LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Britney Spears' emotionally charged 2003 interview with Diane Sawyer has resurfaced and ignited a new controversy. In the long-buried interview, the pop icon can be seen holding back tears as she grapples with Diane's pointed and accusatory line of questioning.
20 years on, the Internet is not holding back in its criticism against Diane, especially in light of the newfound revelations about Spears' abortion and relationship with Justin Timberlake in the upcoming bombshell memoir 'The Woman in Me'.
What happened during the interview?
In the now-infamous ABC conversation, Diane employed a somewhat accusatory and confrontational tone that led to Spears shedding tears. It's important to note that Spears was merely 21 years old at the time, adding to the sensitivity of the situation.
In the interview, Diane questioned Spears about her relationship with Justin Timberlake, raising allegations of infidelity and betrayal. “You did something that caused him so much pain, so much suffering,” Diane told Spears. “What did you do?”
She read quotes from the 'Mind Your Business' singer stating, “But you said, ‘I’ve only slept with one person in my whole life, two years into my relationship with Justin.’ And yet he's left the impression that you weren't faithful, that you betrayed the relationship.”
Diane also delved into Spears' past statements about waiting for marriage to have sex. “If you were talking to your little sister [Jamie Lynn Spears] now, and the girl who said she was gonna stay a virgin until she got married, do you still think there's something to be said for that?” she asked. Notably, Jamie Lynn was 12 when the interview aired.
Britney Spears lashes out at Diane Sawyer
In a lengthy and candid Instagram post, Spears didn't mince words as she openly criticized Diane's approach during the 2003 interview. "Do we dare forget the Diane Sawyer interview in my apartment almost 20 years ago?"
The 'Criminal' songstress wrote, "What was with the 'You're in the wrong' approach?? Geeze... and making me cry??? Seriously though... I lived in my apartment for a year and never spoke to anyone... my manager put that woman in my home and made me talk to her on national television and she asked if I had a shopping problem!!! when did I have a shopping problem?"
Britney also revisited her split from Justin Timberlake in 2002, revealing that she was in a state of shock following the breakup and that she "never spoke to anyone for a very long time."
"Something I never shared when I had that break up years ago was that I couldn't talk afterward," she wrote, before adding, "I was in shock... pretty lame of my dad and three men to show up at my door when I could hardly speak... two days later they put Diane Sawyer in my living room... they forced me to talk!"
Spears claimed she was "a baby" at the time, but that now she knows how to defend herself. "She said 'a woman or a girl' ... I would like to say now, 'Ma'am I'm a catholic slut!!!" Spears wrote in response to Diane's interview questions, adding, "She can kiss my white ass."
Internet bashes Diane Sawyer's interview
Diane's approach left a deep impact on Spears, and the public's perspective on the interview has evolved considerably since then.
A user tweeted, "What gave Diane Sawyer the audacity to think she had any right to speak to women like this? The damage that was done to women in the 2000s was unconscionable. I’m glad we still have Britney, but we lost Whitney Houston and Amy Whinehouse while the media showed no humanity."
Another added, "I would respect DS if she did apologize but she probably won’t. Unethical journalist types think they can spew nonsense and unfairly go after people without repercussions. Seems like they can to me. No accountability for adding to the abuse of a young woman @DianeSawyer????"
A third claimed, "This woman shouldn’t have been able to interview human this way. People now would walk off the interview or ask how can I be talked to like this. Ugh. People. Some people are just gross."
"I remember this interview. It bothered me so much then and now. Why didnt Britany ever defend herself. Why didnt she say she didnt cheat? It always bothered me that she didnt fight back. Diane Sawyer was always so unserious. Britany was young that is why they broke up!" read a tweet.
A user asserted, "She owes Britney an apology for that awful interview." "I hate this interview. It makes me sick that Diane sawyer would treat a woman that way. She needs to publicly apologize and acknowledge her actions were so horrible and embarrassing for Britney," claimed another.
