New faces are everywhere on campus as fall semester begins, but one group of students looks eerily familiar.
Susan Lemming, a College of Liberal Arts junior, is attempting to legally change her name and her hair color. For spring semester she will be enrolling at the University as Brittani Speers.
Lemming said she originally requested her first name to be spelled the same as the pop star’s, but her lawyer said she’d be able to get consideration from the judge by slightly altering the spelling. Lemming’s lawyer, Stephen Hanning, said judges never allow an exact repeat of celebrity names.
“There’s no way Britney is a natural blond, at least not in the color she wears now,” Lemming said. “Many say that’s not the only thing on her that is fake, but I just ignore those comments.”
Hanning said Lemming came to him three months ago to change her name. At first he was nervous to take the case, but after getting to know his client better he decided to proceed.
“She claimed to be Britney Spears’ other half,” Hanning said. “I thought she was joking at first, but then I realized she actually believed it.”
Marilyn March, a psychologist specializing in identity crisis, said there are many teenagers like Lemming.
“In the ’80s, it was Madonna and Molly Ringwald. Today, Britney Spears is the celebrity teens look up to,” March said.
Lemming recently started dating a freshman who has similar goals. Jason Thunderbay is the lead singer of his band, “Boys as Men Forever,” that he formed with his four friends.
Lemming and Thunderbay met at Tropix dance club, where they were both practicing their moves.
“We both dream of getting on the show Popstars on the WB so that we can finally be realized by the music industry,” Thunderbay said.
Thunderbay said Lemming’s performance parallels Britney Spears’ act so closely that it’s hard to tell them apart.
“We are the same person, and my goal is to help her realize that,” Lemming said. “No matter how many letters her lawyers send me, I won’t desist from my dream. Britney is just really busy, but one day she’ll understand how much she needs me.”
Veronica Chase will only date Winston-smoking, Nascar-watching fatties.