Britney Spears' Memoir: Top 10 Shocking Reveals
Britney Spears tells all in her must-read memoir. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most shocking, heartbreaking, and gut-punching bombshells the singer dropped in her memoir “The Woman in Me.”
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00:00 "This is extra, extra, extra scary."
00:02 "You wanna piece of me?"
00:04 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most shocking,
00:09 heartbreaking, and gut-punching bombshells Britney Spears dropped in her memoir,
00:13 The Woman in Me.
00:14 "So this is a secret that she's kept for more than 20 years."
00:18 Number 10. How she found out about the #FreeBritney movement.
00:24 In 2009, the #FreeBritney movement began as fans grew concerned about
00:29 Britney Spears' conservatorship.
00:31 "Many credit a podcast for shining a light on Britney's conservatorship
00:35 and how she was being controlled. The podcast was created by two
00:39 comedians that analyzed her Instagram account."
00:42 Over time, it gained widespread support, with fans using the hashtag to express
00:46 worries about her legal situation. In her memoir, Britney writes that she first
00:50 became aware of the movement while in a rehabilitation facility, which she claims
00:55 her father forced her into. During her stay, a nurse showed her videos of
00:59 passionate fans rallying behind her.
01:01 "Showed her some images of women in #FreeBritney t-shirts and showing signs
01:06 of support. And that meant a lot to Britney. I think it really helped her know that when
01:10 she was feeling so alone, she actually wasn't that alone."
01:13 Britney reflected, quote,
01:14 "I don't think people knew how much the #FreeBritney movement meant to me,
01:18 especially in the beginning."
01:20 In 2021, after the conservatorship ended, Britney expressed gratitude to the fans
01:25 who had given her a voice when hers had been silenced.
01:27 "Spears herself has thanked the #FreeBritney movement, saying, 'Because of you guys and
01:32 your constant resilience in freeing me from my conservatorship, my life is now in that direction.'"
01:38 Number 9. Dancing with That Python
01:41 Britney's 2001 VMAs performance was iconic. But behind the scenes, it was a different story.
01:47 "Oh baby, don't you wanna dance up on me?"
01:54 Britney previously shared her fear of snakes and the terror of having to perform with one.
01:58 She revealed that while she was making pop culture history, the reptile was hissing and
02:02 flicking its tongue near her face, making her fearful it might attack.
02:06 So instead, she kept her head down and focused on performing.
02:15 Her 2007 VMA performance took a different turn. She writes that a lot was going wrong
02:20 behind the scenes, and to add to the chaos, she unexpectedly met her ex, Justin Timberlake,
02:25 who was doing great. Despite everything, Britney says she gave her best to the performance.
02:30 Unfortunately, it was brutally panned.
02:32 Number 8. Her acting career
02:40 In 2002, Britney played Lucy Wagner in Crossroads, a film that followed childhood friends embarking
02:46 on a journey of self-discovery. She shared that she immersed herself in method acting,
02:51 blurring the lines between reality and fiction.
02:53 This intense approach left her uncertain about further pursuing acting,
03:03 and she even turned down a role in the 2002 Oscar-award-winning musical Chicago.
03:14 Interestingly, Britney nearly reunited with her Mickey Mouse Club co-star Ryan Gosling
03:19 after auditioning for The Notebook. According to casting director Matthew Barry,
03:23 it was between her and Rachel McAdams. While she says she's relieved she didn't play the role,
03:29 we can't help but wonder what it might have been like if she had.
03:32 Number 7. Her relationship with Jamie Lynn
03:39 Britney's strained relationship with her younger sister has made headlines,
03:43 especially due to their very public clashes on social media.
03:46 "Accusing Jamie Lynn of exploiting Britney for monetary gain,
03:49 and warning that publicly airing false or fantastical grievances is wrong,
03:54 especially when designed to sell books."
03:56 Following the end of her conservatorship, Britney openly discussed the mistreatment
04:00 she experienced from her family, including Jamie Lynn. In her book, she expressed feeling
04:05 overshadowed by parents favoring Jamie Lynn despite her unkindness towards them. Despite this,
04:10 Britney remained protective over her little sister. She also shared feeling betrayed when
04:14 she sought help from her during her conservatorship. Jamie Lynn seemed to side with their father,
04:19 telling her, quote, "There's nothing you can do about it, so stop fighting it."
04:23 "Set up was infringing on Britney's rights."
04:25 "You have to understand, since I was 17, this is the,
04:29 she's been in the conservatorship for 13 years, I've never known anything different as an adult."
04:32 Despite the hurt, Britney says she's, quote, "working to feel more compassion for her sister."
04:37 "No matter what, I'm always gonna look at her as like my big sister."
04:40 Number 6. Media Scrutiny. Many of us remember how badly the media treated young stars like
04:46 Britney Spears. "You seem to get furious when a talk show host comes up with this subject."
04:51 Well now, she's revealed the intensity of being at the center of the media storm,
04:56 and being confused by the constant scrutiny.
04:58 "Because of the example for kids, and how hard it is to be a parent and keep all of
05:02 this away from your kids." "Well that's really sad that she said that."
05:07 She recalls one MTV interview after the 2000 VMAs, where they made her watch footage of
05:13 strangers responding to her performance, hoping to capture some big reaction. She also hasn't held
05:18 back, calling out the media's response to her memoir and its role in her decision to leave
05:23 the industry. "They like to pick, have the person they pick on. I feel like I'm a target."
05:27 Now, as Britney explains, she takes charge of her narrative on social media, sharing moments
05:32 that bring her joy and confidence, empowering herself in her own unique way.
05:37 Number 5. Mental Health Struggles. Britney was often misjudged and placed under a harsh
05:43 spotlight due to a lack of understanding about mental health. "Nobody was talking about mental
05:47 health when Britney Spears was going through all of that stuff in public. The conversation was
05:53 about what was wrong with her. There was too much money to be made off her suffering." She says her
05:58 struggles grew worse when she became a new mom and battled postpartum depression, all while the
06:03 public closely watched her every move. Britney candidly shared her experiences with perinatal
06:08 depression, urging new mothers identifying with her symptoms to seek help early. "Imagine going
06:13 through that in addition to the microscope that she was under, and that can be a powerful message
06:19 to anyone suffering that they can get help and get through it too." She also insists she wasn't the
06:24 wild party animal she was painted to be or had a substance use disorder. "She also says that her
06:29 portrayal as a party girl was overblown. It was never as wild as the press made it out to be."
06:34 She does, however, share that she used medication to provide temporary relief from depression.
06:39 Britney admitted that many of her highly publicized moments resulted from mental
06:43 health struggles and stressful life events, but more on that soon.
06:47 4. The End of Her Relationship with Justin Timberlake
06:51 Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were the ultimate teen pop power couple until their
06:55 breakup in 2002. In her book, Britney shares the heart-wrenching moment when Justin ended
07:00 their relationship with a blunt text that read, "It's over." "She says he initiated over text,
07:05 saying that she was devastated, yet portrayed by the media as a harlot who'd broken the heart of
07:11 America's golden boy." She also admitted to kissing choreographer Wade Robson while dating
07:15 Timberlake, but insisted it was her only indiscretion and they'd moved past it. She also
07:20 claims that Justin was unfaithful, too, but only she was vilified, not helped by his "Cry Me a
07:26 River" video featuring a Britney look-alike. She also discusses her distressing 2003 interview
07:31 with Diane Sawyer, revealing how she felt manipulated and humiliated, and how it brought
07:35 her to her, quote, "breaking point." "You broke his heart. You did something
07:41 that caused him so much pain, so much suffering. What did you do?"
07:48 Number three, why she shaved her head.
07:51 In 2007, Britney Spears made headlines when she famously shaved off all her hair.
07:59 In her book, she opens up about why she took such a drastic step.
08:03 "She said, 'I don't want anyone touching me. I'm tired of everybody touching me.'"
08:08 During this challenging period, Britney was juggling motherhood and a difficult divorce,
08:13 all while the relentless media watched her. In her memoir, she reveals that shaving her hair
08:18 was an act of rebellion against the overwhelming pressure and harsh judgment she faced from the
08:22 media and the public, who had been scrutinizing her since her teenage years.
08:26 "I'd been eyeballed so much growing up. I'd been looked up and down, had people telling me what
08:31 they thought of my body since I was a teenager. Shaving my head and acting out were my ways of
08:36 pushing back." She also reveals that when her conservatorship started, she was forced to grow
08:41 her hair back, adhere to specific body standards, and do exactly as she was told.
08:46 Number two, getting an abortion. In perhaps one of the biggest bombshells in her memoir,
08:52 Britney shared that she discovered she was pregnant while dating Justin Timberlake.
08:55 "So this is a secret that she's kept for more than 20 years. She knew becoming a mother was
09:01 something she had always dreamed of." While it was unexpected, she wasn't upset by the news,
09:06 since she loved Justin and hoped they would start a family one day. Justin, on the other hand,
09:10 insisted that he wasn't ready for fatherhood, so they decided to terminate the pregnancy,
09:14 although Britney admits that she might not have chosen this path if the decision had been solely
09:18 hers. Spheres recalled the painful experience, with Justin trying to console her by playing
09:24 the guitar as she lay in agony on the bathroom floor. "He was allegedly at Britney's side,
09:28 strumming his guitar, trying to comfort her as she cried on her bathroom floor."
09:33 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:37 She started drinking in eighth grade. She revealed that her mom took her drinking, saying,
09:42 quote, "We called our cocktails 'Toddies.'"
09:44 Her marriage to Jason Alexander. She said she was bored and, quote,
09:53 "very drunk" when she married her former friend. Her family wasn't happy.
09:57 "Britney and Jason, who were childhood friends, infamously got married in Las Vegas back in 2004,
10:03 but the union was short-lived, only lasting 55 hours."
10:07 Her fling with Colin Farrell. Spheres called it, quote, "a two-week brawl," adding, quote,
10:13 "We were all over each other, grappling so passionately."
10:16 She wasn't happy about ex Tina and her ex teaming up for that 2003 Rolling Stone cover.
10:26 Spheres said that, regardless of their intentions,
10:28 it felt like they were, quote, "pouring salt in the wound."
10:31 She, quote, "absolutely hated" her X Factor gig. She said she wasn't a fan of having to,
10:46 quote, "act skeptical for eight hours straight while judging people on TV."
10:50 "I wanna know who let you on stage."
10:53 "Um, I feel uncomfortable with you even staring at me."
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11:16 Number 1. The Conservatorship
11:19 In a heart-wrenching revelation, Britney shares why she initially agreed to the conservatorship,
11:24 her love for her children. After temporarily losing custody,
11:28 she hoped complying would help her reunite with them.
11:31 "There's some speculation that Britney may have basically accepted the conservatorship
11:35 because she was worried about seeing her kids. And a few weeks later,
11:39 she starts to get some visitation rights restored."
11:41 But it came at a huge personal cost. She says her spark faded while the Britney Spears image
11:46 thrived, a pain she squarely places on her father. She even tried discussing it on a talk show,
11:51 but says that part was edited out. Britney confessed that she felt like the conservatorship
11:56 stripped away parts of her identity, making her feel like, quote, "a sort of child robot."
12:01 "Spears describes a life of controlled manipulation. Too sick to choose my own
12:05 boyfriend and yet somehow healthy enough to appear on sitcoms and morning shows
12:10 and to perform for thousands of people."
12:12 She was on vacation when the happy news came. After 13 years, it was finally over,
12:17 granting her the freedom she longed for.
12:19 "If you had one word to describe how Britney's feeling today, what do you think it is?"
12:22 "Happy."
12:23 Which reveal surprised you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments.
12:27 I'm just trying to find the woman in me
12:32 that I'm looking for.
12:42 [Music]