In an exclusive statement,
Neil Patrick Harris responds to the Associated Press article that suggested he would like Britney Spears banned from the set of his CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. "It seems that yesterday a writer took some quotes of mine and
speculated an opinion about their intent. I write to you to set the
record straight," the actor says. "Britney did a great job on the show. She
really did. In fact, we are all hoping that she returns rather soon to
reprise her role as Abby."
Spears guest starred as a lovestruck receptionist on the March 24 episode, which earned the series' highest ratings in the 18-49 demographic in its three seasons on the air. The appearance also garnered remarkably strong reviews for the troubled pop star. In the AP story, however, Harris was quoted as saying, "I'm in the minority that our show does not need stunt casting in order to succeed.... I worry that if they start Will & Grace-ing us too much, that the show will suffer." Now he tells EW.com that he would welcome Spears back — because he has "great faith" in the show's producers and writers. He also says, "My job description is to act, and I should really do just that."
At first, the AP stood by its story. "I respect his right to change his stance," said AP entertainment editor Jesse Washington, "but... Neil Patrick
Harris told us unequivocally that he did not believe that Britney should be on
the show." But by late Friday, April 11, the AP seemed to have changed its tune. "We're issuing a clarification to our story," Washington said in a statement. "Harris did not say that he opposed a return engagement for Spears, and our lede said that he did."
Harris' full statement appears after the jump.
After months of grueling toe-to-toe, spit-to-spit competition, actress-turned-tabloid mainstay Shar Jackson (Moesha) took home the prize of Celebrity Rap Superstar last night, beating out runner-up Kendra Wilkinson (The Girls Next Door), rocker Sebastian Bach, über-blogger Perez Hilton — with whom she had some momentary drama — and the far less rhyme-inclined Jason Wahler and Efren Remirez on the MTV show.
Who knew she had it in her? But one listen to Jackson's original rap, "Let It Blow," during which she takes a dig at Britney Spears, will silence all naysayers. Even Jackson ex Kevin Federline, who saw first hand that rapping is no cakewalk, was impressed. "He was texting good luck before the show," Jackson told us. "Then after, he called to say congratulations and how proud he was."
Let's give Britney Spears a round of applause today, shall we? Not only has she finally obtained that pesky drivers license, but her new single, "Gimme More," just rocketed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Not a huge deal, right? Britney's had tons of chart-topping singles, correct? Er, not so fast: Buried in Billboard's news is the fact that "Gimme More" is actually Spears' highest-charting single since "...Baby One More Time," which was not only her very first hit but is also the only No. 1 single to her credit!
If that surprises you, check this out: "Gimme More" is only her fifth single to hit the Top 10. (Keep in mind that in the past year alone, Fergie has notched four Top 10 singles — three of which hit No. 1 — from her debut album alone.) And that list doesn't include Spears' hits "Sometimes" (No. 21), "Lucky" (No. 23), "I'm A Slave 4 U" (No. 27), "Me Against the Music" (No. 35), "Everytime" (No. 15), or the heinously titled — but well-known — ballad "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman," which didn't even chart.
Britney Spears may not be the most talented musical artist of our time, but she's given us some memorable songs, and it just seems... odd that her singles haven't performed better, doesn't it? At least she can take solace in the fact that every one of her studio albums opened at No. 1.
So in one day the former pop sensation lost her kids and her manager. Fox News is reporting that temporary custody of her kids has been turned over to father-of-the-year Kevin Federline, and now, according to a source who used to work with Jeff Kwatinetz, the power broker at The Firm, the manager dropped Britney, one of his highest profile clients, because she was no longer listening to him and it was making him look bad. The only thing that trumps money in this biz is ego.
This is not the first time Kwatinetz has shocked the town by getting rid of a celeb client when the downward slide of their career had only just begun: Kwatinetz fired Michael Jackson in 2001 -- and look what a brilliant decision that was.
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