Welcome to the premier edition of �Silly News�, a look at silly music headlines. From time to time we will bring you silly news items in this not-quite-news series. 

Britney Caught In the Act

Teen pop idol Britney Spears got some tabloid like news coverage last week after a photographer snapped a picture of the poptart smoking a cigarette. 

The New York Post published the photo last Thursday (May 2nd), which shows the teen pop star with a cigarette in her hand. What made the Post think this was news worthy? The 20-year-old singer has been preaching against the habit for years.  "I don't believe in drugs or even smoking. I believe in God," Spears once told a reporter for Knoxville newspaper News-Sentinel. 

The photo was taken while Spears was on the balcony of her hotel room in Sydney, Australia. The cameraman took the photo after being spotted by Spears, who was attempting to flee from view to the safety and privacy of her hotel room. 

Spears has been telling her fans for years that she doesn�t believe in smoking, drinking or premarital sex. Previously, there have been scattered reports of the teen pop star drinking since she landed in the limelight.  When asked about the photo, Spears� spokeswoman told The New York Post, "no response". 

So it appears Britney�s wholesome image of Catholic School Girls uniforms and other revealing clothing was be tarnished by the evils of tobacco now. 

Slipknot Fans Vs. Grannies!

Canadian music publication Chart Magazine�s online site Chart Attack and others are reporting this little gem. 

Slipknot fans, also known as �maggots� to the group and their followers, have taken to harassing a British association of lady knitters known as The Knitting & Crochet Guild. 

The maggots are upset that the British ladies have named their quarterly newsletter Slipknot and have taken to posting harassing messages on the organizations website. 

Aside from being the name of the masked Iowa group, slip knot is also a term used in knitting to describe a certain kind of knot. Chart Attack made light of the news item by speculating that if Slipknot fans would only take up knitting than maybe they wouldn�t be so angry.  

How is that for silly news? 
 

more on Slipknot and Britney Spears