Will Britney ever be in control of her life?

The crowd of middle-aged Boomers played along, but it’s unlikely the pop star will hear even a ghostly whimper.

After all, Britney lives in a bubble that is more insulating than the normal cushion of wealth and fame. She is protected from the outside world by a conservatorship that has put her father, Jamie Spears; a group of attorneys; and, at one point, her (now ex-) fiancé in control of her personal and professional affairs and finances.

Her Internet and phone use have even been restricted. This arrangement has been in place, and extended repeatedly, since 2008.
 

The series of incidents leading up to the court order are enshrined as pop-culture curios.

The first sign of outlandish behavior surfaced nearly 10 years ago with a 2004 quickie Vegas wedding (soon annulled) to a childhood friend. This was followed by the 2005 reality show with then-hubby Kevin Federline, Britney & Kevin: Chaotic, which inspired Entertainment Weekly to question whether the singer was a "halfwit".
 

Then came photos of Britney driving with then-infant son Sean Preston on her lap and later almost dropping him. In 2007, the circus came to a climax with a less-than-24-hour stint in drug rehab, the infamous head-shave and paparazzi umbrella attack, a loss of custody of her sons, more time in treatment, an embarrassing VMA performance and a romance with a paparazzo.

 

In 2008, the coup de grâce saw Britney lock herself in one of her mansion’s bathrooms with her son Jayden James, resulting in a police standoff and an involuntary psychiatric hold.
 

Five years have passed, but Planet Hollywood isn’t taking any chances. According to RadarOnline, the casino has made the continuation of the conservatorship a condition of the contract. When looking at gambles, trust the house to always win.
 

For a once-troubled pop princess, the stability of a Vegas gig may be the best opportunity. The hotel has remodeled its PH Live theater for Britney: Piece of Me, the two-year residency that kicks off on December 27 and is netting the singer $ 30 million.

The venue seats 4600 fans — more than the 4298 capacity of Caesars Palace Colosseum, which hosts Celine Dion. PH Live boasts the world’s largest indoor projection theater, and Britney’s show will attempt to cash in on the mega-popularity of Vegas nightclubs by offering a blended concert-club experience, complete with VIP bottle service and a dance floor.
 

But will it work?
 

There have been conflicting reports about the ticket sales, with casino representatives saying they are going well. Britney’s manager Larry Rudolph told E! News that it’s "the best-selling show in the history of Vegas". But at the time of publication, none of the 16 available shows had sold out. Just five were labeled "not many left".
 

Tickets aren’t the only variable for the pop star, who turns 32 on Monday and releases her eighth studio album, Britney Jean, the next day with a parade on the Strip. Las Vegas Sun columnist Robin Leach (formerly of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous) reports will include "contortionists, pole dancers and other burlesque beauties". Many wonder if the performer, who has reportedly been diagnosed as bipolar, can handle the stress of a two-year commitment.
 

"This kind of situation is potentially very dangerous," says Manhattan-based psychologist Dr. Diana Kirschner, who has not treated Britney. "Any time there’s the stress of carrying an enormous project that’s worth millions of dollars and involves probably hundreds of people who have jobs on the line, there is this absolute and complete kind of pressure that you have to deal with. If you don’t deal with that stress, quite often it can be extremely destructive."
 

Unfortunately, one former employee of Britney tells The Post, the singer is not the best at dealing with stress.

"Little things that shouldn’t bother normal people threw her over the edge, and she would start crying uncontrollably."

 

Describing a long day of working with Spears on a music video, the source felt bad for the pop star: "She cried a few times, and [her handlers] would console her and baby her and put her back [on set]. Then she finally broke down by the end of the day. She was so much like a sad kid who had to do something they didn’t want to do. It was sad."
 

So how much power does Britney have over her own life?  "I don’t think she has any control of her career or the direction it takes," says the former employee. "She’s a product, and everyone else around her manages the product.

She’s told what to do, when to do it. Everyone’s in a cohesive understanding — from people at the label to people they hire to do her hair and makeup. They know how to talk to her, know how to baby her and to make sure that she’s happy so that she will [perform]. People from the label and management are literally always right there. There’s always someone within five feet of her."

 

Read the full story at the New York Post.