The Britney Spears death watch

The news last week that the Associated Press has begun compiling Britney Spears' obituary might shock those outside the newspaper business, but believe me, this is routine stuff. Newspapers generally have a bank of obituaries on file, especially for older celebrities with extensive careers who are likely to pass on soon.
Sound a bit morbid or give you the impression that the newspaper business is like buzzards? It shouldn't. In the process of putting the news together for each day's paper, not everything can be compiled on deadline. Doing this advance work makes the process easier when the time does come and offers the reader better coverage.
But it is unusual that Britney Spears is the focus of one. With her unusual actions -- the latest being prancing around nude in a clothing store -- she's definitely in the high risk category for becoming a story on the obit page.
I know at the newspaper I worked for, we had the obit for Bob Hope in the works for years. It almost became a running joke that Bob would outlive us all. When the day finally did come, the writer who was given the assignment (a long time in advance, incidentally) was the focus of ribbing from the staff because the time had finally come.
Maybe, though, this will be the wake up call for someone who gives a damn about Spears. No one seems to right now. Too many people are making money off her every move. And certainly, a lot of people are rooting for her death for all the money their pictures will make.