'Glee' Celebrates a Britney Spears of Yesteryear

Sept. 29, 2010 — -- Was it just a dream, or did Britney Spears really stage another comeback on "Glee"?

Tuesday night's edition of the Fox hit musical comedy was dedicated to all things Spears, from renditions of her music videos -- "I'm a Slave 4 U," "Me Against the Music," and "... Baby One More Time" among others -- to an appearance by the star herself, who made a cameo in three anesthetic-induced dream sequences.

The episode's premise: The glee club wants to put on a Spears-inspired extravaganza, but first it has to convince glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) that the troubled pop star is an appropriate role model for students. And glee club singers have to get their teeth cleaned by John Stamos, who guest starred as dentist Carl Howell.

Much of the Spears-themed song and dance was performed by "Glee" actress Heather Morris, who plays Brittany S. Pierce, an aptly named cheerleader who's lived her life in Spears' shadow and finally confronts the pop icon in a dream brought on by dental painkillers.

Morris donned a number of Spears' famous music video outfits, including the red bodysuit from "Oops I Did It Again" and crystal-studded body stocking from "Toxic," to mimic Spears' moves. She performed flawlessly, eerily evoking a Spears of yesteryear. (Morris used to be a backup dancer for Beyonce Knowles; clearly, the training came in handy.)

Besides nailing Spears' routines, Morris delivered her lines in delightful deadpan. Explaining her lack of dental hygiene, she said, "I don't brush my teeth. I rinse my mouth out with soda after I eat. I was pretty sure Dr. Pepper was a dentist."

Her monologue about her Spears-inspired insecurity was also memorable:

"My middle name is Susan. My last name is Pierce. That makes me Brittany S. Pierce. Britney Spears. I've lived my entire life in Britney Spears' shadow. I will never be as talented or as famous. I hope you will all respect that I want glee club to remain a place where I, Brittany S. Pierce, can escape the torment of Britney Spears."

Actress Lea Michele performed one of Spears' most memorable numbers, "Baby One More Time." Clad in a sexy schoolgirl outfit strikingly similar to the one Spears rocked in 1998, Michele showed that with suggestive lyrics and even more provocative visuals, the song is just as eyebrow-raising now as it was back then.

Brittany Spears Graces 'Glee'

Spears herself came and went from the screen within seconds, appearing in the fantasies of Brittany and her wheelchair-bound classmate, Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale). The "Glee" episode marked her first stint on a scripted show since her 2008 guest starring gig on "How I Met Your Mother." In recent months, she's mostly stayed away from the spotlight.

But on Twitter, Spears had a more lasting presence, tweeting musings about the episode as it aired on the west coast. Among them:

"John Stamos is still hot! He looks the same as he did on Full House."

"Awww Heather Morris is sooo cute! Brittany S Pearce. Ha! She was so fun to work with and was really sweet in person."

"Watching Baby brings back so many memories! Feels like yesterday ..."

"Jane Lynch scares me."

"I hate anesthesia!"