Britney Spears seems to be thriving under her father’s conservatorship, with a blockbuster comeback tour and a renewed relationship with her sons. But a voicemail making the rounds online purports to prove the pop icon wants free from the control of dad Jamie Spears.
In the clip, alleged to be a January call to a lawyer from the “Circus” singer, a woman is heard to say, “Hi, my name’s Britney Spears. I called you earlier. I’m calling again because I just wanted to make sure that during the process of the eliminating the conservatorship that my father has threatened me several times, that you know, he’ll take my children away. I just want to be guaranteed that … things will stay the same as far as my custodial time.”
And at least some listeners say this is no fake. “It’s the real deal,” an insider declares to OK! magazine. “This is what convinced Jamie to go back to court to have the restraining orders reinstated against Sam Lutfi and Adnan Ghalib.”
We hate to think that Britney was really happier when her life consisted of driving around to various Starbucks and stripping down in nightclubs. Is her ivory tower actually that lonely?
Lost Count
Just two weeks after they celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary, “Real Housewives of NYC” star Countess Luann de Lesseps has reportedly been dumped by her hubby, Count de Lesseps, for another woman.
“She got wind he was seeing somebody and he didn’t answer her when she called,” a good friend of the reality star tells Page Six.
“He finally sent her an e-mail saying he was with an Ethiopian woman in Geneva and he was serious with her.”
“Luann was blindsided,” the pal adds. “They have basically lived apart for many years — he lives in Europe and comes and goes as he pleases, but she never thought this would happen.”
This could really be embarrassing, as the non-royal-blooded Luann is coming out with an etiquette tome snootily called “Class With the Countess.” On second thought, maybe this could be the best possible free publicity for her book.
Adoption Affirmation
It’s usually not news when someone states the obvious — except when that someone is Madonna’s notoriously denial-happy publicist, Liz Rosenberg (remember how long she insisted Madge’s marriage to Guy Ritchie was just ducky?). The PR powerhouse has finally confirmed in a statement that the pop icon’s trip to Malawi is for the purpose of adopting a child. Like, duh.
“Madonna is committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with [adopted son] David [Banda]’s Malawian roots,” says the statement of the singer’s efforts to add 4-year-old girl Chifundo “Mercy” James to her family.
The case was adjourned until Friday, when a judge will determine whether to grant a temporary custody order. Meanwhile, charity groups are crying foul about Madonna’s efforts to take a child out of her homeland, and Mercy’s relatives are also incensed: An uncle called her a “bully” for using her fame and financial clout to push through the adoption system. Stay tuned …
Romantic Sparks?
Now that she’s headed out on tour with the Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks says she fully expects the rumor mill to link her to one of them romantically — and she’s fine with that.
“That is so funny, because I have had so many people tell me that, and I am like, ‘Oh great, here we go,’” the former “American Idol” winner giggled to E!
So which one of the pubescent heartthrobs does she imagine herself being linked with?
“I don’t know,” Jordin muses. “I think it would be scandalous on either side, because I think Kevin and Joe are taken at the moment and Nick is a lot younger than me.”
Uh, Jordin? You wear a purity ring, and so do all three of the Jonas Brothers. We can’t imagine anything less interesting, let alone “scandalous,” than a rumor about you dating one.
Kitty Raymond is an entertainment writer and astrologer. She welcomes feedback at [email protected].
