Britney Spears Breaks Silence On ‘Offensive’ 2007 ‘Gimme More’ VMAs Performance

Pop star Britney Spears is reflecting on seeing her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake again at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.

The pair had dated from 1999 to 2002, although unfortunately, their relationship was marred by allegations of infidelity and an unplanned pregnancy. When the two crossed paths again in 2007, Britney revealed that he was at the “top of his game” while she was going through a divorce and a vicious custody battle with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.

“There was a problem with my costume and with my hair extensions. I hadn’t slept the night before. I was dizzy. It was less than a year since I’d had my second baby in two years but everyone was acting like my not having six-pack abs was offensive,” she wrote of her “Gimme More” performance. “I couldn’t believe I was going to have to go out onstage feeling the way I felt.”

“I went out there and did the best I could at that moment in time, which — yes, granted — was far from my best at other times. I could see myself on video throughout the auditorium while I performed; it was like looking at myself in a fun-house mirror,” she continued, as per the Daily Mail.

In her memoir, “The Woman In Me,” Britney recalled how Justin was “on the top of his game” while she was “having a panic attack” at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, where they both performed. “It had been a while since I’d seen him. Everything was going great in his world,” she wrote in her book. “He was at the top of his game in every way, and he had a lot of swagger. I was having a panic attack.”

She criticized her performance of “Gimme More,” saying, “I hadn’t rehearsed enough. I hated the way I looked. I knew it was going to be bad.”

That night, Justin went on to perform with frequent collaborators Timbaland and Nelly Furtado. He also scooped up the award for Male Artist of the Year. “Justin glided down the runway. He was flirting with girls in the audience, including one who turned around and arched her back, shaking her breasts as he sang to her,” Britney wrote in her memoir.

After the "Toxic" singer opened the show with her highly criticized "Gimme More" performance, Sarah Silverman was brought on stage to crack a few jokes on stage at Britney's expense. She even took aim at Britney's young children, calling her two sons - Sean Preston, now 18, and Jayden James, now 17 - "the most adorable mistakes you will ever see."

The "A Million Ways To Die In The West" actress also criticized the "Criminal" singer, saying that the pop star had “already accomplished everything she’s ever going to accomplish in her life” at age 25. The comments were water under the bridge at the time; however, over a decade later, in the 2021 New York Times Presents Framing Britney Spears documentary, the "Wreck-It Ralph" voice actress addressed the backlash to her comments.

“I was known then 4 roasts. MTV asked me to mini-roast Britney after her big performance,” Silverman tweeted in February 2021 as per Us Weekly. She went on to say that she never actually did see the "Piece Of Me" singer perform that night, as she had been backstage. “Had no idea she didn’t kill. Unfortunate. Art changes over [years] as we know more & the world changes.” Although she did not directly apologize for her comments, she did say, “I wish I could delete it but I can’t.”

The "Cry Me A River" singer has not addressed any of the claims in Britney's bombshell memoir so far. However, a source did tell the outlet that he is trying to focus on his family and ignore the headlines. “Justin will always be supportive of Britney and all of her endeavors, but he’s trying to distance himself from her upcoming book,” the source explained. “It’s not something he’s focusing too much on in terms of anything she might discuss when it comes to their former relationship.”

Britney Spears' memoir "The Woman In Me" was officially released on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.