Having two nieces who are at the age where Hannah Montana rules their lives, I noticed the “controversy” surrounding the girl who plays the character on TV, Miley Cyrus, showing off a shoulder in the latest issue of Vanity Fair with some amusement.
Reading about it today in this AP piece, I had to laugh after reading the following statement from a Disney press release:
The Disney Channel, which airs Cyrus’ TV show “Hannah Montana,” was also critical of Vanity Fair.
“Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines,” a network statement said.
…because doesn’t everyone know it’s Disney who gets to deliberately manipulate the 15 year old girl to sell magazines!?! …and clothes, and concert tickets, and makeup, and posters, and TV shows, and shoes, and CD’s, and on and on…
How dare Vanity Fair try to move in on their turf?
I live in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI with my wife Jen, our daughter Emerson, and son Carter.
Yeah, this whole “she was manipulated by big bad Vanity Fair” thing is getting old, especially considering her father and management were present at the time the photo in question was taken. If they really felt she was being manipulated, perhaps they should have stepped in as adults and said something.
This reeks of Billy Ray Cyrus being caught trying to pimp his daughter out and then doing damage control as a result.
Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy going to Disneyworld with my two boys, but for the Disney Corporation or Miley Cyrus’s father to play the victim card is an assault on my intelligence. It’s patronizing and makes both entities look stupid.
Disney has “exploited” children ever since Annette Funicello and will continue to do so as long as people pay the money. So for them to cry foul and say Vanity Fair manipulated a 15 year old girl…..well, they may just want to look in the mirror (quintessential “pot calling the kettle black”).
As for Billy Ray Cyrus, he’s not going to get my vote for father of the year. He knew exactly what he was doing and it’s unfortunate that he has to, after being washed up as a singer, live his life vicariously through his daughter (who’s he’s supposed to protect from these sort of things). He’s no better than Britney or Lindsay’s dads. Which is sad….not for the dad’s, but the children!
Lastly, I’m not letting Vanity Fair off the hook. They should know better than to 1) take those type pictures and 2) to actually put them in a worldwide magazine. Bottom line is shame on EVERYONE!!
Miley Cyrus, showing off a shoulder
The biggest shoulder ever.
Sean’s right, no one comes out of this tawdry episode looking good. Sadly, it appears Miley Cyrus will be the Britney Spears of the coming decade.