Britney Must Cover Up for China
Britney Spears is clear to play China–as long as she doesn’t commit any oops in the wardrobe department.
The pop tart, who has worn everything from boa constrictors to Madonna (news – web sites)’s lips onstage, had petitioned Chinese authorities to bring her traveling circus to the People’s Republic of China for her first shows in the Communist country. On Tuesday, China’s Culture Ministry gave their okay to Spears to perform five shows in Beijing and Shanghai next year, according to China News Service reports.
However, officials granted permission on one condition: Britney will have to tone down her sexy act by not wearing anything that the traditionally conservative authorities deem too revealing.
“Relevant departments will carry out strict reviews of Britney Spears’ performance clothing,” the wire service said.
(Strict scrutinizing of Britney’s bodysuits, eh? We’re guessing there will be a lot of volunteers for that job.)
Of course, there’s no word exactly which of Spears’ titillating outfits government censors might consider toxic. But given how much skin the girl is already baring on her Hotel Onyx Tour currently crisscrossing Europe and America, Chinese promoters will likely have their work cut out for them.
An unidentified spokesman for the local promoters told China News Service that altering Spears’ wardrobe could present a problem because it would be “impossible to make up clothes specially for the China performances” since Spears wears the same getups night after night on tour.
Reps for Spears’ label, Jive Records, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
With 54 million in record sales under her belt (presuming she wears one), Spears is set to become one of the biggest international acts ever to play China, following Mariah Carey, who played two dates in Shanghai last November, and British rockers Deep Purple, who performed in Beijing and Shanghai in March.
Spears’ latest disc, In the Zone, has sold more than 5 million copies.
While her handlers work out the fine print with the Chinese, the pop princess has been busy dealing with another matter from the Far East.
Last week, a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled that Spears was innocent and should not be held liable for damages after being sued by a Japanese man who claimed the entertainer and two of her bodyguards caused him “emotional distress” when they found him lurking on her property in October 2002.
Masahiko Shizawa, 43, has a history of obsessing over the singer, including pestering her via phone, fax, email and snail mail, and staking out various properties belonging to her and her family.
The belly-baring babe wraps up the Euro leg of her Hotel Onyx tour next Sunday in Dublin before heading back to the United States for a series of shows commencing June 22 in Hartford, Connecticut, and continuing throughout the summer.
E!Online – Josh Grossberg