Over the holidays many American citizens were worried about their safety because of the high terror alerts announced in Washington.

Flights were cancelled, holiday cheer was ruined and we were back on the terrorism scare track.

But all I could hear was non-stop Britney Spears eloping.

Spears married some chap named Jason Alexander (no, not George Constanza) in Las Vegas, and then had their wedding annulled just after being husband and wife for 55 hours.

Her PR people of course, provided an excuse for Spears’ idiocy. Her publicist said it was a “prank that went too far.”

She has made other excuses to justify her past actions.

Like saying she would remain a virgin until she was married even though she looked liked she was ready to pose for Playboy every time she stepped on stage.

Or telling the media it was Madonna’s idea to kiss at the MTV Video Music Awards.

For five years this gyrating entertainer has always been in the news, touted as the new American sweetheart of our generation.

The hungry media breathes Spears’ life. Every little thing she does makes headlines. Even though there are other problems that occur around the country, the media forces us to hear about Britney’s wild weekend with Colin Farrell.

I’ve grown bored of the Britney frenzy ever since the hoopla started in 1999. When “…Baby One More Time” burst through the radio airwaves I figured she would just be a one- or two-album wonder like the Spice Girls.

But no, she had to take annoyance to a whole new level.

She pretended to be a sweet and innocent 17-year-old teenager, but once she turned 18, her clothing became less and less.

But this isn’t entirely Britney’s fault. It’s a whole new era now where skin overrules talent.

Take a look at her so-called arch-rival Christina Aguilera.

She won the Grammy, her voice is obviously more powerful, yet she lacks what Britney has: popularity.

What else to do but to be “Stripped.” Now she’s gracing more covers of magazines and is Blender’s Woman of the Year.

Another pathetic example is Jewel. Her highly acclaimed debut album, “Pieces of You,” showcased her talent as a songwriter. But it wasn’t enough to grasp much attention from the media.

Eight years later she makes a video of her being hosed down in a see-through white shirt with a bikini top.

Although Spears’ music is no longer a big deal now, what she does is. She has to continue to dress slutty and show up on every guy’s arm just so US Weekly and People will write articles about her.

But all I see is a lost little child begging for publicity. Kissing Madonna at the MTV Awards, marrying her childhood friend in a baseball cap and ripped jeans, her defending herself about her alleged breast implants all go under the category of “desperate.”

It’s a sad reality, but what’s even sadder is that I spent 10 minutes writing up a 15-inch commentary about how I long for Britney Spears’ demise in the recording industry.

Like it or not, Britney will always win as long as we keep talking about her.

And trust me, we will.

Amber North is a sophomore print journalism major from Nashville.

This commentary does not reflect the views of the Herald, Western or its administration.