#17: How the media used Britney and Madonna's VMAs kiss to fuel a toxic narrative
The VMA's most infamous moment was more than just a wild three-way pash
Last week, we all got the shock of our lives when Jenny from the Block came out and said that she had originally been asked to be smooched by Madonna at the VMAs alongside Britney Spears (instead of Christina Aguilera).
Once we managed to pick our jaws up off the floor, we began renewing all the attention we gave to 2003's most infamous moment. What we rarely discuss, however, is how those few milliseconds were used by the media the fuel a toxic narrative between Britney and Justin Timberlake. So, let's explore it.
If you're a true Britney fan you'll know that her first claim to fame was a regular spot on the sixth season of Disney Channel's The All-New Mickey Mouse Club as a pre-teen alongside Christina, Justin, Keri Russell, and even Ryan Gosling. Britney has reminisced on that time in several interviews, telling Entertainment Tonight in 2018 that: "It was a really good time," and that "it was probably one of the most special times in my life."
In 2018, Aguilera revealed that there had been quite the "love square" between her, Britney, Justin, and Ryan. In fact, she told The Late Late Show host James Corden: "There were definitely crushes, but...I wasn't on the train." Corden then asked the Dirrty singer whether she'd been on the "Justin Timberlake train," to which Christina responded: "He had swag, I have to say. Even back then, he had swag."
Christina then appeared to infer that, while she'd had a crush on Justin, Britney had been the object of both his and Ryan's affections.
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