AP to Britney: We Have Your Obit Ready to Go!

Posted Jan 17th 2008 4:29PM by TMZ Staff

Britney SpearsBritney Spears hasn't died, but the Associated Press has an obituary already written, should something happen to the "at-risk" former pop star.

TMZ spoke to AP Entertainment Editor Jesse Washington who confirmed the news. Washington told Us Weekly, "We would never wish any type of misfortune on anybody and hope that we would never have to use it until 50 years from now, but if something were to happen, we would have to be prepared."

It is not uncommon for news organizations like AP to have obituaries prepared for high-profile people -- the unusual thing is that they're usually prepped for the very sick or aged.



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Filed under: Britney Spears

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61. This is cruel! How about they predict when Bin Laden will de caught, and possibly killed. How about they write an obituary for him.
Britney has not killed anyone, as far as I can tell the girl has had the misfortune to have a mental illness. One she didn't ask for, but is trying to cope with.
The press need to leave this girl alone. Imagine logging on to your computer and seeing that people are predicting the time of your death, and have already written your obituary.
Britney can get well, she is only 26. She can get the proper medical treatment, and live a very productive life.
When Angelina Jolie was 26, I am sure many were writing her obituary as well, but we can all see that Angelina was able to get off drugs, find her purpose in life, and is now a productive member of society.

People can change, nothing is permanent except death, and NO ONE should wish it on anyone, or make a joke of it!

Posted at 6:52PM on Jan 17th 2008 by jt

62. Britney is not going to fake her death. ONLY people who have plans to harm Britney would put that possibilty out there, so that if Brtiney suddenly disappears, they will not be suspected of harming her. If Britney ever disappears we all know who will be on the top of the suspect list.

Posted at 6:57PM on Jan 17th 2008 by jt

63. HEY WHERES ROCCO??? MADONNNAS SON.

EVERYONE ALWAYS WONDERSABOUT ANGIES DAUGHTER NOT BEING SEEN BUT WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO ROCCO?????????

Posted at 7:00PM on Jan 17th 2008 by JUST IN

64. I HOPE BRIT FAKES HER DEATH SO SHE CAN BE IN PEACE! THEN SHOW UP 10 YRS LATER AND SAY HAHA!!!

Posted at 7:01PM on Jan 17th 2008 by JUST IN

65. Get a grip TMZ. All newspapers have an archive of written obits written for ALL famous people and you know it! It's so they can publish the death immediately and not have to do research and risk getting scooped on the story!

Posted at 7:06PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Debi

66. The AP does this for ANYONE who is at risk-like other folks,sick or people who live dangerously. Don't fault the AP for being prepared-fault Britney for them having to move hers up so much cause she is carzy and living like she could go anyday. I see NOTHING wrong with this-SHE is the problem

Posted at 7:06PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Wake up call

67. Better safe than sorry

Posted at 7:10PM on Jan 17th 2008 by crzy4kats

68. Having an obituary file with prepared information is not an uncommon practice, but announcing it publicly this way in regard to a a specific person is unusual. The way Britney is spiraling downward, the fear that her obit may be used soon is not far-fetched. Maybe AP is hoping to shock her into realizing that the public's perception of her future--and the expectation of what could happen if she doesn't get help and turn things around--includes the definite possibility of reading that prepared obituary. Hopefully, Britney will soon recognize how much she has to live for and will work to salvage her relationships with her children, her family and secures her career again. Nothing will happen until she decides to make definitive changes herself. No one can do it for her. If this obit notice is the heads up that works, it will be a good thing. We've lost enough young talents already. I, for one, don't want to read the real obituary any time soon.

Posted at 7:12PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Claire

69. She has dinggleberries ewwwwwwwwwww

Posted at 7:24PM on Jan 17th 2008 by She does

70. Hey Brit-Trimspa needs a spokes woman!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 7:25PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Trimspa

71. I think they should focus more on having Amy Winehouse's obit ready. She's more likely to go first.

Posted at 7:25PM on Jan 17th 2008 by monkeynoodle

72. If Brit didn't want to be seen out all the time,like at 2am,she should stay the hell home,most of the time these celebs call the paps,and tell them their going to be at a certain place.She's brought a lot of this on herself,but WE all but into it,if we didn't read and watch all this crap all these rag magazines and TV gossip shows would be out of business,So who can we really blame?
One TV station said there's even a site where people can win a PLAY STATION if they guess the date of her death.America is going down the drain.

Posted at 7:28PM on Jan 17th 2008 by ONLY IN CALIFORNIA

73. Calm down everyone. It's standard procedure. ALL newspapers and magazines have pre-written obits for famous ones. That's just how they operate. It's so everyone isn't scrambling around wasting time on fact-checking when someone famous unexpectedly dies. It's just standard operating procedure in the business.

Posted at 7:28PM on Jan 17th 2008 by monkeynoodle

74. you people are all sick..this is a human being. someone needs to help britney i really dont ewant this to turn into what happened to anna, im goin to pray for britney and everyone should do the same. its sad people think this is funny

Posted at 7:29PM on Jan 17th 2008 by laura

75. weak

Posted at 7:34PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Vanity Killz

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