Episode 144: The 411 On Britney Spear's Conservatorship

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Ian: Hey everyone, you are listening to Coffee with Gringos. I'm Ian Kennedy.

Paige: And I'm Paige Sutherland.

Ian: And today we're going to be talking about a legal issue that is a really hot topic right now in the world, and it’s surrounding the life of the former, and I guess current very popular pop star—Britney Spears. Everybody knows her and there's something really strange going on with her right now legally because she is going through something that's called a conservatorship. And, basically, a conservatorship, it's the appointment of a guardian or a protector, usually an adult, or someone to legally take over the daily affairs for someone else due to old age or maybe physical or mental illness or for young children. And basically, they have control of their financial decisions, their life decisions. They're basically the guardians of their life. And it's really strange because these people, they have a lot of control over this person and in the case of Britney Spears, she doesn't really fall into the category per se of old age or physical or mental disabilities and so this is a strange thing surrounding the topic right now that's going on. So, today, Paige and I thought it would be interesting and important for us to talk about basically conservatorships and what is going on with Britney Spears. So, as usual, listeners, go online and check out that audio guide and transcript at www.dynamicenglish.cl. So, Paige—admittedly, I do not follow the pop world very much nowadays and so, I'm a little bit lost on what's going on with Britney Spears and this conservatorship that she's under. So, could you enlighten our listeners and myself on what's going on with that right now?

Paige: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think this case has gotten a lot of attention. I mean, Britney Spears, like you said, is a pop superstar—she's an icon, especially from our generation—but because of that, people our age are still big super fans, and they've been really actively following this, and that's why it's gotten so much attention as it has is because she has such a following of people that want to give her freedom. They want her to break away from this conservatorship that's been going on for thirteen years now which is really long. And the origin story of how it happened is, people who follow Britney Spears know, around ‘07-’08 (2007-2008), she had kind of a breakdown. You know, she was going through a tough time with her partner, she was having kids and she lost custody of her kids. I think she had a lot of stress at work and she was out the paparazzi. For listeners who don't know, are people who are paid to take photos of celebrities, more importantly, embarrassing photos, incriminating photos. And so, she was so popular, especially in that time, they were following her everywhere and capturing her every bad moment. So, she was seen drunk, she was seen partying and not looking well, she shaved her head, she was driving with her kids that weren't wearing seatbelts. I think one time she attacked a paparazzi who was following her everywhere and so, she basically was just portrayed by the paparazzi, the media, as having a breakdown. She was not doing well, they ended up admitting her to a psych ward, and then that's when the conservatorship started. It was her family, her dad actually, took over her fortune which for people who don't know, it's $50 million. She's worth a ton of money but it's not just the money that he was granted legal right over, deciding what happened to it. It’s basically her life, whether she can leave and do certain things, whether she can go see a doctor and what she can do at the doctor. It really takes over a lot of decisions that she would normally be able to make as an eighteen-year-old—as an adult—but under this conservatorship, she can't. And so, she had this break, but the fact that it's still going on, that's the big question that everyone's talking about right now.

Ian: Yeah, I was going to say that's wild that it's thirteen years later and she, I mean, again, I'm a little out of the loop, but it seems like she's been doing better and who's not going to react in a bad way or kind of a challenging way whenever you have people following you constantly taking pictures of you? I mean, I would hate that. I think people just should have left her alone. People need to leave her alone and so, it's crazy to think that these thirteen years still going on, and so it sounds like she has to have her father's decision or permission for what sitting or kids going to visit people. I mean it seems like she's almost like a slave almost to her father as well.

Paige: Hey, Ian. Did you know besides the podcast, Dynamic English offers one-on-one classes with native teachers from all over the world?

Ian: Really? But isn't it just a bunch of grammar lessons?

Paige: No, it's completely discussion-based and focuses on topics the student is interested in.

Ian: That's amazing. But what if I'm not living in Chile?

Paige: No problem. Dynamic does online classes. You can be living anywhere.

Ian: Great, but I'm a little intimidated to take the class alone. Can I join with a friend?

Paige: Of course. Dynamic offers group classes of up to four. Plus, for the next month, Coffee with Gringos listeners get 10% off individual or group classes. So go online to www.dynamicenglish.cl and mention that you are a listener and get your discount.

Ian: Well, I'm sold. Sign me up.

Ian: Okay, so that happened back then. We're here thirteen years later, what's going on in the courts now with this case?

Paige: I think what's really interesting about this case is that it's not like in 2008 when she lost the legal right to her finances and like we said, a lot of health-life decisions that she was in a psych ward and never left. No, she's still working, producing music, she has very prolific shows in Vegas that she does really well and sells out. She's still working, so that's kind of why everyone's like, why does she have this conservatorship which shows that she's not physically, mentally, emotionally capable of making decisions for herself, but yet she can put on a great show in Las Vegas? Doesn't quite make sense so it started with these followers, super fans, really shouting from the rooftops like hey, Britney is not free. Her dad is holding her hostage, holding her money hostage, her life decisions, and she can't really do anything about it under this legal conservatorship. And so, there was this whole campaign online called #FreeBritney, there was a documentary that The New York Times did which really showed how this all started and why it doesn't really make sense that it still exists. And so, while everyone is particularly talking about it in this past month, it’s because there was a hearing and Britney Spears spoke at it, and she basically said, “I don't want this anymore. I don't feel free. This is like torture to me. I can't make decisions like even riding in a car with my boyfriend. I can't have a kid with my boyfriend because they won't let me get off birth control.” That doesn't seem right and she's clearly speaking her mind to the judge that she doesn't want this, and a conservatorship is supposed to be in the best interest of you and if you're saying, “I don't want it and this is bad for me”, it's kind of like why is this still on the books? Why can't she have her freedom? It’s her life. She can do whatever she wants with it.

Ian: Totally and that's so strange because, like you say, well it would make sense to have a conservatorship if someone was physically or mentally very ill. Even just making these little decisions, it's crazy she can't even get off birth control or have a child if she wants on her own. So, I have to ask, what's her father's response to all of this?

Paige: So, he's the one controlling it all. I mean, he hasn't been that open. Obviously, in the documentary, he was not quoted. He’s not been speaking much about it. I mean, he has a very straightforward answer of, “You don't know all the details. This is in the best interest of my daughter.” What you would expect for someone who's pushing for this and I mean maybe we don't all know all the details but I mean we got a lot of information from the recent hearing that she doesn't want it and it's her life so I think that should be all that matters. If she passes a psych evaluation and it's in the best interest of her and that's what she wants, then it should be easy to dissolve it, but it's kind of strange that it isn't. And another thing that's interesting is, under this conservatorship, because it's her money being given over to that legal representation, she can't find her own lawyer. So, it's like a lawyer appointed by the conservatorship so it's kind of like the person you're fighting against is fighting for you. So, I think that's hard to win a legal battle. It seems like the attorney is probably on her dad's side that's supposed to be on her side.

Ian: Yeah, exactly. That seems a little bit of a trap, and to be honest, there's something fishy, as well if the father wants to say, “I'm doing this for her best interests.” Well, do you think if she's not physically or mentally fit to take care of herself, do you think it's the best thing to have her performing in front of millions of people and going on tour and making all of this money that again he is benefiting from? You can usually lead these things on the green trail—you can lead it to the money—and so, for me, I think that's a little bit fishy as well. You think if he was genuinely only concerned about her well-being then she's got enough money. She doesn't need to be going out there and performing if it's something that's not good for her. So that just makes me think she deserves to have this freedom or if she, like you said, if she passes all of the criteria, she needs then I think she deserves it. So, I think it'll be interesting to see what's going to happen next. So how are people reacting on social media, in the news? I mean, what have you heard or seen since this started?

Paige: Yeah, I mean I think she has quite a vocal, active following. During this hearing, she phoned in virtually but there were protesters outside the courtroom with signs of “Free Britney” saying, this is wrong. A lot of celebrities have made statements saying that they really support her and they don't think this is fair and so I think given the attention that it's had, I think I would be surprised if this doesn't get dissolved because it doesn't make sense and I don't know the law that well that it's written to help the person. And it seems like if she's saying it’s not, I don't get how legally they could still keep doing it, especially of all this attention from celebrities and the media is on it and there's this whole campaign that really has really grown. So, I would be shocked if this doesn't go away but, I mean the fact that it's gone on for thirteen years, doesn't really make sense.

Ian: Yeah, it's strange. It's a really strange case so it'll be weird to see what happens. So, what does happen next? Where does it go from here?

Paige: Yeah, so the hearing was a couple of weeks ago, and about a week after, the judge actually made a ruling which is pretty quick as courts go in the US. Everything’s usually pretty slow and they denied one of her requests to take off her father from the conservatorship, specifically in the financial aspect, which is a little surprising because in her long speech to the judge, Brittany, was saying that her dad was kind of bullying her and really didn't like that he was controlling her finances. And so, I'd be curious to see those court documents on what grounds the denial was but it seems like this is a very moving case and they have a hearing coming up on the fourteenth so I think there's still hope that Britney can terminate the conservatorship overall. So, I think we'll just kind of have to wait and see what happens with that.

Ian: So, it sounds like she's really had enough of all this. Free Britney. Hopefully, she gets out. Hopefully, she gets away from all this but we'll just have to follow along and see what happens. So, listeners, these are the details that we have right now about this very odd conservatorship case we have with Britney Spears but make sure to follow along and see what happens and hopefully, she’ll get out of this on the good side. So, as always, if you get lost, go online and check out that audio guide and transcript at www.dynamicenglish.cl. As always, Thanks for listening.

Paige: We'll see you next time.

Ian: “Coffee with Gringos” officially has over one hundred episodes and we are among the “Top Podcasts in Chile”. And that’s thanks to you. But we are always working to grow our audience so make sure to rate sure to rate, review and share us. 

Key Vocabulary, Phrases & Slang:

 1.     per se (adjective): by or in itself.

a.     It is not these facts per se that are important.

2.     to enlighten (verb): to give someone greater knowledge about something

a.      Could you please enlighten us on the subject since you are an expert?

3.     breakdown (noun): when someone is suffering from anxiety, depression or stress.

a.     She experienced a mental breakdown thirteen years ago.

4.     custody (noun): the protective care or guardianship of something.

a.      Her father has complete custody of her and her life decisions.

5.     incriminating (adjective): making someone appear guilty of a crime.

a.      They were taking very personal and incriminating photos of her.

6.     to portray (verb): to describe or show something or someone in a particular way.

a.      They portrayed her as a crazy, out-of-control person.

7.     psych ward (noun): psychiatric hospital specializing in treating serious mental disorders.

a.     She was admitted into a psych ward after she had her mental breakdown.

8.     out of the loop (idiom): to be ignorant or unaware of a situation or thing.

a.     My grandpa is so out of the loop with pop culture that he doesn’t even know who Britney Speaks is.

9.     prolific (adjective): producing many works of art.

a.     She has had a prolific music career and continues to perform today.

10.  shout from the rooftops (idiom): to share news or information publicly to as many people as possible.

a.     Her fans have been shouting from the rooftops about her court case.

11.  hostage (noun): a person held against their will for the goal of getting money.

a.     a. The criminals held four hostages and demanded to be paid five million dollars.

12.  hearing (noun): the legal act of listening to evidence in a court of law with a judge.

a.     She will have another hearing in three weeks to determine the result.

13.  on the books (idiom): officially on record as a law.

a.     She no longer wants her conservatorship on the books and wants to be independent.

14.  to dissolve (verb): disappear.

a.     If she can prove her mental stability, perhaps she can dissolve the conservatorship.

15.  fishy (adjective): suspicious.

a.     There’s something very fishy about this case.

16.  criteria (noun): principle or standard by which something can be judged or decided.

a.     The criteria for her mental stability will be determined by the judge.

17.  ruling (noun): decision given regarding a legal case by a judge.

a.     The judge’s ruling was that he denied her from moving forward with the request.