When Britney’s Lubbock was cancelled due to the arena’s main transformer blowing up (even though it supposedly had enough capacity) the media leaped at reporting the story. In particular they emphasized the boos and broken-hearts. This problem made the international newswires, and was reported on radio and TV and not just on the entertainment shows (featuring on both CNN and Fox News).

When inclement weather forced an end to Britney’s second Mexico City show again it is making international headlines. Reuters is even reporting the story without mentioning the weather (which was so bad the opening act, Luis Fonzi, did not perform). They make it seem as if Britney just cut short the concert for no reason at all. And the Mexican media is making like Britney is the newborn spawn of Satan.

What prompted thoughts of a double standard. Today on the radio I heard that the soldout Lenny Kravitz/Pink show is cancelled (perhaps to be rescheduled) because Lenny is a little under the weather. The reason may be perfectly legitimate but I somehow doubt the cancellation will make the international newswires and CNN. Imagine if it was Britney. I can see the headlines:

Boo-hoo Britney or Spears’ sniffles shatter dreams.

And speaking of Pink. Did she not blow-off her Pittsburgh show because of illness?. Reschedule it and then blow-it off again - permanently?. Imagine the furor if Britney had done the same. The Internet would be filled with pompous declamations of how poorly Britney treats her fans and that she is a primadona. But Pink (who is supposedly replacing Britney as the “it girl” star) receives nary a word of opprobrium.

Likewise Korn can blow-off its Canadian dates because of some obscure and never fully explained reason. But is the Canadian media (unlike the Mexican) frothing at the lips about how Korn hates and is rude to their Canadian fans?.

Or The Strokes, those media darling saviors of rock’n’roll, who were scheduled to open for Weezer but who have blown-off that commitment. Why? Because that little rich kid twerp Casablanca's, hurt his knee engaging in some drunken buffoonery. At least Weezer (who are ten times better than The Strokes) are keeping their commitments. And the media (at least the narrowly parochial rock media as no one else cares) celebrate this spoiled sliver-spoon scion as being some rock’n’roll rebel.

Imagine the worldwide condemnation of Britney had she blown-off the Mexico show because she hurt herself after imbibing to many shots of Tequila.

It is not as if Britney and her associates benefits from losing several hundred thousand dollars from having to cancel the Lubbock show or potentially millions of dollars on the Mexico show if it is not rescheduled.

But in too many blinkered eyes, Britney is a spoiled brat who hates her fans. And this after years of almost continuous activity bringing her fans all entertainment’s in all its wonderful variety.