Reports: Britney Spears Back in Rehab; Hearing Canceled; Spears' Dad Talks to FOX
Thursday , February 22, 2007
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Britney Spears checked into rehab Thursday for the third time in two weeks, reports say.
Meanwhile, the emergency hearing that her soon-to-be ex-husband Kevin Federline scheduled for Thursday has been canceled.
Spears returned to the Promises treatment center in Malibu, Calif., and there is video of the star entering the center with her mother, Lynne Spears, the entertainment television show “Extra” reported.
Earlier, Spears' father told FOX News that the troubled pop princess is "a sick little girl ... we're just trying to take care of her."
Jamie Spears, speaking Thursday from his Louisiana home, also told FOX News' Lisa Bernhard that he did not want to comment on the specifics of Spears' current situation. He added that the problems with Spears are "not about what other people think," and that he and Spears' mom are "concerned about our daughter."
Federline is also concerned for Spears, and wants her to get the help she is now seeking, sources told TMZ.com.
X17online.com is reporting that Spears went to Federline’s house Wednesday night. Their two young sons were inside the house, and Federline would not let Spears inside. Spears then turned on the cameramen outside the home flailing her arms and hitting the cameras.
Jamie Spears told FOX News Thursday that Federline and his lawyer were not scheduled to appear Thursday at an emergency hearing in family law court, as Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini had said.
Parachini later issued an update: "A lawyer has called the bailiff and indicated nothing is going to happen today," he said. He identified the lawyer as Mark Vincent Kaplan, who represents Federline.
Kaplan had contacted the court on Wednesday and asked for the appearance. No explanation was given for the cancellation.
"Kevin continues to be a very focused father with his children with hands-on management," said a statement from Kaplan, read by his publicist Michael Sands.
Before the hearing was canceled, Parachini said it was not known what issue the 28-year-old aspiring rapper planned to raise, though the former couple are in a custody dispute over their two children.
"Our best information is he will be here; she won't," Parachini said. "But anything is possible."
Federline sought spousal support and sole custody of Jayden James, 5 months, and Sean Preston, 17 months, after Spears moved to end their two-year marriage in November, but a temporary order issued Feb. 1 granted joint custody through this month.
The hearing comes amid increasingly bizarre behavior by Spears, which culminated with her reportedly checking into and out of two rehab centers in a week and shaving her head bald on Friday.
Manager Larry Rudolph issued a brief statement Tuesday confirming the 25-year-old pop star had entered rehab.
Spears left the Promises Malibu Treatment Center on Wednesday, according to "The Insider" TV news magazine, less than a day after arriving. The center specializes in treating drug and alcohol abuse.
Last week, she reportedly sought treatment at a center in the Caribbean but also checked out after a day.
The next day, she arrived at a San Fernando Valley hair salon, grabbed an electric razor and shaved her head bald. Afterward, she visited a tattoo parlor, where she had a pair of red-and-pink lips inked onto her wrist. Then she went out clubbing with friends before apparently checking into Promises.
In public again Wednesday, Spears attempted to keep a low profile, but TMZ posted video of her wearing a wig and leaving what it said was a lawyer's office.
Whether her recent behavior will damage her recording career is hard to say, said Vibe magazine music editor Jon Caramanica.
Spears, whose 1999 debut album "... Baby One More Time," sold more than 13 million copies, hasn't released a new album since 2003. Before her troubles began she had promised one this year, and Caramanica suggested that might be a good outlet to address what she's going through.
"I think the best thing she could do is make an album that engages with this subject matter in some way," he said. "Not only to have a good album but to have an album that's a declaration of emotional health."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253618,00.html