Hit us, baby, one more time
Don’t look now, but Britney’s back.
Britney Spears‘ new single, “Gimme More,” debuted Thursday night on the Web site of New York City pop station Z100.
A new album is due for release Nov. 13 by Jive Records, a label rep said Friday.
The song – a clubby, flirty dance track produced by Danja, a protege of hit-maker Timbaland – has the 25-year-old singer bringing back the thumping beats and breathy come-ons of her pop-star past.
Sharon Dastur, a Z100 program director, says listener response has been positive.
“A lot of people automatically had a negative attitude about it before hearing it,” she says. “And then the reaction we’ve been getting, you know, people are so pleasantly surprised by it.”
Spears, whose erratic behavior has been tabloid fodder since she split from Kevin Federline last fall, hasn’t released an album of all-new material since 2003’s “In the Zone.”
The mother of two young sons has been taking baby steps toward a comeback. In May, she staged several concerts at clubs in California, and reportedly will perform on the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 9.
Criss and Brit? Just an illusion
Elsewhere on the Britney beat:
•Hunky illusionist Criss Angel is denying that he and Spears are an item, though he might create stage effects for her comeback tour.
•Federline’s divorce lawyer wants Spears to pay $50,000 toward his legal expenses, saying he has “no net income” after various expenses and his $20,000-a-month spousal support ends in November, while Spears brings in an average monthly income of $737,868.
•Along with concerns about her kids’ condition (including poor dental hygiene), questions have been raised whether Spears’ Yorkshire terrier got proper care after injuring its leg, though a vet says the pooch “received proper medical attention.”
A Boy and his dog
Former Backstreet Boy Nick Carter reportedly was distraught after his mom dumped his pit bull mix, Layla, at an animal shelter without his permission.
Fortunately, a dog rescuer located Layla through a microchip implanted in the pooch.
Win, lose and Drew
Former 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey, who was the second-season winner on “Dancing With the Stars,” will host another talent contest, “Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann.”
Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba, judges for “Dancing with the Stars,” will be featured in the six-week series airing later this season.
Maybe Britney isn’t so bad
Owners of the Funny Bone Comedy Club in Columbus, Ohio, are none too pleased with Andy Dick, who groped patrons, took women into the men’s room and urinated on the floor and on at least one person last weekend.
Dick later missed his limo to the airport and turned up across town, where he was cited by police for urinating on the sidewalk.
The birthday bunch
Comedian-actress Lily Tomlin is 68. Singer Barry Gibb (Bee Gees) is 61. Talk-show host Dr. Phil McGraw is 57. Singer Gloria Estefan is 50. Actor Ricardo Antonio Chavira (“Desperate Housewives”) is 36. Actor Scott Speedman (“Felicity”) is 32.