Las Vegas Weekly

September 17, 2008 · 7:43 PM

Britney guided by svengali in pop wreck-to-pop princess saga

By Robin Leach

Britney Spears and Larry Rudolph.

Photo: Pure Management Group

The headlines read, “Meet the man who transformed Britney from a shaven-headed monster to the star of the MTV awards".

British showbiz expert Richard Price says Larry Rudolph, the pop guru who made Britney a global star is back in her life -- and he might just have saved her life, too. News colleagues at my former Fleet Street newspaper, the Daily Mail, have chronicled her yearlong recovery reporting, “What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, Britney Spears was a lost cause -- a tragic figure of fun who lost custody of her two young sons in a blaze of flashbulbs and disastrous publicity.”

For the full story from London go here.

Now as Britney’s recovery and comeback is almost completed, the entire Spears family has reunited after years of very public feuding. The Daily Mail again claims their photos are the very picture of a happy family -– “perched on a curbside they chat and laugh as they admire the latest addition to the family.”

For that full story from London go here.

Twelve months ago her appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards held at the Palms resort was described as “shambolic” -- a car crash” by critics. A week ago she was championed as the comeback kid who stole the show winning three “Moonmen” awards and dazzling viewers around the world with the extraordinary change back to glamorous pop superstar. It was just six months from when she was strapped on an ambulance stretcher and locked up in the psychiatric ward at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A.

The L.A. Times hailed her return as a “triumph of the Olympian kind,” while the Washington Post headline declared: “Spears is MTV's Comeback Kid.” Leading Internet gossip blogger Perez Hilton said: “That’s what people want -- they want to see her smiling,” he says. “Even if all she does is smile and wave, I say that's mission accomplished.”

One mystery man was on her arm and seated right beside her for the MTV show. To us though he was a familiar Vegas face: long-time former manager Larry Rudolph, who is also a partner in the Sunset Tan salon at George Maloof’s new Palms Place condo tower. He’s credited with the total turnaround –- and the full reconciliation with her family. He was with her the first time around when she went from the Mickey Mouse Club to a $100-million fortune as pop superstar! Now, because Britney vowed no more drugs or drinking, he’s back in charge again as her svengali.

He’s kicked out the hangers-on. He has her to bed by 11 p.m. He’s forbidden smoking anywhere near her. He’s changed her diet from junk food to a 1,200-calorie-a-day healthy meal plan. Said Larry: “She’s on the right path because finally she has people around her who care about her well-being.”

Now there are rumblings Britney will make a surprise appearance with Madonna when her tour reaches Hollywood after a two-day stop here in Vegas. Larry’s surprise appearance at Planet Hollywood resort casino here yesterday (Tuesday) fueled rumors that she’ll make her debut comeback appearance at Randy Jackson’s America’s Party live telecast there for CBS on New Years Eve, which will star Fergie. Hollywood insider blogs say Britney’s close friend Maloof will also hold his Pearl Theater at the Palms open for her return engagement if she wants it to be there.

Its still a guessing game if Britney will stick to a Dec. 31 Vegas appearance to start the New Year right -- but as Larry Rudolph has personally told me since he returned to run her life: “When she makes that comeback it will be the biggest show-business story in history. She will definitely go all the way back to the top all over again -- bigger and better than ever before.”

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