Britney Spears' knife-dancing video sparks wellness check by Ventura County sheriff's deputy
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Britney Spears did more than just turn heads when she danced with two large kitchen knives for Instagram. Her social-media video also set off a wellness check by Ventura County officials, The Times has confirmed.
The evaluation began when someone with personal ties to the singer expressed concern about her recent video to the Los Angeles Police Dept.'s mental evaluation unit, a Ventura County Sheriff's Office spokesperson told The Times. On Wednesday, the LAPD requested a law enforcement wellness check at Spears' home in Thousand Oaks.
Upon arriving at Spears' residence Wednesday morning, a Ventura County sheriff's deputy received a call from the pop diva's attorney reassuring them she was not in danger. A member of Spears' security team also said the singer was fine when the officer reached a second gate to her home. The deputy left shortly after.
Read more: Britney Spears says her 'privacy was invaded' after fans sent police to her house
"We believe that well-being check was sufficient," the spokesperson said.
News of the wellness check spread days after Spears addressed concerns about her knife-dancing video.
In a follow-up post, the pop musician explained Tuesday that she was "copying Shakira" — who just performed with knives at the Video Music Awards — and urged everyone to "lighten up about the knives."
She also edited the caption of her previous video to clarify that the knives were "NOT real," despite the metallic sounds they made when clapped together.
"Halloween is soon," she added.
Read more: Shakira was the highlight of the 2023 MTV VMAs
Spears shared a video on Monday of her rapidly twirling and slicing the air with the caption, "I started playing in the kitchen with knives." Some immediately expressed concern for her physical safety and the well-being of her dogs milling around in the back of the video.
Others suspected that the knives were fake — and a few even made the Shakira comparison before Spears posted about it.
Earlier this month, Shakira accepted a lifetime achievement award and performed an electrifying medley of her greatest hits at the VMAs. Her performance included a dance break where she wielded a pair of dagger-like knives while shaking her famously honest hips.
“I want to share this with my fans, who always support me through thick and thin," Shakira said while accepting the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
"Thank you so much for being my army, and helping me fight all my battles."
Read more: How Shakira went from 'Pies Descalzos' to MTV Lifetime Achievement Award
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
