Miley Cyrus At The VMAs: Get Over It Already

[Jack-Hammer]

Last night, the MTV Video Music Awards aired last night and the big story coming out is Miley Cyrus' provocative performance in which she gyrated, kinda sorta simulated *********ion with a big foam finger and danced around in a flesh colored bra & panties. It's gotten all kinds of people in an uproar. The Parents Television Council released a statement earlier today slamming Cyrus and MTV:

"MTV has once again succeeded in marketing sexually charged messages to young children using former child stars and condom commercials — while falsely rating this program as appropriate for kids as young as 14. This is unacceptable. This much is absolutely clear: MTV marketed adults-only material to children while falsely manipulating the content rating to make parents think the content was safe for their children. MTV continues to sexually exploit young women by promoting acts that incorporate ‘twerking’ in a nude-colored bikini. How is this image of former child star Miley Cyrus appropriate for 14-year-olds? How is it appropriate for children to watch Lady Gaga strip down to a bikini in the opening act? How is it appropriate for 14-year-olds to see a condom commercial and a promo for an R-rated movie during the first commercial break?

This content would likely not be given a forum if it were on a broadcast network, yet MTV continues to push limits because it’s a cable network. But that does not mean MTV’s decisions have no consequences, especially for the millions of children who were targeted by MTV. We urge Congress to pass the Television Consumer Freedom Act which will give parents and consumers a real solution for future MTV VMA programs – the ability to choose and pay for cable networks that they want vs. having to pay for networks they don’t want. After MTV’s display last night, it’s time to give control back to consumers."

Every year at this show, some celebrity does something, says something or wears something that stirs up controversy and generally gets under the skin of more conservative members of society. There'll be something next year and the year after that and the year after that, etc. One reason some people are all torn up over this is because some still view Cyrus and the Hannah Montana character as being one & the same for some damn reason. Yes, Miley Cyrus became a star in the mid through late 2000s due to Hannah Montana. That's all well and good but the notion that some expect her to live her life as this ultra squeaky clean 16 year old Disney creation is more than just a tad silly. She's 20 years old, she's young, she's attractive and she's a sexual being. Get the fuck over it already.

Personally, I find this whole wild child phase she's going through a bit silly & funny too. She tries so hard to portray herself as being such a polar opposite of the Hannah Montana character that, to me, she almost comes off as a parody rather than someone to be taken serious. I can see why she's doing it though: she doesn't want to be typecast as some squeaky clean teen idol, resulting in the best years of her career being behind her and ultimately leading her into a downward spiral into irrelevance. Her performance last night did exactly what I'm sure her management and record company wanted: it generated a ton of buzz and controversy, which can quite frequently be transferred to ratings and record sales.

At the same time though, it would be nice to see someone try to change their image in some sort of classy and/or original way. After all, what she did last night has been done to death really. Whenever someone in music who has sort of a wholesome image wants to add some edge to their image, they use the same tired formula of being half naked while dancing/gesturing in a sexually provocative manner.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Her performance last night did exactly what I'm sure her management and record company wanted: it generated a ton of buzz and controversy, which can quite frequently be transferred to ratings and record sales.

This is the main point. While so many people are getting riled up, I bet Cyrus is laughing her ass off, because "it worked." Personally, I didn't even know about this ( I don't watch MTV at all anymore) until everyone started talking about it at work this morning, so I went to my Yahoo homepage to see what all the fuss was about. Raunchy, sleazy, and provocative? Yeah, but with the way some people are reacting you would've sworn Thicke and Cyrus did something far worse on the stage. And yeah shock sells. Going by what I read this morning, everyone's playing up the duel of shocking performances between Lady Gaga and Cyrus.

Cyrus is going to milk this "wild child" phase for all its worth, just like she milked the Hannah Montana persona for all its worth. It's business. I'm sure in another handful of years we'll she her reinvent herself with some other persona or character, because she'll have to keep things fresh, if she wants to keep up the habit of making shitloads of money.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I'll say one thing, I agree with the PTC that it would be nice to have the option of paying for only the cable stations that I want. Otherwise this is more of the same shit from both sides. Everyone is just trying to capitalize on the situation. I didn't watch the show, just a clip of Cyrus showing off her Bieber-like physique and giant latex camel toe but what I saw was in poor taste. And I'm a pro wrestling fan so I know poor taste. I'd be kind of pissed if I were Alan Thicke's son since she completely showed him up and stole his thunder away from his one-hit wonder and referee's outfit.

Same story, different day.

 

[ABMorales787]

And just how in the fuck are 14 year old's "young children"? If that performance was so stirring, it's obvious the PTC never payed attention to Raw prior to it's PG change then.

All the Bra's and Panties matches, provocative dance segments, flying undergarments and of of course, McMahon swallowing Candice's face in 2005. This is clearly just bullshit to get of Miley's case for, you know, growing up. Heaven forbid.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

There's nothing to get offended about with all of this, like always its just a bunch of people bitching for the sake of bitching, its like WZ forums except they get paid to voice their opinions.

I have an idea; Stop babying your kids, stop trying to protect them from the evil that is television, IT'S TELEVISION, television will have a lot of suggestive things on it. I watched a lot of music videos when I was 14, a lot of them included NUMEROUS sexual innuendos (The Bad Touch by Bloodhound Gang came out when I was 14, perfect example. Thong Song by Sisqo as well) and believe it or not I wasn't scarred for life. I'm all for people getting to pay for exactly what they want but frankly that will just get more pricey down the line if people start paying for television on a network by network basis. If they want a real solution to the problem its right in front of them: change the channel! Simple! Done!

This isn't just about television but this whole trying to censor everything is way out of hand. What's the big deal if your 14 year old watched Miley act like a drunk frat girl, it doesn't mean they are gonna buy a teddy bear costume, strip out of it in front of everyone and act like a jackass. Chances are if your kid does do those kind of things they were gonna do it anyways, regardless on if Miley did it. Besides, if your kid DOES in fact do something just because Miley did it then maybe you should have been a better parent, just saying.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Surely this video would play into the hands of concerned parents, this 'performance' was cringeworthy on a whole new level to the extent that I joked on FaceBook that Billy Ray must be so proud - he must have been sure that 'Achy Breaky Heart' would always be his most embarrassing production along with this picture...

What self respecting teenager would have looked at her actions and went - "I want to be her" / "I want to do that". It was such a blatant act of desperation to shed the squeaky clean HM persona that it's rumored that Stevie Wonder turned to his partner and said that he saw what she was trying to do there!

But as to whether it should be censored... get a life! It amazes me that violence and bad language get a much cushier role while anything remotely sexual has every conservative wetting themselves.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Jesus. I grew up on Alice Cooper and countless "Shock Rock" performances featuring staged nude sacrifices, nude musicians, live marijuana usage and countless acts that can be called crude and adult behavior in the music business.

Miley Cyrus is still Hannah Montana compared to real controversy. It's the same generation that saw Ozzy bite off the head of a real bat that are the ones who are most outraged. It's insane. It's like people forgot who Marilyn Manson is.

 

[MCMG]

I understand why people are getting upset about it but there is no-one to blame. Miley Cyrus is making money and has more publicity than ever before. Her last music video had a ridiculous amount of hits but she applauded the people who were watching just to ridicule her.

The only reason that people are getting upset is because she is someone that a generation grew up with and she is now acting like a drug-addicted ****. I'm sure younger girls wanted to be Hannah Montana but I can't imagine they are so impressionable that they want to take cocaine and twerk. Rihanna barely wears any clothes but if that works than so be it. If people are offended by it then stop giving them publicity and stop buying their music.

 

[jmt225]

This is clearly just bullshit to get of Miley's case for, you know, growing up. Heaven forbid.

Well, to be fair, they're getting on her case because she grew up to be trash, not just because she grew up.

The difference between Miley Cyrus and these other musicians being mentioned in this thread is that Miley Cyrus is/was a role model to millions of young girls out there. So these young girls who grew up watching Hannah Montana and idolizing Miley Cyrus, are now going to reflect this behavior, which is disgusting trash.

Now, of course the counter argument to that is that parents shouldn't let their children have celebrity role models. First of all, that's way easier said than done. Secondly, that doesn't make Miley any less responsible for the way she carries herself knowing how many kids have looked up to her all these years. Look at Selena Gomez. She has a huge young fan base, and now that she is all grown up, is she acting like a ****e and setting such an awful example? She dresses a little provocatively (nothing wrong with that) and starred in that piece of shit Spring Breakers, but she's still the perfect example of a popular Disney Star "growing up" and still keeping her young fanbase in mind in whatever she does, especially while she's still in her early twenties like Miley is.

 

[#tamale]

Jmt said it; the reason this is an issue is because it is Miley Cyrus, known also as teen star Hannah Montana. If this was Iggy Azalea or Rihanna, then there would be no problem. Miley Cyrus did grow up as a teen icon. This whole "shedding" her past gimmick has caught people by surprise.

Which leads me to this; people should not be questioning her antics (as stupid as they are) but more her artistic integrity. In her efforts to become edgy, sexual, and unique she fails to realize that it's been done before. Trying to immerse herself in the most superficial traits of hip hop, drugs, and overbearing sexual look, it's basically a check list of what artists do when they want to get "edgy".

Is there an overreaction? Yes. What should be talked about though is how a promising teen star decided to shed what made her noticeable into an image which has become the standard norm.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

And just how in the fuck are 14 year old's "young children"? If that performance was so stirring, it's obvious the PTC never payed attention to Raw prior to it's PG change then.

All the Bra's and Panties matches, provocative dance segments, flying undergarments and of of course, McMahon swallowing Candice's face in 2005. This is clearly just bullshit to get of Miley's case for, you know, growing up. Heaven forbid.

Wasn't the PTC up WWE's ass real deep back then? In fact weren't they the influence for Right To Censor?

These organizations never accomplish anything of significance. They live to exist and if they stopped the things they claimed to be against they could no longer exist. When it's someone like Cyrus acting out it's a goldmine of influence, money, and power.

I saw an article today that said Cyrus' father, Billy "Achy Breaky" Ray was a board member of the PTC. It will be interesting to see if he makes a statement on the incident.

 

[LSN80]

I saw an article today that said Cyrus' father, Billy "Achy Breaky" Ray was a board member of the PTC. It will be interesting to see if he makes a statement on the incident.

He has, in a sense. He blamed "The Devil" and David Lynch, who cast her first, apparently, and said that he would trade all the fame and money Miley and he have made over the years just to get their family back. He blamed his divorce with his wife, for example, on Miley's fame.

The thing is, while I understand that Miley was a role model, she's not anymore. I'm not up on my Disney, but the Hannah Montana role is dead and gone, isn't it? So why should Miley have to portray an image in public that isn't consistent with something or someone she's playing on TV? Further, how many actors/actresses who play/played wholesome characters on TV were caught or discovered to have very different private lives?

I rolled my eyes at the performance, and it's not the kind of woman I'd ever want to be with. For her sake, I hope it's just a stage and doesn't spiral downward the way it did with Lindsay Lohan, and others.

But if the worst thing she does is get a little drunk, smoke a little weed(as she has in the past), and dance provocatively in the most hideous outfit I've ever seen, well, it's her life. If she wants to make a fool out of herself on live TV, I'm certainly not going to get upset about it.

Hopefully that's where it begins and ends, however.

 

[Alex]

Being an art student and watching films and performances that are rather more risque than what Miley Cyrus has done I'm not really shocked by her performance. I'm not even shocked at people's reactions it is the most blatant way of getting attention. Do something provactive and wait for people's reaction.

Its just the most obvious case of 'Look at me, look at me, look at the stuff I'm doing, make me popular because of what I'm doing' Its kind of sad really. I mean Miley clearly is trying to be seen as weird and provactive, but she doesn't have the presence to pull it off. Top that off with it seems artifical as hell. I mean I know there are artists who do a shift with the way they look and the music (Christina Aguilara seems the closest example to Miley) but they're few and far between.

 

[gemaddog7]

The guy above me nailed it, all publicity is good publicity, especially since it is showing it's effects by increasing her sales and most especially streaming.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

What self respecting teenager would have looked at her actions and went - "I want to be her" / "I want to do that". It was such a blatant act of desperation to shed the squeaky clean HM persona that it's rumored that Stevie Wonder turned to his partner and said that he saw what she was trying to do there!

While I agree it was act of "attention ****ing", teens these days are prone to that kind of behavior. Especially when you show them that its OK and "cool" to do it.

I dont know how it is in America(saw on TV and heard stories but not seen in person) but in my country in 90's begane expansion of "easy lyrics" music where main atracction are half-naked singers who have silicon based tities like porn divas. That music promoted and is till today one of most promoted and listened music here. As a result of that now you have 15 year olds paraded to places dressed as their favorite musicans(which is in most cases half-naked singers), drinking and dancing like strippers. Now, there are lot of factors on that(one of them is for example that parents could thought them better) but if you promote something as acceptable dressing and behavior there are lot of chances that people(especially people in developing ages like teenagers) will accept that patern of behavior.

So "self respecting down to Earth" teenager wouldnt dress and act like that but teens are mostly not developed persons and proned to influence from enviroment. And when you show them that its acceptable to parade around almost naked then dont expect that they are adults to say "Look, attention ****e" and expect that they could say "Look, its cool that she is free to express in that way" or something like that. So, kudos to PTC and others to raise the voice against "attention ****ing by Cyrus" because it shows that its not that acceptable in society.