Britney Spears issues sister Jamie Lynn with cease and desist letter over memoir
The younger Spears has been on a controversial media tour for her new book
By Joe Goggins
Britney Spears has threatened to sue her younger sister, Jamie Lynn, over what the singer calls “derogatory’ remarks.
Writing in a cease and desist letter, Britney’s lawyer Matthew Rosengart takes aim at Jamie Lynn’s new memoir, ‘Things I Should Have Said’, which he claims is “ill-timed” and contains a number of “misleading or outrageous claims.”
Rosengart continued that Britney, who has not read the book, believed Jamie Lynn had “exploited her for monetary gain.” He added that “she will not tolerate it, nor should she.”
The feud between the sisters has become a public spat since an appearance by Jamie Lynn on Good Morning America last week to promote the book. She claimed to have been involved in last year’s termination of Britney’s conservatorship, describing herself as “my sister’s biggest supporter.”
However, in the book, Jamie Lynn variously describes Britney’s past behaviour as “paranoid”, “spiralling” and “erratic”, whilst in a podcast released yesterday, she added that Britney began “changing” in 2002, and detailed an incident where the pop star locked herself in a room with a knife, telling Jamie Lynn she was “scared”.”
“This was a brilliant young woman who was going through a hard time – and if she couldn’t stand up for herself, then somebody should have,” she told the Call Her Daddy podcast. I wasn’t an adult then. I couldn’t [but] somebody should have said, ‘Stop the presses. Give this girl a minute.”
Britney has repeatedly taken to social media to denounce Jamie Lynn’s comments. “I looked at my phone and I see that my sister did her interview to promote her book,” she said last week. “The two things that did bother me that my sister said was how my behaviour was out of control.”
“She was never around me much 15 years ago at that time,” Britney continued, “so why are we even talking about that unless she wants to sell a book at my expense.” In his letter, Rosengart warned Jamie Lynn: “Publicly airing false or fantastical grievances is wrong, especially when designed to sell books. It is also potentially unlawful and defamatory.”
“You recently reportedly stated that the book was ‘not about her,” he goes on. “She takes you at your word and we, therefore, demand that you cease and desist from referencing Britney derogatorily during your promotional campaignIf you fail to do so or defame her, Britney will be forced to consider and take all appropriate legal action.”
Jamie Lynn has yet to comment publicly on Rosengart’s letter.