Britney Spears

Today Britney Spears' lawyers made it clear they want out.

But it's not that easy. After meeting in chambers with Commissioner Scott Gordon, the matter was continued to February 19.

The gist: Gordon wants to make sure when Trope and Trope says bye bye Brit, someone is already in place to handle the case.

The Commish wants Trope and Trope to come back with a plan and wants to know specifically who's coming in to rep Spears.

Sorrell Trope and an attorney for Kevin Federline emerged from the court session without comment. The matter will resume Tuesday.

Trope cited communication problems with Britney (seen here with mother Lynne Spears), as has Laura Wasser, his predecessor - and possible replacement.

After a shopping trip with mom and a rigorous dance workout at Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood yesterday, Britney Spears was visited by boyfriend Adnan Ghalib around 8:00 p.m. at her Summit Circle estate.

Adnan Ghalib must be on Jamie Spears' good side - Britney's pop can restrict who visits her, as her estate's conservator - as the celebrity news photographer came through the security gates outside her place without incident.

Stalking Britney Spears is a career for many peeps.

Seriously, the 26-year-old wreck is stalked by so many members celebrity news media that there are reports of gang members infiltrating the paparazzi.

To combat this, according to Access Hollywood, a new law may being proposed to protect the troubled singer and other celebrities from the paparazzi.

In light of the media storm that surrounds Spears, councilman Dennis Zine is trying to get a law passed to get these blood-sucking leeches to back off.

"It cost $25,000 to take an ambulance with Britney Spears to the hospital," Zine said. "Taxpayers paid for that. It is not going to be called the ‘Britney Spears Law.' I am not going to give her credit for that because it is not about Britney Spears. It's about the paparazzi violating everybody else's rights, freedoms, and privileges."

No word on whether Adnan Ghalib would be somehow exempt.

Possibly with no clue where she was, and definitely with no bra, Britney Spears did some shopping with her mother, Lynne Spears, yesterday.

Zine continued: "The paparazzi have developed a lawless society where the rules don't apply â€" on the wrong side of the street, jumping out of cars at the red lights, swarming the car, you don't do that. If we think back a few years, Princess Diana was driving down the road, paparazzi chasing. A crash occurred, Princess Diana died. I don't want to see that happen here in Los Angeles."

Even as people who work in the industry, we admit that it's gotten a little nuts. A mad dash to get the perfect Britney Spears nude photo or crotch shot or video of the singer talking in a British accent is not helping her get any better, guys!

Britney Spears' law firm, Trope and Trope, has filed an ex parte motion to get the frick off of the case even faster than scheduled.

Right now, Trope and Trope's motion to withdraw as counsel is to be heard on March 10, but apparently Trope can't wait to get out.

Today, the firm will ask a Commissioner to hear its request early.

Trope and Trope filed the withdrawal motion one day after it was learned that the singer's former attorney, Laura Wasser, secretly paid a visit to Britney Spears at UCLA Medical Center last week.

What's more, Jamie Spears wants to replace Trope with Wasser.

Wasser has not commented publicly, but speculation is that the divorce guru want back on board because the case was nothing but grief. Not shocking.

As for Trope and Trope, the firm has been divided for a while over whether to keep representing Britney Spears. But they really want out now because:

1. They're pissed that Britney likes Laura Wasser more.
2. It's impossible to represent a client when you can't communicate with them, and Jamie Spears, who can control who his daughter sees as conservator of her estate, will not let Trope lawyers anywhere near Britney.

The hearing is set for today at 8:30 a.m PST (11:30 EST). Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, K-Fed's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, has reportedly brought on uber-publicist Elliot Mintz to be his new media consultant.

Mintz replaces Michael Sands, who's now working for ... Sam Lutfi.

Yes. If anyone is interested, there's supposedly one out there. We thought we would pass this opportunity on to you, our celebrity news readers.

We get a lot of junk email at The Hollywood Gossip (mostly about Zac Efron being hot), but when one comes in about a nude Britney Spears pic, we take notice.

Especially, as this "Matt" fellow claims, if this photo of Britney Spears naked was taken back in 2001. Yowza. Imagine that toned, pre-Sean Preston, nude physique ... Let's just say that compared to 2008, Britney Spears circa 2001 was slightly ...

You know what we're sayin'. Anyway, here's the email we received. All that has been edited is Matt's phone number. Let us know if you want it...

From the The Hollywood Gossip Contact Us Form:

I have a photo, a good one, that is of Britney Spears, on a chair, on her knees arching her back and running her fingers thru her hair, completely nude. It was taken at a california hotel in July of 2001 at the moment. The photo is pre tattoo, pre baby, post 'hit me baby one more time'. It is tasteful, beautiful, and Britney in her prime. I had a 5 year no sell verbal agreement with Brit. I am ready to now.... contact me if you are interested. MATT 555-555-555. Photo must be viewed in person, no file transfers. May be worth as much as $50k resold...this is a private one time thing for me tho, so let me know if you know anyone SERIOUS who may want to view and purchase it. I am in las vegas. I AM 100% serious I won't waste your time don't waste mine. You may call 24x7. Sincerely, Matt

We hope this mystery nude Britney Spears picture is hotter than the kinds of photos we've seen lately. Such as this one. Put those things away, girl!

So if this email is to be believed, this fool bagged Britney Spears in a Las Vegas hotel in 2001, then took a hot, naked picture of her? Nice work, man, if so.

We can only imagine the conversation that took place ...

MATT: "Britney, how long until I can sell this photo?"
BRITNEY: "I don't know, y'all. Five years or until I go completely crazy,
whichever comes first."
MATT: "Sold."
BRITNEY: "But I didn't buy but nothin'"

Britney Spears' recently rekindled interest in dancing isn't entirely based on boredom or her love of little kids, the New York Post reports.

The buzz at the Grammy Awards (which she skipped) was that Spears' newfound focus on her dancing is preparation for an upcoming world tour.

Britney "will be leaving the country in the next few weeks," a source told the Post. "She'll train in privacy for a month, then go on a global tour."

Would you pay to go see this in concert? Not us. Well, maybe we would ... if it were some kind of comedy tour in which her various personalities did standup.

In other Britney Spears news (and we use that term loosely), paparazzi who follow Britney Spears have been infiltrated by gang members - specifically, notorious L.A. groups the Crips and the Bloods, the New York Daily News reports.

Celebrity photo agency execs claim "rival agencies are arming thugs with cameras and sending them out to do battle with dozens of paparazzi" who hound the train wreck in search of the best Britney Spears photos.

Veteran paparazzo Nick Stern, who quit Splash News this month, said: "I've heard stories of fights, car tires being slashed, cars being blocked in."

All agency heads interviewed said they do not hire street toughs.

"They may dress like gang members with large pants and tattoos, but to say they're gang members right now? Well, real gang members are not into Britney Spears," said Frank Navarre, a Frenchman who owns celebrity photo mainstay X17.

"[Spears] attracts huge numbers of photographers, and whoever muscles their way to the front gets the best picture. They're not AP photographers in flak jackets, but that's not to say they're thugs, either," said Chris Doherty, owner of INF.

Why the heck would real gang members would possibly throw themselves into the celeb news fray? How about cash. Spears' own boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib, works for Finalpixx, and has been reportedly made $200,000 a year covering Spears.

Things may be safer now that the singer is under psychiatric care and Jamie Spears has his daughter's vehicles garaged. But the troubled Britney continues to be the top story in the celebrity gossip world, day after day after day.

"I cannot say she's boring, no," Navarre said. "She's been pretty good at renewing herself. She doesn't accept any authority, or any boundaries. To some people, that looks crazy. She's stronger than you think."

Hey, when you're crazy and can't see Sean Preston and Jayden James, you might as well do the next best thing. Teach other kids to dance!

It's a slow celebrity news morning.

Yes, Britney Spears was teaching dance to children not much older than her own boys on Monday at Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood.

Those kids' parents? Probably not aware of who the "instructor" was when they dropped the little tykes off. And probably not thrilled now.

In all seriousness, though, the dance studio is a great place for her to be. Brit needs to stay as far away from Sam Lutfi as humanly possible.

The pop star, who skipped the Grammys, introduced herself to each of the students - five-year-olds - and shooks their hands, a source said.

"She comes in, she winds them up, and then tells them, ‘I guess I have to introduce myself to you guys!'" said Robert Baker, Millennium co-owner.

Britney Spears reportedly looked happy and upbeat.

Madonna's "Material Girl" and "True Blue" were on her playlist. Britney led the class in "her favorite brown cowboy boots, fishnet stockings, a red short skirt, and a bluish greenish top that hangs down past her skirt."

A remarkably stable Britney Spears recently taught dance to some kids.

"She worked out this great little routine for them, they were dancing all over the place, she had them dancing in a circle like a choo-choo train."

"The kids loved it - they are having a ball right now. And Britney - she's just drinking it up. She's totally enjoying herself."

Fortunately, none of the kids were locked in a bathroom with a ballistic Britney Spears for several hours, and all left with smiles on their faces.

Spears last saw her sons January 3 when she was rushed to the hospital for a psychological evaluation. Her visitation rights were then suspended.

Less than a month later, Britney Spears was involuntarily committed to UCLA Medical Center for treatment of bipolar disorder.

We reported that last weekend, Kevin Federline was willing to allow Britney to see Sean Preston and Jayden James under the supervision of her mother, Lynne Spears, but it does not look as if this actually materialized.

In a declaration filed in the Britney Spears conservatorship case, a lawyer for the conservators - Britney's father, Jamie Spears, and his attorney, Andrew Wallet - accused Sam Lutfi of demanding money from poor Britney.

Attorney Jeryll Cohen wrote:

"During the phone conversation, Mr. [Howard] Grossman [Britney's business manager] told me that he had numerous e-mails from Osama (Sam) Lutfi in which Mr. Lutfi made various demands, including demands for money. Mr. Grossman told me he did not comply with Mr. Lutfi's demands."

Cohen and other lawyers on the side of Jamie Spears have formally asked the court commissioner to let the conservators fire Howard Grossman, in part because they say he refused to provide copies of Sam Lutfi's e-mails to them.

Sam Lutfi reportedly demanded cash from Britney Spears.

Lawyers for the conservators accuse Grossman of ignoring their rules.

One lawyer wrote in a declaration that she told Grossman "he was not permitted to give Britney Spears any money, credit cards or access to money or credit cards or to meet with her ... at the Beverly Hills Hotel or anywhere else."

The lawyer claims Grossman defied the order by meeting Britney at that very hotel last week. Cohen is pissed because Grossman also directed Beverly Hills Mercedes to deliver one of Britney Spears' cars to her fave hotel.

Without, of course, first getting the conservators' permission.

Cohen says Howard Grossman's lame excuse was that "he wanted to build her [Brit's] confidence in him." Enjoy the pink slip, Howard.

Sam Lutfi, who was hit with a restraining order barring him from contact with Britney, was seen partying over the weekend with Alli Sims.

Since entering the celebrity news business in June 2006, we've seen a lot. But somehow, the antics of Sam Lutfi continue to surprise us.

Britney Spears' estranged pal and self-proclaimed manager made his first public appearance since a restraining order was issued against him at ... Paris Hilton's 27th birthday party at the L.A. club Area Saturday.

What's more, he was spotted with Spears "cousin" Alli Sims. These two are really trying to milk their 15th minute of fame for all it's worth.

Wearing a black and white sweater dress, black leggings and hot pink pumps, Sims, Britney Spears' former assistant, arrived around midnight.

Sam Lutfi and Britney Spears before her second hospital stint.

Shortly after she began singing the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams," Sam Lutfi tapped Alli on the shoulder at 12:40 a.m. and said, "Come say hi."

Sitting at Paris Hilton's table, Lufti, in a black cap, tan-colored jacket, jeans and loafers was heard asking All Sims to go fetch him a drink.

"We're dry over here. Can you get me a drink?" Lufti said.

What a d!ck.

Osama later cornered blogger Perez Hilton. "I wonder what he's gonna write tomorrow," he was overheard saying. All Sims replied, "I know."

Meanwhile, Sam Lutfi is denying having any contact with Britney Spears since the restraining order was issued against him.

"Not true!" he told E! News when asked if he's spoken to the pop star.

However, she was on the mind of Sam Lutfi. During Hilton's party "at one point, they all toasted and cheered Britney," a party-goer told E! News.

Kim Kardashian knows all about the glare of entertainment news reporters.

The mammoth-breasted socialite has been among these photographers' favorite targets since she bent over for Ray J on video.

As such, Kim feels like she can relate with another celebrity that wears little clothing and is the object of the media's affection: Britney Spears.

"I definitely do sympathize with Britney [Spears]," Kardashian said. "I think when you step outside of the house you know what you're getting yourself into if you live in that world. So, I think that to a certain extent she can do things a little bit differently, but I think at some point you just give up and don't care because it's following you so much anyways, that you just don't know how to get away from it."

Kim Kardashian might suggest fewer late-night Starbucks trips for Britney Spears. Still, the girlfriend of Reggie Bush thinks reporters need to leave Brit alone.

Britney Spears was not present to watch Amy Winehouse rake in the honors or to see Kanye West's moving tribute to his mom at the Grammy Awards last night.

That doesn't mean she hesitated to tell photographers what she thought of the ceremony while at Millennium Dance Studios in N. Hollywood Sunday.

Clad in ripped fishnet tights, a frumpy shirt and brown boots, Britney Spears took two smoke breaks and spoke in her trademark British accent briefly.

Heckled by celebrity news media, the train wreck was asked if she was going to the Grammys, to which she replied that, well, they can "kiss her a$$."

Britney Spears actually won a Grammy in 2005 for "Toxic."

Her father, Jamie Spears, wearing a classy Corona t-shirt, checked up on Britney around 5:45 p.m. He is the co-conservator of her estate while she recovers.

The singer left solo in a chauffeured Escalade at 6:30 p.m. No sign of Sam Lutfi, Adnan Ghalib or any of her various hangers-on at Millennium.