This wasn't Spears' first time facing inappropriate questions in public and it certainly wasn't her last. However, it was one of the only times someone in the media had her back.
Britney Spears has long been a popular topic for tabloids and she has spent much of her life in the public eye. The media has covered her high-profile romantic relationships, breakups and personal struggles extensively. Unfortunately, there have been times when she has been asked invasive questions, causing her discomfort. One such incident occurred during an old interview with Malaysian radio host Asha Gill, which has since resurfaced on the internet.
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In the resurfaced clip posted by the Twitter account of @britneyscrave, Gill gets a whole lot of praise from the netizens in the comment section after she shut down a fan who had popped an inappropriate question to Spears. "Britney, my question to you is, I really want to know whether you are a virgin?" the clip starts with the fan boldly questioning the "Circus" hitmaker. Spears' face immediately contorts and she looks extremely uncomfortable before Gill backs her up.
This is one of the rare occasions when an interviewer actually defended Britney Spears when she was asked an inappropriate question. ππΌ pic.twitter.com/r85AsEJoY4
β Britney Spears Crave (Fan Page) (@britneyscrave) December 14, 2022
"Can I answer this for you?" Gill asks for the pop star's permission. "Yes please," Spears exclaims readily. "Can I just say, can you go back to school, can you go talk to your parents, learn some manners? Then come back and ask a question, because youβre wasting our time," the interviewer claps back at the rude fan. Spears couldn't hold herself back from thanking Gill because this was probably one of the rare few times when someone from the media had taken her side to defend her.
The "Womanizer" singer has had an illustrious but equally rough life and career where she was constantly subjected to sexist and invasive questions. According to Harper's Bazaar, she wa under a conservatorship helmed by her father, Jamie Spears, since the singer's infamous breakdown several years ago after which Spears ended up getting hospitalized and was put into rehab. Her loyal fans launched the #FreeBritney movement where they utilized social media to bring awareness to the discrepancies surrounding the conservatorship.
It makes me want to cry seeing how grateful Britney was that someone was behaving decently and in their right mind and shutting this down for her. Those types of questions were beneath dignity. Respect to Britney and the reporter.
β Mitzie Russ (@RussMitzie) December 15, 2022
It's so gross how she was so sexualized
β Tequila Coconut π½π«π΄ββ οΈ (@Tequila_Coconut) December 15, 2022
Wow, people were obssesed with this question back then. Like the fate of America depended on her virginity or something
β Linda (@leighiana_marie) December 14, 2022
Why would she ask that anyways? That's extremely intrusive & just overall wasn't her business or anybody else's.
β PLATINUM (@Mariahsangel90) December 15, 2022
After a long battle, her conservatorship ended in November 2021, after 13 years. She is also penning her memoir which is set to release in October 2023. However, her ugly experience with media dates back to the time when she was just 10 years old. The young and talented artist made her TV debut on "Star Search" with Ed McMahon in 1992 where she performed a rendition of "Love Can Build a Bridge," according to Buzzfeed News.
However, in yet another resurfaced clip, viewers were stunned to see host McMahon focusing on Spear's love life instead of her vocal ability. After she released her debut single at the age of 16, the inappropriate questions only escalated in every other interview she appeared on. Spears was also blamed in an interview by Diane Sawyer in 2002 after her messy breakup with Justin Timberlake. The singer was questioned about "what she did to cause Timberlake so much pain and then break his heart." Spears was taken aback and was moved to tears.
Ed McMahon really tried to say "not all men!!!" and Britney was still like "stfu you know what I meant." queen shit since birth. pic.twitter.com/XaAsyEqAsG
β Lane Mooreπ (@hellolanemoore) February 7, 2021
Spears has constantly made headlines in 2023 as well after her split from husband Sam Asghari and a sudden change of moniker. Spears started going by the name of Maria River Red on her social media handles, per Grazia. In July 2023, the pop star quietly changed her name to Maria River Red and even made a new Threads account under that name. Though it's not certain if she has legally changed her name, fans are anticipating a new album from their favorite singer under her new name.