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The Free Britney movement has gone from a subversive whisper to a full-on mainstream trend. Everyone from fans to insiders and even politicians are jumping on the Free Britney bandwagon and demanding the pop star receive her freedom. At the center of every media circus is a battle between good vs. evil and the role of the latter has been assigned to Britney’s father and conservator, Jamie Spears. But is the criticism against him fair?
A year ago, we wrote about the mysterious disappearance of Britney Spears’s fortune. With her career spanning two decades with multiple successful tours, platinum records and endorsements, Britney Spears should have a net worth of $350 million. However, court documents show she is only worth $59 million. Britney herself has complained about the miniscule budget she’s been forced to live on while those who manage her career and finances are taking a large cut and living lavishly. I don’t think that extends to Jamie Spears or Britney’s family.
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In defense of Jamie Spears
Britney’s dad Jamie has been getting a lot of flack from her fans and the media for his role as her conservator. According to Lynne Spears’ 2008 book, Through the Storm, Jamie was an alcoholic during Britney’s childhood and was on occasion abusive to his wife – in front of Britney.
His behavior affected his eldest daughter to such a degree, that the family’s pastor reportedly told Lynne, “If this young lady [Britney] and her daddy don’t resolve their issues, and he doesn’t try harder to establish a good, strong relationship with her, she will end up clinging to the first real romance in her life. That man will be of extreme importance in her life, and that relationship will determine the course of all her relationships with men from then on.”
Britney and her father have had a strained relationship throughout most of her life, with friends describing him as “this scary guy” that Britney never quite bonded with.
And yet, her father rescued her when Britney’s life was spiraling out of control and she was engaging in risky behavior, skipping court hearings to restore her visitation rights, refusing to take drug tests, committing a hit-and-run, and inviting questionable people into her inner circle.
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Most people forget how bad 2007-2008 was for Britney Spears, but her personal and professional life were falling apart. She seemed to struggle with the most basic adult responsibilities and it’s certainly understandable, given the external pressure she was under. But the bottom line is that she was putting herself and her children at risk and her family stepped in to protect them.
By and large, the conservatorship seemed to have been great for her career and some aspects of her personal life. But to blame the negative aspects of this legal arrangement on her dad may be misguided. Many more people were involved in managing Britney’s money and I doubt a guy living in a trailer outside a warehouse is to blame for her financial woes.
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Does Jamie Spears get money from Britney?
As Britney’s conservator, Jamie Spears earned $16,000 per month. While that’s a substantial sum for most people, it’s just a fraction of what other people on Britney’s payroll earn. Her managers and agents take 10-15% of her earnings. For a long time, her accountant was taking a percentage to manage her finances. Britney’s brother, Bryan, reportedly stepped in and stopped the leeching, hiring Earnst & Young to audit and clean things up.
In fact, Jamie essentially acts as Britney’s manager and yet charges just a small fraction of what others on her payroll make. It’s less than the $60,000 per month ex-husband Kevin Federline gets in child support (despite failing to pay it himself for his two children with Shar Jackson). It’s also lower than the minimum $500,000 former business manager Lou Taylor was paid annually. In fact, it’s even less than the $426,000 Britney’s co-conservator Andrew Wallet was paid annually to carry out the same duties as Jamie Spears.
It’s also just a fraction of the $520,00 Britney’s court-appointed attorney Samuel Ingham earned for representing her, though that term might be too generous considering he reportedly ignored Birtney’s requests to terminate the conservatorship.
So the focus on Jamie as the source of financial trouble is misguided and overlooks the other vultures who have taken a larger piece of the pie and done little to earn it.
In fact, if Britney’s father had defrauded her out of millions of dollars, why would he be living in a trailer outside a warehouse right now? Why would he need to sell Britney’s childhood home for under $300,000? Why would he require the buyer of the home to sign a contract, preventing them from using the home to profit off Britney’s name and likeness? And why would he not try to turn the home into a museum or Airbnb and profit heavily from it?
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Does Britney Spears give money to her family?
Since Britney’s career blew up, most of her family hasn’t tried to take from her anything Britney hasn’t offered herself. Yes, Britney bought her mom a custom-built home in Kentwood, but what child doesn’t dream of doing that for their parent? Britney bought her brother an apartment in New York, but she’s a generous person with a big bank account, giving back to her sibling.
Britney brought her little sister along on tours and helped her get a start in the entertainment industry, but Jamie Lynn’s show turned into a hit that allowed her to be financially independent as a teen. She profited off her association with her sister, but her sister was happy to help her.
There was some talk recently about Jamie Lynn claiming Britney’s Destin condo as her own. She reportedly told Bustle, “We’re pretty blessed with a big condo. It can sleep about 10 people.” Another time, Jamie Lynne referred to the property has her favorite getaway in response to a Twitter question:
.@Tomahawk197 We have a condo is Destin, Florida and it’s the best getaway! #AskJLS
— Jamie Lynn Spears (@jamielynnspears) February 6, 2015
Fans pounced on Jamie Lynn for seemingly living off her sister while refusing to come to her aid and even Britney lashed out at her on social media in the days following this revelation.
But is it possible that Jamie Lynn wasn’t describing the condo as her own but rather a family property? After all, in an episode of MTV Diary, Britney and her family were at the Destin condo, seemingly vacationing together. In fact, it appeared her family was at the condo before Britney even arrived and according to Jamie Lynn, it does sleep ten people, so it wouldn’t be a stretch that Britney bought the property for family use.
At one point in the episode, she even says “Family comes before everything. I thank God every day for my family.”
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Does Jamie Spears spend Britney’s money?
So far as court documents go, it appears Jamie Spears did not spend her money. As her conseravor, he collected a $16,000 monthly salary and $2,000 per month for an office space. He also received a 1.5% commission on gross ticket sales from her Piece of Me residency during part of the successful Vegas run.
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Who is to blame for Britney’s financial woes?
While Jamie Spears doesn’t appear to have tapped into Britney’s fortune inappropriately, he may still be to blame for her dwindling fortune. Jamie Spears appointed Lou Taylor of Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group as her business manager. Starting December 2019, Taylor was reportedly paid a $500,000 minimum, plus 5% of revenue. That’s a hefty sum and one Britney objected to in court because it was double what she was previously paid.
Lou Taylor was reportedly the person who convinced Britney’s parents to pursue a conservatorship in order to help their daughter (according to Lynne’s book). She has been involved in Britney’s finances since 2008. In 2011 Lou Taylor, a devout Evangelic Christian, even donated funds from the now-defunct Britney Spears Foundation to Mercy Ministries, which is reported to practice conversion therapy.
In her bombshell court testimony, Britney referred to her father as “ignorant.” It doesn’t sound too far off, considering Jamie Spears has no formal education when it comes to financial management and has himself filed bankruptcy. He hardly seems like the type of person to be put in charge of a $350 million fortune, no matter how much trouble his daughter was in.
But he clearly has hired some questionable people to look out for Britney’s “best interest.” That includes hiring a “sports enhancement doctor” to oversee Britney’s care and reportedly ply her with lithium. And if his daughter’s finances have been mismanaged and her fortune plundered, it may not have occurred at his hands but he certainly is to blame for hiring the wrong people.
Who is profiting from Britney’s conservatorship?
Many people are profiting from Britney Spears’ conservatorship. Her manager, Larry Rudolph, has gotten a 10-15% cut of her reported lucrative Vegas residency, tours and albums over the last 13 years and beyond. Her agents have received a 10% commission.
Britney employs many lawyers who bill thousands of hours a year for their services. This includes former court-appointed attorney Sam Ingham
