Justin Timberlake dumped Britney via text, she was comatose in Louisiana

Publish date: 2024-06-15

The New York Times got their hands on an advance copy of Britney Spears’ The Woman in Me. The Times says that they basically just persuaded a bookstore to sell them an early copy, I guess since the book comes out in a few days anyway. You can read the Times’ “big takeaways” from the book here. While TMZ and other outlets have been more focused on the Justin Timberlake gossip (I’m guilty of that too), the NYT makes it clear that Britney spends a lot of time talking about the conservatorship and all of the f–ked up things her father did to her. Some highlights from the NYT’s coverage:

Why she stopped fighting the conservatorship for years: At times over the years that followed, she pushed back privately, but ultimately her exhaustion and fear of losing access to her two young sons won out, she recalls in the book. “After being held down on a gurney,” the memoir reads, “I knew they could restrain my body any time they wanted to. And so I went along with it.” Spears adds, “My freedom in exchange for naps with my children — it was a trade I was willing to make.”

Justin Timberlake dumped her via text: Spears recounts her connection with Timberlake as magnetic and describes their breakup — which she said he initiated over text message — as leaving her “devastated” and fantasizing about quitting show business.

JT’s “Cry Me a River” music video: She recalls her reaction to the release of Timberlake’s music video “Cry Me a River,” in which, as she describes it, “a woman who looks like me cheats on him and he wanders around sad in the rain.” She viewed the media as portraying her as a “harlot who’d broken the heart of America’s golden boy,” she writes, when in reality: “I was comatose in Louisiana, and he was happily running around Hollywood.”

That Diane Sawyer interview: After the breakup, Spears says, she felt forced by her father and her management team to participate in an interview with Diane Sawyer, during which Sawyer pressed her on what she did to Timberlake that caused him “so much pain.” Spears recalls that interview as a “breaking point” for her. “I felt like I had been exploited,” she writes, “set up in front of the whole world.”

Drugs/alcohol use: Of her time being photographed alongside celebrity peers like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, Spears writes, “It was never as wild as the press made it out to be,” saying that she had no interest in hard drugs and “never had a drinking problem.” Instead, Spears describes her “drug of choice” as the ADHD medication Adderall, which “made me high, yes, but what I found far more appealing was that it gave me a few hours of feeling less depressed.”

[From The NYT]

Ugh, that Diane Sawyer interview. Diane was really wrong for that. Did we know that Justin dumped her via text? I didn’t know that. But I remember vividly the “Cry Me a River” mess, where everyone was on Justin’s side and they treated Britney like a maneater who cheated on “poor Justin.” It should be noted that, at the time, there was pushback on that and people took sides. It wasn’t like Justin’s narrative was the only one out there.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, WENN and Cover Images.

BRITNEY SPEARS AND JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE OF NSYNC AT THE 29TH ANNUAL AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS HELD AT THE SHRINE AUDITORIUM IN LOS ANGELES, CA. 09 JANUARY 2002.,Image: 547442344, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ron Wolfson / Avalon , 2001 britney spears and boyfriend justin timberlake at the 28th American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA 1/8/2001 URW/,Image: 547460253, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ron Wolfson / Avalon BRITNEY SPEARS ANNOUNCES THE KICK OFF OF HER FIRST ONLINE CHARITY AUCTION OF EXCLUSIVE BRITNEY SPEARS MEMORABILIA. W COURT HOTEL. NEW YORK CITY. 22 MAY 2003. PICTURES /,Image: 547809922, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Richard C Murray / Avalon
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND BRITNEY SPEARS ATTENDING A SUPER BOWL FUNDRAISER AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD TIMES SQUARE IN NEW YORK CITY. 03 FEBRUARY 2002,Image: 548451704, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dennis Van Tine / Avalon ©/LONDON FEATURES 2001 BRITNEY SPEARS & JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE THE BRITNEY SPEARS ALBUM RELEASE PARTY AT CENTRO FLY. NOVEMBER 6, 2001 NEW YORK CITY,Image: 548458036, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dennis Van Tine / Avalon New York 02/03/02 – Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake hosting a Super Bowl Fundraiser at Planet Hollywood and unveiling personally designed T-Shirts to benefit their charities “Britney Spears Foundation” and “Justin Timberlake Foundation” PH2706BO Featuring: Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake Where: New York , NY , USA When: 24 Aug 2002 Credit: ALEX OLIVEIRAstartraksphoto.com
New York, 02/13/2002 – Britney Spears celebrates the release of her debut film “Crossroads” with a party at Planet Hollywood. Event to benefit the Britney Spears Foundation. Pictured: Britney Spears and her boyfriend *NSYNC’s Justin Timberlake. PH2755BK Photo by Startraks© Featuring: Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake Where: New York, New York, United States When: 24 Aug 2002 Credit: ANDERS KRUSBERGSTARTRAKS PHOTO© Britney Spears and boyfriend Justin Timberlake at the launch party for the new N’Sync album ‘Celebrity’ WENN Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 23 Jul 2001 Credit: WENN Britney Spears & boyfriend Justin Timberlake attend the premiere of her new film, Crossroads. WENN Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 11 Feb 2002 Credit: WENN

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