Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Britney Spears Fan From Viral 'Leave Britney Alone' Video Opens Up About Receiving Death Threats

Britney Spears Fan From Viral 'Leave Britney Alone' Video Opens Up About Receiving Death Threats
Chris Crocker; Ethan Miller / Getty Images

If there's one thing many people didn't see coming in 2007 it would be just how much they can relate to Chris Crocker, known to some as the person from the "Leave Britney alone!" viral video.

However, with the recent Hulu documentary Framing Britney Spears, people are looking out for the well being of the famed popstar with all the same energy of the 13-year-old video plea.


However, the memories of 2007 aren't all laughs, especially for Crocker. At the time, their recorded response to harassment and abuse Spears was experiencing from paparazzi and commentators was met with at best dismissal.

But at worst, it drove the online personality to fear for their life.


@ChrisCrocker/Twitter

In a picture of a note, Crocker—now 33—explained their biggest issue with the backlash received from the viral video.

"Me saying Leave Britney Alone was never really the issue. Michael Moore said it & no one batted an eyelash."
"Maybe people reaching out to tell me 'Chris, you were right.' would feel good, if I knew that people could unpack the reason no one took me serious was because I was a gender-bending teenager and the reaction to me was transphobic."

They continued:

"When I said it, I had to fear for my life. Death threats were sent to my grandmother's house."
"I was already living in the south as a gender-bending teenager with no money or ways of feeling protected."

It sounds like people owe Chris an apology.





Crocker also explained they received hate and negativity even from the LGBT community. They were kicked out of bars because they believe these people were ashamed of how the media was viewing the community because of the video.

Crocker wasn't alone in 2007 asking for people to Leave Britney Alone. With all the recent news about the pop star, a video of Craig Ferguson explaining why he would refuse to make fun of her, despite many other late night hosts making it a regular part of their routine, is also drawing renewed attention.

The note ends wishing well for Spears, but also for better treatment for people who don't fit in heteronormative society. It's about time the internet appreciates Chris Crocker.

But it's also time they acknowledged why this heartfelt plea was turned into a joke in the first place.





The documentary Framing Britney Spears presented by The New York Times is available to stream on Hulu. It covers the love/hate relationship the pop star had with the media as well as the struggle with the conservatorship controlled by her father.

More from Trending

Comedian Nikki Glaser appears on The Howard Stern Show to reveal the Golden Globes jokes that didn’t make it to air.
The Howard Stern Show/YouTube

Nikki Glaser Just Revealed The Jokes She Cut From The Golden Globes—And Some Of Them Are Hilariously Brutal

Nikki Glaser not only survived her second Golden Globes hosting gig but came armed with receipts for the jokes that didn’t make it to air.

In a post-ceremony appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the comedian revealed what was cut from her opening monologue at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at how close several celebrities came to being absolutely torched on live television.

Keep ReadingShow less
A shot of a person's handcuffed hands held in the air against a white background.
Photo by niu niu on Unsplash

People Break Down Which Things Are Truly A Victimless Crime

Is everything described as a "crime" really a crime?

Some actions are just more... wrong, or naughty.

Keep ReadingShow less

Cheaters Who Never Got Caught Divulge How They Feel About It Now

There's a long-running saying that once a person cheats, they will eventually cheat again.

While that might not be true for everyone, and mistakes absolutely do happen, a lot of that repetition comes from how remorseful or guilty a person feels as a result of cheating on their partner.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jesse Kortuem; Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams in 'Heated Rivalry'
Jesse Kortuem/Facebook; Crave/HBO Max

Hockey Player Comes Out As Gay In Powerful Post After Being Inspired By 'Heated Rivalry'

Recently, Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams told Andy Cohen he's been flooded with messages from closeted gay athletes thanking him for his work on the show.

Now, the impact of the Crave and HBO series has gone up a notch, with hockey player Jesse Kortuem coming out publicly after being inspired by the show.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ilona Maher
@ilonamaher/TikTok

Olympian Ilona Maher Perfectly Shuts Down Body-Shaming Troll Who Said She Looks 'Pregnant' In Dress

It might be 2026, but there are still people out there with totally unattainable—and biologically impossible—standards for women and their bodies.

A key example is shaming a woman for not having a totally flat stomach. Meanwhile, this is a totally normal feature of a woman's body because it is where a woman's uterus is, and what we're seeing from the outside is the body's protective barrier for that and other organs.

Keep ReadingShow less