A defiant Britney Spears takes on the tabloids

Yes, Britney Spears has achieved that Hollywood hat: trick, success, money, and fame. Yet she says her greatest accomplishment is being a mom.

Britney Spears: Motherhood’s amazing.

But the one thing that gives her so much joy is ironically the very same thing that’s made these past few months a very difficult time for Britney Spears.

In February, Britney was photographed driving on the Pacific Coast Highway with her baby in her lap in the front seat. It was a picture that became not only a punch line.

Jay Leno monologue on the "Tonight Show": “But in her defense, the baby had to be in her lap because her husband Kevin was asleep in the child seat."

It also became the source of serious debate all across the country.

Today show guest:  I think it’s very important that Britney get some baby safety training.

For the first time, Britney explains just what happened.

Matt Lauer, NBC News: You were photographed I guess by the paparazzi again pursuing you.  And there was Sean on your lap in the car.

Spears: Yeah.

Lauer: Take me through what happened then.

Spears:  If right now we got in the car and went to Starbucks you would see 20 photographers there.  I went to Starbucks and I see a bunch of photographers and I’m scared and I want to get out of the situation and my baby’s crying.  They’re coming up on the sides of the car which is a scary situation for me.  And they’re banging on the windows and that’s not something I want my baby to... you know... so I get my baby out of the car and I go home.  I mean, I just feel like that they’re taking’ cheap shots.

Lauer: But the fact of the matter is while they pursue you— and we can argue for a long time but they shouldn’t be doing it— and I would agree with you on that completely.  They manage to snap a picture that didn’t cast you in the best light.

Spears:  Oh, of course.  That is their job and they do a very good job at it and they’ve crossed the lines so many times. I think because [I'm this] this sweet young girl nothing never gets really done about it.

Lauer: When you were driving with Sean on your lap did it—clearly...

Spears: That driving incident, i did it with my dad.  I’d sit on his lap and I drive.  We’re country.  That’s what you know what I mean?  It’s not—

Lauer: But what happened though that crossed from a paparazzi incident to next day it’s in the newspapers and you’ve got all these legitimate people weighing in saying, “You know what?  That’s dangerous.”  And she put her child at risk? You saw the questions that were being asked, “Is Britney a bad mom?”  It’s not like, “Did Britney record a bad song?  Is Britney wearing a bad outfit?  Is Britney in a bad marriage?”  “Is Britney a bad mom?”  I mean—

Spears: That’s America for you.

Lauer: Yeah, but as a mother, that has to hit pretty close to home.

Spears: Uh-huh. Yeah, it makes you really strong.

Lauer: Make you weep?

Spears: Oh, I’ve wept.  Yeah, I’ve definitely wept just with the world, you know, how judgmental they are. You know what, I know I’m a good mom.

But just a few weeks after the baby in  the lap incident, Britney’s son, while in the care of a nanny, fell out of a hIghchaIr and banged his head.

Lauer: You took him to the doctor?

Spears: Uh-huh (affirms).  Oh yeah, of course.

Lauer: So you walked into the hospital and said, “He bumped head, fell out of a high chair.”

Spears: And then the doctors acted really funny with me.  I know, it was really bizarre.

Lauer: How’d they act funny?

Spears: I don’t want to say, but they dId.

Lauer: Suspicious?

Spears: Like I said, I don’t want to say what they did or what they said.  But it was bad.  It was really really bad.

Lauer: Do you think, though, Britney, that because of those questions that were asked after that picture on Pacific Coast Highway with Sean in your lap that the doctor in that emergency room or that hospital said, “Wait a second, maybe I have a bad mom on my hands?”

Spears: I was just happy that my son was okay.  And I wanted to get home and get out of there.

Lauer: And then not long after that you got a visit from the Family Services people.

Spears: Which actually, they felt really bad about it.  They said, “We don’t even know why we’re here.” 

Lauer: So in other words, they came because it’s their job to come.  They have to investigate—

Spears: They didn’t have to come.  The doctor there made them come, because I didn’t bring my doctor there with me.  So people a lot of times think because you’re a celebrity that you’re taken care of more.  In some situations, you get it worse.

And it didn’t end there: In May, Spears was photographed driving her baby in a front facing car seat. Not illegal, but against federal safety guidelines.

Spears:  It was fine. They’re just taking again, cheap shots.

And just days after that photo appeared, on a visit to New York City, Britney stumbled again—this time literally.

Lauer: You’re walking with Sean in one arm and you tripped on—what was it, your pants?

Spears: Actually, I didn’t trip on anything. It was a New York street, and just cobblestones.  And I was walking and I don’t think we were prepared with one security, ‘cause I’ve never had that much paparazzi ever on me in New York. So we didn’t even know there was gonna be that many people.  So I think it was a mixture of so many paparazzi and how the road was all messed up, me just trying to get in the car.

Lauer: It was a a close call.  I mean it, it seemed as if for a second, you know—

Spears: Accidents happen.

Lauer: Right.

Spears: And when he gets—my brother, when he was like 13 years old he got in like four motorcycle accidents, had to be airlifted. You know, stuff happens with kids.  And its—It’s reality.  You know, unfortunately not everybody has 80 cameras on them 24/7, you know. 

Lauer: And there was a picture taken shortly afterward, I think you were in a store. And you appeared to be crying.

Spears: Oh yeah.

Lauer: Very upset. Were you upset because you just had a close call with your son?  Or were you upset because the—

Spears: Because—

Lauer: —lenses were still on?

Spears: Well, because I got in the car and I was hungry.  And we stopped to get something to eat, and it was again, a bad situation.  And instead of people inside of the place trying to help or whatever, they wanted to take pictures as well. And that’s when I started crying, when I thought, “You know what?  You’re a mom.  Why are you asking to take my picture right now?  And you see that I’m crying.  Are you that ignorant?”  So that’s why I cried.

Lauer: And the headline on that picture was, “Oops number three.”

Spears: Exactly. There will be a “Oops 100.”  They’ll be plenty more oopses.  I’m not perfect.  I’m human.

Lauer: What do you think It’ll take to get the paparazzi to leave you alone?

Spears: I don’t know.  I don’t know.

Lauer: Is that one of your biggest wishes?

Spears: Yeah.  (crying)...  It’s okay.  I would like for them to leave me alone.

Lauer: If you could to them as individuals, not as a group, what would you say to them?

Spears: I would just say that “You have babies at home.  And you have a life.  And if you don’t, you have to realize that we’re people and that we just need privacy and we need our respect.  And those are things that you have to have as a human being.”  And yeah...  yeah.

Lauer: And yet as upset as it makes you, you wouldn’t trade your life now, it seems.

Spears: I have…

Lauer: It seems strange for some people to understand.  If they’re making you this miserable, how can you still say, “But I’m lucky”?

Spears: Because I have to believe that I’m here for a reason.

Lauer: What’s the reason?

Spears: I don’t know.  I keep searching every day, just like you do.  But I’m so blessed with my baby.  That’s the happiest thing that’s ever—it’s like a miracle.  You know, but I just want the most normal life possible for him, that’s all.

Lauer: Is that possible?

Spears: I will manage.  I will create that.

Lauer: Bigger fences?  Bigger gates?  I mean, how are you gonna do that, Britney?

Spears: There’s always a way. Where there’s a will there is a way.  You have to believe.

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