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Want to ignore airport security rules? Become a celebrity!

by Scott Carmichael (RSS feed) on Nov 6th 2009 at 12:00PM

Airport security took a bit of blow this week when Britney Spears passed through LAX security carrying... a Big Gulp! I'm not a big fan of paparazzi (or Britney Spears for that matter), but the underlying story is interesting enough to deserve a closer look.

When Britney passed through the checkpoint, she was carrying her Big Gulp, something you and I would be told to throw away. Apparently being a famous singer gets you a special waiver, because none of the TSA staff told her to dump it.

Initially, there was some outrage from TSA opponents, as a drink like that is not permitted. TSA blogger "Bob" was quick to defend the TSA agents by pointing out that there were only ice chips in the cup, and that as long as the cup is put through the x-ray, ice chips are permitted.

As far as the TSA was concerned, that was end of the story. This is where the paparazzi come in handy, because they filmed Britney clearly carrying the cup through the checkpoint, without it ever passing through the x-ray equipment.

So, next time you don't want to spend $6 on an airport drink, just put on a Britney Spears mask or find yourself a career in entertainment, it'll make your trips to the airport so much easier.

Filed under: Airports

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

jon Nov 6th 2009 1:42PM

Ice chips aren't allowed according to TSA in Ft. Lauderdale. I was coming back from a scuba trip (during lobster season) with some frozen lobsters I caught. I had them in a cooler filled with ice for my flight back home. The TSA guard made me dump the ice. Luckily there was a food counter that was willing to refill my cooler on the other side of the checkpoint so my lobsters wouldn't spoil by the time they got back to Chicago.

Jody Nov 6th 2009 2:21PM

I don't get it? You see her (or her assistant) take the cup out of the x-ray bin at 1:05. Then it just shows her after x-ray still in security drinking either the last big of the drink or ice chips.

Babel Nov 6th 2009 9:38PM

it happend often to me too where is the problem? its spot tests

Ron Nov 7th 2009 8:59PM

Can't hardly blame the TSA...I'd let Britney get away with damn near anything!

Debbi Mac Nov 8th 2009 9:20AM

Are you kidding me. I get searched b/c I bring baby formula and a baby monitor through airport security today and Britney can have her bags brought around the x-ray machine without being checked and bring a cup of anything through. Really??? I even had to remove the shoes from a 1 year old to go through x-ray. isn't it great to be famous.

Ron Nov 8th 2009 12:20AM

Looks to me like a TSA agent brought Biritney's tote to her after it passed through an x-ray device that was off camera. She was standing at the end of another x-ray device waiting for the tote with her belongings. If ice chips are allowed then what is the problem?
The only problem I see are the brainless morons with the cameras. They ought to have an open hunting season on these paparazzi. Maybe someday, someone will invent a device that celebrities can carry that will cause the cameras to be inoperative, or cause over or under exposure of film in cameras that still use film. Perhaps such a device exists. Maybe something designed by Tesla.

ATGEXEC Nov 7th 2009 10:52PM

Hi,

This is typical in America. This club hopping, coochie showing, great Mom, RETARD should get more special treatment.

Hope she rode the special bus to the airport and the BIG GULP was a special treat for her not showing up high or something.

Big, fan can't ya tell. Put her in the front row of the space shuttle along with Flava Flave, Paris, Nicole, Pam I can't keep my clothes on Anderson and the entire Staff of the Nobel Organization then have it covered on every TV station in the world, while you launch this thing right into the sun.

Now that is one reality show I'm sure the entire world would tune in for.