Britney Spears Once Called Her Wildest and Most Memorable VMA Stunt Ever ‘So Dumb’
Britney Spears‘ relationship with MTV spans decades. After breaking into the pop world in 1998 with a video showcasing her vocals and a carefully created look, Spears became a force to be reckoned with. For years, her MTV VMA performances were some fans looked forward to, including one of her wildest and most memorable stunts ever, which she now calls “so dumb.”
Britney Spears first performed on the MTV VMAs in 1999
Spears first performed on the MTV VMAs in 1999 when the show aired live from New York’s Metropolitan Opera House.
The performer recreated her “Baby One More Time” video with a carefully curated classroom vibe. She danced and sang and segued into a performance with NSYNC, who performed “Tearin’ Up My Heart.” Nominated for three moonmen, Spears didn’t bring home any awards.
Spears followed up that performance in 2000 with a performance of “Oops, I Did it Again” at Radio City Hall in New York City. Spears began her dynamic performance by singing The Rolling Stones “I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)” in a dark suit and white shirt. Atop her hat head sat a fedora. As Spears ripped off her outfit, fans were stunned to see the 19-year-old in a nude bra top and pants.
Britney Spears called her wildest and most memorable VMA stunt ‘so dumb’
Happy Birthday to our QUEEN, @britneyspears! ?
— MTV (@MTV) December 2, 2019
We’re celebrating by looking back at her performance of “I’m a Slave 4 U” at the 2001 @vmas! ? pic.twitter.com/elZxfgf33F
In 2016, Spears spoke to E! Entertainment Television, where she discussed her third and most memorable VMA stunt. Pop’s reigning princess pulled out all the stops for the live premiere of the hit from the Britney album, “I’m a Slave For U.”
She gave New York’s Metropolitan Opera House stage a surreal makeover, turning it into a jungle. However, the entrance to her performance remains the most talked-about moment of the evening.
Spears sang and danced with a giant python that lay atop her shoulders for a portion of the performance.
“It’s insane! Why did I do that?” Spears said to E! “Hell, no!” Spears said. “It’s so dumb. No! Never!”
“I think it was great, but I wouldn’t do that now. Never. I’m totally scared of snakes, but I was completely fearless,” Spears admitted in a 2016 interview with BBC Radio 1’s Scott Mills. “It was cool … I was [scared of snakes back then], but I was just so excited that I was like, ‘Whatever!”
Spears named the snake Banana due to its bright yellow color
A man named Mike Hano was the handler for the python, who didn’t have a name until Spears gave the animal a nickname, Banana, due to its bright yellow color.
“They asked me to bring the snake today that’s going to be used in Britney Spears’s act,” he said, as reported by MTV in 2016. The snake was seven feet long.
“She was scared of snakes, and this thing was right around her neck, and she had to dance with it on live television in front of millions of people. When I got there, a bunch of people were on the stage and rehearsing. And even when the director told them to take five, she kept practicing her steps.
“She was afraid of the snake, but she forced herself to handle it, and she did a great job,” Hano concluded of Spears’ performance.
The MTV VMAs air Sunday, Aug. 28, beginning at 8 p.m.
