Britney Spears on walking off 'X Factor': 'I was following Demi Lovato'
Published Jul 12 2012, 14:54 BST | By Justin Harp
The X Factor USA judge Britney Spears has explained why she walked off the stage during a drag tribute to her music.Spears was apparently left speechless when a man partially dressed in women's clothing performed a version of her hit '(You Drive Me) Crazy'. The singer briefly left the audition stage, but did return to clarify that she was stunned rather than offended.
© Fox / Ray Mickshaw
In a newly released X Factor clip, Spears defended her behaviour by revealing that it was fellow judge Lovato who urged her to walk off.
"I was following [Demi]. I was taking her lead… She was like, 'Let's go!' And I was like, 'Okay'," Spears explained, adding: "It was our dinner break, anyway."
X Factor judge LA Reid has come to Spears's defence by classifying the drag tribute as "horrible".
"The truth is he was horrific," Reid insisted. "We just couldn't take it anymore. But Simon [Cowell] has a little more tolerance and more patience than we do [so he stayed]."
The controversial incident took place during The X Factor's auditions in Greensboro, NC, which also saw Ray Charles's grandson try out.
The X Factor USA's second season will debut this September on Fox.
Watch Britney Spears explain her X Factor walk-off below:
leave britney alone
July 13th 2012 at 11:10pm(+1 like)
If people actually bothered to watch the video clip they would realise that Demi lovato walked off first, along with l.a Reid! I don't quite understand why people seem to hone In on britney spears ? Give the woman a break and let her get on with her job , everyone will probably realise that she is a really nice woman !!!!!!
July 13th 2012 at 5:36am(+2 likes)
If it was her dinner break, why didn't she leave after the act had finished? It'd be like me serving a customer in work and halfway through going "Going for my dinner, bye".
July 12th 2012 at 3:13pm(+2 likes)
My thoughts exactly. When I have my lunchbreak, I finish serving the last customer and leave after that. This sounds like a very lame excuse.
I understand she may be a little more sensitive to this performance, as it was her song, but she gets paid to sit there and comment on people performing, so I suggest she and that other judge should sit right back down and do what they get good money for.
July 12th 2012 at 5:33pm(+1 like)