Britney's shaven head draws crowd

Washington: Pop star Britney Spears sported a newly shaved head when she dropped by a Los Angeles tattoo parlour and quickly drew a crowd.

The Friday evening visit to the "Body and Soul" tattoo shop in the Sherman Oaks district of Los Angeles came on the same day as People magazine and other entertainment media reported that Spears, 25, had recently entered a rehabilitation centre in Antigua and checked out a day later.

What's with Britney?

Britney Spears is yet again the subject of intense media scrutiny: Did the 25-year-old pop star check in — and quickly out of — rehab? Larry Rudolph, Spears's manager, couldn't be reached for comment late on Friday.

Syndicated entertainment TV show Extra first reported that Spears, who has drawn criticism for her recent excessive partying and sloppy behaviour, had entered a treatment facility.

Celebrity website TMZ.com then said the singer had entered a treatment centre but had checked out one day later. Neither revealed their sources.

Not confirmed

People magazine's website, citing "a source," said Spears had gone in and out of rehab, and identified the facility as Eric Clapton's Crossroads centre in Antigua, in the Caribbean.

A woman who answered the phone at Crossroads said she could not confirm or deny anyone's presence at the facility.

On Tuesday, a gossip blog on the Hollywood.com website posted an e-mail that it said was from a former assistant to Spears, describing how the pop star was spiralling toward rock bottom. Ruben Garay, who runs ThatOtherBlog, said the e-mail had come from Felicia Culotta, who was identified as having worked for Spears for nearly 10 years.

Friends are worried

Here's what the e-mail for Britney Spears's former assistant says: "I cherish ALL the incredible opportunities that came my way thru my job with Britney and am crushed/saddened/heart sick by the way her life is unfolding," says the e-mail from Felicia Culotta, posted on ThatOtherBlog on the Hollywood.com website.

The e-mail, addressed to "Ruben", was sent in response to an editorial, the blog says.

"I want you to know Ruben that WE (as in her family and nearest and dearest — ALL of whom are not on the payroll anymore!!) are doing EVERYTHING in our power to get help for Britney," writes Culotta.