Tuesday, Apr. 21, 2009

The Curious Incident of the Umbrella

Not long ago, Britney Spears was tabloid gold. From her much-maligned parenting style to her aversion to underwear, Britney careened from one ugly incident to the next. Then came the umbrella.

In between rehab stints in 2007, the bald-headed pop star blew up at a paparazzo tasked with chronicling her increasingly bizarre exploits. Brandishing an umbrella, Spears — after issuing a desperate plea for privacy — attacked the photographer's car. On the plus side, the incident finally triggered a wave of concern for Brit's privacy. "People have got to have a conscience and back off," Access Hollywood host Billy Bush told TIME. "If she has the courage to go away, we should have the courage to let her." On the minus-side...she attacked a car with a rain accessory.