Britney Spears's former manager, Sam Lutfi, has urged the public to show compassion toward the singer following a series of recent events that have raised concerns. Spears, 44, recently drew attention when she was photographed standing through the sunroof of an SUV while it was being driven on a Los Angeles freeway.
Lutfi, who has had a contentious relationship with Spears and was subject to restraining orders obtained by the singer in 2008 and 2019, told the Daily Mail that he believes "compassion is a better response than mockery" to what Spears might be experiencing. He emphasized that "she's a human being before she's a celebrity" and that people are quick to judge her. Lutfi also stated that "social media isn't someone's medical chart" and declined to diagnose or criticize Spears.
He added that Spears has "already spent her life under a microscope, so why don't we show her the same grace we'd want for ourselves, period? I wish her nothing but the best." Lutfi's comments come after Spears herself referenced the incident on Instagram, posting, "What people see is two seconds of insanity of me arching me to the lords!!!!! yet the days and hours of my reality!!!!!!" She also added, "Nothing is what it seems. Psss I think I need to come out of the roof quite a bit more."
An insider reportedly told the Daily Mail that the sunroof incident was not a cause for alarm, suggesting Spears wanted to see the traffic ahead because the cars had stopped. This source added that Spears "used to do this all the time as a kid growing up in the South, she loves having the warm wind blow through her hair in the summer, it's fun." The insider described her as "having a fun summer and is happy, she is in a good place." The source also noted, "If it's illegal to put your head through a sunroof, she doesn't know it! She didn't mean to do anything bad."
Lutfi's association with Spears dates back to 2007-2008, a period following her divorce from Kevin Federline that saw Spears struggle with mental health, leading to her conservatorship. Spears's family obtained a restraining order against Lutfi in 2008, and he later filed a lawsuit against them, which was settled out of court. In July 2021, Lutfi publicly apologized via Twitter for failing to protect Spears during his time as her manager. In a 2025 podcast appearance, he described Spears as an "incredible star" and "a fantastic friend, and a great client," noting that she lacked a strong support system after her split from Federline.