Britney Spears

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.

Britney Spears' ex-husband, Kevin Federline, has reportedly agreed to let the troubled pop singer see their two sons, but only if the singer's mother, Lynne Spears, gives the go-ahead first, celebrity news sites are reporting.

Britney's mom is currently looking after Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, while Federline attends New York Fashion Week events.

A source said: "K-Fed and Lynne get along really well. He hopes Lynne can help Britney have some face time with her kids. He knows however confused Brit gets, she'll always love those two kids with all her heart."

Britney previously accused K-Fed of boning Lynne. While this is likely just crazy talk, Federline and the elder Spears have always gotten along well.

Hectic life with Britney Spears exposed Sean Preston and Jayden James Federline to quite a lot, but father Kevin still wants the boys to be part of her life.

Kevin Federline has full custody of Sean Preston and Jayden James, a fact not likely to change unless Britney demonstrates serious mental improvement.

Meanwhile, the court has granted Britney's father, Jamie Spears, the power to ax her business manager, Howard Grossman, as of a hearing Thursday.

Jamie Spears, who is legally Britney's co-conservator, reportedly requested additional powers over his troubled daughters affairs.

Britney's parents dislike Grossman because of his close ties with the star's close friend and self-proclaimed manager, Sam Lutfi.

Under the powers of the conservatorship, Jamie Spears is able to restrict the visitors Britney receives and has the right to approve contracts.

Jamie and Lynne Spears hope the measures approved by the court will allow them to calm the craziness that has surrounded the pop star.

Britney Spears' divorce lawyers, the firm of Trope and Trope, filed papers requesting to be removed as counsel. A hearing is scheduled for March 10.

Britney's parents, Lynne and Jamie, were not fans. Trope and Trope bad a good relationship with Sam Lutfi, so that's a big reason why.

Could this be the first step in the process to re-retain Laura Wasser, Britney's former attorney who quit, and who Jamie reportedly wants back?

We'll have to stay tuned, but TMZ reports that one of the things that went down in Thursday's hearing involving Britney's conversatorship is that the commissioner granted the conservators the power to fire her manager.

That being Howard Grossman.

Court documents show that Commissioner Reva Goetz ordered Grossman to turn over "all documents, records and assets relating to Britney Spears."

Jamie Spears, with his attorney Andrew Wallet, is the legal conservator of Britney and her estate. While she is receiving treatment for her mental problems, Jamie may regulate her legal, business and medical decisions.

Firing Howard Grossman apparently is first on his to-do list.

Although the firing hasn't gone down yet, it wasn't hard to see coming as Grossman has a cozy relationship with Sam Lutfi - something we all know makes Britney Spears' family (and us, for that matter) extremely uncomfortable.

After hearing startling testimony from Lynne Spears that Sam Lutfi drugged and abused Britney, a restraining order was issued against him. However, the seedy confidant has yet to be formally served with the legal papers.

Hey, if you've got blood-sucking leeches like Sam Lutfi trying to control your daughter's money and mind, Adnan Ghalib must seem downright normal.

After her release from UCLA and its psychiatric ward, Britney Spears spent her first night at home with her mom, dad and Adnan.

Word has it that it was civil and everyone got along nicely.

"From what I was told, everything was very civilized," a source close to Adnan Ghalib, a celebrity photographer, told People.

After Spears' unexpected release from UCLA Wednesday, "Britney called Adnan to meet her at the Beverly Hills Hotel. He had been talking with [parents] Lynne and Jamie Spears for the past few days," says the source.

Britney and Adnan had a meeting with lawyer Adam Streisand, who announced Thursday that he is off the case. The pair then met up with Jamie and Lynne.

Adnan Ghalib also confirmed in a posting on his celebrity photo agency's website (FinalPixx.com) that he had been in contact with her parents.

"As the day unraveled, they have all agreed to get Britney safely back to her home so she can get the medical care and love that she deserves," says a posting on FinalPixx.com about Spears and Ghalib.

"After spending most of the evening with The Spears [family] ... Adnan left and went back home at 2:30 a.m. to give the family some alone time."

Adnan Ghalib, who began seeing Britney in December, is married to AzLynn Berry, but has been separated for a year and was just served with divorce papers.

Lynne Spears left her daughter's home just after midnight Thursday, while Jamie Spears remained there through Thursday morning.

The folks were reportedly frustrated by Britney's early release and their lack of ability to enforce the court-ordered conservatorship that lets them control her medical treatment, as well as her legal and financial decisions.

Time for your morning Britney Spears news update - legal style.

Jamie Spears' attorney and Britney Spears' co-conservator, Andrew Wallet, met for a closed-door session. Discussing what? We're not sure.

A court spokesperson said everything about yesterday's matter is sealed, and he could not disclose even why they were even in court.

We had speculated that Jamie was seeking help from the court in enforcing his legal control over Britney, who he feels was released too soon from UCLA.

Meanwhile, Laura Wasser, Brit's former attorney, paid a visit to the UCLA psych ward last Tuesday and it looks like she may be retained again.

Laura Wasser represented Britney Spears in her divorce from Kevin Federline, but ended up quitting the case. Several accounts say this was because Britney wouldn't listen to her. But now, Jamie and Lynne Spears want her back.

According to witnesses at UCLA, Britney "lit up" when she saw Wasser. But there's a hitch - Britney can't fight the conservatorship, which gives Jamie control of her estate as she is treated for bipolar disorder.

As of Tuesday, she was fine letting Jamie call the shots, but it looks like that's changed. If Britney accepts the conservatorship and Jamie is at the reins, Laura Wasser could be back in the Britney Spears business.

Meanwhile, Sam Lutfi has not been served with the restraining order sought and obtained by Britney Spears' parents - yet.

If he comes in contact with her, it technically wouldn't violate the order issued against him - since he hasn't officially been given notice.

It's a technicality, yes, but Sam Lutfi could (and likely will) argue that he doesn't know about the thing since he hasn't even seen it.

Shady.

Has Britney Spears hit rock bottom?

Is she really trying to get well? Are the people close to her doing enough, or losing sight of what's important with their constant in-fighting?

These and so many other key questions remain unanswered (we welcome your comments) even by those close to the troubled Britney Spears.

To that end, this week's Us Weekly takes an in-depth look inside the ongoing struggle for the soul (and mind) of a fallen cultural icon.

Spears was released from UCLA yesterday after spending a week in its psych ward. Many believe the singer should have been held there longer.

One of the article's focal points is - who else - Sam Lutfi.

Britney Spears' friend, de facto manager and confidant, who was recently hit with a restraining order after her parents made some startling allegations in court, has opened up about her bipolar disorder - and how he's trying to help her.

Sam Lutfi explained to the celebrity news site how he medicated her and what went the night she was hospitalized, as well as how her parents reacted.

"In [Britney's] depressive episodes, it's all crying," he said. "In manic episodes, there's very little crying or sympathy or compassion. She becomes another person. She becomes somebody that just doesn't care about anything."

"The British accent is part of the mania," Sam Lutfi, whose real first name is Osama, added. "She will stick to the British accent because she becomes comfortable with it... But you know, when the pink wig comes on, it's getting bad."

Lutfi says that when Spears was involuntarily committed to UCLA, her parents, Lynne and Jamie Spears, arrived and tried to get him away from Britney.

"Well, he is better family than you guys will ever be," Britney responded, according to Sam, who is obviously in full spin-machine mode.

Sam Lutfi also said that when the ambulance arrived to take Britney Spears away, "she was very quiet... when I told her, she wrote me a note and put a big heart on it and it said, 'I love you, Sam. Are there people coming? Circle yes or no.'"

"Oh, my God, it was funny. Just the cutest little thing. I circled yes and I gave it back to her, and she looked at me and she's like, 'Oh, lord, here we go again.'"

It's barely daybreak in California, but it's a good bet Jamie Spears will be back in court very soon, asking the Commissioner overseeing Britney Spears' continuing legal struggle to put some weight behind his conservatorship.

In layman's terms, Jamie technically has control of his daughter's estate while she receives treatment. And he's looking for some legal backup.

Britney was released by UCLA Medical Center yesterday after a week. Jamie and Lynne Spears, Britney's divorced parents, issued these remarks:

"As parents of an adult child in the throws (sic) of a mental health crisis, we were extremely disappointed this morning to learn that over the recommendation of her treating psychiatrist, our daughter, Britney Spears, was released from the hospital that could best care for her and keep her safe. We are deeply concerned about our daughter's safety and vulnerability and we believe her life is presently at risk. There are conservatorship orders in place created to protect our daughter that are being blatantly disregarded. We ask only that the court's orders be enforced so that a tragedy may be averted."

TRANSLATION: Per a court order, Jamie Spears may reject visitors and make financial decisions (as well as medical decisions) on Britney Spears' behalf. He believes the legal system is not doing its part in enforcing this authority.

According to TMZ, which cites legal experts, it's common for a conservator to ask for an order requiring police to enforce his/her instructions.

Jamie is quite frustrated, no doubt, that Britney hung out with Filipi Teixeira and rendezvoused with her paparazzi beau within hours of her discharge.

As if nothing ever happened, Britney Spears and Adnan Ghalib met up at her home away from home, the Beverly Hills Hotel, before visiting her lawyer.

In his estimation, Jamie Spears could call the Beverly Hills Police and ask them to remove visitors he deems inappropriate from Britney's presence.

Sam Lutfi, her friend and "manager," is already barred from seeing or contacting Spears in any fashion thanks to a restraining order.

If the court agrees to enforce his authority, you could see cops jump in and tell Britney she can't buy/do anything without Jamie Spears' consent.

That would go over really well. Stay tuned.

Straight outta the psych ward, Britney Spears pulled into the her familiar stomping grounds - the Beverly Hills Hotel - yesterday afternoon and was faced with a paparazzi crush she hasn't seen or experienced in ... like a week!

Soon after arriving at her home away from home, the troubled singer was met by Adnan Ghalib, her paparazzi boyfriend. They left shortly thereafter. Adnan, too, was greeted by mass hysteria when he arrived. Here's a picture ...

Then out of nowhere, who should pull up to the mob scene but ... Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag! Man, these two just know how to make the celebrity news! If there are cameras rolling, you can bet your ass they're gonna show up!

Hey, what's up? We just happened to be in the neighborhood!

After meeting at the hotel, Britney and Adnan Ghalib drove over to the law offices of Adam Streisand, the lawyer who, on Spears' behalf, objected to Jamie Spears being named co-conservator of her estate earlier this week.

Britney was released yesterday because the hospital said it could no longer hold her against her will. Expect Britney's father, Jamie, to be back in court very soon, fighting for the right to protect Brit and control what she does.