Side show

By SHARON FINK

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 25, 2001

IT'S A HANGNAIL! CALL 911!: "Pop princess Britney Spears has checked herself into an exclusive health farm suffering from nervous exhaustion," London's News of the World exclusively reported Sunday -- the same day Spears was seen at Madonna's concert in Philadelphia looking very healthy.

The News of the World's breathless tale included a violent shaking fit, doctors being called to Spears' home and 'N Sync boyfriend Justin Timberlake calling her every day "to check on her progress."

A Spears spokeswoman told Worldpop.com that the singer is fine and that she and her mother spent a few days at a Los Angeles "health farm" for "massages, sauna, manicure, that type of thing."

Here's hoping Justin was smart enough not to call during the manicure.

CRUEL DAYS: Yes, Britney's having a tough adolescence. But so did we all, including many in her pop culture stratum:

Cameron Diaz once was given the nickname "Skeletor." Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen was called "Olive Oyl." (Who knew Popeye was big in Brazil?)

Leonardo DiCaprio got the label "Leonardo Retardo" because he cheated in class. Celine Dion's teeth attracted the nickname "Canine Dion." The full lips of Julianna Margulies (ER's former Nurse Hathaway) inspired "Flounder Mouth."

THAT SHOOTING SHOULD HELP THEIR CAUSE: Nine people were arrested over the weekend outside the Chicago house where MTV's latest Real World is being filmed.

They were part of the most recent protest of the show's presence in Wicker Park. Local groups say the show is ruining the neighborhood's artsy reputation and speeding up its gentrification.

Two weeks ago, a man died on the house's doorstep from a bullet wound to the head.

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