She did what?

Hat tip to The Vol Abroad for this story from Knoxville about Brittany Gibbs' 15th birthday party. I can't summarize all the glorious excess, but note that

Her [the mother] inspiration for the event: MTV's popular and controversial show "My Super Sweet 16," which depicts wealthy teenagers planning over-the-top celebrations, especially birthdays. With most costing six figures, no expense is spared, nor any drama. Tantrums, pouting and ingratitude play important roles in the series, now into its second season.

Leslie and Brittany have been fans of the show since it began, and Leslie decided to throw her only daughter a party in the same vein. Though she wasn't willing to share the grand total cost of the party with us, suffice it to say it would meet MTV's standards.

Did you catch that? She imitated parties that cost six figures and her party would "meet MTV's standards." In fact, the mom did get MTV involved but she balked when she didn't approve of the song MTV wanted Brittany to sing.

"We realized they wanted to see a snotty little brat," Leslie says. "They wanted her to be flamboyant and over-the-top, the more attitude the better. That's not Brittany. She's pretty mellow."

Oh, she's mellow! So that explains the young boys stripped to the waist wearing a coating of glitter -- they were supposed to be "eye candy". I guess that also explains the silk invitations that cost $400 JUST TO SHIP from India and the LAP DANCE that Brittany and her mother received! Oh, want to guess her present? A $45,000 2006 BMW Z4. The girl is only 15 and doesn't even have a learner's permit yet! GEESH!

One of the Vol's commenters thinks they should have donated the money to a local charity. Well sure, but that's not my biggest beef. I'm not going to tell anyone how to spend his/her money [Well almost. I will tell you that you should NOT buy lottery tickets, but that's different.]. What I can't figure out is why the mother allowed the newspaper guy to do a story about the party. Sure, throw a six figure party for your daughter, but do you have to brag about it in the newspaper? I mean HOW did she think she'd come out of this looking like anything other than a spoiled Paris Hilton wannabe? Well, according to the mother:

"I don't care," Leslie says. "To each their own. It's about her. It's about me making this the best for her."

She continues, "Brittany's my baby, my princess. If I could do it even bigger, I would. She's so good (Brittany brought home straight A's on her first report of the school year). If she was a snot, a little brat, I wouldn't do this."

Oh, I didn't realize she made straight A's on her first report card of the year. That changes everything. Somewhere Thorstein Veblen is spinning in his grave.

Read the whole thing. I've read it a couple of times and it keeps getting better and better. Oh, the best comment on the whole thing comes from the Vol's husband. "I would never pay for my daughter to have a lap dance, by the time it would no longer be wholly immoral to do so, she could afford her own." Well said, Vol-in-Law.