Search

Placeholder Content Image

Footloose star dies aged 78

<p><em>Footloose</em> star Lynne Marta has died aged 78. </p> <p>The actress' friend, Chris Saint-Hilaire, confirmed the sad news to <em>The Hollywood Reporter </em>this week, and revealed that the New Jersey native died in her LA home following a battle with cancer. </p> <p>Another friend, Joan Sobel also confirmed the devastating news with a tribute on Facebook. </p> <p>"We lost a beautiful light today," she wrote in the heartfelt post. </p> <p>"My friend, Lynne Marta lost her good fight. A wonderfully talented actress and a beautiful singer whose voice was of the angels.</p> <p> "A dear heart who adored her friends both human and furry. I will miss her terribly," she added with a picture of the actress. </p> <p>Marta played Lulu Warnicker alongside Kevin Bacon in the hit 80s film <em>Footloose</em>. </p> <p>She was also known for her roles in <em>Starsky and Hutch</em> and <em>Joe Kidd</em>.</p> <p>Her last few onscreen appearances were in the early 2000s and included a few episodes of <em>ER</em> and <em>Crossing Jordan, </em>and the movie <em>Time of Fear</em> in 2002 and a 2004 episode of <em>American Dreams</em>.</p> <p>Marta's death comes just weeks after her ex-partner and <em>Starsky &amp; Hutch</em> actor David Soul died, on January 4 at the age of 80. </p> <p>The actress is survived by her sister MJ according to <em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">The Hollywood Reporter.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Johnny Ruffo farewelled in emotional memorial

<p>Johnny Ruffo's friends, family and co-stars have gathered at Balcatta Senior High School in Perth on Saturday to bid farewell to the former <em>Home and Away </em>star at his memorial service. </p> <p>Ruffo tragically <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/beautiful-soul-johnny-ruffo-passes-away-at-35" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost his battle with brain cancer</a> on November 10 at the age of 35. </p> <p><em>Home and Away</em> co-star Lynne McGranger, Guy Sebastian, and former Seven journalist, Mark Gibson were among the attendees at the service. </p> <p>McGranger, who delivered the eulogy, recalled Ruffo’s sense of fun and humility. She also shared an emotional tribute on Instagram after the memorial. </p> <p>“Said ‘goodbye for now’ to this magnificent human today,” she recounted. </p> <p>“So many emotions, so much love, so blessed to be included in his huge and crazy family. So many people came to say goodbye, so many more couldn’t get here.</p> <p>“We cried and laughed and danced and sang and ate and drank and hugged and cried and …. - exactly how he would have wanted it.</p> <p>“Fly high my friend, I hope you know how much you’re loved," she ended her post. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0EgWRxp8pb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0EgWRxp8pb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lynne McGranger (@lynnemcgranger)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The actress was a really close friend of Ruffo's and received messages of support from fans and co-star Ada Nicodemou who commented: “What a tough day Lynne, I know how hard it would’ve been.”</p> <p>“You were such a wonderful friend to Johnny and he loved you very much.</p> <p>"He will always be in our hearts, he touched everyone he came in contact with, just a beautiful human. Rest in peace our people friend.”</p> <p>Ruffo's girlfriend, Tahnee Sims was also in attendance, and shared that his humour stayed with him to the very end, and and that his “big cheeky grin had brightened even the darkest of days," reported <em>Perth Now</em>. </p> <p>Sims, who loved and supported Ruffo through two brain cancer diagnoses, couldn't hold back her tears as she shared that the couple were determined to pack as much joy, love and laughter into every day. </p> <p>“I know that not everyone gets to experience that kind of love, which is why I will be forever grateful,”  she said. </p> <p>“John liked to say I was his guardian angel. But I think soulmates is more accurate. Everything I gave, he gave back tenfold. And more often than not he was my source of strength and courage.</p> <p>“For six and a half years I watched him go through a hideous cancer diagnosis, dealing with setback after setback and still act with courage and gratitude right to the very end.</p> <p>“I will miss every single thing about John ... Mostly I will miss the way he always managed to make me laugh, no matter the occasion or how inappropriate the joke ... until we meet again John, I love you.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears’ memoir is a reminder of the stigma and potential damage of child stardom

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-oconnor-1483447">Jane O’Connor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/birmingham-city-university-920">Birmingham City University</a></em></p> <p>Britney Spears’ new memoir, The Woman in Me, illustrates once again the potential lifelong damage that can be caused by being a child star. Like many before her, including <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Judy-Garland">Judy Garland</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Jackson">Michael Jackson</a>, Spears was ushered into the dangerous terrain of childhood fame by the adults who were supposed to be protecting her, and was utterly unprepared to deal with the fallout.</p> <p>Spears’ <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53494405">father’s conservatorship</a>, controlling every aspect of her personal and professional life, was finally rescinded in 2021. She is now able to share the details of her extraordinary years in the limelight and beyond.</p> <p>From a sociological perspective, childhood is considered socially constructed. This means that there are specific ways of raising children which are socially and culturally defined. We discard these conventions surrounding the early years of life at our peril.</p> <p>The boundaries and rules around what is and is not acceptable during childhood, and the normal activities and institutions that shape the experience of being a child have developed over the centuries for a reason – to try and keep children safe from the harsh realities of the adult world.</p> <p>Being sexualised and valued for your appearance, being paid to work, having to deal with criticism and unwanted attention from strangers – these are all difficult aspects of growing up. Children and teens need careful support and guidance if they are to navigate safely into their adult lives and identities.</p> <p>The experience of childhood fame throws aside this social safety net for children in every possible way, and the consequences can be disastrous.</p> <h2>The price of child fame</h2> <p>From the earliest child stars of Hollywood’s golden age, through the television sitcoms and shows of the mid-20th century, the rise of the pop and film industries in the following decades and the burst in popularity of reality TV and talent shows of the early 21st century, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17482798.2011.584378">children have always featured</a>. Many have paid a heavy price for their often short period of fame.</p> <p>Sad stories of <a href="https://www.or-nc.com/why-do-child-stars-become-addicted-to-drugs/">drug and alcohol addiction</a>, <a href="https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/11/02/uncle-fester-star-jackie-coogans-tragic-life-child-fortune-to-horror-crash">family disputes</a>, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/child-actors-who-became-criminals/nathan-gibso">criminal activity</a> and <a href="https://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz/us-showbiz/former-nickelodeon-star-drake-bells-29769568">toxic relationships</a> are frequently reported by the media. These reinforce the stereotypical “child star gone bad” and “too much too young” narratives that the wider public has come to expect.</p> <p>For example, stories abound of <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/11/macaulay-culkin-reveals-never-divorced-parents-emancipated-12222457/">Macaulay Culkin “divorcing” his controlling parents</a> and his difficulties transitioning into adult life, <a href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/why-it-was-not-a-wonderful-life-for-macaulay-culkin-after-he-found-fame-in-the-hit-christmas-film-home-alone/37620091.html">feeling trapped</a> in the image of boyhood innocence of his most famous character, Kevin in the Home Alone movies.</p> <p><a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kSJ8XjTw10kC&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">In her autobiography</a> actor Drew Barrymore has written about her casual acceptance at Hollywood parties and consumption of alcohol at a very young age, following her role in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/">E.T.</a> (1982) aged five.</p> <p>There is also the tragic life and death of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/may/29/gary-coleman-obituary">Gary Coleman</a>, cute kid star of the American sitcom <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077003/">Diff'rent Strokes</a> (1978-1986).</p> <p>Coleman, who died at 42 following a history of <a href="https://nypost.com/2010/05/29/troubled-80s-child-star-gary-colemans-life-is-cut-short-at-42/#:%7E:text=In%202005%2C%20Coleman%20moved%20to,and%20%22wanted%20to%20die.%22">substance abuse</a> and <a href="https://www.salon.com/2010/05/28/gary_coleman_dies/">depression</a>, reported being <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/may/29/gary-coleman-obituary">deeply humiliated</a> by people asking: “Didn’t you used to be …?” when he was working as a security guard at a supermarket as an adult.</p> <h2>Other possibilities</h2> <p>It’s important to note, however, that a difficult trajectory is not the experience of all child stars and former child stars. The actors from the Harry Potter films, for example, seem <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/oct/22/the-not-so-cursed-child-did-harry-potter-mark-the-end-of-troubled-young-actors">largely to have transitioned well</a> into adult lives and careers – some in the spotlight, others not.</p> <p>And the new generation of famous children and teens such as <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/stranger-things-millie-bobby-brown">Millie Bobby Brown</a>, star of the Netflix show <a href="https://theconversation.com/stranger-things-is-the-upside-down-to-disneys-cute-and-cuddly-universe-83417">Stranger Things</a> (2016-present), seem more prepared for fame than their predecessors, in control of their images and identities via their own social media platforms and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-44045291">potentially protected to some extent</a> from extreme sexualisation by the MeToo movement.</p> <p>Even so, Brown <a href="https://www.popbuzz.com/tv-film/news/millie-bobby-brown-birthday-instagram-post/">commented on her 16th birthday</a> that: “There are moments I get frustrated from the inaccuracy, inappropriate comments, sexualization, and unnecessary insults.”</p> <p>For Spears though, these were more than moments. She details in her memoir how the constant public scrutiny of her body and physical appearance, being valued for her sexuality and treated as a commodity have characterised her entire life.</p> <p>It is no wonder <a href="https://people.com/britney-spears-reveals-why-shaved-off-hair-in-2007-exclusive-8362494">she shaved her head</a> in 2007, a move interpreted by the media as her having “gone mad”, but in fact a powerful indication of her anger at being perceived as nothing more than a dancing sex-doll. As she writes in her memoir: "I knew a lot of guys thought long hair was hot. Shaving my head was a way of saying to the world: fuck you. You want me to be pretty for you? Fuck you. You want me to be good for you? Fuck you. You want me to be your dream girl? Fuck you."</p> <p>The sociologist Erving Goffman wrote about the stigma of having a “<a href="https://www.howcommunicationworks.com/blog/2020/12/16/what-is-stigma-explaining-goffmans-idea-of-spoiled-identity">spoiled identity</a>” whereby people carry with them the public shame of transgression or physical difference.</p> <p>Being a former child star can be stigmatising for many reasons, including being constantly compared to an ideal younger version of yourself and not having had a “normal” childhood or conventional family relationships.</p> <p>In this memoir, Britney attempts to face down that stigma and reclaim her identity and person-hood as an adult. In doing so, she demonstrates that it can be possible to leave the dangerous terrain of early fame behind – but the journey is a tough one.<!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-oconnor-1483447">Jane O’Connor</a>, Reader in Childhood Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/birmingham-city-university-920">Birmingham City University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram, </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/britney-spears-memoir-is-a-reminder-of-the-stigma-and-potential-damage-of-child-stardom-216545">original article</a>.</em></p>

Music

Placeholder Content Image

Home and Away star shares shocking injury

<p>Beloved <em>Home and Away</em> star Lynne McGranger has documented a shocking injury she sustained while she was walking her daughter's dog. </p> <p>The 70-year-old shared that she "face planted the road" after taking a tumble and not looking where she was going. </p> <p>She shared a before and after photo of the accident, sharing how quickly her morning had changed.</p> <p>“One minute walking your daughter and son-in-law’s dog with your MOG (mother of the groom). Nek minit (sic) you’ve face planted the road 😳😱😢🤦‍♀️,” she captioned the post.</p> <p>Addressing her caption she later added, “I must’ve been shaken up. I made punctuation mistakes 🤣😱🤦‍♀️”.</p> <p>The close-up of the injuries showed the actress with a bloodied lip and bruising on her chin, right cheek and nose.</p> <p>Friends and followers shared their best wishes for a speedy recovery after the painful accident. </p> <p>“Oh gosh Lynnie!!!! Sending love - I was hoping that was on-set makeup 😮 xx,” former <em>Home and Away</em> actress Sarah Roberts said.</p> <p>“Aww Lynny ❤️❤️❤️ hope you’re all good!” Johnny Ruffo’s partner Tahnee Sims wrote.</p> <p>“Damn, that looks pretty badass! Hope you’re all good though Lynne ❤️,” Home and Away’s Ethan Browne said.</p> <figure><picture>Diehard fans of the show also shared their messages of support, with one person writing, "<source srcset="https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=100&impolicy=sevennews_v2 100w,https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=150&impolicy=sevennews_v2 150w,https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=250&impolicy=sevennews_v2 250w,https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=320&impolicy=sevennews_v2 320w,https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=414&impolicy=sevennews_v2 414w,https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=500&impolicy=sevennews_v2 500w,https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=640&impolicy=sevennews_v2 640w,https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=828&impolicy=sevennews_v2 828w,https://images.7news.com.au/publication/C-11885705/0db0b6f348379d14736b4992660d3fa675b2b0fd.jpg?imwidth=1024&impolicy=sevennews_v2 1024w" media="(min-width: 0px)" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 95vw,(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1020px) 50vw,650px" data-ratio="1080:1350" />Ouch, now how to write that into the script.”</picture> <p>“Oh Lynne. I hope you are ok. That’s a mess. On the plus side, it could make a great story for Irene. Hope you heal quickly, love you lots xxx,” another agreed.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p> </figure>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Home and Away star's glam post on daughter's big day

<p><em>Home and Away a</em>ctress Lynne McGranger could not hide her joy as she celebrated her daughter's wedding over the weekend. </p> <p>The beautiful ceremony marked the union of her daughter, 32-year-old Clancy McWaters, and her fitness coach beau, Luke Dickson.</p> <p>In a few gorgeous snaps of Clancy's big day posted on Instagram, Lynne can be seen tenderly assisting her daughter into her beautiful Rue De Seine wedding dress. </p> <p>The doting mum cherished the moment shared between the two with a heartfelt caption that read: "Getting my baby girl ready for her big day." </p> <p>“Thank you @dianelewiscouture for my gorgeous MOB outfit and @donnygalella for your styling genius.”</p> <p>The <em>Home and Away </em>star looked stunning in a magenta Daniel Lewis Couture pantsuit, which she complemented with a pearl necklace and bracelet. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CweO3hxJiTT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CweO3hxJiTT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lynne McGranger (@lynnemcgranger)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>A flood of heartwarming messages poured in from Lynne's friends and fans. </p> <p>"Gorgeous Lynne. Congratulations to your beautiful family,"  <em>The Morning Show</em> host Kylie Gillies praised. </p> <p>“What a special moment and such a beautiful photo of you and Clancy. Well done Mama and congratulations Clancy and Luke,” fellow soap star Emily Symons commented. </p> <p>Co-star Ada Nicodemou who plays Leah in <em>Home and Away</em>, wrote: “What a beautiful photo and a beautiful day.”</p> <p>Ada, also attended the wedding and shared a picture of her celebrating Clancy's big day as she posed alongside Lynne. </p> <p>In a follow up post, Lynne shared a few snaps with her partner and Clancy's dad Paul McWaters, and a few other friends who they celebrated the special day with. </p> <p>"What a perfect, magical day it was. Our beautiful daughter @clancy.movement married her love, our handsome son in law @_luked," she captioned the post. </p> <p>"Surrounded our family and Luke’s family and all our close friends we witnessed the gorgeous marriage of Luke and Clancy.</p> <p>"We laughed, we ate, we drank , we danced and we partied - all in celebration of the 2 gorgeous newlyweds," she added. </p> <p>She then thanked everyone who attended the wedding, adding that "our hearts are full". </p> <p> </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwhWUqGyjwP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwhWUqGyjwP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lynne McGranger (@lynnemcgranger)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"So gorgeous! Congratulations to your beautiful daughter and of course, your lovely self Lynne! Love you so very much on Home &amp; Away, thank you for always giving me laugh!" commented one fan. </p> <p>"Congratulations. I wish them a long lifetime of good health &amp; happiness ❤️" wrote another. </p> <p>"Ah, these are beautiful, Lynne! So, so happy you all had such a lovely day x," commented a third. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

"What the hell is he doing here?" Home and Away star's first impressions of Johnny Ruffo

<p>Lynne McGranger has opened up about how her first impressions of Johnny Ruffo were "so, so wrong", before the pair formed an unlikely friendship. </p> <p>Opening up to <em>7Life</em>, the veteran <em>Home and Away</em> actress shared when she first met Ruffo, when he joined the cast of the soap in 2013 after finding fame on <em>The X Factor</em>.</p> <p>Lynne recalled watching Ruffo, who is now battling terminal brain cancer, on the singing competition and “thinking he was such a talent”.</p> <p>“I do remember him coming onto the show and, to be honest, probably rolling my eyes and thinking, bloody reality television star,” Lynne tells <a href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline"><em>7Life</em>.</a></p> <p>“I did see him on <em>X Factor</em> and I remember thinking he was gorgeous, smart, funny and a beautiful guy."</p> <p>“I thought he was such a talent, but then rolled my eyes going, well he’s not an actor so what the hell is he doing here?”</p> <p>Lynne says despite her reservations on his first on-set day, the pair had an instant connection and became the best of friends.</p> <p>“Those initial thoughts of mine were so, so wrong,” she admits.</p> <p>“It couldn’t have been further from the truth because he was a hard worker; he really, really wanted to nail it and learn about acting.”</p> <p>Looking back on Ruffo’s three years on the show, Lynne says he was “fun to be around and naughty”.</p> <p>“We just hit it off from day one, and I’m sort of like his older sister or he calls me his ‘East Coast Mama’ because his actual mama is on the west coast.”</p> <p>Despite their 35-year age gap, Lynne believes the two remain close friends mainly because their “sense of humour is the same”.</p> <p>“He is the most irreverent person you could ever, ever meet but because he’s funny and cheeky he gets away with murder,” she laughs.</p> <div> <p>“He’s just naughty and irrepressible and all those things, and I think that’s what I loved about him."</p> <p>“Johnny doesn’t take himself too seriously, you know, for a young, handsome, talented man - he must have had women falling all over him.”</p> <p>While Johnny has been battling brain cancer, Lynne has been a fierce supporter of him and has stuck by his side while he goes through treatment. </p> <p>Previously <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/she-s-been-amazing-the-friendship-helping-johnny-ruffo-through-cancer-treatment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speaking</a> to <em>TV Week</em>, Ruffo said, "She's been amazing."</p> <p>"I can't stress enough how people like her help get through tough times. She's just a wonderful person. Having people like that to say 'Oh, how are you feeling this week?' and little sweet things like that make all the difference. It's a great support network."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p> </div>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

"She's been amazing": The friendship helping Johnny Ruffo through cancer treatment

<p dir="ltr">Johnny Ruffo said he owes everything to his girlfriend Tahnee Sims for constantly being by his side as he battles through his terminal brain cancer. </p> <p dir="ltr">But behind-the-scenes is one more person that the former <em>Home and Away</em> star has to thank for her support.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lynne McGranger, who plays Irene Roberts, has also been a rock in Johnny’s life as he pushes through his chemotherapy. </p> <p dir="ltr">"She's been amazing," the former <em>X-Factor</em> star told TV Week.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She constantly checks in and asks how I'm doing. She always wants to go out for dinner.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I can't stress enough how people like her help get through tough times. She's just a wonderful person. Having people like that to say 'Oh, how are you feeling this week?' and little sweet things like that make all the difference. It's a great support network."</p> <p dir="ltr">When it comes to Tahnee, Johnny admits that he wouldn’t have been able to go through his diagnosis without her. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Having Tahnee by my side every step of the way, literally and metaphorically, she's incredible. I couldn't do it without her,” he previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She does it just as hard as I do. She's having to deal with all the doctors and what they're saying, and then she has to deal with me once we get home as well.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer is going through chemotherapy once every three weeks and said he wanted to give gave as the holiday season creeps up. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ruffo partnered with Amazon Australia to help twelve superhero children from the Starlight Children’s Foundation to become official toy testers for the festive season.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It brings such joy to me. It's a privilege to be able to know that you are helping them forget about everything that they're going through," he said in the Starlight Children's Foundation campaign.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I feel like I get as much out of it as the kids. It's quite cathartic for me to be able to bring joy to these children who are somewhat in a similar position."</p> <p dir="ltr">The 34-year-old was first diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017 after struggling with multiple headaches.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ruffo then announced in 2019 that he was in remission, but by November 2020 the cancer had returned, before confirming in 2022 that his illness is terminal.</p> <p dir="ltr">He has also recently released a memoir called No Finish Line, dedicated to his girlfriend, in which he details his experiences recording music, acting, his family and loved ones.</p> <p dir="ltr">The title, he explains, is that “it wasn’t the end”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Loretta Lynn was more than a great songwriter – she was a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women

<p>Loretta Lynn’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/arts/music/loretta-lynn-dead.html">death at the age of 90</a> marks the end of a remarkable life of achievement in country music.</p> <p>Her dramatic life story – retold in the 1980 award-winning film “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080549/">Coal Miner’s Daughter</a>,” based on <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">Lynn’s 1976 biography</a> – made Lynn a household name. She grew up in poverty in a small Kentucky mining town, marrying and starting a family as a teenager before reaching unprecedented heights of commercial success as a recording artist of modern country music.</p> <p>But as a <a href="https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/music/faculty/faculty-directory.host.html/content/shared/arts-sciences/music/new-faculty-profiles/vander-wel-stephanie.html">scholar of gender and country music</a> and author of “<a href="https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p084959">Hillbilly Maidens, Okies, and Cowgirls: Women’s Country Music, 1930-1960</a>,” I know that Lynn represented more than just star power and fame in country music – she spoke to the concerns of women, especially white working-class women in rural and suburban America.</p> <h2>Speaking up, singing out</h2> <p>Lynn’s rise in the 1960s took place when country music appeared tied to conservative politics. It was a time when Merle Haggard’s “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/california-scholarship-online/book/28551/chapter-abstract/238414028?redirectedFrom=fulltext">Okie from Muskogee</a>,” with its attacks on counterculture, marijuana and draft-card burning, became a populist anthem for the country’s cultural conservatives.</p> <p>In contrast, Lynn’s songwriting continued the legacy of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-kitty-wells-20120717-story.html">Kitty Wells</a>, <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/09/25/country-music-hall-famer-jean-shepard-dead-82/76568704/">Jean Shepard</a> and other women in country music who were willing to speak up about the concerns of American women.</p> <p>Lynn’s songs defied societal expectations by connecting her musical representations of working-class and rural women to broader social issues affecting women across the U.S.</p> <p>She aimed for her music to articulate the fears, dreams and anger of women living in a patriarchal society. It railed against those who idealized women’s domestic roles and demonized outspoken feminists.</p> <h2>‘There’s gonna be some changes’</h2> <p>Specifically, for a generation of predominantly white women in the 1960s and 1970s who did not identify as urban or college-educated feminists, Lynn’s music offered candid conversations about their private lives as wives and mothers.</p> <p>As Lynn <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">stated in her autobiography</a>, her audience recognized her as a “mother and a wife and a daughter, who had feelings just like other women.”</p> <p>She did this through clever and witty songwriting and lyrical techniques that combined the vernacular of her audience with her resonant voice.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the song arrangements of Owen Bradley of Decca Records directed Lynn’s musical talents to a broad audience. He combined the edgier sound of honky-tonk instrumentation – electric guitars, pedal steels and fiddles – with the polish of the Nashville sound by including the smooth sounding vocal harmonies of the vocal quartet the <a href="http://www.jordanaires.net/">Jordanaires</a>, as heard in numerous country, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll recordings.</p> <p>This provided a sound of strength and conviction to accompany Lynn’s bold and forthright songs as she laid bare the double standards of gender roles. </p> <p>With her assertive and resonant voice, Lynn, in her 1966 track “<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/loretta-lynn-best-lyrics-songwriting-175002/">Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)</a>,” warns men not to expect women to be waiting at home, sexually available for them after they’d spent the night drinking: </p> <blockquote> <p>Well, you thought I’d be waitin’ up when you came home last night</p> <p>You’d been out with all the boys and you ended up half tight</p> <p>Liquor and love, they just don’t mix</p> <p>Leave that bottle or me behind</p> <p>And don’t come home a drinkin’ with lovin’ on your mind</p> </blockquote> <p>In a similar vein, Lynn, who <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">claimed that her songs about wayward husbands</a> were inspired by her fraught marriage to Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn, confronted the “other woman” in songs such as 1966’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough” and 1968’s “Fist City.” </p> <h2>A lasting legacy</h2> <p>Fully aware that her personalized accounts became political messages for her fan base of women, Lynn co-wrote and recorded “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-the-pill/">The Pill</a>” in 1975. It was a rare foray into the topic of women’s reproductive rights for country music. In typical fashion, though, Lynn approached the issue from the perspective of a rural working-class woman: </p> <blockquote> <p>I’m tired of all your crowin’</p> <p>How you and your hens play</p> <p>While holdin’ a couple in my arms</p> <p>Another’s on the way</p> <p>This chicken’s done tore up her nest</p> <p>And I’m ready to make a deal</p> <p>And ya can’t afford to turn it down</p> <p>‘Cause you know I’ve got the pill</p> </blockquote> <p>The song’s sexual innuendos about cavorting roosters and hens incorporated the double entendres and humor of early blues and country, while providing a frank discussion about female sexual pleasure. It also addressed the right for women to take control over their bodies and reproduction.</p> <p>The song came out just two years after <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/410/113/">the Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade</a>, granting women the ability to govern their own reproductive health through abortion.</p> <p>Indeed, Lynn commented on the Supreme Court’s ruling in her autobiography “Personally, I think you should prevent unwanted pregnancy rather than get an abortion. It would be wrong for me. But I’m thinking of all the poor girls who get pregnant when they don’t want to be, and how they should have a choice instead of leaving it up to some politician or doctor who don’t have to raise the baby.”</p> <p>Her recording “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-the-pill/">The Pill</a>” spoke to married women who wanted to be able to space out their children and prevent unwanted pregnancies so that they could pursue educational and professional opportunities. </p> <p>In interviews, Lynn discussed at length how female listeners flocked to her after concerts, relieved to find a public figure with whom they felt comfortable to discuss birth control. </p> <p>Not everyone was thrilled, though. Male country <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-country-stations-banned-loretta-lynns-the-pill-it-became-her-biggest-pop-hit">disc jockeys banned</a> “The Pill” from the airwaves. Nonetheless, the recording became her biggest seller in 1975 and furthered Lynn’s reputation as a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women. </p> <p>Her music also inspired the women in country music who followed her to further explore issues of gender roles. Lynn’s legacy lives on in the music of female country artists – such as <a href="https://www.reba.com/">Reba McEntire</a> and <a href="https://www.mirandalambert.com/">Miranda Lambert</a> – who learned from Lynn how to create music that confronts and triumphs over the societal obstacles that women face.</p> <p>While all of country music will mourn the death of Lynn, it is perhaps her female fans who will feel the loss more acutely. Lynn gave them a social and political voice, and helped make country music a genre relevant to the complexities of women’s lives.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/loretta-lynn-was-more-than-a-great-songwriter-she-was-a-spokeswoman-for-white-rural-working-class-women-191932" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Music

Placeholder Content Image

“Rest easy ma’am”: Tributes flow for singer Loretta Lynn

<p>Loretta Lynn, the country singer behind <em>Coal Miner’s Daughter</em> and <em>You Ain’t Woman Enough</em> and a leading feminist in the country music scene, has passed away aged 90.</p> <p>Her family broke the news in a statement on Twitter on Tuesday.</p> <p>“Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home in her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills,” the statement read.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Loretta Lynn ♥️ A pioneering daughter that changed music and the world forever for all the daughters that followed. We’ll miss you but your spirit lives on! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thepill?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thepill</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/forher?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#forher</a> <a href="https://t.co/9XTPwLkVru">pic.twitter.com/9XTPwLkVru</a></p> <p>— The Chicks (@thechicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/thechicks/status/1577421929673543681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>With a career spanning six decades, Lynn built her reputation as a feminist voice in the male-dominated world of country music, tackling issues including the freedom provided by birth control and the inequities of heterosexual relationships.</p> <p>Her choice of subject matter was controversial for country music in the 1960s and ‘70s, with Lynn telling one interviewer that 14 of her songs had been banned by radio stations.</p> <p>“I wasn’t the first woman in country music,” she said in a 2007 interview with <em>Esquire </em>magazine.</p> <p>“I was just the first one to stand up there and say what I thought, what life was about. The rest were afraid to.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Loretta Lynn and Sissy Spacek after the 53rd Academy Awards (March 31, 1981).</p> <p>Spacek, who was personally selected by Lynn to portray her in the biographical musical film 'Coal Miner's Daughter,' earned the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as the country music icon. <a href="https://t.co/mbFnBhY1Ic">pic.twitter.com/mbFnBhY1Ic</a></p> <p>— The Academy (@TheAcademy) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAcademy/status/1577424584709705728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Even so, Lynn became an icon of the genre with more than 50 top 10 hits according to her website.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lynn went on to become the first woman to win the Country Music Association’s ‘Entertainer of the Year’ award in 1972, as well as seven other CMA awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards, and three Grammy Awards as an artist.</p> <p dir="ltr">She won an additional two Grammys in 2004 for her work on the album <em>Van Lear Rose</em> in collaboration with White Stripes frontman Jack White, where she either wrote or co-wrote every song.</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer also received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2010.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 1988, she was voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and in 2013 she was presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-president Barack Obama, who <a href="https://twitter.com/ObamaFoundation/status/1577428821590282242" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that she “opened doors for women not only by winning tremendous achievements, but also by raising issues few dared to discuss”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d90b7fc5-7fff-0de4-1cad-b78e3987bb9e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Since the news of her passing broke, tributes have begun to flow for Lynn from fans, fellow singers and friends.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">My heart is broken with the news of my sweet friend Loretta Lynn passing. I will remember all the sweet visits and laughs we shared. RIP sweet Angel. <a href="https://t.co/X5IqiD63an">pic.twitter.com/X5IqiD63an</a></p> <p>— Stella Parton (@StellaParton) <a href="https://twitter.com/StellaParton/status/1577314224078217217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Stella Parton penned an emotional tribute to her “sweet friend” and “angel”, accompanied by a photo of the pair together.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My heart is broken with the news of my sweet friend Loretta Lynn passing. I will remember all the sweet visits and laughs we shared. RIP sweet Angel,” Parton wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6759ed07-7fff-3668-31d6-09c08f584b8e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“She was an inspiration. R.I.P. Loretta Lynn ❤️‍,” Carole King tweeted.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">She was an inspiration. <br />R.I.P. Loretta Lynn ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/VqwmkcOAqy">pic.twitter.com/VqwmkcOAqy</a></p> <p>— Carole King (@Carole_King) <a href="https://twitter.com/Carole_King/status/1577318037912330240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Joyous. Fierce. One of a kind. I loved meeting and working with Loretta Lynn ❤️‍🕊️🙏,” singer k.d. Lang <a href="https://twitter.com/kdlang/status/1577381590736388096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fadb031b-7fff-50fc-027c-01011cd9263e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Loretta Lynn gave me this ring of hers many moons ago and I’ve cherished it ever since. Rest in peace. We will all miss you so dearly ❤️‍,” actress Brooke Shields said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Loretta Lynn gave me this ring of hers many moons ago and I’ve cherished it ever since. Rest in peace. We will all miss you so dearly ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/KdgmIiXhXP">pic.twitter.com/KdgmIiXhXP</a></p> <p>— Brooke Shields (@BrookeShields) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrookeShields/status/1577371993611059232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">American band The Oak Ridge Boys tweeted: “Loretta Lynn has gone home… Great Britain lost their Queen … now we have lost ours … Rest easy ma’am. You were loved by all … 😢”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ken Burns, the documentarian behind Country Music, the 2019 miniseries that Lynn took part in, <a href="https://twitter.com/KenBurns/status/1577397952569643009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>: “Loretta Lynn turned life into song, providing a voice to the experiences of American women. </p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ef6ceebc-7fff-6fb8-a768-0e86d3fc59d3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“She will always be celebrated as a central part of the history of country music.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears makes musical comeback with Elton John

<p dir="ltr">Britney Spears is set to make her long-awaited return to the music scene by collaborating with Elton John on a new song. </p> <p dir="ltr">While rumours of the collaborations have been circulating for several weeks, a spokesperson confirmed the news to the PA news agency earlier this week.</p> <p dir="ltr">Britney and Elton’s collaboration project will be a track titled <em>Hold Me Closer</em>, which is rumoured to be an updated version of John’s 1971 single <em>Tiny Dancer</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Elton hinted at the collaboration on Instagram as he posted an image of a rose and rocket emoji alongside the title of the song. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChAf5zxj2y2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChAf5zxj2y2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The return to the music industry for Britney comes as she continues to battle her father, Jamie Spears, in court over alleged misconduct during her conservatorship of nearly 14 years which controlled aspects of her finances and personal life.</p> <p dir="ltr">Spears' conservatorship was set up in 2008 after the US pop star, known for hits like <em>Oops I Did It Again!</em> and <em>Toxic</em>, faced a public mental health crisis. </p> <p dir="ltr">For Elton, the highly-anticipated news of the collaboration track comes as he continues his global Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram</em></p>

Music

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears shares texts sent from mental health facility

<p dir="ltr">Britney Spears has shared - and quickly deleted - a series of screenshots of messages she sent her mother, childhood friend and former lawyer during a 2019 stay in a mental health facility she alleges she was forced into.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-be7e98ca-7fff-540d-2be6-a1f8b2823146">“It’s a little different with proof,” Spears captioned the now-deleted post on Instagram on Monday, per <em><a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/07/25/britney-spears-shares-texts-she-sent-from-mental-health-facility/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a></em>.</span></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/brit-text2.jpg" alt="" width="1279" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Britney Spears claimed her messages went unanswered in a now-deleted post on social media. Image: Page Six</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The first screenshot shows texts the Toxic singer sent to her mum, Lynne Spears, which she claimed Lynne didn’t respond to.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was saying he wants to UP the seraquil [sic] and I’m like whoaaaaaaa horsey go f**k yourslwf [sic],” the first text reads.</p> <p dir="ltr">It is unclear whether the pop star was referring to a doctor at the facility or her dad, Jamie Spears, who controlled her medical care as her conservator.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Seraquil I thought was a sleep aid but it’s for bipolar and is WAAAAAY Stronger than lithium,” she continued in the text messages.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I literally feel alll [sic] the sick medicine in my stomach.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I feel like he’s trying to kill me. I swear to god I do.”</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <a href="https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-4718/seroquel-oral/details" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WedMD</a>, Seroquel, also known as quetiapine, is an antipsychotic medication used to treat mood disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.</p> <p dir="ltr">Spears claimed that she got “no response” from Lynne at the time, but heard from her when she checked out of the facility.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f1897ebd-7fff-94cf-c771-221c384f61e5"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Her words were, ‘You should have let me visit you and give you a hug’,” Spears wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/brit-texts1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Britney Spears shared screenshots of texts sent to her mother (left) and her childhood friend Jensen Fitzgerald (right) which she claims went unanswered. Images: Page Six</em></p> <p dir="ltr">In the second screenshot, Spears messaged her friend Jansen Fitzgerald to help her find a new lawyer, having been appointed a lawyer to represent her when her conservatorship began in 2008 and not having the right to hire her own counsel until 2021.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I need John bells [sic] number please,” the text to Fitzgerald reads. “When u can.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to ask her friend about lithium, the mood-stabilising drug Spears said made her feel “drunk” after her medication was changed without her say.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have a feeling well you will say OK but it still doesn’t make sense,” Spears wrote, adding in the caption that she “never heard back” from Fitzgeral either.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, her friend took to social media on Monday afternoon and insisted she “did respond”, speculating that “some of [her] messages were deleted” from Spears’ phone, which Jaime allegedly monitored.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When she left the facility my phone number was blocked from her and we have never spoken again,” Fitzgerald added. “I have tried to reach her through every possible outlet and always failed.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lynee shared Fitzgerald’s response on her own Instagram pagel and that she has “all the ‘whole conversations as well”.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the final screenshot, Spears can be seen messaging her court-appointed lawyer, Samuel D Ingham III, telling him she wanted to change after she was released from the facility.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want to talk about going to court when this is done and getting my medical rights,” she wrote..</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7cd90e57-7fff-3652-6652-6663af93272d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“When this program is over I don’t want to work at all … I want to live for me and have an adventurous life,” Britney told Ingham.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/brit-texts2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>A screenshot of messages between Britney Spears and her court-appointed lawyer were also shared in the since-deleted post. Image: Page Six</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Ingham went on to resign in 2021, being replaced by former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart.</p> <p dir="ltr">In her caption, Spears also claimed her sister, Jaimie Lynn Spears, texted her the message: “They’re not gonna let you go so why are you fighting it”.</p> <p dir="ltr">During her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/i-am-traumatised-britney-spears-speaks-out-against-dad-for-the-first-time-ever" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first-ever public court speech</a> last year, Spears claimed her father sent her to a mental health facility against her will after a disagreement over her Las Vegas residency.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship – and my management, who played a huge role in punishing me when I said no – ma’am, they should be in jail,” she told the judge at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-712814d6-7fff-9700-f41b-eae8f7f15fe4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @britneyspears (Instagram)</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Baring it all: Britney Spears and Hilary Duff spark debate on how we react to nudity

<p dir="ltr">Taking part in a nude photo shoot has been an easy way for celebrities to go viral for years now, but the latest risque photoshoot of <em>Lizzie Mcguire</em> star Hilary Duff has raised some questions about how our reactions can differ depending on who the subject is.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5a98dc54-7fff-7d65-163e-b4111461ebe4">Duff, who starred on the hit Disney show when she was just 14, recently went viral for her Women’s Health magazine cover shoot, which was accompanied by a candid interview where she discussed body positivity and acceptance, and opened up about her eating disorder and the pressure she felt to look a certain way.</span></p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdYgFl3LKs-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdYgFl3LKs-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Because of my career path, I can’t help but be like, ‘I am on camera and actresses are skinny’,” she told the magazine.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m proud of my body. I’m proud that it’s produced three children for me. I’ve gotten to a place of being peaceful with the changes my body has gone through.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I also want people to know a makeup artist was there putting glow all over my body and someone put me in the most flattering position.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The 34-year-old actress received a flood of praise for her “liberating” shoot and for being a “badass gorgeous woman”, with one person describing it as a “perfect example of how a childhood star can actually grow up to be a well-adjusted, loving, ‘normal’, strong and fantastic example of a working woman and human in entertainment and beyond”.</p> <p dir="ltr">But the praise has come in stark contrast to the reactions other stars have received for sharing similar images, with pop icon Britney Spears being a prime example.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1dd1dae4-7fff-a1a0-cbee-11d3a8c062c0"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Spears has been posting minimally censored photos of herself on Instagram for the past few months and has previously explained she was doing so in a bid to reclaim her body after feeling constrained under her 13-year conservatorship.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca0b3kjPBRF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca0b3kjPBRF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Britney Spears (@britneyspears)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">However, the slew of images she’s self-shared on social media have attracted more of a negative response in comparison to Duff, with some critics calling the photos “disturbing” and “embarrassing”.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a now-deleted Instagram caption on a post from earlier this year, Spears defended her images, writing: “Alrightyyy then folks… showing my bod in French Polynesia as a rebel and free WOMAN!!!!!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-86a760f8-7fff-c652-efc8-b06bde07c271"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I WILL DO BIG LETTERS CAUSE I THINK THAT MEANS IT’S IMPORTANT AND I DON’T WANT TO BE LEFT OUT.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Spot the difference.</p> <p>You just love to criticize Britney Spears for everything she does. Jus admit it. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/britneyspears?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#britneyspears</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hilaryduff?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hilaryduff</a> <a href="https://t.co/U3eUsz2ti1">pic.twitter.com/U3eUsz2ti1</a></p> <p>— Dolly Arthur (@DollyArthur_) <a href="https://twitter.com/DollyArthur_/status/1524107226549469185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Fans have begun questioning the difference between reactions to Spears’ and Duff’s photos, with some noting that the difference in image quality - Duff’s glamorous magazine shoot versus Spears’ low-quality photos seemingly taken with a mobile phone - may be part of the reason.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I adore Hilary and she looks incredible, but the difference in comments on her post compared to Britney doing the same thing is astounding,” one popular tweet reads.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-55b14785-7fff-df25-441a-161c2e75b7d8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“People are so brainwashed by social media that they think nudity is wrong unless you’ve hired a photographer,” they added.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I adore Hilary and she looks incredible, but the difference in comments on her post compared to Britney doing the same thing is astounding.</p> <p>People are so brainwashed by social media that they think nudity is wrong unless you've hired a photographer and glam team. <a href="https://t.co/QCII2KSfAp">pic.twitter.com/QCII2KSfAp</a></p> <p>— Fan Account (@breatheonmiley) <a href="https://twitter.com/breatheonmiley/status/1524089441899397122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Both Britney Spears and Hilary Duff look amazing. Just because one was professionally photographed shouldn’t make a difference,” someone else tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another user shared a screenshot of their Twitter feed, showing a headline about the mixed reaction to Spears’ nudity above one from TMZ that reads: “You NEED to see these photos of Hilary Duff in the buff!”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Stop policing women’s bodies… except Britney Spears!” they captioned the image.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hilary Duff posts a nuded photoshoot and everyone praises her, Britney Spears posts her own nudes from her phone and she’s shamed. Can someone explain the difference?” another person tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Britney Spears and Hilary Duff trending today in a ‘you painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her’ vs ‘put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting “vanity”, morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for your own pleasure’ kind of way,” a third said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c1962d61-7fff-ff49-1cf8-43fe37da2f87"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The debate around this double standard comes amid a wider debate about how female celebrities have been held to particular standards in the past, such as former Disney star Miley Cyrus who was forced to publicly apologise for a 2008 Vanity Fair photoshoot that was deemed too risque by Disney.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">IM NOT SORRY</p> <p>Fuck YOU <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/10yearsago?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#10yearsago</a> <a href="https://t.co/YTJmPHKwLX">pic.twitter.com/YTJmPHKwLX</a></p> <p>— Miley Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileyCyrus/status/990682726440226817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2018</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The singer and actress later retracted the apology, sharing a photo of a New York Post newspaper from 2008 with the headline “Miley’s Shame” to Twitter in 2018.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’M NOT SORRY. F***K YOU,” she captioned the post.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though the praise for Duff and other celebrities - such as 78-year-old model <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/lauren-hutton-poses-topless" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lauren Hutton</a> - who engage in topless or nude photoshoots is a good thing and a sign that the times might be changing, the reactions the likes of Spears receive for similar images shows that we still have a problem with female nudity - and that there is plenty of work left to be done.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-89ee2454-7fff-19fd-16c6-d66fd5cf7b24"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @britneyspears (Instagram) / @hilaryduff (Instagram) / @harpersbazaaraus (Instagram)</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears shares devastating personal news

<p>Britney Spears has shared some devastating personal news, announcing in a joint statement that she has suffered a miscarriage.</p> <p>The 40-year-old mother of two had announced she was expecting her third child last month.</p> <p>“It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that we have lost our miracle baby early in the pregnancy,” the statement read.</p> <p>“This is a devastating time for any parent. Perhaps we should have waited to announce until we were further along. However we were overly excited to share the good news.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdjQLP6vzCW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdjQLP6vzCW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Britney Spears (@britneyspears)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The couple added that their love for each other is their “strength” right now.</p> <p>“We will continue trying to expand our beautiful family. We are grateful for all of your support. We kindly ask for privacy during this difficult moment.”</p> <p>The couple have thanked fans for their support, writing: “We are grateful for what we have in the process of expanding our beautiful family. Thank you for your support.”</p> <p>Britney had kept fans regularly updated on her pregnancy since announcing she was expecting last month. Her baby news came after she was released from a 13-year conservatorship in which decisions about her life, career and even fertility were made for her.</p> <p>Spears is mother to two sons, 15-year-old Jaden and 16-year-old Sean, with ex-husband Kevin Federline. During her conservatorship hearings last year, she repeatedly expressed her desire to be able to start a family with Asghari. She had revealed last month that she had fallen pregnant after the couple’s recent holiday in Hawaii.</p> <p>She continued: “I am having a baby... It’s growing! If two are in there I might just lose it.”</p> <p>“It’s hard because when I was pregnant I had perinatal depression. I have to say it is absolutely horrible. Women didn’t talk about it back then … but now women talk about it every day!”</p> <p>Britney concluded: “… This time I will be doing yoga every day! Spreading lots of joy and love.”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty </em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears is pregnant!

<p>Pop princess Britney Spears has announced she is expecting her first child with fiancé Sam Asghari. </p> <p>Britney made the announcement on Instagram in a lengthy caption, as she refers to Sam as her husband and reveals how she found out she is pregnant. </p> <p>She wrote, "I lost so much weight to go on my Maui trip only to gain it back 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️ … I thought 'Geez … what happened to my stomach ???' My husband said 'No you're food pregnant silly 🤪 !!!' So I got a pregnancy test … and uhhhhh well … I am having a baby 👶🏼 …"</p> <p>"4 days later I got a little more food pregnant 🤰🏼🙈🙈🙈 It's growing !!! If 2 are in there … I might just loose it 😬😬😬😬😬😬 …" she continued.</p> <p>Britney said she would "obviously" be away from the public eye during her pregnancy due to paparazzi trying to get their "money shot of [her]," and referenced experiencing perinatal depression in her previous pregnancies.</p> <p>Britney shares two children, 16-year-old Sean Preston Federline and 15-year-old Jayden James Federline, with her ex-husband Kevin Federline.</p> <p>The news of the pregnancy delighted fans around the globe, as the singer was forced to be on birth control during the duration of her 13-year conservatorship, which ended in November 2021. </p> <p>Sam proposed to Britney in September last year after four years of dating, after the pair met on the set of Britney's music video for the 2016 track <em>Slumber Party</em>. </p> <p>Spears has been vocal about her love for Asghari, particularly in how he supported her through the end of her strict conservatorship.</p> <p>The couple reportedly have been excited to start a family for a while now, with a source telling <a title="US Weekly" href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/britney-spears-engaged-boyfriend-sam-asghari/e803b380-c566-4790-80da-3dac3252bf0f" target="" rel="">US Weekly</a> last July, "Sam would love to start a family with Britney."</p> <p>The source continued, "Sam also sees marriage in his and Britney's future when the time is right and they are able to wed without the restraints of her conservatorship."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram @samasghari</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears to offload "spectacular" home

<p dir="ltr">Popstar Britney Spears has <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/britney-spears-selling-her-long-time-californian-home-1121004/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> she is selling the Californian mansion she has called home for seven years, and that she’s ready for a change.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 40-year-old music icon took to Instagram to share the news with her 39.7 million followers, along with a picturesque view from her bedroom balcony at sunset.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So this is the view from my room .. it’s pretty spectaculAar!!” she captioned the two clips.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve lived in this house for 7 years and I’m in the process of buying a new home … it’s time for change !!!!!</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-676890a8-7fff-c829-5c47-149ccf5bdac6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve been pretty modest about the home I live in now,” she continued. “I know you guys have seen me dancing in my living room … but honestly I have 3 living rooms.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaTQYjpptML/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaTQYjpptML/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Britney Spears (@britneyspears)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">She even dangled the prospect of giving her fans a tour of her lavish digs, “but until then here’s the pink sky!!!”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Toxic </em>singer’s home, located within the exclusive White Stallion Estates community in Ventura County, boasts more than just three living rooms too, with five bedrooms and eight bathrooms also found in the Italian-style villa.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other ‘standard’ mansion features are also included, such as the large pool and spa, wood-panelled library, chef’s kitchen, home theatre, and wine cellar with room for 3500 bottles.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, the thing that takes the cake is the extensive use of marble throughout the home, which spills out into a motor court outside the entrance and expertly designed and manicured gardens.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Spears picked up the sprawling estate in <a href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2300-White-Stallion-Rd_Thousand-Oaks_CA_91361_M21619-07582?row=1#photo16" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2015</a> for about $10 million, and news of its potential sale comes after she signed a $20 million book deal to write a tell-all memoir, and several months after she successfully appealed to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/we-ain-t-done-what-happens-now-britney-spears-is-free" target="_blank" rel="noopener">end</a> her 13-year-long conservatorship.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2b859c72-7fff-0bab-e98c-7d59bdadbb80"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @britneyspears (Instagram), Realtor.com</em></p>

Real Estate

Placeholder Content Image

“We ain’t done”: What happens now Britney Spears is free

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a landmark decision, Britney Spears has been freed from her conservatorship after almost 14 years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Effective today, the conservatorship of the person and estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated,” Judge Brenda Penny said after the hearing on Friday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Spears appeared at the hearing virtually, and later shared a clip of her fans celebrating outside the courthouse.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CWMXjAMp-aJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CWMXjAMp-aJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Britney Spears (@britneyspears)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The decision comes two months after her father Jamie Spears stepped down as her conservator.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The singer’s lengthy legal battle began gaining traction on social media in 2020, with a group of fans called the #FreeBritney movement being behind most of the growing attention.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Outside of their full-time jobs, fans began investigating the details of Ms Spear’s conservatorship, looking for clues on her social media pages, examining court documents, and holding demonstrations outside court hearings and concerts to raise awareness of the situation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now that she’s free, some of her fans have begun teaming up with disability rights advocates to increase awareness of the estimated 1.3 million Americans living under conservatorships.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking to a small gathering of the movement near the White House in October, disability rights campaigner and lawyer Jonathan Martinis called for the movement to expand beyond freeing Britney.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We ain’t done,” he </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-14/britney-spears-shines-light-on-america-conservatorship-laws/100605612" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “And we ain’t going anywhere until Free Britney becomes Free the People.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jasmine Harris, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said Ms Spears would likely still be under the control of her conservator had she not been able to speak out in open court.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845646/britney5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b37d5cc810ee444ea429f0da369ee9e6" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">#FreeBritney protestors celebrate outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse following Friday’s hearing. Image: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She also said the #FreeBritney movement has raised awareness about how these kinds of arrangements trap people with disabilities.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This affects young people with disabilities across the country. And so this deserves our sustained attention,” she told </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/nov/14/freebritney-movement-britney-spears-conservatorship" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Guardian</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Judy Mark, the cofounder and president of Disability Voices United, which worked with the movement, agreed that Ms Spears’ freedom could be attributed to the movement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That never would have happened a year ago,” she said. “All of this changed the day Britney Spears got on the phone and spoke to the judge about how bad things are and the only way that happened is because of the #FreeBritney movement.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Mark said the fight for those still under conservatorships needed to happen, while people still remembered what happened to Britney.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We realise this is a moment in time that we must take advantage of,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The moment may not come again.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Relationships

Placeholder Content Image

“The court was wrong”: James Spears speaks out on conservatorship decision

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After his immediate suspension from conservatorship of his daughter, Britney Spears, Jamie Spears has since issued a statement via his attorney, Vivan Thoreen on Thursday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Mr Spears loves his daughter Britney unconditionally,” the statement said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“For thirteen years, he has tried to do what is in her best interests, whether as a conservator or her father. THis started with agreeing to serve as her conservator when she voluntarily entered into the conservatorship. This included helping her revive her career and re-establish a relationship with her children.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“For anyone who has tried to help a family member dealing with mental health issues, they can appreciate the tremendous amount of daily worry and work this required. For Mr Spears, this also meant biting his tongue and not responding to all the false, speculative, and unsubstantiated attacks on him by certain members of the public, media, or more recently, Britney’s own attorney.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“These facts make the outcome of yesterday’s hearing all the more disappointing, and frankly, a loss for Britney.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The statement goes on to point out that Mr Spears “took the initiative” in petitioning to terminate the conservatorship and claims that the court was wrong to suspend him and replace him with “a stranger”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Judge Brenda Penny ruled that Mr Spears would no longer serve as the conservator of his daughter’s estate and immediately removed him from control of her finances.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I believe that the suspension is in the best interest of the conservatee,” Penny said. “The current situation is untenable.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUbMCJKsRbJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUbMCJKsRbJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Britney Spears (@britneyspears)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the days following the court’s decision, Ms Spears and her fiance Sam Asghari shared pictures from their celebratory trip to a tropical paradise.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A hearing has been set for November 12 to determine whether the conservatorship will be ended.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: britneyspears / Instagram</span></em></p>

Relationships

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears’ fiancé comments on new Netflix doco

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sam Asghari, Britney Spears’ fiance, has spoken out following the release of the trailer for Netflix documentary </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Britney vs Spears</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The streaming giant released the trailer one week out from it’s airing, prompting a comment from Asghari.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hope the profit from these docs go towards fighting injustice #freebritney,” he wrote on Instagram.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spears hasn’t directly commented on the new film covering her conservatorship battle, but some have said she doesn’t endorse it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is another unauthorised documentary without her blessing or participation,” one source told </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://pagesix.com/2021/09/22/britney-spears-netflix-doc-done-without-her-blessing/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Page Six</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previously, the star didn’t endorse the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">New York Times’ Framing Britney Spears</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> documentary, saying that she was “embarrassed” by it without watching it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new documentary comes a week after Spears and Asghari shared </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/britney-spears-announces-engagement-takes-social-media-break?fbclid=IwAR3oQk_JWMBRFwLbcrDBjA6snAVzORSFg23Xz-3AqYit05ZBDDWTd8YvJzs" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news of their engagement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on social media.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spears also announced she would be taking a break from social media two days later but has since returned to Instagram and Twitter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new documentary will debut on September 28, a day before Spears returns to court to fight for her release from her decade-long conservatorship.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the trailer, audio of Spears is heard from her testimony at the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse on June 23, where she addressed the court publicly for the first time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I just want my life back,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve worked my whole life.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don’t owe these people anything.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Directed by filmmaker Erin Lee Carr, the documentary will centre around Spears’ conservatorship and question its necessity, the alleged corruption of her father, and larger issues with conservatorship.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What was going on inside the conservatorship? And why was she still in one if she was okay?” one person said in the trailer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the trailer doesn’t reveal who will appear in the documentary, the clip includes voiceovers from various people, including Spears’ ex, paparazzo Adnan Ghalib, and a legal expert.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The trailer also suggests that the documentary will reveal new information leaked by someone involved in the conservatorship.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">See the trailer here.</span></p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SgFDWK_sf9c" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @britneyspears / Instagram</span></em></p>

Relationships

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears announces engagement, takes social media break

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After her long-running legal battle saw her father file to shut down her conservatorship, Spears has more good news: she is engaged.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58568256" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">after announcing her engagement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to long-term boyfriend, Sam Asghari, on social media last week, the star deleted her Instagram account.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sparking concern among fans, she reassured them via Twitter that her absence from social media would only be temporary.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Don’t worry folks … just taking a little break from social media to celebrate my engagement,” she wrote. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Don’t worry folks … just taking a little break from social media to celebrate my engagement 💍😉 !!!! I’ll be back soon 💋🌹✨</p> — Britney Spears (@britneyspears) <a href="https://twitter.com/britneyspears/status/1437896257129750528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ll be back soon”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Asghari, a personal trainer and actor, also shared a snap of the couple following the announcement, with Spears showing off her ring.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTvPcEJP_2P/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTvPcEJP_2P/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sam Asghari (@samasghari)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The news of her social media hiatus comes after Octavia Spencer apologised for her snarky comment on the pop singer’s post announcing the engagement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Y’all, a few days ago Sam and Britney announced their engagement and me being me I made a joke,” the actress said on Instagram, referencing her comment that Spears should make Asghari “sign a prenup”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My intention was to make them laugh, not cause pain,” she continued. “I’ve reached out to this lovely couple privately to apologise and now want to restore just a smidge of happiness they were robbed of.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844181/spencer-spears.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d0d9b816ef4d4ca4a8ad471dbdeef749" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: news.com.au</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Britney’s fans have seen her through a lot of pain and she’s found happiness,” Spencer said, referring to Spears’ 13-year conservatorship. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re thrilled for her. So let’s show them them love #nonegativity.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Asghari replied in the comments, sharing that he had no hard feelings towards the actress.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You are very kind to clarify but I have no hard feelings whatsoever. Jokes and misconceptions come with the territory,” he wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spears has been using her Instagram account to document her daily life and, in recent months, share her perspective on the conservatorship battle.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her father, Jamie Spears, stepped down as her conservator in August and was replaced by the singer’s long-time care manager, Jodi Montgomery.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Spears also filed papers to end the conservatorship, with a court hearing scheduled in a Los Angeles court for September 29.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: samasghari</span></em></p>

Relationships

Placeholder Content Image

Britney Spears’ father steps down as conservator

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After a long-running legal battle over Britney Spears’ conservatorship that has captured the global public’s attention, her father, Jamie, has agreed to step down as her conservator.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Spears has been the conservator of his daughter since 2008, meaning he has legally had control over her assets and financial decisions for the last 13 years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the singer’s lawyer said Mr Spears would now be stepping down from the role.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are pleased that Mr Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed,” Britney’s lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Rosengart described the decision as “a major victory for Britney Spears and another step towards justice”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to celebrity website </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TMZ</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, though the court filing said there were no grounds for removing Mr Spears as conservator, “he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Mr Spears intends to work with the court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator,” the court filing said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The pop star and her father have been in court several times recently, including when Ms Spears launched another legal bid to remove her father from the conservator role last month.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She has spoken out on social media about the court-appointed conservatorship, which was initially a temporary measure following a mental breakdown in 2008, calling it abusive and humiliating.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Twitter</span></em></p>

Relationships

Our Partners

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.