Britney Spears’ recent appearance as the opening act of MTV’s Video Music Awards has left the media in a feeding frenzy. I would agree that her dance moves were lacking in energy, and that her choreography could have used a little spice, but I thought her physical appearance was impressive.

The media is often cruel when it comes to the image of celebrities. Yet we must not be blinded by bold headlines. Remember that Britney is a mother of two children! I would have to guess that if a “normal” woman danced around scantly-clad on national television after recently bearing two children, she would not nearly look as good as Britney did at the MTV Video Music Awards. This pop star may not have performed well, but she looked GREAT.

Did the media really expect to see the same Britney Spears who made it big from singing “Hit Me Baby One More Time” during the late 90s? We all know that childbearing changes the womanly figure; therefore I was impressed with how close Britney came to achieving her pre-baby body. Am I alone on this?

My point is this: the media can be cruel! Britney appeared far from “fat,” and yet that’s exactly what the media is posting about her. The pressure is on for celebrities to achieve zero percent body fat and, pretty much, an anorexic status. Is that glamorous? Is that healthy? Of course not! It is no wonder why celebrities often go overboard with plastic surgery.

Many Hollywood stars are out to achieve unrealistic body shapes due to pressure and fear that someone will see them as less than perfect.

Just look at Tara Reid! She has tried to achieve the perfect set of abs, but ended up spending years fixing problems related to a bad liposuction job. It was only after her recent body contour procedure that she has been able to achieve a nice looking tummy.

I am not saying that plastic surgery is wrong. In fact I think it can be wonderful when done for the right reasons, such as changing the lives of many individuals by correcting features that have caused them to feel insecure. In a nutshell, the image of “beauty” portrayed in the media can be far from truthful, and people should remember this when they visit a plastic surgeon and ask for that “Halle Berry nose” or “Brad Pitt profile.”