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Britney Spears' Doll Collection

By KAREN BLISS -- Jam! Music

The Spice Girls have their own dolls. It's not inconceivable that teen pop queen Britney Spears's likeness will be molded into a 5-inch fully-posable plastic action figure, complete with plaited pigtails and schoolgirl uniform. But for now, the "...Baby One More Time" hitmaker must be content collecting dolls.

"You should see my room," the 17-year-old Spears enthuses. "I probably have like 25 dolls in my room because every Christmas and every birthday my mom always gives me dolls. "The first doll that I got was from my grandmother," she remembers. "It was one from Pleasant Company. She's not a porcelain doll. She's a doll you can actually play with, but she's a collector's (item). Her name's Felicity and she has red hair and she's really really cute. "And I started getting Little Women. They're like little bitty women. They're so cute. There's so many. They have Cinderella, Rapunzel and Snow White."

In her native Kentwood, Louisiana, her best friend's mom owns a jewelry store and they frequently ask her to stock up on the prettiest, most precious dolls. "We both collect dolls, so we're always like, 'Get this doll in!'," says Spears. Of all Spears's dolls, her most expensive acquisition cost $400 (U.S.). "It was a bride doll. She was just spectacular. She was really beautiful. She had a long gown. She was really pretty," she justifies.

Once word of this former mouseketeer's hobby spreads to her fans, piles of dolls will be tossed onstage at her shows, given to her at autograph sessions and sent to her fan club. Most likely, they'll be of the cheaper Barbie variety. "That would be nice," Spears says. "My little sister (7-year-old Jamie Lynn) would freak out because she's a Barbie freak. I'm not really."

Spears is currently promoting her No.1 debut album, ...Baby One More Time, but surprisingly hasn't picked up any dolls while on tour. "I never really buy dolls when I travel because I have so much luggage, I'd be too scared I would break it. I guess I could ship it home or something."

Monday April 5 9:27 PM ET
EDITORIAL: Sexualizing teenagers sets dangerous precedent
By Staff Editorial Iowa State Daily

(U-WIRE) AMES, Iowa -- There aren't very many men on campus who haven't drooled over the image of Britney Spears on MTV strutting and flipping around in her little Catholic school girl's uniform with her blouse open to show her bra; shirt tied beneath her breasts revealing her tight tummy and navel; a skirt so farcically short that it makes a mockery of private, religious education.

It's hard to remember that this girl is jailbait. Especially when the latest cover of Rolling Stone magazine features a barely-clad Spears wearing little more than a bra and a smile. Inside the magazine, Spears can be seen in several risque and suggestive poses. In case subtlety isn't your bag, in one photo she stands with her back to the camera by a little girl's bicycle wearing tiny shorts with "baby" across the butt. Now, it would be the height of naivete to think that rock 'n' roll and sex don't go together like Keith Richards and Jack Daniels at the Hollywood Hilton, but the trend of sexualizing teenagers sets a dangerous precedent. Especially when Spears' publicist seems to want to push the naughty, little girl angle hard and heavy.

But a distinction should be drawn between the cute teeny-boppers in cool outfits who make the boys and girls buy records by the truckload and the exploitation of a minor by her parents, her record company and the media. Spears undoubtedly has no problem with these displays; teenagers rarely do. That's why they have parents to draw the line for them. Show biz parents are remarkably different, it seems. Pictures like these are only barely legal when taken by private citizens. But when Rolling Stone does it, it's just good business. And they have been doing it a lot lately.

We get it -- you're into leather bustiers, how saucy you are. How about something new for a change? The lack of artistic originality aside, adult women can make their own decisions about how much skin they want to show the public in entertainment rags. But when it comes to the under-18 set, there needs to be some limits on how sexy these children should be. Spears may be on top now, having the time of her life, but one day she will look back and see what the rest of us see: a moderately talented girl whose body is the main event.

© 1999 Iowa State Daily via U-WIRE

Britney's Controversial Pix
Monday, March 29, 1999

Rolling Stone's new photo spread featuring 17-year-old pop sensation Britney Spears dressed in skimpy outfits and posing with her doll collection is not sitting well with one media watchdog group.
"The mixing of childhood innocence with adult sexuality is troubling," says Tim Wildmon of the American Family Association. "We don't want to become so depraved in our culture that we can't even separate sexuality from childhood."

The article, "Inside the Heart and Mind (and Bedroom) of America's New Teen Queen," is accompanied by several photos featuring the well-proportioned Lolita wearing next-to-nothing back at her parents's house in Kentwood, LA. In one photo, the girl behind the hit song "Baby One More Time" is standing beside a hot pink girl's bicycle and wearing a pair of hot pants with the word "Baby" emblazoned across her backside. The photos are shot by David Lachapelle, the celebrity and fashion photographer known for his provocative portraits.

"I'm a little surprised that this doesn't bother her parents," says Wildmon. "It would bother me if my daughter was the subject of lust by men and young boys in this way."

Yahoo! News AP Headlines
Saturday March 27 2:57 PM ET

Spears Happy To Be a Role Model

NEW YORK (AP) - Teen singing sensation Britney Spears says she's happy being a role model. ``You want to be a good example for kids out there and not do something stupid,'' Spears says in the current edition of Rolling Stone.
``Kids have low self-esteem and then peer pressures come and they go into a wrong crowd. That's when all the bad stuff starts happening.''
The 17-year-old Spears, whose debut album ``Baby One More Time'' is flying off the racks, believes the key to success for kids is finding a niche.
``If they find something that keeps them happy - writing, drawing, anything like that - then they'll have confidence.''

BRITNEY SPEARS GOES UNDER THE KNIFE March 4, 1999-Wall of Sound
"The singer, whose album "Baby, One More Time" has enjoyed a lengthy stint at the top of the charts, has canceled a number of publicity events and television appearances after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her knee on Wednesday (March 3), in New Orleans, La. In the wee hours of the morning, Dr. Tim Finney, the chief doctor for the New Orleans Saints football team, removed a one-inch piece of torn cartilage through three incisions on her knee."

NEW YORK-(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)- March 3, 1999

Jive Records' teen pop phenomenon Britney Spears had to cancel and postpone a handful of promotional events and television appearances due to orthoscopic surgery on her knee. This morning at 6:45 a.m. CST at Doctors Hospital in New Orleans, Dr. Tim Finney, the chief doctor for The New Orleans Saints football team, removed a one inch piece of loose cartilage from Britney's knee after three incisions. She is recovering nicely. Britney twisted her knee during rehearsal for second video "Sometimes" on Thursday, Feb. 11, 1999. Originally, she was advised to remain off her feet to avoid injuring her knee any further. Unfortunately, her medical examination yesterday determined that knee surgery was needed. She is expected to be fully recovered in four weeks. "I want to thank my wonderful fans and all of the people who have offered their love and support during this time," said Britney. She will speak to her fans directly on March 8, 1999 at 7:00 p.m. EST when she hosts her third chat on America Online's "Entertainment Asylum" (AOL keyword: Britney and www.asylum.com/music). Among the media performances that will be postponed are the filming of the video "Sometimes," MTV's Spring Break (a pre-taped segment will replace her scheduled performance), and Nickelodeon's 100th Episode Special of "All That." Britney's performances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee will be rescheduled