wish it had helped or had some positive affect, but clearly it did not. But let me be clear, I certainly do not apologize for trying to help this family or this girl in trouble.
To cover the entire waterfront, people have also asked why I retired my license to have a private practice. I did retire my license — by the way, totally in good standing — on my 25th anniversary, because it was a Texas license. And here’s the way that works; that license is only good in Texas, and it’s good for hanging out a shingle, opening up and having a private practice where you provide services to the public for fee. I’ve done that. I don’t want to do it anymore. I’m now a California resident, which renders it moot, and furthermore, I haven’t been in private practice for over 15 years. And chapter two of that story, I don’t ever have any plans to ever do so again, so I don’t need a license. I do, however, still have 30 years of experience, a hard-earned Ph.D in clinical psychology — so you still have to call me Dr. Phil. I am certainly eligible to be licensed in California so far as education, training and experience, but I’ve chosen instead to pursue another course and use of my education.
So, let me just conclude this by saying, bottom line, I’m all about accountability and results. You hear me teach it and preach it, and I have to own my own choices. Frankly, taking my own inventory, I don’t think I helped the situation so far, and that pains me greatly because my intention has always been to be a good friend and supporter of this family. But having said that, again, I do not apologize for trying to be a friend and do something. Because I’m going to bet that you, just like me, have stood by shaking your head and said, ‘Why doesn’t somebody do something for this girl?’ I tried. I regret that it didn’t help, but I am — as y’all know — the incurable optimist, and I’m going to continue to hope for a good outcome for this family.
The rest can be read at his website.
Edited by ClaraSue (Tue Jan 22 2008 07:12 PM)
_________________________
May the tail of the elephant never have to swat the flies from your face.
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#405531 - Wed Jan 23 2008 05:06 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Multiloquent
Registered: Mon Sep 25 2006
Posts: 2276
Loc: Deception Bay QLD�Australiaï...
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Dr Phil would definitely NOT be my choice of therapist to see.
Having seen his show and some of his 'advice' to people who are suffering mental and emotional problems, I can't help but think that even if he does have a degree, he really has no idea of what people with a mental disease can be going through.
Some of his earlier comments and depictions of people with BP has done nothing but enrage people who really do suffer from this problem.
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If you see someone without a smile, give him yours.
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#405532 - Wed Jan 23 2008 11:23 AM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Prolific
Registered: Fri Aug 20 2004
Posts: 1302
Loc: Omaha Nebraska USA
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So, just to make sure I have this straight, Brittany herself is NOT pregnant at the moment, as far as the world knows. Is that correct?
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Peace,
Stu
Editor, Sports
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#405533 - Wed Jan 23 2008 01:05 PM
Re: The Spears Family Antics
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Forum Champion
Registered: Tue Apr 17 2007
Posts: 5097
Loc: Ohio USA
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Well, Stu, I don't know. I happened to catch part of TMZ the other night while surfing. I am assuming you get the show, but if not, it's all Hollywood buzz type stuff. Anyway, Britney has been glued to the hip of her latest bodyguard and they were filmed going into a drugstore and taking a great deal of time looking at Home Pregnancy Tests. They knew full well they were being filmed, so the show was assuming it had been done strictly for hype. I certainly hope so! At this juncture of her life and the mess she is in now, the last thing needed is another child. Sandy
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The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.-- Richard Bach [i]Illusions
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