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Her erratic behavior has fans concerned.
By Alexandra Blogier — Written on Jan 17, 2023
Britney Spears took to Instagram on January 16th, 2023, to address her alleged “manic” meltdown at LA restaurant Joey on January 13, 2023.
In a public outburst that had fans questioning her mental health, Spears was apparently triggered by the behavior of her fellow restaurant patrons, who were seen snapping photos of her on their cell phones without her consent or permission.
Spears was captured on camera trying to cover her face with a menu to maintain some modicum of privacy.
Spears' supposedly erratic behavior has been deemed part of a 'manic meltdown.'
According to footage obtained by TMZ, Spears became visibly upset by people trying to snap photos of her without her consent.
She started yelling and began speaking “gibberish,” after which point her husband Sam Asghari left the restaurant.
After the incident, Spears left the restaurant with her bodyguard, who returned soon after to pay the bill.
The 41-year-old pop superstar addressed the claims that she had a manic episode via an Instagram post she made on January 16, 2023.
“I know the news is all hyped about me being a little drunk at a restaurant … it’s like they’ll be WATCHING MY EVERY MOVE!!!” Spears posted.
“I’m so flattered they talk about me like a maniac THEN have the balls to talk about all the negative things that happened in my past!!!” The post continued.
Spears accurately calls out the inherent contradiction the media coverage of the incident. How can someone whose past is so heavily scrutinized and rife with trauma be expected to react well when cameras are stuck in her face at every turn?
Spears stated, “I’m sure I brought a billion SMILES to me LOOKING LIKE SHREK at a restaurant. Even my best friend couldn’t WAIT TO SEND IT TO ME, THEY DON’T THINK TWICE because we are all natural born killers.”
Spears continued, “I know y’all are rooting for me and all and make sure you check out the shocking Shrek picture of me.”
Spears called the photographs taken of her “horrific,” noting that “there were two pics where I was normal.”
“Either way honestly I know nobody gives a flying f–k what I do,” she ended the post.
Spears also posted a reel to her Instagram grid after the incident, in which she danced and flipped off the camera to the Divinyls' song “I Touch Myself.”
While the media is quick to declare her behavior 'manic,' it appears that Spears just wanted to have dinner with her husband in relative privacy.
The singer openly struggles with a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, yet her seemingly erratic behavior at the restaurant is vaguely normal when put into context.
Spears didn’t give any level of enthusiastic consent to the patrons taking pictures of her. It’s not surprising she reacted so strongly to her personal space being invaded.
Spears has lived the majority of her life under extreme public scrutiny, with her infamous conservatorship removing any agency she had for 13 years.
The narrative surrounding Spears’ mental health feeds into the never-ending celebrity news cycle, with Spears being criticized for behavior that could just be her establishing boundaries in the only ways she knows how.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.