Lance Bass Hasn't Spoken To Britney In 'Years,' Says They Were 'Kept Away From Each Other' Due To Conservatorship

Jul 23, 2021 by apost team

Britney Spears is currently in the news as she publicly battles to end her father’s conservatorship, which allows him to control her finances and aspects of the singer’s personal life. Britney has been under the conservatorship ever since the pop star had a mental breakdown in 2008. At that time, Britney’s father, James Spears, petitioned for a conservatorship in light of his daughter’s mental health, giving him and his lawyers the legal right to make decisions about her estate and her personal life. The conservator has an immense amount of legal power. In Britney’s case, for example, she has claimed that the conservator has not allowed her to drive or change her birth control.

In a July 22 interview on “Heather Dubrow’s World” podcast, Lance Bass, the 42-year-old singer known for his role in the boy band NSYNC, claimed that the conservatorship even prevented Bass from associating with Britney, a friend. In the past, Bass has been outspoken in his criticism of the conservatorship, making posts to his Facebook page and speaking to media outlets around the globe. Both Bass and Britney were prominent pop stars in the 1990s and early 2000s. The two acts even toured together.

Bass’ criticism of Britney’s conservatorship joins a chorus of other celebrities and fans who are calling the legal arrangement unjust. Britney’s defenders have even started a movement — “Free Britney” — which traces its origins back to the website FreeBritney.net that launched in 2009, shortly after James (better known as Jamie) Spears put the conservatorship in place.

“I haven’t spoken to her for years. We’ve been kept away from each other for quite a while,” Bass said of Britney on Dubrow’s podcast. “I don’t know exactly what she needs but I do know that she, to me — (from) what I see — is sane enough to pick her own people.”

“I believe that she needs to be away from the dad,” Bass added. “She needs to pick her own people running this conservatorship, if she even needs one, especially when choosing her lawyer. To me, there’s a bigger picture here … The main thing that I’m concerned about is the court systems and this judge. If this is really true, then we have to look at this judge, right? Because that means that they’re corrupt. I don’t know, it’s scary.”

Bass’ July 22 interview echoes previous comments he has made about the conservatorship.

"So what IS the excuse given by the courts to keep Jamie Spears on as conservatorship?? If every single person agrees he is unfit to be in charge of her, then why is it so hard to find an independent person to be responsible? Please someone explain!" Bass wrote on Facebook on Feb. 9. 

On July 15, a judge ruled that Britney can choose her own lawyer in the fight to end her conservatorship — a freedom that was only just now allowed to her for the first time in 13 years. This news came as a welcome change for the singer, who had been dealt a devastating blow after a judge denied her request to end her controversial conservatorship that gives her father, Jamie, control over her estate and life.

apost.com

According to the BBC, Britney’s father worked with lawyers in 2008 to establish the conservatorship, which effectively made Jamie and his lawyer in charge of many of the 39-year-old singer’s decisions and her finances. At the time, Britney had a public breakdown, which precipitated the restrictive legal arrangement.

However, Britney argues that Jamie has abused the powers of the conservatorship.

During a 24-minute-long testimony that she gave in front of a probate judge at the end of June, she accused her conservators of forcing her to perform against her will, making her take mood-stabilizing drugs and keeping her on birth control despite her wishes to have another baby.

Variety published her words in full. She declared, "I’m not here to be anyone’s slave." She added:

"I’ve lied and told the whole world 'I’m OK and I'm happy.' It's a lie. I thought I just maybe if I said that enough, maybe I might become happy, because I've been in denial. I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized … I’m so angry it’s insane. And I'm depressed. I cry every day."

As for what’s next in the Spears saga, The New York Times reports that Britney is likely to submit formal paperwork with her lawyer to end the conservatorship. At that point, Jamie Spears can object to the request, which would bring the case to a trial in which a judge would make the final call. The case is likely to be an uphill battle for Britney, as California trust and estate lawyer Chris Johnson explained that judges often rely on medical experts to make their decisions in these cases.

“In many cases, it can be harder getting rid of a conservatorship than establishing it in the first place,” Johnson told The Times.

What do you think about Bass’ comments and the “Free Britney movement? Let us know — and be sure to get your friends and family members’ thoughts as well.