Britney Spears’ Camp ‘Livid’ Over Glee Episode

Many Britney Spears fans were shocked by Thursday’s “Glee” episode after the show gave the superstar’s pop hits a second go — this time dredging up Britney’s past tribulations, including her 2007 head-shaving incident and umbrella attack on the paparazzi.

And it wasn’t just Britney supporters who were angered.

Speaking to Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush on Friday, Britney’s manager said the singer’s team was completely unaware “Glee” was going to revisit Britney’s troubled times and was “livid” over the episode.

In addition to the one-scene ode to bald Britney, the inflammatory ep (dubbed “Britney 2.0”) also recreated the pop princess’ much-maligned “Gimme More” performance at the 2007 MTV VMAs, where the singer was criticized for everything ranging from less-than-six-pack abs, to poorly hidden hair extensions, to sloppy, low-energy dance moves.

In the “Glee” episode, Brittany S. Pierce (played by Heather Morris) — depressed over having to repeat her senior year of high school and missing her best friend/sometimes lover Santana — was chosen to lead the Glee Club’s pep assembly performance.

Donning a costume similar to Britney’s 2007 black two-piece ensemble, the show’s Brittany meandered lazily through a half-hearted performance of “Gimme More,” while lip-syncing and chowing down on a large bag of cheese puffs.

Why “Glee” would choose to rehash Britney’s low points now that she’s made a triumphant comeback struck many as odd (if not mean-spirited), especially since the singer herself helped to boost the series’ ratings by appearing on an episode of the show in Season 2.

Adding insult to injury, “Britney 2.0” aired directly after the superstar’s new show, “The X Factor” on FOX.

VOTE: ‘Glee’s’ Britney Episode — Funny Or Not Funny?

In “Glee’s” defense, the episode wasn’t entirely negative.

In the end, Brittany started to make a comeback and said she wanted to be like Britney because “no matter what happened to her, she just came back stronger.”

— Erin O’Sullivan

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