Names and faces
■ A judge has scheduled a June 23 hearing to hear from Britney Spears, who asked to address the court to talk about the conservatorship that has controlled her life and finances for 13 years, her attorney said. During a hearing Tuesday, Spears’ court-appointed attorney, Samuel Ingham III, did not specify what his client wants to say to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny. It would be the first known time in more than two years that the 39-year-old pop star has spoken in court. The last time, on May 10, 2019, the courtroom was sealed. None of what she said became public. The judge also may close the June hearing to the media and public. Spears, through Ingham, has been pushing for more transparency in the court proceedings and documents of the conservatorship. Outside the downtown courthouse Tuesday, about 50 fans from the so-called #FreeBritney movement picketed outside the downtown courthouse, carrying signs that read “Conservatorship is slavery” and “This is toxic.” Spears has said that she welcomes the support and scrutiny of her circumstances by fans. Through Ingham, she has been pushing in court to incrementally exercise more control over her life and finances but has yet to request the court end the conservatorship.
■ Christine Baranski wanted help cleaning out her closet. The Emmyand Tony-winning actor donated three custom-made Bob Mackie gowns for an online charity auction on Wednesday and she tapped a group of A-list stars to follow her lead with hundreds of items. The eye-popping haul includes a Wolverine jacket from Hugh Jackman’s closet, a banjo signed by Steve Martin, boots, jeans and a T-shirt from Bruce Springsteen and a dress from Dolly Parton that comes with its own mannequin. A portion of proceeds from every item sold will benefit The Actors Fund. “Those of us lucky enough to have had successful careers are well aware of how badly our performing arts community has been hit,” Baranski said. The gowns she’s donated were ones she wore for appearances at the Golden Globes, Emmys and Kennedy Center Honors in the 1990s. Baranski, 68, helped organize the event and worked to get many of the items, writing personal emails to each celebrity. The slate listed by Doyle Auctioneers & Appraisers of New York included Bob Mackie dresses from Carol Burnett, a black sequin gown worn by Bette Midler and dresses from Meryl Streep, Cherry Jones, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Patti LuPone and Bernadette Peters. Other items included a key prop from the hit musical “The Phantom of the Opera,” a Burberry trench coat and a pair of Swarovski encrusted shoes from Cher as well as posters of “All in the Family” signed by Norman Lear.