Everyone in the pop music world laughed out loud in unison yesterday when we heard the brilliant quote from Britney Spears: "I'll sit there and I'll look back and I'm like, 'I'm a smart person. What the hell was I thinking?'"
The name Britney Spears has never been synonymous with "smart."
There is no need for me to make any derogatory comments here, but the former child star has been criticized for her lip syncing, salacious choreography, billowing out of a bikini, and forgetting the lyrics to her song. And those references just apply to her 2007 opening VMA performance.
The media, tabloids and gossip blogs in particular, have not been her friends.
There was only one thing Britney Jean Spears could do to turn things around and she's done it.
Weeks ago Britney released a hot new single, "Womanizer," and debuted the video last night on 20/20. In three weeks, the song has reached No. 21 on the top 40 radio charts. The release of the video is going to accelerate the song's movement up the ranks.
In the clip, Brit is so proud to boast her new svelte frame that she spends part of the video sans clothes. Janet, Mariah and Rihanna have also gone au natural in music videos, but Brit pushes it further in scenes where she miraculously keeps her privates covered.
The "Womanizer" video marks the first time since her troubles with marriage, child custody and baby fat that I did not look at the former teen star as a train wreck.
The juxtaposition of the song title "Womanizer" and the video's storyline of a woman on a mission to seduce a man at every opportunity are contradictory, but Britney makes them work. It is actually quite entertaining to watch.
Desperate housewife Britney cooks breakfast in lingerie for her husband who reads the newspaper in the buff.
Businesswoman Britney breaks all the sexual harassment rules in the office by flirting with a co-worker who grabs her rear and chases her into the copy room where she proceeds to Xerox her behind.
Redheaded Hooters waitress Britney earns an excellent satisfactory rating for her prompt service and getting her customer's order right. But her client gets the big tip when she takes him into the kitchen for the dessert sampler tray.
Cabby Britney takes a detour into the back seat for one sensational Taxi Cab Confession her male patron will never forget.
Indeed, "Womanizer" is just as tacky as Britney's "Gimme More" stripper video that she released almost exactly one year ago. But "Womanizer" doesn't look like it was shot impromptu on a camcorder.
"Womanizer" was directed by veteran Joseph Kahn who also helmed her vids for "Stronger" and "Toxic," plus Pussycat Dolls' VMA winning "When I Grow Up."
Maybe Britney's smarter than we think. After catching flack for her personal problems over the past few years, including losing custody of her children, it could have been perceived as a bad idea for her to continue to portray a sex crazed vixen in her music videos. But having the right combination of a solid pop song, catchy subject and fun video storyline has made the concept much easier to digest. And moral cops can't complain about the nude scenes without first giving her props for getting back in shape.
This is a great comeback video and set up for her album Circus, due out on December 2, Brit's 27th's birthday.
I wouldn't say it's as solid as Mariah's "We Belong Together," The Emancipation Of Mimi comeback, but good enough. Good job Brit.