Enough already

Pictures of a disheveled and possibly drugged Britney Spears are everywhere as the news of her major meltdown is reported by a sanctimonious press. Meanwhile, her children are in the custody of their father, who drove like a maniac so as to block chasing papparazzi who wanted photos of the tots. Everything about this story stinks of schandenfreud, the taking delight in the suffering of others. At 26, Britney has been on view for half of her life. She became the family cash cow in 1993, when at age 12 she was chosen to appear in the New Mickey Mouse Club. By age 17, she was an international sensation.

Although there are labor laws to protect child performers, nothing is done to protect them from the pitfalls of being in a competitive business. Yes, there is competition in real life, but your family won't be forced into bankruptcy if Johnny fails to make the football team.

The essential role of a child star is to be famous, but fame is not intrinsic. You don't have to be talented or smart or attractive to be famous. Paris Hilton is famous for being famous. Fame exists in the mind of the observer. And if you are famous, the public can also make you infamous. And what does it mean really if you are famous but lose custody of your children and the whole thing becomes a media circus? I return again to the series finale of Extras, in which Ricke Gervais explores the nature of fame and what happens when we pursue it or place it above all else.

All of Britney's current fame is based on her recent bad behavior. Her divorce, the photos of her without panties, her current melt down is why she is famous now. We, the public, are watching the systematic destruction of a human being and loving every minute of it.

It's time, past time, to turn off the cameras and let the little girl go. Maybe she can recover, maybe not, but enough already. We know more than we should and all of it is ugly.