Pink 'Felt Sad' After Watching Britney Spears Documentary: 'I Could Have Reached Out More'
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Pink is reflecting on Britney Spears' traumatic treatment in the spotlight and how she wishes she would have "reached out more" to help support Spears through it at the time.
In the New York Times-Hulu documentary Framing Britney Spears, the "Toxic" singer's conservatorship case is analyzed, as well as the star's media attention in the early 2000s. Pink, who also rose to fame in the industry around the same time, said on Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen Thursday that watching the doc left her feeling "sad."
"I love Britney. And here's the thing about all of us voyeurs — none of us know what's going on. We're not there," said Pink, 41. "I would like to. I think we would all like to, and we feel this fierce protectiveness over her, for good reason. She's a sweetheart. She's incredibly sweet. All I know is she's incredibly sweet and I want her to be happy."
"I felt sad that back then I didn't know — back in the day, in the early days — I didn't know.... Like, I'm a strong person. I could've reached out more," she added. "... I don't like feeling helpless or powerless, and I can only imagine how she feels. She could've used some support. The media tore her apart, and the paparazzi are scum. I just wish I could've reached out and gave her hug."
Pink recently opened up to PEOPLE about being pitted against Spears and Christina Aguilera as they came to fame in the early aughts, saying, "It was so unfair to all the girls. None of us wanted that."
Steve Granitz/WireImage; Frazer Harrison/Getty
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"I love Britney — she used to carry around my album," Pink told PEOPLE. "I was like, 'Dude, I'm a street punk, I just skateboard. That doesn't have to be the anti-Britney. I don't want to fight anybody.' "
"One of the best things that [music executive] L.A. Reid ever told me was that this music business is big enough for everybody to win at the same time. There's no such thing as competition," she added. "I think we navigated through it as good as a 20-year-old girl can. Now I think it's totally different. Girls supporting girls is rad — I love to watch it."
Dave Benett/Getty Pink and Britney Spears in January 2004
Since the recent documentary resurfaced the challenges she faced in her early career, Spears has spoken out, calling docs like Framing Britney Spears "hypocritical" and slamming them for highlighting her trauma.
"Geez !!!! 2021 is definitely way better than 2020 but I never knew it was gonna be like THIS 😳😳😳 !!!!" the 39-year-old pop star wrote in an Instagram caption earlier this month. "So many documentaries about me this year with other people's takes on my life ... what can I say … I'm deeply flattered !!!!"
RELATED VIDEO: Pink on New Documentary: It'll Show People 'Who Don't Get Me' How Much We All Have in Common
"These documentaries are so hypocritical … they criticize the media and then do the same thing 🤔🤔🤔????? Damn … I don't know y'all but I'm thrilled to remind you all that although I've had some pretty tough times in my life ... I've had waaaayyyy more amazing times in my life and unfortunately my friends … I think the world is more interested in the negative 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️ !!!!" she added.
The singer continued, "Why highlight the most negative and traumatizing times in my life from forever ago ????"
Last month, Spears once again assured her fans that she is doing just fine during an Instagram Q&A. "Yes, I'm totally fine. I'm extremely happy, I have a beautiful home, beautiful children," said Spears, who has two sons, Jayden James , 14, and Sean Preston, 15, with ex-husband Kevin Federline.
"I'm taking a break right now because I'm enjoying myself," she added at the time.
