How Can Britney Do It Again and Do It Right?

Sept. 5, 2008 — -- Forget "Entourage" and the NFL. If you're going to watch TV this Sunday night, watch Britney Spears.

Her appearance at this year's MTV's Video Music Awards is arguably the most-anticipated television event since, well, her appearance at last year's MTV Video Music Awards, in which she flailed her limbs, mumbled her "Gimme More" lyrics and confirmed that she was a fallen pop superstar.

Spears has a lot to prove. While her life has been on the upswing in recent months -- she put an end to her child custody drama, started work on a new album and is up for three awards at Sunday's ceremony -- reports that she started drinking at age 13, lost her virginity at 14, and segued into drugs at 15, according to leaks from her mom's upcoming memoir, have cast her in a less-than-favorable light once again.

How is she going to open the VMAs? We don't know, and judging from 2007's ill-planned performance, it stands to reason that she may not either. So to give the girl some advice, ABCNews.com reached out to a panel of experts.

Kathy Griffin

Comedian, star of Bravo's "My Life on the D-List"

"Brit should open the show in the exact same glittery bikini as last year, but hold out the waistband like Jared from the Subway ads showing her stunning weight loss. Clean hair extensions. And lip-synch her way back into our hearts. As long as she gets through it seemingly sober, it's on! Party with Fiddy, Diddy and all the other 'iddys. No panties required. Good luck, my pop princess."

Margaret Cho

Comedian, star of VH1's new "The Cho Sho"

"She should perform, do something new, be so amazing that she leaves us all breathless and in love, like she used to. After the VMAs, she should start doing a lot of charity work, like when Angelina Jolie was all about the land mines."

Michael Musto

Village Voice culture critic

"Even if she just stands there eating something from Chuck E. Cheese, Britney will fare better than last year. If she's smart, she'll make a snappy joke about her '07 debacle and thereby clear all tension in the room. She can then go on to be the star we love and possibly even be the queen of the night, if she ironically ends up winning the big awards."