Let's first state the obvious. She's 15. That pretty much ends the debate over the "appropriateness" of the "Vanity Fair" photo controversy involving tween multi-media superstar Miley Cyrus.Does that mean I buy her I'm so "embarrassed" routine? Not for a New York minute.
So what's really going on here? Mostly a heavy dose of egomania. Now, I'll cut Miley some slack, she's a kid. There'll be no pass, however, for her nit wit father Billy Ray. Clearly the man is so desperate for his own piece of the spotlight that he's willing to exploit his daughter to get it. Check that, I should have said further exploit his daughter.
I've also got a beef with Annie Leibovitz, and artist I truly respect and admire. Annie, you crossed a line here. I don't care what you do with 18-plus celebrities, but you can't take advantage of kids -- even when their dim-bulb parents are perfectly willing to let you. That's the thing Annie, you're smarter and better than this.
Now, our girl Miley is not naked in the photo -- she's artfully covered. The "come hither" look is the problem, and it's a big one. She's 15, with a fan base of kids overwhelmingly younger than that. I'm sure all the smarty pants at 'Vanity Fair" were laughing themselves silly about tarting up Disney's squeaky clean goddess, but it's a cheap shot. For a magazine that pride's itself on sophistication they've taken a ridiculously low road.
I don't want to turn this blog into a morality screed, but the whole controversy is a valuable teaching point. The Hannah Montana storyline often plays off the "best of both worlds" idea -- you know, she's a regular kid and a pop star. Real life rarely gives you such wide-ranging options. There comes a time when you have to decide what you want to be. Miley hasn't had that chance yet, and right now she's getting some pretty lousy advice.
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When not soap boxing on all things pop culture, Mike Cole is a news producer at WCVB TV in Boston. You can see more of my stuff on my blog "The Mike Stand" on the entertainment page of theBostonChannel.comhttp://www.thebostonchannel.com/themikestand/index.html
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Comments: 40
Maybe parents should spend more time being the role models for their children so they wouldn't be so dependent on TV stars for their role models and maybe parents should just teach their children the values they want them to have and maybe children shouldn't be having sex at 12 and maybe a lot of things should be different in this world, but people need to get over this. Geez, you'd think she was the Playboy centerfold this month or something. Would I have done that, doubtful. Would I want my 15 year old daughter looking sexy on a magazine cover? Probably not. But, who am I to make their decisions or criticize theirs. No, I don't have small children who worship Hannah Montana, but she hardly looks like Hanna Montana on that magazine. Maybe if everyone hadn't made such a big deal about it, the kids wouldn't even be aware what was up.
I've been away fro the computer for a bit, but I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who took the time to comment on this article. I think this is an important topic, and needs to be hashed out in an intelligent way.
It's a good thing she has made a ton of money; she's got a blemish on her career now and the air will slowly begin to trickle out of the balloon.
I just think that we are putting WAY too much emphasis on celebrities. They should not be this big of an influence on our lives. I see my niece and nephew live and breathe "branding". Everything has to be Disney Princesses or Blues Clues or Cars. When I was a kid, I just wanted my room decorated in pink. Honestly, I don't care that much about the Hannah/Miley photos, but I guess what shocks ME is that people DO care so much. That sort of bothers me more - I'm not sure why, but I'm going to think on that.
i can't wait to hear about her clubbing with paris and lindsay
And, I find it interesting that I've had discussions with people on and off Gather using exactly that argument when it comes to 15-yr-olds being mature enough to carry a pregnancy to term. Their view was "if she wants to play, she has to pay", basically saying that she has no right to an abortion and must become a mother to a new baby, another human being, at the age of 15 as punishment for her "crime". Well, if those people think that 15 is old enough to be responsible for another human being's life and nuture, then how is it that they don't think that a 15-yr-old is mature enough to make the decision to be half naked in a national publication?
It's hypocrisy to me. I vote for the 15-yr-old not being mature enough for EITHER...and that her parents are the ones to blame for her being in this situation in the first place.
Look, stage parents and the pursuit of show biz riches are nothing new (look at the slow motion train wreck that was Judy Garland's life) -- ANY parent who puts their kid on that track is putting their child's future in considerable risk. Listen, Miley Cyrus is very talented kid, and she'll be just as talented as an adult. It's a shame that in this more "enlightened" time, that the mistakes of the past keep being repeated.
Remember Pretty Baby and Blue Lagoon? As an artsy film with a very retro and historical flavor, Pretty Baby was not a bad film. However, Brooke Shields did have to play the part of a child prostitute. How many parents would advocate that? Her role in Blue Lagoon sent shocks waves out as well. Although she used a body double, there were some very sexual poses that appeared in people, with her long hair draped over her breasts, barely.
As a child she posed for topless photos in books that featured older models. While one could argue they were photos of a child and not meant to lure or entice viewers, I think the context of the photos (in a modeling book) may have been questionable. She was a child who could look like a woman - with the right makeup - and her success as a model says something about the sexualization of children and the ambivalence of society.
Bottom line- if those photos didn't appeal to a certain group of people, she wouldn't have been a model for so long or appeared on a huge number of Vogue covers.
I really see the voice of Disney behind this, with people freaking out that their cash cow was going to stop producing lots of money for them. Their PR machine probably told the Cyruses to take the offensive first and condemn the pix to look like they were the innocent victims. Ironically, I think it's actually backfired on them. People would probably not have made a big deal about it if they'd kept their mouths shut.
Also, good pun on the title..
In case you're wondering, "Hey Mike how come you didn't include the offending pictures in the article?" Well, for one thing I don't have permission from "Vanity Fair." Also, though I don't like what Annie Leibovitz did with her Miley photo shoot, I still highly respect her as an artist, and I'm not going to use a photo without her publisher's blessings. I know, I know "fair use" ... yeah, yeah that's a nice excuse, but I'm not taking that route.
One more thing, I respect everyone on Gather enough to figure they know how to find the pictures on the web, on their own. As old Senator Ted Stevens would say, you know how to work the "tubes." I also like the fact that we can have the discussion here without the ogle factor getting in the way.
Just thought you'd like to know.
This father really seems completely out of step with his daughter's cues - and the fact that she noted she was embarrassed may have been partially to control the damages afterwards and pacify her fans but I'll bet she WAS uncomfortable and did this partially to please her father whose career is taking a back seat to his daughter's fame right now.
Just my take.
I have to agree with those who hold Billy Ray and his WIFE responsible. Com'on now, she's only 15, and still their daughter.
Guess time will tell, and I HOPE it will have a happy ending, but as B. Davis would say-----------"----------a bumpy ride!"