Framing Britney Spears: ACA’s Mike Munro asks star about ‘underwear’ photos

Britney Spears’ 2001 interview with A Current Affair resurfaces as journalist Mike Munro asks the 19-year-old pop star how she can have a ‘virginal’ and ‘sexy vamp’ image at the same time

A confronting A Current Affair interview with Britney Spears has resurfaced in a viral docu-series about the media’s unfair treatment of the American pop star.

Produced by The New York Times, Framing Britney Spears explores the dark side of the singer’s career, providing a sobering look at the way the Oops!… I Did It Again star was hyper-sexualised from a young age.

Among the archival footage in the series is a 2001 interview conducted by veteran journalist Mike Munro in which he asked Spears about her raunchy public image.

Archive footage: A confronting A Current Affair interview with Britney Spears (left) has resurfaced in a viral docu-series about the media’s unfair treatment of the American pop star 

Munro asked Spears, who was 19 at the time, how she could square her ‘vampish’ image with the fact she was also a squeaky-clean pop idol.

‘To many, you are a contradiction. On the one hand you’re a sweet, innocent virginal type. On the other hand you’re a sexy vamp in underwear,’ said Munro.

Britney grimaced, then said: ‘I wouldn’t say, in underwear…’ 

Among the archival footage in Framing Britney Spears is a 2001 interview conducted by veteran journalist Mike Munro (pictured) in which he asked Spears about her raunchy public image

Questions: Among the archival footage in the series is a 2001 interview conducted by veteran journalist Mike Munro (pictured) in which he asked Spears about her raunchy public image 

'To many, you are a contradiction': Munro asked Spears, who was 19 at the time, how she could square her 'vampish' image with the fact she was also a squeaky-clean pop idol

‘To many, you are a contradiction’: Munro asked Spears, who was 19 at the time, how she could square her ‘vampish’ image with the fact she was also a squeaky-clean pop idol

Munro pressed the issue, and reminded Spears that she’d recently posed in lingerie on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

‘On the cover of Rolling Stone, that was the only time. But not when I perform, no,’ Spears shot back. 

Munro doubled down, saying: ‘Well, you can see what I’m getting at.’ 

Question: 'To many, you are a contradiction. On the one hand you're a sweet, innocent virginal type. On the other hand you're a sexy vamp in underwear,' said Munro (pictured in 2018)

Question: ‘To many, you are a contradiction. On the one hand you’re a sweet, innocent virginal type. On the other hand you’re a sexy vamp in underwear,’ said Munro (pictured in 2018)

A defeated Britney replied: ‘I understand.’ 

Framing Britney Spears also includes archive footage of Spears’ 2003 interview with famed American journalist Diane Sawyer.  

During the interview, Sawyer played an infamous clip of Maryland’s First Lady Kendall Erlich saying figuratively that ‘if I had an opportunity to shoot Britney Spears I think I would’ – a remark made about the musician’s propensity to wear revealing clothes. 

Delving into the past: Framing Britney Spears also includes archive footage of Spears' 2003 interview with famed American journalist Diane Sawyer (pictured)

Delving into the past: Framing Britney Spears also includes archive footage of Spears’ 2003 interview with famed American journalist Diane Sawyer (pictured)

Sawyer appeared to gently justify the harsh statement, explaining to Spears: ‘It’s because of the example for kids and how hard it is to be a parent.’

When Spears got over her shock at the remark, she countered: ‘I’m not here to, you know, babysit her kids.’

Fans on Twitter have labelled Sawyer a ‘s**t shamer’ following the release of Framing Britney Spears, with many insisting she owes the pop star an apology.   

Harsh: During the interview, Sawyer played an infamous clip of Maryland's First Lady Kendall Erlich saying figuratively that 'if I had an opportunity to shoot Britney Spears I think I would' - a remark made about the musician's propensity to wear revealing clothes

Harsh: During the interview, Sawyer played an infamous clip of Maryland’s First Lady Kendall Erlich saying figuratively that ‘if I had an opportunity to shoot Britney Spears I think I would’ – a remark made about the musician’s propensity to wear revealing clothes