The New York Times documentary Framing Britney has made one thing clear: Britney Spears owes many people an apology. For years, admirers assumed Diane Sawyer was one of them.

Almost immediately after the February 5 release of Framing Britney, Justin Timberlake drew outrage for his treatment of Spears following their 2002 separation. (Reports that Spears cheated were never substantiated.)

Diane Sawyer asks Britney Spears about her separation from Justin Timberlake—and much more—in a 2003 Primetime interview. Framing Britney includes footage from that interview, which has sparked fan backlash towards the broadcast icon.

Diane Sawyer owes Britney Spears a sincere apology. #FramingBritneySpears

— Kate (@k_shiver) February 7, 2021

“You did something that caused him so much grief, so much misery,” Sawyer says to Spears in the interview. “What exactly did you do?” Spears is immediately blamed for everything, as her former backup dancer and tour manager Kevin Tancharoen points out in his book Framing Britney.

“Her image was painted as ‘Oh, what did you do to cause the breakup? You have to do something. Not him,'” Tancharoen says.

But? The complete Sawyer interview is far worse than what was seen in Framing Britney. “But you stated, ‘I’ve only slept with one person in my whole life, two years into my relationship with Justin,'” Sawyer said at one point. And yet he’s left the idea that you weren’t faithful, that you betrayed the relationship.” It doesn’t matter what Spears says in response to this question; what matters is why the question was asked in the first place. Sawyer challenged a 21-year-old woman on national television to justify the intimate details of her sex life. And no one blinked an eye.

In this interview, Sawyer does more than just question Spears about Timberlake. She discusses a variety of issues with the pop legend. Following that, Sawyer inquires about a previous interview in which a teenager, Spears stated that she hoped to wait until marriage to have sex. (This sound bite followed Spears for years; her virginity was heavily discussed in the media.)

“If you were to talk to your little sister [Jamie Lynn Spears] right now, and the girl who stated she was going to stay a virgin until she got married,” Sawyer continues. “Are you still of the opinion that there’s something to be said about that?” Jamie Lynn was 12 years old when this interview aired.

The inquisitions don’t stop there. “What became to your clothes?” At one point, Sawyer questions Spears, bringing up photographs of Spears’ practically naked magazine covers. “What exactly is it about?”

Obviously disgusted by Justin after watching Framing Britney Spears but when is Diane Sawyer going to apologize for that interview?

— Mercedes/Sadie Williams (@Mersadieshw) February 8, 2021

Spears, on the other hand, is unapologetic. “What exactly is it about? It’s all about creating a stunning image. “I’m at ease in my own skin,” she says. “I think it’s fine to express yourself.”

Sawyer, though, persists. “Have you ever gone further than you wish you had?” she asks, prompting Spears to respond, “Gone further? No.” Only when Sawyer nudges Spears with a specific image does she adjust her response.

Sawyer pulls out photographs from a seminude photo shoot in which Spears is wearing nothing but pearls in what now feels like a “gotcha!” moment. “OK, they are a little much,” Spears concedes, admitting she felt “strange” about the shots. “Do you wish you hadn’t done it?” Sawyer inquires. “A little,” Spears responds.

Later in the conversation, as Framing Britney Spears illustrates, Sawyer tells Spears about something Kendall Ehrlich, the wife of Maryland’s former governor (Robert Ehrlich), said: “Really, if I had an opportunity to shoot Britney Spears, I think I would.”

“Oh, that’s terrible,” Spears exclaims. “Because of the example for kids and how difficult it is to be a parent and keep all of this away from your kids,” Sawyer contemplates in response.

“Well, that’s extremely awful that she said that,” Spears adds, emphasizing her point. Yes, it is. (Fortunately, Spears does not give in, retorting, “I’m not here to babysit her kids.”)

The Diane Sawyer-Britney Spears conversation is a microcosm of how the media portrayed young women in the early 2000s, particularly Spears. Sawyer refers to Spears’ midsection as the “most precious square inch of real estate in the entertainment universe” at the start of the interview, further objectifying the pop singer.

There’s lots to discuss in this Britney Spears doc, but feels like much more time needs to be devoted to the part where a politician’s wife says Britney should be SHOT for the way she dresses and respected journalist Diane Sawyer is like “well, she’s a concerned mother” 😐

— Angela Spera (@speradactyl) February 7, 2021

When ABC runs a tape of Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit talking about his supposed connection with Spears, there’s no discussion of how the clip in itself is invasive. Instead, Sawyer begins the conversation with this Spears quote: “I’m not doing so well with relationships.” Again, where was Durst’s accountability? Or any of these males who believed discussing Spears’ sex life was acceptable?

Almost 18 years later, our culture has changed. People outside of Britney Spears’ most ardent admirers are seeing how terrible she had it before the conservatorship crisis, thanks to Framing Britney Spears. Celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler have shown their support for the #FreeBritney campaign.

Watching the Diane Sawyer interview with Britney Spears… wtf how did she get away with being so rude?!

— Heaves (@MissHeaves) February 6, 2021

It’s worth mentioning that Midler was a Spears critic in the Sawyer interview, stating Spears’s notorious Madonna kiss was “irresponsible.” “It’s one thing not to want to be the role model anymore; it’s another thing not to realize that a lot of young girls are looking at this…a lot of them,” Sawyer seemed to concur with Spears.

Has Diane Sawyer changed her tune as well? Is she now a supporter of #FreeBritney? She has yet to respond to the backlash over her interview with Britney Spears.

Share on Facebook