37% Of People Think This Moment Is When Britney Spears Went Too Far
Years before Britney Spears was serving us whimsical Instagram videos of her dancing from quarantine, she was the most ubiquitous pop star of the 2000s. A 2008 Vanity Fair headline even pitched the question, "Is Britney Spears the Most Important Cultural Figure in America?" Her twin-denim moment with ex Justin Timberlake at the 2001 American Music Awards was one of the most memorable highlights of musical and fashion history. ("Denim on denim on denim on denim that will never be forgotten!" John Legend teased Timberlake at a February roundtable for The Hollywood Reporter.)
Spears' striptease move during a 2000 VMAs performance, on the other hand, officially announced her girl-to-woman transition to mixed buzz. While some chastised the then-19 year old for the risqué overtures, others like Billboard celebrated that very audacity. "After she tore off the jacket and pants to unveil a midriff-baring bodysuit, it was apparent that she'd just lapped every other pop diva vying for the 21st century Queen of Pop crown," the publication declared.
The most iconic moments in Spears' career that began on Disney in 1993 (via Insider) have erred on the side of shocking. From seemingly becoming overnight BFFs with Paris Hilton (as per Harper's Bazaar) to having her face licked in the "I'm a Slave 4 U" music video, the definitive pop icon of the early aughts was once the news cycle. Nicki Swift surveyed 583 Americans to see which of Spears' newsworthy moments was the one that crossed the line most. Read on for the answer!
People still can't believe Britney Spears' 2006 driving incident
When was a time Britney Spears went "too far" on or offstage? For the 583 respondents surveyed by Nicki Swift, the landslide winner was the 2006 incident in which she drove with then-infant son Sean Preston Federline in her lap, with 36.71% of survey-ees calling this Spears' most controversial moment. In an unsurprising second place, Spears shaving her own head at a Los Angeles salon in 2007 was deemed by 25.90% of respondents as her most questionable behavior.
Survey respondents also remembered Spears' 55-hour marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander, which polled at third-place at 14.24%. Years after the matrimony — which was sealed in Vegas — was annulled, Alexander told ABC News, "I was in love." Well, oops ... she did it again?
Speaking of short-lived romances, performed or otherwise, the infamous lip-lock Spears and Madonna shared onstage at the 2003 VMAs still shocked survey respondents years later, ringing in fourth place at 9.95%. Almost tied in last place — at 6.69% and 6.52%, respectively — were the 2007 attack on a paparazzo's car by Spears' umbrella (that occurred on the heels of her self-administered head buzz, as per TMZ) and her five-episode UPN reality series, "Chaotic," with ex Kevin Federline that featured home videos of the two at home.
Although the series itself may not have achieved much acclaim, we can't think of a more appropriate title for Spears' life in the spotlight!