Britney, For the Record

Watching the Britney Spears "comeback" special For the Record last night on MuchMusic, you felt as though Britney's handlers were trying desperately to showcase a recovered and revitalized Britney Spears to the public. But once again, typical with Spears' almost ten-year career, her handlers once again presented an image that is false and unconvincing.

Now, I like Britney. She has made good pop music in the last decade (perhaps some of the best pop music), and she appears to be a sweet, fragile person, still innocent even as she is pushing 30. But there was something desperate about For the Record, as the show worked on all cylinders to make it appear this was Spears' triumphant comeback, when it was anything but.

There is something sad about Britney, almost Marilyn Monroe-like, and not in a good way. She seems unhappy, joyless, seemingly blank in the eyes. There is no spark, no ambition, no determination, unlike Madonna, who made an appearance last night, still has even at 50. Watching Madonna and Britney, side-by-side, was an interesting experience. The difference between Madonna and Britney is that Madonna controls everything: her image, her money, her staff, everything. You can sense her control when she walked into the room where Britney and her entourage were. Nothing penetrates Madonna's powerful yet icy facade or those puffed-up cheeks; she's impenetrable. But Madonna was never a puppet like Britney is, and if ever she was a puppet, Madonna always had at least one hand on the strings pulling her; the only difference is when the string was cut, Madonna did not fall, but the person pulling the string would.

Britney certainly lacks the drive her peers Christina Aguilera and her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake have. Yet unlike Madonna, Aguilera and Timberlake, Britney does not have the same grip on her career as they do. Watching Britney rehearse videos and dance routines throughout the special, you get the sense that she had nothing to do with the concepts behind them. None of these creations are her original ideas. Someone else is creating her ideas and telling her what to do. Britney seemed bored and disinterested throughout.

As much as the special wanted us to believe this was a "comeback", I think it's too soon for a Britney comeback. In fact, I don't think there should be a comeback, because the star herself appears not even interested in coming back.