"The X Factor" U.S. judge Britney Spears allegedly has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). "The X Factor" executive producer Simon Cowell (who is also a judge on the show) knows about her condition and Spears' other mental-health problems but still decided she should be a judge on the show, according to an unnamed "insider" who blabbed details to tabloid website Radar Online. The insider claims that Spears having ADHD is the reason why she abruptly walked out of "X Factor" auditions during her first day on the job on May 24, 2012, in Austin, Texas. She did the same thing the next day at the Austin auditions, although she eventually returned to the judges' table that day.
The insider told Radar Online:
"Britney was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in her teens and used to take medication for it. The medication helped her deal with it, however, she can't take it now because it interferes with the other medications she takes for her mental health issues. Britney's current team of doctors strictly prohibit her from taking Adderall or Ritalin, which are commonly given to people with ADHD.
"Simon was made fully aware of Britney's medical history before the contract was signed, so this certainly isn't a big surprise that she needs to take breaks during the audition process. Look, Britney basically has the attention span of a 10-year-old at times. It's not alarming to Simon at all and he is fully supportive of Britney doing whatever she needs to do during filming."
"Britney's medical team works with her to deal with her disorder without medication and daily vigorous exercise is what often works best for Britney. Her nutrition is closely monitored and so is her caffeine intake, because that can also enhance Britney's inability to focus. Simon knew what he was dealing with before he ever signed her to join the show and it's not shocking to him. Of course, it's rather disconcerting for people that see her do it for the first time but it's truly nothing to be alarmed at. In fact, Simon would have been surprised if she hadn't taken breaks during judging last week, this means she is involved and engaged in the process."
If this story is true and was planted in a tabloid to make people sorry for Spears, then it only makes the people who decided to make her an "X Factor" judge look worse. There is nothing good that can come from this ADHD condition when someone is expected to be alert and focused on live TV, which is a big part of the job of being an "X Factor" judge.
ADHD symptoms include:
- inability to focus attention on tasks
- restlessness and dislike of sitting in one place for more than half an hour
- impaired impulse control
- inability to restrain emotions appropriately
- irritation at rules and restrictions about when someone can talk
- inability to think quickly when solving unexpected problems
- confusion when given instructions
- child-like impatience
It's irresponsible for anyone to think these are good qualities to have in an "X Factor" judge, who not only has to be on live TV for most "X Factor" episodes but also has to spend a lot of time mentoring contestants.
Perhaps this is just another example of what many people have been saying all along: hiring Spears to be an "X Factor" judge just reeks of desperation on the part of "X Factor" bosses, as well as exploitation from Spears' handlers who want a piece of her reported $15 million "X Factor" salary.
Spears is also rumored to be bipolar, although she has not publicly spoken about her mental-health problems â€" nor should she have to publicly disclose these problems since those are medical issues that are private.
What is public record is that her mental-health issues are still bad enough that 30-year-old Spears does not have legal control over her business and personal affairs. Since 2008, she has been under a conservatorship controlled by her father for her business affairs. And in April 2012, Spears' fiancé, Jason Trawick (an agent who brokered Spears "X Factor" deal), was named co-conservator of her personal affairs.
The next "X Factor" U.S. auditions in front of the judges take place in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 8 and June 9, 2012. The show's auditions for 2012 continue in Oakland, California, from June 16 to 18; Providence, Rhode Island, from June 27 to June 29; and Greensboro, North, Carolina, on July 8 and 9.
The second season of "The X Factor" U.S. premieres in the U.S. on Fox in September 2012, on a date to be announced. The show's live episodes take place from October to December.
"The X Factor" U.S. judge Demi Lovato, 19, has gone public with her personal problems, which include being bipolar, having an eating disorder, and recovering from addictions to drugs, alcohol and self-cutting. Unlike Spears, Lovato is not under a conservatorship, and so far Lovato has not demonstrated that she is having trouble with her "X Factor" job. In fact, most people who have reported what Lovato is like at the "X Factor" auditions have said that Lovato is relaxed, confident and articluate on the job. Lovato's recovery process has no doubt been helped by her being so open with her problems, instead of trying to hide them and deny that they exist.
Clearly, "The X Factor" knows that something is seriously wrong with Spears since she has not been participating in group interviews with the other "X Factor" judges: Cowell, Lovato and Epic Records chairman/CEO Antonio "L.A." Reid. A group "interview" that Fox did with all of the judges at Fox's May 2012 upfront presentations doesn't count as a real interview since the "interview" was very brief and obviously staged/scripted.
Ever since Spears had her public meltdowns in 2007, she has not done an interview unless her handlers pre-approve and dictate the questions that are asked in the interview. So if Spears is going to comment on how she thinks she is doing in her "X Factor" job, we're probably not going to be hearing from her about it unless it's a staged/scripted interview that had the questions approved in advance by her handlers. And it's worth noting that Spears has not done a live interview in several years.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if Spears' erratic behavior continues and we will continue to hear more reports about her not being able to cope well with being an "X Factor" judge. Her handlers will then inevitably deny these reports and insist that everything is wonderful with Spears. The sad thing about all of it is that if the Radar Online report is true, a mentally ill woman is being exploited just for the sake of TV ratings instead of getting her the help that she needs.
What cannot be underestimated is how much TV viewers will be turned off if or when Spears turns out to be a disaster on the show, especially in the live episodes. So all of the trouble that the "X Factor" went to in order to get Spears to be a judge on the show could end up backfiring in the end.
If Spears has another psychiatric breakdown because of "The X Factor," then shame on everyone who saw this train wreck coming and not only did nothing to stop it but also had their feet on the accelerator.
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