Britney Spears was in court today – but this time she wasn’t in any sort of trouble. In fact the hearing was the result of all the positive progress Britney has made in the last few months. She was requesting extended visitation with her sons Sean Preston and Jayden James, who will be 3 and 2 years old in September. Britney was awarded overnight visitation, and it seems that all parties were happy with the decision.

Britney Spears has made a subtle change for the better—and, it follows, so too have her custody rights. This morning’s court session, attended by both Spears and Kevin Federline, resulted in “a change of visitation status” for the new aunt, Los Angeles Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini told reporters at a brief posthearing press conference. “Both sides have been very cooperative the past couple of weeks.”

While Parachini wasn’t spilling the beans, sources tell E! News that Court Commissioner Scott Gordon granted Spears overnight visits rights with sons Sean Preston and Jayden James. Federline still has primary physical custody of the boys.

The outcome seemed to sit well with both parties. When leaving the courtroom, Spears, 26, told reporters she was happy with today’s decision, and Federline, 30, made his way through the media scrum with a smile on his face.

[From E! News]

Britney even showed up on time to the 8:30 a.m. hearing – though just by a few minutes. Still, it was all good progress. Britney is now being represented by her old lawyer Laura Wasser, having fired Stacey Phillips. Wasser wasn’t able to deal with Brit’s craziness several months back, so it’s another sign of progress that she was willing to take Britney as a client again.

According to E! News, Brit is hoping to eventually be granted permission to take the boys to Louisiana to meet their new cousin Maddie soon. It looks like Britney has made a lot of progress, and it’s great that’s being recognized.

Header of Britney arriving at LAX from Louisiana after the birth of Jamie Lynn’s daughter on June 20th. Images thanks to WENN.

I could barely bring myself to write this article; and then I realized: if K-Fed can do this, Britney can too. Federline has been named Father of the Year by Prive Las Vegas. Is this a joke, you ask? Perhaps the club is hoping to get a discount in K-Fed’s hosting fees? Who knows, but either way the man’s going to have a new trophy… or maybe a plaque… or some sort of certificate… okay it’s likely just a “World’s Greatest Dad” mug, but it’ll be proudly displayed somewhere in the Federline mansion, I’m sure.

Kevin Federline is the new father of the year!

Just in time for Father’s Day, Prive Las Vegas will award the proud papa of four his “father of the year” status at a party he is slated to host there June 13.

Sources tell PEOPLE he will be awarded the title during a presentation at the club.

The unofficial honor is Federline’s second such recognition in a relatively short time. Last November, Details magazine also anointed him father of the year – an honor he shared with onetime Anna Nicole Smith boyfriend Larry Birkhead.

[From People]

While this seems like a great big giant joke, it’s pretty damn real. But there is some hope here: K-Fed has become a much better father. We can argue all day about why, but the point is by all accounts he’s been there for his kids lately. Two years ago, if someone had told me K-Fed would get an award for anything other than “Biggest Wife Beater Collection” I would have told them to give the crack pipe back to Tatum O’Neal and leave me alone. Which would have been quite prophetic of me, given that we’re talking two years in the past.

But anyway, if K-Fed can become father of the year, imagine what Britney can do. By this logic, she could easily be president or an astronaut within the next five years. See, there’s hope for us all…

Here’s K-Fed celebrating his 30th birthday at Pure nightclub in Las Vegas on March 21st. Images thanks to WENN.

There are a million jokes going around about what scum lawyers are, which generally isn’t fair as I’m sure most lawyers are good people. Kevin Federline’s lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, shows that he probably isn’t one of the good people.

Kaplan sat down with the Associated Press, and told them how pleased he was at the media scrutiny his case has been getting.

He doesn’t grumble about the television trucks and news reporters swarming the courthouse every time there’s a hearing, or the paparazzi who hound the pop princess every moment there isn’t. And he’s certainly not opposed to the TV reports, tabloids and Web sites that have documented every shred of the case that has consumed him for the past 18 months.

After all, the attention has saved his side some major cash.

“If I had to hire an investigator or investigators to provide me with the intelligence about what’s going on, where they are, how are they doing,” said Mark Vincent Kaplan, “it would be north of half a million to a million dollars … as opposed to buying People magazine for $3.95 on Thursday morning or going on TMZ.”

Are People and TMZ reliable sources? Will they be legitimate to use in court? I don’t think so. I don’t think any person who is looking to profit from pictures of Britney being crazy is going to be a good source to decide the future of her children.

As far Kevin Federline being the good guy in this whole case, the way that Kaplan explains it, it was a carefully engineered public relations exercise.

“I think when the media saw that here’s a guy who stepped up to the plate, not just because he had to but because he wanted to … I think they gained a respect for him and that really turned them around a lot,” Kaplan said. “The mission involved — wanting to change the wrongful impression that was generally perceived for my client — without the media being a willing participant, it would have been impossible.”

But just in case you think Kaplan might be some kind of bottom feeder, using Britney’s money (she’s paying most of the legal bills) and fame to drum up a notoriety that will lead to bog, profitable cases, don’t worry. He’s got sight of the big picture.

“The bottom line is you’ve got two kids … who don’t know and don’t care and should never have to care about who their parents are,” he said. “They just want to be safe and secure, nurtured and bonded with their parents just like any other kids. … That’s really what’s at the core of this just like any other case.”

It is in the end about who is best equipped to care for those two little boys, and even if Britney is the least competent person in America, her children still deserve to have a relationship with her. Even though Britney’s changing of legal teams and mental issues have slowed down this court case, I still get the general impression that Kaplan is dragging out the proceedings as long as possible.

Kaplan is obviously pretty pleased with himself and his career in the future as a result of this case. He tells that AP that ‘everyone’s coming and wanting to hire me’ and describes representing K-Fed as being an ‘opportunity’. He also adds that it’s made it easier to get a reservation at a restaurant.

Kaplan’s next big case is representing Robin Williams’ wife in their divorce.

Britney Spears showed up to court today, didn’t freak out, looked relatively normal and healthy, and managed to stay for all of the court proceedings. She was accompanied by her lawyer Blair Berk and both of her parents. Though the details are a little vague, it appears that Britney has won some “expanded” visitation rights with her sons. According to Us Weekly, she will have three days of supervised visitation each week. The Huffington Post picked up an article from the Associated Press that’s headlined, “Britney Spears Granted Overnight Visits With Her Kids,” – however the article itself never mentions any overnights, so we’re not sure if that’s accurate.

Britney Spears’ visitation rights to sons Sean Preston and Jayden James were expanded Tuesday following a custody hearing with ex-husband Kevin Federline. There was no change in custody, Federline’s attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan said at a press conference, but he said her time with her boys will be “more than it has been.” He would not elaborate. Spears will get three days supervised visitation a week and visitation on Mother’s Day, TMZ.com reported.

“The court made orders today, they were orders that the parties were able to mostly agree to,” Kaplan said. “It represent a cautious step moving forward.” Kaplan said the court was “pleased with the progress that seems to be occurring” with Spears daily. He called the court’s ruling “a step in the right direction. The children are doing great — that’s the key,” Kaplan said. “That’s what all of this is about.”

Court spokesman Allan Parachini also read a statement from Britney’s parents, Jamie and Lynne. “We are so pleased with Britney’s progress, and we are very appreciative of the court’s recognition of this progress,” they said in their statement.

[From Us Weekly]

All the media outlets reported that Britney, her parents, K-Fed, and all the lawyers smiled and gave positive reactions upon leaving the courthouse. Some noted that Britney seemed upset during a break in the court proceedings halfway through the day, and was seen holding her mother’s hand. Say whatever you want about her parents’ behavior raising her – they have definitely been there for her in the past few months. It’s scary to think where Britney might be right now if her father hadn’t stepped up as her conservator. It would have been nice if they’d done a better job earlier on, but at least they’re here now, and it seems like she really appreciates that.

It sounds as if everything is going well for Britney, and the court recognized all the positive changes she’s made. According to TMZ, her goal is to have a 50/50 custody split by August. If Britney keeps up the good work, that seems very attainable.

Here’s Britney arriving to court today. Images thanks to Splash.

Britney Spears sells magazine covers, so the tabloids are going to exploit every little change in her life and body to the fullest extent possible. She’s been working out to potentially get a gig representing the fitness chain Bally Total Fitness, and she probably has firmed up. She looks fine and I’m not bashing the girl, but she doesn’t look a hell of a lot different to me.

Last week’s Star says that Britney and Kevin shared a kiss during a moment when they were discussing their two boys, and the way they described it sounded so romantic and fake:

“The were discussing the boys and how they’re doing,” a family insider tells Star, “when she suddenly got in close and kissed Kevin. She did it because she felt so close to him at that moment.”

Kevin’s reaction? “He loved the kiss, of course,” reveals the insider. Kevin’s only concern was that they smooched right in front of Sean, 2, and Jayden, 29 months. “Should we be doing this in front of the boys?” he asked Britney, according to the insider. Her rsponse: “We’re their parents, so why not?”

[From Star Magazine, print edition, April 28, 2008]

Star also claims these two talked to a therapist for two hours on April 5, but even if that happened it’s just as likely that it was about their boys and not their nonexistent romantic relationship. Star claims that they’re headed for a reunion, but that’s highly doubtful. Britney is more likely to get super fit. I would bet that she does get in shape, but it seems a little premature to be putting her on the cover and touting her success.

Here’s Britney with her dad going to a bank in Beverly Hills yesterday, thanks to WENN. Header image thanks to popbytes.

Britney and Jayden in September
Kevin Federline’s uber-attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan must think he’s a celebrity or something, because he sure likes to talk to the press about his famous client’s even more famous ex-wife, Britney Spears. Most recently, Kaplan did an interview with E! News to talk about the likelihood of Britney having overnight visits with her two boys.

While the time she’s spent with her two children over the past month has seemingly proved beneficial to all parties involved, overnight visits with Sean Preston and Jayden James are still a ways off, according to Kevin Federline’s resident legal eagle, Mark Vincent Kaplan.

The attorney told E! News Friday that the monitored visits between Spears and her sons “have been nothing out of the norm,” but that “there has to be consistency over time.

“I don’t think 30 or 40 days is the magic number,” Kaplan said.

[From E!Online]

Of course this guy doesn’t think 30 or 40 days is the magic number- he is going to milk this case for as long as he possibly can, especially now that Britney is footing the bill. If he has his way, this custody battle will go on until Jayden’s 18th birthday, and then Kaplan can buy an island or something. Kaplan was quick to give Jamie Spears kudos for his positive influence on Britney, and pointed out that K-Fed is still hoping to have Britney more involved in the boys upbringing.

Kaplan continues to credit Jamie Spears’ newfound presence in his daughter’s life for this noticeably more amiable state of affairs.

“All we know is that since Jamie Spears has been involved it has been a very stabilizing force,” he said.

The elder Spears has been serving as coconservator of the pop star’s estate since Feb. 1, when she was admitted to UCLA Medical Center for psychiatric evaluation. Jamie and a court-approved psychiatrist are required to be present when Spears spends time with her sons.

Kaplan said that the next custody-related hearing is expected to take place in May, and he’s still anticipating a trial, in preparation of which he has deposed a number of Spears’ friends and associates, including off-again, on-again manager Larry Rudolph.

Regardless of what anyone says about him, it’s still Federline’s intention to do the right thing for his children, the lawyer said.

“The goal is to have a stabilizing and consistent order for the kids,” Kaplan said. “His hope is that would involve the participation in a substantial way by their mother.”

[From E! Online]

I’m sure K-Fed, Jamie Spears and Britney’s doctors could work this out without Kaplan, but then we wouldn’t get these fascinating interviews anymore. Has anyone else noticed that Kaplan gives a press conference weekly, even when there’s no court hearing? I’m trying to remember the last time anyone from Britney’s legal team did a press conference or sat down with E! Hmmmm. Really makes you wonder, doesn’t it? I wonder if Kaplan will lose interest in this case now that he’s signed on to represent Robin Williams’ wife in their divorce. I bet there’s a lot of money tied up in that case.

Britney is shown shopping on Robertson Boulevard on 9/21/07 holding a screaming Jayden, whose face is blurred. Thanks to Splash News.

Devoted babydaddy or lazy gigolo- will the real Kevin Federline please stand up?

In the months following the Britney-K-Fed divorce, the ongoing custody battle, and the slow, steady Brit meltdown, Federline has kept a fairly low profile and done a good job of keeping their two children protected. But recent documents revealed that K-Fed many have been lying about his income in order to get his ex-wife to pay his legal bills- and that the single dad likes to blow money on strippers, nightclubs, booze and ridiculous tips.

K-Fed lied about his income and charged up ridiculous expenses, including insane tips, according to new court documents. Britney Spears’ newest lawyer, Stacy Phillips, filed documents challenging the legal fees that Brit was ordered to pay for Fed-ex. Phillips claims K-Daddy “understated his income by at least $200,000.” She also says Federline buried all sorts of personal expenses and pretended to have $800,000 worth of business expenses. PopoZão!

According to the legal papers, Federline grossed $544,074.73 from his production company, “Gooseneck Productions” in 2007, and his expenses totaled $841,128.67. Phillips says Federline’s so-called business expenses included “extraordinarily high tips for food and beverage services [e.g., $1,100.76 tip on $2,782 bill; $200 tip on $371.29 bill; and $2,000 tip on $365 bill].

K-Daddy got Britney to pay his legal bills, claiming relative poverty. But, as her lawyer calls it, “Bank of Britney” may have been taken for a ride — specifically, from L.A. to Vegas. According to legal docs, in a recent eight-month period, Federleezy blew $50,489.71 on hotel rooms and refreshments in Vegas.

In one day alone, K-Fed dropped $2,632.50 at TAO Beach (the pool club at The Venetian). And on one wild evening, he spent $2,862.60 at TAO nightclub. One day at the Hard Rock Beach Club — $3,008.33

Oh yeah, and there’s this…. at Scores strip club, he once spent $365, but left a $2,000 tip.

[Compiled from TMZ]

Juxtapose these legal findings with the public image of a caring dad trying to create a stable enivronment for his two young sons, and I don’t know what to think. I do remember K-Fed spending a lot of time at clubs while Britney was home with two small boys, which led up to their divorce. It seemed as though he’d given that up after becoming the sole custodial parent, but maybe not. Also, how did K-Fed earn anywhere near $500k though his “production company”? What exactly did he produce, besides Sean and Jayden? I’d be willing to bet that all that money he blew in Vegas was courtesy of his ex-wife. Last time I checked, having a two-minute cameo on “One Tree Hill” doesn’t pay well enough to justify that kind of spending.

Picture note by Celebitchy: K-Fed is shown at his 30th birthday party on March 21, for which he was said to have been paid $175,000. That might explain where he got the money. Thanks to WENN and PRPhotos.

The FedEx received anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 to attend his own comped 30th birthday party at Pure Nightclub at Ceasars Palace on Friday night. For an amount that most people would gleefully accept for a year’s worth of forty hour weeks slaving away in a cubicle, Federline downed shots and hung out with his friends, including his ex and the mother of two of his children, Shar Jackson. Shar and K-Fed looked cozier than you would expect for supposedly estranged co-parents, and many whispered that there was something going on there:

The Federline clan was joined by Jackson and a gaggle of her girlfriends for a birthday dinner at the swank Social House before heading to Pure, where they downed Jack Daniel’s and Patron shots in the white leather VIP booth. The Pussycat Dolls sang K-Fed a saucy rendition of “Happy Birthday” as Jackson snuggled close to her ex. “They looked like a couple again,” our spy said. By 2 a.m. the whole party decamped to late-night lounge Noir Bar inside Luxor.

Spawn Sean Preston and Jayden James were away with a sitter allowing their dear dad to party all night long.

[From The NY Daily News]

Shar has almost always been gracious and kind to her ex in the press, most recently explaining his weight gain as “daddy weight.” If my partner left me when I was heavily pregnant it’s not likely that I would have a kind word to say about him for years. Jackson is more forward-thinking than I am, though, and has easily prevailed in the battle of the baby mommas. She has the dubious prize of staying in K-Fed’s good graces and probably hooking up with him when it’s convenient, something that Britney is said to yearn for despite the fact that the rest of the world finds K-Fed and his duck’s ass haircut laughable.

Shar may have another reason for keeping the FedEx fat and satisfied. She is said to be launching a hip hop album after she won on VH1’s “Celebrity Rap Superstar.” Maybe K-Fed still has connections in the music industry despite his lack of talent and the dismal performance of his album. The guy is getting paid six figures to party for a night, which seems to indicate that he has more skills than you might give him credit for.

But clearly those skills aren’t in rapping or hosting parties, just getting paid for it. Here’s a video from the night in question. The crowd boos K-Fed when he tries to talk or yell or whatever it is he’s doing.

Britney in a still from her upcoming guest role on “How I Met Your Mother”
Britney Spears was ordered to pay $375,000 to cover her ex Kevin Federline’s exorbitant legal expenses while fighting for custody of their two toddler sons. Federline was asking for half a million, and the judge’s ruling represents $125k less. Federline will receive $175,000 just for showing up at his own birthday party at Pure Nightclub on March 21, so it might be tight for him given his pimp lifestyle but he can probably afford the remaining legal bills. Maybe he’ll ask his attorneys to reign it in, now that he knows he’s responsible for at least part of the bill. Britney reportedly makes $700,000 per month, but up until her father took over she was spending it almost as fast as she made it.

In November, 2007, Britney paid $120,000 to Federline’s lawyers for his last legal bill. He received $20,000 a month in spousal support and $15,000 a month in child support at that time, but his spousal support ran out on November 15. Federline has denied reports that he has asked for more child support after retaining sole custody of the children.

Apart from this expected financial setback, Britney is doing well by most accounts. There’s positive advance buzz for her guest role on the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother,” which will air on March 24. The cast praised Britney’s professionalism on set and said she was funny and personable. Today the network released these two stills of Britney on the show, in which she plays a goofy receptionist with a crush on Josh Radnor’s character, Ted.

Pictures via People and Page Six.

This story nearly made me cry. As Broadway producers struggle to make their productions more relevant (read: profitable), hiring movie stars and B-list celebs to star in theatrical shows has become the big new trend. Monty Python’s Spamalot has used this trick with great effect, with such people as David Hyde Pierce, Sara Ramirez, and more recently, Clay Aiken. But now, I think Broadway is just going too far. Kevin Federline may take a role in the hit musical “Legally Blonde,” a musical version of the hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon.

Curtains for Kevin Federline!

A source says Britney Spears’ ex, 30, may be heading to NYC in September to make his Broadway debut in Legally Blonde, the Tony-nominated musical adaptation of the hit film, Us Weekly reports in its latest issue, on newsstands now.

“He’s so excited!” a Federline source tells Us.

The former backup dancer and aspiring hip-hop artist — who is hitting the gym after packing on “daddy weight,” ex Shar Jackson says — will test his song-and-dance chops in a trio of roles — including the UPS guy who inspires the “bend and snap.”

“This is his chance to show the world what he can do,” says a pal.

And now that he has physical custody, sons Sean, 2, and Jayden, 18 months, might join him in the Big Apple.

“This is his dream and he wants to bring the kids,” says the insider. “Jamie and Lynne [Spears] promised to help him make it work.”

(A rep for the show says he is not scheduled “as of this time.”)

Federline may not be the only star hitting Broadway: New mom Nicole Richie has been approached to star in Chicago.

[From Us Weekly]

After seeing K-Fed douche up the small screen on “One Tree Hill,” I really hope this story is somebody’s idea of a sick joke. This guy has no business being on a Broadway stage– except maybe to sweep up after the show is over. As someone who is a self-professed theater geek, this is highly distressing. I’m sure there are hundreds of real, trained professional actors currently waiting tables in NYC who are very upset at this news.

Still, it’s nice that K-Fed is trying to get work that doesn’t involve rapping or beatboxing.