“Britney and I were in a relationship,” he says quietly. “We were dating for about two weeks but decided for both our careers that it wouldn’t be cool to have a romantic relationship. She was really emotional and distressed at the time.” Rotem says he doesn’t regret what happened, or his overnight notoriety; he knows it’s good for business. But whatever anyone thinks of him, he insists he always tries to do the right thing. “There are definitely times when I’m an arrogant, vain ­asshole. But the bigger part is sensitive, good–hearted. People who just see me in front of the paparazzi acting like a jackass have no clue who I am.” And with that, Rotem texts Paris to see where she’s gone off to.

–Excerpted from an interview with JR Rotem (Point of record: His name rhymes with "Scrotum") appearing in the July, 2007 issue of Blender magazine