BEVERLY HILLS—Summer is a great time, with the faint scent of Banana Boat in the air and smoke billowing from a nearby grill. It’s just unfortunate that actress Lindsay Lohan won’t be enjoying the rest of the summer.
The frosting on the cake was that the “Mean Girls” star was left without legal representation. After her legal representative, Shawn Holley Chapman, quit earlier this month, Robert Shapiro (O.J. Simpson’s former attorney) also quitjust hours before the actress was due to start her stint behind bars. Shapiro had insisted that Lohan check into his own sober living facility, Pickford Lofts, before starting her prison time on July 20. On July 6, Lohan was sentenced to 90 days in jail for violating probation on a 2007 DUI arrest.
According to TMZ.com, Shapiro is no longer representing Lohan, even though she adhered to his rules by entering rehab in Los Angeles last week. No reason was given for Shapiro stepping down. The actress has been ordered to surrender herself to authorities at Beverly Hills Superior Court on July 20 to begin her jail sentence.
I never thought I would write this, but Britney Spears can serve as a good role model for Lohan. Spears, who transformed herself from a kindred train wreck, has reshaped her career, and can possibly help the 24-year-old Lohan in moving in a positive direction and stop making embarrassing headlines.
While Spears didn’t have the same drama issues as Lohan, there were still an array of issues making her a TMZ magnet. Spears hit rock bottom in 2008 with a mental breakdown and hospitalization situated around the bitter custody battle with former spouse Kevin Federline. Just like a Hollywood movie, Spears has kept out of trouble, had a successful tour in 2009 and released another greatest hits album. Her creative juices continued to flow when she designed a line of clothing for Candie’s and released her own iPhone app. Now, she graces the cover of the August issue of Cosmopolitan, and it’s reported that she is working on her seventh studio album. Kudos.
Lindsay Lohan on the other hand, may have a difficult time climbing the mountain back to popular approval. Spears is much more talented than Lohan. Lindsay Lohan was a child star, but truth be told, is not a great actress, while Spears remains a pop diva in the music business. It’s easier to make a comeback in the music business. Finally, a major factor is the persona of arrogance. For reasons I can’t pinpoint, Lohan appears to rub people the wrong way, while Britney seemed naïve and begging for help. Of course, her parents Dina and Michael don’t help the situation. They seem so overbearing and desperate for fame themselves.
So what is Lindsay to do to navigate her way out of the Lohan abyss and come out with the Spears sunshine? She really needs to clean up her act, and stay out of the public eye for a while. She has definitely lost her appeal, people will not be rushing to see her in movies anytime soon. Lohan needs to clean up her image and get involved with some organization in Hollywood. There are so many organizations to volunteer and help with such as The Thalians. Young Hollywood should be more involved with organizations like that.
Rose’s Scoop: Spike TV will be airing “Scrappers” starting August 3.
