Ryan Seacrest wakes up Britney! And she TALKS!

Britney Spears actually mumbled on the phone with Ryan Seacrest this morning!

When Seacrest called at 9:10 a.m., Britney was reportedly still sleeping. And when she got on the phone, she sounded groggy and, how shall I put this, "dazed."

How did she feel about her new, aptly titled CD, "Blackout," being released? "It was cool. It was kind of laid back really," she told Seacrest. But she didn't celebrate. "We watched movies. That's about it," she said. And what promotion will she do for it? "This is it," the monosyllabic Spears said.

How about all the bad press she's getting? "I try not to let it get to me," she replied. "You just try to keep doing what you do. As long as you know what's up, that's what really matters."

When will she see her kids? "I dunno. My lawyers handle all that stuff," the attentive mother replied.

What about the criticism of her parenting abilities? "It's sad how cruel our world can be," she said bluntly. "You gotta know in your heart that you're doing the best you can."

And is she? "God yeah!"

At that, Britney got off the phone and her protective pal Sam Lufti got into the act full-time. When asked where Spears went, he told Seacrest, "She went to hop in the shower."

Thank God Britney knows what really matters.