On one hand, you've got "good girl" Britney-the former Mouseketeer who's super-nice, squeaky clean, and totally into volunteering. Then there's "bad girl" Britney-the girl everyone's always criticizing for dressing "too sexy" for her age. So which one's the real Britney? We went straight to the girl herself for the answers.
CosmoGirl!: Okay, Britney, we have to ask: What's the deal with people saying you have fake breasts?
BritneySpears: It's stupid! I mean (she cups her breasts in her hands), it doesn't look like I have fake boobs, does it? But, whatever. I'm used to it. Are they real or not?-I mean, of course they're real.
CG: It seems like people are always on your case. Like, you wore a pretty revealing outfit to an awards show and got a lot of flak for it. Comment?
BS: When I hang out with my friends, I'm an Abercrombie & Fitch girl. But when I go to an awards show, I don't dress like that. I'm there with adults, and that's how I view myself-as an adult. I would never consider an outfit like that silver on a revealing outfit, anyway. I thought it was very elegant and tasteful. I mena, Chloe [her designer] is beautiful.
CG: Just curious, but did you have to use double-sided tape to keep it on?
BS: Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah! I taped it down so nothing would come out!
CG: Do you feel like you're practically under a microscope sometimes?
BS: Yeah. But when I go onstage and see all those fans who know all the words to my songs, it totally makes up for it. It's the most amazing feeling in the world.
CG: So you don't take those negative comments to heart, we hope?
BS: Well...there was this one interview where I was really kind of worried about it. It was sooo weird. I mean, the interviewer was really cool and everything, and there was nothing mean in the magazine, but then on the cover the writer put "Too Sexy, Too Soon." That had nothing to do with the article. It's like she just wrote that so it would sell magazines. Why did she go there? Why do that? That hurt me so bad. When the article came out, I was like, "What?"
CG: That is such a drag! Do you think your public image has changed since you recorded your first CD?
BS: Oh, wow. I had just turned 16 when I recorded the first album! When I look at my wardrobe back then, I'm just like, "Oh, Lordy!" I've learned a lot since then. Associating with adults all the time, you can't help but grow up faster.
CG: Any specific examples?
BS: Well, just last night I was watching TV, and I was on the news, and they showed a clip from a performance from, like, forever ago. And the way that I performed was totally different from how I am now. And that's why I don't understand-this is totally off the subject, but- I don't understand why people get married so young. Because I change my taste in clothes and in the way I dress and in guys from week to week.
CG: Yeah, it's really hard to predict the future sometimes. Which reminds us: Lots of people thought you would get that Grammy. Were you very upset when you didn't?
BS: Well, I performed right before thety gave it out, so I was still standing backstage when they announced it. The camera guy had the camera on me, and he was like, "Okay, if you get it, I'll do this" And there were like fifty people around me saying things like, "Put this ring on really quick," and "Touch up your makeup," and basically just "knowing" I was going to get it. And when I didn't, I felt like I let them down. They wanted me to get it so bad! But it just wasn't God's plan for me, and I totally understand that. Everyone was disappointed and I was disappointed because I thought I let them down! But the day after the awards, I was like, "Whatever."
CG:We're so glad you didn't let it get to you! In fact, you seem to have such a cool, positive attitude in general. Don't you ever get mad?
BS: When I first got in the business, I would hold my feelings in sometimes because I wasn't really experienced with different situations and I wouldn't know what to say. But as time goges on, I'm more apt to say, "This is how it should be," instead of waiting until the very last minute and then just blowing up. You understand what I'm saying? At first, you keep all those feelings in, and then all of a sudden you just can't take it anymore, and you're just like, "Roaarrr!" But if you start off being completely honest and letting your feelings out there and not being scared of that, then blowups won't happen.
CG: A lot of us are taught that "good girls keep their angry feelings in." What's your definition of a good girl?
BS: Someone who's happy with her life. She makes sure she keeps in contact with her family and is really involved with them. And she has really good morals.
CG: What would you consider to be a really good moral?
BS: Okay, this is just an example, but...a good moral is waiting to have sex until after you're married.
CG: Are you serious about that?
BS: Oh, God, yes.
CG: Just to play devil's advocate: What if you wait, and when you finally get their it's weird or something?
BS: That's a very scary thought! (laughs) But I was raised to believe that if you're with the right person, then it doesn't matter and you can make it work-if you really love each other.
CG: Speaking of love...what's your fascination with romance novels? We heard you really like them.
BS: Um, maybe I read them because my days are just so crazy and busy, and those books are my time to escape.
CG: You're superromantic then?
BS: Well, I used to not think I was. But when I think about it, I would die if a guy cooked dinner for me and had candles or something like that. I wouldn't know how to act. I wouldn't know what to say. My first boyfriend-my one true relationship-he never did stuff like that for me.
CG: You're on the road so much, it must be hard to have a boyfriend.
BS: It's so hard in this business, because I get so lonely. You wouldn't think that, but after a show I get on the bus and just sit there. I don't have any friends with me, and...I know I'm making my life sound, like, really depressing, and it's not. But there are moments when I'm really lonely.
CG: People can forget that being famous can be difficult. If you could go back in time and talk to Britney at age 14, what advice would you give?
BS: I would tell her to be strong and have fun. I get so caught up in being a perfectionist sometimes. And once you stop having fun, it's not worth it anymore. So I'd be like, "Britney, please stop worrying about every little thing."
