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Writer and editor Home > Blogs > Brain Droppings > Archives > 2008 > April > 29 > Entry
Miley Cyrus: A coldly calculated career move.
A few thought on the Miley Cyrus “scandal.”
It’s not a scandal. It’s a made-up mini-non-event whipped up as the hysteria du jour by a shallow media-celebrity culture fuelled by TV talking heads that needs a new overhyped narrative to chew on every day or so, and which will make one up from nothing, if there isn’t something good and real worth biting onto.
Doesn’t anybody else see this as the cold, calculated career move by the Cyrus clan that it so obviously is?
They know that nobody remains a squeaky-clean teen star for very long, and that little Miley’s 15 minutes are ticking down. Her audience is aging past her even as we speak, and she needs to do something about it now. Any and all young female popsters who have had any kind of crossover success to adult stardom have had to time and manage the way in which they first present themselves to us, the public, as sensual beings (ie: “stars,” all of whom we see through that lens) so that we can get our heads around the idea and decide if we will keep buying their product.
Miley, her dad (who has seen career ups and downs, and knows how they feel) and their very smart handlers are clearly testing the water on Miley’s coming-out as a woman. If they’re doing it a bit too soon, that is mostly a testament to how huge Cyrus has gotten so quickly (and what she’s got to lose by misjudging her next steps), and also a statement on the public’s tolerance and appetite for sexualized teenagers, male and female alike.
That’s right … the American viewing/purchasing public has long made it very clear that it prefers PG-13 to G when it comes to spending its money. It also long ago made very clear that it will voyeuristically indulge in watching sexy teens doing sexy things. Just watch any prime-time TV show, if you think I’m wrong. Miley is 15 now, but are there any 17-year-olds who can sell themselves as cool to 11-year-olds, as she’s doing for the moment? To keep the money flowing she needs to figure out how to keep moving with the culture and her aging audience. The Vanity Fair photos are step 1.
She isn’t topless. C’mon. We’ve all seen topless, and that’s not it. The photos are tastefully done, in my opinion, and consistent with the sort of high-gloss celebrity shots that magazines do these days. Why is anyone surprised?
My guess is that the Cyrus clan and the Disney suits (who let a slightly older, young adult Vanessa Hudgens apologize for full-nude Internet fotos not too long ago, btw) engineered this whole brouhaha to get just the response, and headlines, that they predictably did. Nothing sells like a little bit of overcooked, sensationalized semi-sleaze, and the public really loves a good girl who is breathlessly “sorry” for having been a little bit naughty. Miley’s the whole package, now. Before, she was just a kid.
Money will win out here. Miley will be fine. Buy your tickets now for next summer’s tour, kiddies … they’re sure gonna be going fast.
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Comments
By Dave
April 29, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this
Maybe it’s just me, but if a photographer of the stature of Annie Liebowitz asked me to pose in a particular manner, I would seriously consider it. Annie has enhanced many careers, and her taste and judgement are excellent.By Savanation
April 29, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
This may be a strange question, but, who or what the hell is a Miley Cyrus? I have never heard of this entity until the past week.It is at possible that this person(?) just may not rate this or any amount of attention?By Laura
April 29, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this
I think someone missed the point on what some people had a problem with in the photos. It wasn’t nudity- or lack thereof. It was the positions and sexually suggestive looks by what we all know is a 15 year old! The country is in an uproar over the Texas sect for “marrying off” their young girls to older men and then we have this child no older than most of them posing for photos that are meant to get young (?)men lusting and young girls wanting to emulate her. How sad. What is equally sad is that so many adults are right there encouraging her- including her parents.By susan
April 29, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
you are dead on … this is how she gets it both ways. hot bod on display with blushing, virginal denials to maintain the fantasy. untouchable, innocent, on the cusp of availability, the classic tease. i thought the pic of her with dad was way weirder. eewwww.