...and that's why people tuned into the MTV Video Music Awards this weekend - because they knew that there was going to be a train wreck. I knew. I recorded the darn thing because I wanted to make sure that I saw the train wreck on television instead of on YouTube.

I was not disappointed. Neither was anyone else in the blogging world it seems.

In case you've been living under a rock the VMA's were supposed to be Britney Spears' big comeback. Which, of course, meant "train wreck". How bad was it? Well, my kids watched it with me and noticed that she wasn't even singing. And that she looked awful. And she did.

When you consider the Britney of old and compare her to Britney now, she looked physically awful. Those gorgeous abs of hers didn't exist and there was a small bit of belly there. There was almost no waist to speak of. And forget the legs and rear end. At least those were cased in fishnets which probably helped things a bit.

If you consider her as just Britney of now after having two kids then it's a whole different story. That body still rocked especially after having two children one right after the other. Most women would have killed for that body. I know I would (and I'm working on mine). For that alone you have to cut her a break. But you have to add a few more details into context here.

That body did not belong in that bikini and fishnets trying to pull off looking like a stripper. It was, I'm sad to say, an unfortunate costume choice for Ms. Spears. I know the video for this new single is supposed to be her on a stripper pole, but she could have left that costuming to the other women on the poles around the stage and just done the song. If she'd worn anything else then maybe she wouldn't be getting as slammed in the media as she is now and by bloggers around the world.

Oh wait, yes, yes she would. Because there's yet another piece to the puzzle. That performance. Or, rather, the lack of performance. She phoned that puppy in. The world knows Ms. Britney lip syncs her lyrics. No one really cares because she always puts in her all in the dance routine. But this time she didn't - she didn't sync, she gave up singing about halfway through, and she just walked around that stage like a zombie. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if she was on something when she was out there. Or maybe she just didn't care.

The sad thing is that she's getting beaten up more for the wardrobe choice and the so-called "belly bulge" than she is for just showing up and walking around the stage. She's a performer - she should be getting hit more for that. But I do agree with one columnist out there who said that anyone who wore something that revealing in a public performance would be scrutinized heavily. You *can't* wear something like that and not be in top shape. But again, where's the criticism on that bad performance?

Now, she did state at one point (I heard on the radio) that her show was off because of the statements that comedian Sarah Silverman made about her and her children on the VMAs. That Britney had achieved everything she ever was going to achieve in her life and that the children were "the most adorable mistakes". Um, hate to tell those who buy into that one that it isn't possible - Silverman's monologue was after Britney's lack-of-dance routine. If Brit really said that then she's just trying to save face and point the blame elsewhere. She's done that before (remember driving with the kid in her lap?) so no one should really be surprised. But Silverman was mean and out of line and it's brought people to Britney's defense.

Silverman was mean and out of line - but that's what she does. Shock value comedy, if you can call it that. But Britney set herself up for it too - you don't go on television live in front of that many people wearing something like that and not expect scrutiny. If she'd danced her rear end off and really showed that she was into it, then maybe no one would be picking on her body and maybe Silverman would have shut the F--- up and not said those awful things. All Britney needed to do was bring her "A game" and not walk around like a zombie.

Some are saying that this was the make or break for Britney because it was so highly touted by her press people and by MTV but who really knows if it is or not. The press has been wrong before, and others have bounced back from worse. I guess whether it really was a make or break is going to depend on the public...

...because I'm not even sure Britney knows or cares anymore.