Miley Cyrus’ latest bid to recapture her wholesome image is through the Disney movie, The Last Song, which debuted on March 31. Cyrus’ is an image carefully created through her Hannah Montana projects with Disney and skillfully developed and marketed to young fans.
However, many parents no longer consider her a role model for young girls. What could cause such a drastic image change for a pop icon? Try a semi-nude magazine layout and a raunchy pole dancing performance at a teen awards program.
These acts will forever be connected to Cyrus, since young teens use electronics to access everything on the Web. Here are some headlines they will find:
“Miley Cyrus Says Vanity Fair Photo Spread Embarrasses Her” “Miley Cyrus pole dancing at the Teen Choice Awards: Rather unfortunate, yes?”
The semi-nude photo shoot (she was wearing a sheet) was for Vanity Fair, a magazine with a track record of publishing edgy pictures of Madonna, Tiger Woods, and others. Cyrus tried to distance herself from the “tasteful and artistic” photos by issuing the following statement:
“I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed,” Cyrus said Sunday in a statement through her publicist. “I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about.”
Her parents issued a pathetic statement about not knowing the content of the shoot. But does anyone in entertainment not know that “artistic” means nudity in some form?
Her pole dancing routine at the Teen Choice Awards was perhaps the most upsetting episode. Do you really want to explain to your nine-year-old daughter that pole dancing is done in strip clubs – which would invariably bring the question, “What’s a strip club?” – and why she should not imitate that?
But Cyrus didn’t care deeply (as she stated) how her behavior – this time pole dancing – would affect her young fans. In a recent interview with Parade magazine:
“My job first is to entertain and do what I love, and if you don’t like it, then change the channel. I’m not forcing you to watch me. I’m not forcing you to talk about me. I would do that pole dance a thousand times again, because it was right for the song and that performance.” [Emphasis added].
Miley Cyrus has betrayed her young fan base. Whether The Last Song movie is wholesome or not is inconsequential. Cyrus’ behavior is taking young fans to places where few parents want their children to go.
Her bratty statements are a reflection of getting too much too soon. I do agree with her, however, on one point. It’s time to change the channel.
Donna Miller is Issue Specialist for Pornography with Concerned Women for America of North Carolina.