“The World Doesn’t Have A Clue”: Britney Spears’ Dad Speaks Out Against #FreeBritney Movement
"This is our business. It’s private.”
In an interview with PageSix, Britney Spears’ father and conservator Jamie has said that the #FreeBritney movement “is a joke”, and that fans have little idea what’s best for the 38-year-old pop-star.
Jamie is at the centre of the #FreeBritney movement, as fans believe that he has extended her conservatorship — a usually temporary measure to protect the elderly or temporarily incapacitated, but in place here since 2008 — in order to control Spears’ career and finances.
While #FreeBritney has bubbled along for years, Spears’ odd TikTok and Instagram presence of late has seen a renewed interest, with fans worried for her mental health.
A Change.org petition demanding the conservatorship end currently has more than 100,000 signatures, and the #FreeBritney hashtag has been used by the likes of Paris Hilton, Rose McGowan and Spears collaborator Miley Cyrus.
“Her father doesn’t allow her to drive, all of her calls and messages are monitored, she’s not allowed to vote, hang with anyone or spend her money without permission,” claims the Petitioner. “And if she breaks a ‘rule’ he threatens to have her kids taken away!”
“She deserves to live and not be told what to do, when to do it and how to do it. She can control her own life.”
Now, in an interview, Jamie denies abusing his powers for his own material gain, calling the fans demanding the end to the conservatorship have no idea what they’re talking about. “All these conspiracy theorists don’t know anything. The world don’t [sic] have a clue,” he said. “It’s up to the court of California to decide what’s best for my daughter. It’s no one else’s business.”
“I have to report every nickel and dime spent to the court every year. How the hell would I steal something?”
Jamie also criticised fans for stalking him and others close to Spears, alleging that some have also made death threats.
“People are being stalked and targeted with death threats,” he said. “It’s horrible. We don’t want those kinds of fans. I love my daughter. I love all my kids. But this is our business. It’s private.”
Spears herself has only spoken about the conservatorship publicly once, in 2008.
“I think it’s too in control,” she said at the time. “If I wasn’t under the restraints I’m under, I’d feel so liberated… There’s no excitement, there’s no passion…. Even when you go to jail, you know there’s the time when you’re going to get out. But in this situation, it’s never-ending.”