Silverman is the latest celebrity to come under fire in the wake of documentary Framing Britney Spears, which was broadcast in the US on Saturday (6 February).
The documentary examines the “Baby One More Time” star’s career and the #FreeBritney movement that campaigns against her ongoing conservatorship, which she was put under following her mental health breakdowns in 2008.
Those who were closest to Spears at the time are now facing a backlash for their poor treatment of the singer, with many viewers criticising her sister, Jamie Lynn, and ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake.
Silverman roasted the singer at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) where Spears performed her song “Gimme More”.
The performance was torn apart by viewers, which made Silverman’s comments seem especially mean.
Taking to the stage after Spears had performed, Silverman said that the 25-year-old had “accomplished everything she’s ever going to accomplish in her life”, and called her two children with Kevin Federline, then aged just one and two, “the most adorable mistakes you will ever see”.
Sarah Silverman roasted Britney Spears just after her VMAs performance
(Getty Images)
Silverman added: ‘She’s a mother. It’s crazy. It’s weird to think that just a few years ago on this very show she was this, like, sweet, innocent, little girl in sl***y clothes, riding around with a python.”
As footage of Silverman roasting Spears circulated on social media, the comedian stepped in to say she had been asked by MTV “to min-roast Britney after her big performance” and had no idea it hadn’t been well-received due to the “unfortunate” fact she had been “going over [her] jokes” backstage.
The Wreck-It Ralph star added: “Art changes over the yrs as we know more & the world changes. [sic]”.
In reply to someone who shared the video , she said: “I wish I can delete it but I can’t.”
Silverman came under fire for her jokes at the time and defended herself by saying:”It never occurred to me that would be deemed hurtful or over the line. I don’t want to get into feuds with girls half my age.
“I’m in it to be funny and not for the drama. It’s embarrassing.”
