Whenever I hear the name Enrique Iglesias I get that “Tonight I’m f’ing you” song stuck in my head on a loop and picture greasy guys like The Situation and Pauley D picking up women with big hair at a club. (Inglesias does say “here’s the Situation,” so the guy inevitably comes to mind.) So I don’t really think of Enrique Iglesias as an “artist” or someone who wouldn’t benefit from hitching his name to a bigger star. He seems to think he can do fine on his own, though, and made a statement last night that the joint tour that Britney Spears just announced with him wasn’t happening.
Update: Enrique just released this statement, confirming he WON’T be touring with Britney.
“Unfortunately, Enrique Iglesias and Britney Spears will not be touring together,” his rep said. “Despite initial reports based on formal discussions of the possible run, Enrique will continue on his solo tour in support of his new album EUPHORIA. Enrique has great respect for Britney and is a longtime fan of her work. He is very sorry for the confusion this might have caused to anyone.”
The Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias tour is over even before it began, after the hunky star pulled out just hours after they announced the joint venture, RadarOnline.com has learned.The tour was made public on Tuesday, moments before Spears shook her stuff for a much talked about performance on Good Morning America.
But it appears that the Spanish hunk no longer wants to pair up with the pop princess and has since cancelled.
Live Nation is promoting the show and sent out a media advisory stating: “Enrique Iglesias is no longer on this tour.”
No further explanation was given, but Billboard is reporting that he ducked out because he doesn’t want to be an opening act for anyone.
“Plans called for Iglesias, who is currently on tour in Europe, to be much more than a standard opening act; he was slated to carry full production on the Spears tour,” Billboard reported. “While two such high-profile artists with top-shelf production values was sure to be attractive to fans, such an endeavor is also very expensive to produce.”
[From Radar Online]
So what happened? Did Enrique see the hilariously bad “performance” that Britney gave on Good Morning America? She was kind of teetering around the stage, moving her arms and lip syncing but that’s what she did on her entire Circus tour from what I remember so it isn’t new. He probably realized he was better off not being associated with Britney or relying on her in any way. I bet his people cooked up that joint tour idea and he was on board with it until he saw her perform and realized what he was getting into. It’s possible that it was some business decision as they’re claiming, but that seems like a convenient excuse to me.
TMZ is reporting that Enrique didn’t want to be opening act for anyone, but I bet he didn’t want to be second biller to Britney.
Photos are of Britney performing last night on Jimmy Kimmel credit: Fame and of Enrique performing on 3/25 in London and 3/28 in Holland. Credit: WENN.com
100% agreement. When I read that he’d pulled out, I immediately thought, “Well yeah, Brittney’s a big old fool these days- who needs that kind of attention.” I think TMZ sucks to be playing like he thinks he’s too big a star to be an opening act. I hate TMZ.
He should have dropped out before she made the public announcement…now he looks just as bad as her dance moves.
Who can blame the guy? After her performance on GMA he probably realized it would be career suicide to be associated with her in any way.
Sometimes, I do wonder what gives with all this Britney “hate.” She has problems, serious problems. It’s not like she snorted her career away. She has mental health issues. She’s obviously bipolar, depressive, borderline… Anyone who can see a picture of what she was fifteen years ago and see what she is now could see that she’s obviously not well. Can’t you see it in her face? I’m not saying she isn’t “happy,” but just not functioning like other adult women do. Do you think she’s not aware of that? She doesn’t control her career, her life, her family. I’m not saying this like I know her or anything, but can’t we have some sympathy for a woman whose suffering from serious mental problems in a public arena? Shame on Enrique Iglesias if that’s the real reason behind why he won’t go on tour with her.
It’s not that I have any right to approve or disapprove of her living such a public life with such serious problems, but it’s not like she has a degree in nursing or accounting to fall back on or can ever go being invisible or anonymous. That choice was made for her years and years ago. Wasn’t she a child star? Wasn’t that back before she truly had the ability to decide if she wanted to be a veterinarian or a Disney puppet? Did she go to college? Does she have any idea how to function as an adult?
It’s just not practical for her and the way she’s lived her life. And to be dissed like that? Really, she gets dissed and mocked constantly, “She can’t perform well,” “She’s too fat,” blah blah blah. Do you think if she’s aware of what people say, she’s unaffected? If she suffers from depression, of course she is. I would be and so would you. When I’m depressed the little voice in my head that tells me I suck, etc., gives me a rough time, and that’s not even real. Half of those meds she’s no doubt on make you dizzy and put weight on you, affecting her abilities. I’m not saying she gets a free pass for all and any infractions against public decency, but can’t we be kinder to her?
maybe his girlfriend wouldnt let him.
Totally agree with Wondering! Britney very clearly has mental health issues, and going about dealing with that whilst remaining in the public eye and being the sole provider for your family is mind-boggingly hard. Let’s ease up on her and show a little grace and kindness 🙂
@Wondering ITA she’s obviously got mental health issues but wouldn’t it benefit her to be in long-term treatment getting help so that she can take care of herself/get full custody of her kids instead of being carted around to make money for other people? I don’t think it’s resentment for Britney but shock at the gall of her people to cart her out like a doll and put her on stage to make other people money.
The woman has more money than sin so does her family she could take 5 years off get treatment which would be the best thing for her. But the ‘little people’ would suffer.
“Really, she gets dissed and mocked constantly”
That’s called being a celebrity?
Oh wondering- this doesn’t have anything to do with Brittney’s mental health other than she obviously doesn’t have the capacity to judge for herself that she either needs to put a hell of a lot more effort into her shows, or stop with the big, publicity filled tours. At this point, it’s becoming a laughable circus, what with performances like yesterday’s GMA. She’s being used by her handlers in order to wring more money out of the cash cow, and it is offensive for those same handlers to be marketing her as a performer who’s capable of delivering. She isn’t.
i miss the old britney.
Wondering, on these types of celebrity blogs, I think you are asking for too much. Kindness? Compassion? Why, when it is so much easier to mock her? Make stupid jokes about her weight, her weave, her Southern accent? Point out that the name of the blog is Celeb*tchy?
Most people don’t view celebrities as real human beings, subject to the same illnesses and disease the rest of us have to deal with. I think your post was very intelligent, and I’m glad there are folks like you out there. If you are so compassionate about a celebrity, I imagine you must treat the real people in your life with the same respect and dignity.
As for this post, I think Enrique is right…he’s a little too big to be a opening act. Maybe Britney should use some fresh, undiscovered talent as an opening act.
@Franny I worked in the mental health industry for years and have plenty of compassion for Britney I think it’s a shame that her fans are in denial about what is going with her. Just like Judy Garland she is being drugged up and overworked to make other people money. Why are the people who are disgusted by that insensitive. Is it asking too much of you to have compassion for someone who is obviously being abused by her money hungry management team?
Anna probably put the kibosh on that!
Enrique should have NEVER considered being the opening act in the first place.
@ mln76 People tend to mock Britney herself, not her management team. I feel very badly for her. I also work in the mental health field. If Britney were a regular woman, both you and I know she’d be in serious treatment. But she is a money-making machine for her family and her handlers. We have to watch this poor woman try to handle a celebrity life she isn’t healthy enough to deal with.
So I totally agree with Wondering…I wish people would stop poking fun at her, and be more supportive. However, I realize this isn’t really the forum for celebrity compassion. I read this blog because the writers and commenters are witty. I read People for a more celebrity friendly read.
More excuses should we only say nice things about her and lie by she a good dancer and singer; the truth is she can’t do ether she couldn’t do it before she was just better then she was now.
Enrique is probably afraid that she’d run about without underwear as she does at home. Surely not the best body for this stage outfit, doesn’t she have a mirror?LOL
I agree with Wondering, but I am wondering why her family is letting this happen. She has already been to the top of the mountain as far as fame goes. Someone needs to be honest with her and encourage her to live out a quiet life out of the spotlight rather than let her get up there and make a fool of herself. She’s got enough money to live out the rest of her life comfortably. Some celebs just don’t know when it is time to hang it up.
It really is sad when someone who was once a bombshell loses their dang old looks. I am just appalled by that tacky weave.
@Dana M, agreed. Enrique makes the most incredibly annoying pop songs I have ever heard. Most of his ballads are just as painful. Contrary to the popular opinion, he is not hot, at all.
Based upon another poster’s advice I youtubed her Onyx tour video. And it was heartbreaking to see someone who was coherent and full of life and realize that person was gone.
I miss the old britney to.
I love Britney. And I always will. Remember how she used to dance? I mean damn, she used to move really well and could make her body do things that were pretty impressive. She never was the best singer, and that is not why I liked her. She is an entertainer, and always entertained me. But the bombshell component was a big part of it and the dancing – both of which are just not there anymore. That said, I will buy her album because I still love her and her songs are good for a lift.
wondering: amazing post. more people need to be compassionate.
i agree that it is sad when a celebrity reaches as high as they can go, and then starts to slide down, but they can’t and won’t accept it, it is pretty funny to watch them hold on desperately for dear life, doing all kinds of things to stay on top, .. but i digress, Britney needs help proto, before she takes everyone down with her.
I’ll probably get roasted for this, but why is everyboidy assuming that there’s a nefarious plot by her management team/handlers to keep the show on the road. She has money, lots of it. Anyone ever thought that that’s about the only thing she wants to do? And even with a conservatorship, she has the right to express a preference.
It’s silly to assume that Britney can be forced to go live out of the spot light and that she wants nothing more than to hide out in Louisiana. Remember her public meltdown, paps in pursuit? and she liked the attention.
None of us know what she really wants or can do. I just think it’s unfair to assume exploitation.
@sapphire
I think you’re absolutely right. Britney has been put on the cross by her fans the past few years as if being made to work a couple of months a year is too much of a burden for her.
She “dances” for a couple hours a night and makes millions of dollars for it. Why should we sympathize? Remember her interview with Matt Lauer? She loves money.
well, on one hand, i’m not too into enrique’s music, and i wasn’t really happy about him being on this tour…i want to see BRITNEY and britney ONLY. i don’t need some flop pop singer interrupting brit’s pole dances to come sing some annoying crap about heroes.
BUT…
i must admit, if he did end up going on tour with her, i was kind of hoping i could jump on stage and sit on his face. i swore i’d never dip my toe in the latin community for obvious reasons, but damn….that man is FINE.
I still say she was pushed into her last tour too soon (as was Whitney) in her therapy.
When undergoing therapy/drug regimens for a mental illness, I would think one would need the love and support of family. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.
And I DO think she was pushed by her “people” to try to show everyone she was FINE, just fine, thankyouverymuch, even if it wasn’t true.
Silly of me to suggest that Britney go out while she is somewhat still on top so she doesn’t get slammed by the media. Just silly.
@ 27. Cloris: That is so funny! You weird girl!
This just makes him look so unprofessional.
Enrique doesn’t need Britney. He’ll survive.
Britney will continue to be propped up and pushed out on stage because Team Britney knows her silly fans will buy those albums no matter how much they suck and pay to be in her presence at her concerts. So all those people who feel sorry for her must not feel that sorry for her because they keep putting their hard earned dollars in her hands.
I read her tickets start out at $96 before fees for nosebleed seats. WTF? To see her lipsync, stumble around the stage/sit and hump air. For fuck’s sake, that is not entertainment.
It has been made clear that Britney has had some mental issues and probably still does but does that mean that people should just lie to her and tell her that she’s rocking the stage when she sucks? Should people pay hundreds of dollars to see her just to keep her spirits up?
People don’t have to be mean spirited and tell her she’s fat and all that but honestly, her job has always been to be an entertainer, entertainers generally have a short shelf life because you can only do so much before someone else comes along and does it better or newer or whatever and it’s not like she’s got musical talent to fall back on.
I don’t see why she can’t go into some other form of entertainment like get a book deal or talk show or some shit.
@ Original Bellaluna-not being confrontational but did Britney tell you that? Seriously, no one here knows what she said, to whom or why.
Brit brit deserves to be and should be mocked as long as her completely non-talented sagging butt continues to make obscene profits off people, whereas people much more talented than her get no breaks.
At this point in her career, brit brit is on the same level as Linnocent or TigerSheen, except apparently brit brit is raking in the dough.
If she’s making all that money with no discenible talent other than making other people feel sorry for her, the least we can do is mock her sorry non-talented sagging butt.
Marjalane: Enrique IS too big to open for Britney, whether he thinks that or not I don’t care. This is a smart move on Enrique’s part, I think he just didn’t want to be associated with this over-rated hot mess and her craptastic, lipsync show.
I was surprised to hear that Enrique would be opening for Britney on her tourn. Opening acts are usually artists who are trying to make it but not all that famous. Enrique with all his No.1 hits is too big a music star to be an opening act for anyone let alone Britney Spears.
WTF!!?? None of them can sing, how can they reject each other???
As if Enrique’s entire career has sold anything close to the amount of tickets one of Britney’s tours sell. But I do agree it’d weird for an established artist like him to open for someone.
I agree with what others have said, I think Britney’s been pushed back into the spotlight, into performing and recording way too soon. While I like the music she’s making at the moment, I do think she’d be better off if she took a year or so off, and went to Louisiana with her family.
I’m with Wondering. I think there’s a story in why she’s not retired, why they keep pushing her out despite teh shortcoming, and in the spin they keep pushing, and I think it does have to do with how much money she makes for all the people around her. Think of all those lawyers, managers, songwriters, and on and on. She’s got millions, but really, i wonder how much of it she really gets. I think it’s unfortunate she’s not capable of calling the shots in her life, because I’m 99% sure she’d love nothing better to slouch around all day and hang out with her kids and never perform again, and kudos to her if she does. She’s been performing since she’s a child. No doubt she’s got few life skills. It is indeed sad to watch her earlier videos and coverage of young Britney. There was a good article in the NYT (?) the other day about zombie performers who keep going, long past their due date, Britney included. http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/03/britney_spears_zombie_fame.html