Is Britney in a snitney? The precocious Ms. Spears yesterday pulled out of her Nov. 21 performance on NBC's "Today" show.
Why? Word is, she and her handlers were furious that "Dateline NBC" ran a piece about Spears last Sunday without her cooperation. The segment discussed how she evolved from a virginal Mousketeer to the sweaty vixen who locks lips with Madonna. One network insider insists the piece was fair, but "her people just pulled out [of 'Today'] on principle."
Some say Spears didn't leave NBC much choice because she backed out of a series of NBC interviews after ABC offered her a holiday concert special.
"Her management made a deal tied to the [Nov. 18] release of her CD, 'In the Zone,'" says a source. "NBC was going to put her on 'Today,' 'Dateline,' 'The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,' MSNBC, you name it.
"It was all confirmed Then ABC came up with the network special. She then told NBC that she first had to do the ABC shows Prime Time," "Good Morning America," "Jimmy Kimmel," etc. [So] NBC went ahead with the 'Dateline' piece early. She screwed them first."
But Spears' spokeswoman argues, "There were early discussions with several networks, including NBC, but there was no final deal with NBC …[and] ABC delivered the entire package that we were looking for."
An NBC rep would say only, "We are disappointed the concert didn't work out. She's always welcome at the 'Today' show, where the top acts always go to perform."
An ABC spokesman maintained the Nov. 17 concert special had nothing to do with Diane Sawyer landing her exclusive with Brit, which airs tomorrow on "PrimeTime Thursday."
Having coaxed Spears' beautiful behind into a chair, Sawyer asks her about ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake's suggestions that she was unfaithful.
"Everyone has a side to their story," she tells Sawyer. "I'm not technically saying he's wrong. But I'm not technically saying he's right, either." - podirt.com new york daily news.
