World Events
Topic: Miley Cyrus' Vanity Fair photo

#	Author	Message
31	ecdc Mon 4/28/2008 11:13p	But is it really any celebrity's job to be a role model? Shouldn't parents be teaching their children that Hannah Montana is just a character and that the girl playing her could be...well...anybody? In our celebrity culture, we talk about these people as if we know them. When Heath Ledger died I don't know how many times I heard "He seemed so nice." He seemed nice from what? His picture in the paper? When he had a video camera on him and he knew he was being taped? Heath Ledger might've been the nicest guy on the planet. He also might have been a complete jerk. None of us knows because we hadn't met him. Miley Cyrus might be a prim and proper girl. She might be a skank. None of us knows. She is a teenager, though. And teenager's should probably be allowed to do stupid things. They should also have parents who teach them about the Internet age. You certainly don't have to be a celebrity to end up with "risque" (or downright naked) photos of you online. Kids use myspace, picture messaging, email, etc., and assume it's like they're talking face to face and showing someone a photograph. These things can be shown to *anyone*. Being a celebrity only makes it 20 times harder.
32	Kira Mon 4/28/2008 11:53p	<<But is it really any celebrity's job to be a role model? Shouldn't parents be teaching their children that Hannah Montana is just a character and that the girl playing her could be...well...anybody?>> It may not be in their job title, but it comes with the territory. Especially these days with how many celebrity lives makes BREAKING NEWS in our media and this so called "news" is everywhere we go. It's inescapable. We as human beings are always striving for "perfection", and when there is someone portraying our own personal vision of who or what we believe is that "perfection" we latch onto that, and thus role models are born, whether we like it or not. Yes, parents should be teaching their children that Hannah Montana is a character, but let's be honest here, there are a great deal of parents that DON'T take the time to explain these things to their kids. They let their kids live in the make believe world of Hannah Montana because it keeps them occupied for a few hours out of the day. We can always hope that the parents are doing what we THINK they "should be" doing, but we can't forget that many parents DON'T do what they "should be" doing when it comes to parenting their child. Which leads us to the case of Miley Cyrus and her risque photos that she has taken over the past few years. Where are her parents? "Shouldn't" they be teaching her how to present herself as a decent young lady when she has MILLIONS of fans under the age of 10 who strive to follow in her footsteps? Why aren't they reprimanding her for all of those racy photos she has taken of herself when she was 13, 14, & 15 years old? Miley does an interview with Barbra Walters and preaches about how she is a good christian girl, great role model and swears that she won't end up like Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan. Then she goes home to take some more provocative photos and leaks them on the internet. I think this is a case of Miley needing to learn how to practice what she preaches and Disney trying to save face to protect their money making franchise. Miley will continue to go unpunished for her actions as long as Disney can release statements to "apologize" to her fans for a MAJOR lapse in judgement. If Disney is around to save her career and bank account with a statement everytime she messes up it's no wonder that she doesn't learn from her mistakes. But then again, it's also a major case of her parents not doing what they "should" be doing.
33	Kira Tue 4/29/2008 12:07a	also edec... I hope that you don't take offense to my response, I realize it might sound harsh but I did not intend for it to be that way. =) I think you had some very valid questions and statements that really lead me to analyze and think about the situation in a way I wouldn't have before.
34	dshyates Tue 4/29/2008 12:15a	"We can always hope that the parents are doing what we THINK they "should be" doing, but we can't forget that many parents DON'T do what they "should be" doing when it comes to parenting their child. Which leads us to the case of Miley Cyrus" But Kira, its not this 15 year olds girls responsibility to raise yours or anyone elses kids.
35	mele Tue 4/29/2008 12:23a	I seem to have seen a lot of sexy Miley photos lately. I didn't really think the ones with her girlfriend were bad but I've seen at least 5 or 6 where she's got her top pulled up, exposing her stomach and trying to look super sexy. And all at the same time she's talking about the "Devil attacking" when the press talks about these photos, talking about loving Jesus and remaining a virgin till marriage. And now the sexy magazine cover. This is all so Britney, 12 years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if this was all contrived but it makes me sick. Cos letting Britney sell her sexuality in her early teens turned out SO well, right? My 9 year old daughter is OBSESSED with Miley/Hannah but I'm really starting to have my doubts about letting her continue. I don't want my daughter to emulate her and the whole religion thing Miley is pulling irritates me also.
36	mele Tue 4/29/2008 12:30a	Oops, hit enter too soon. Disney is totally promoting Hannah/Miley as a role model. They have Hannah make-overs at Clubb Libby Lu and tons of clothes with her image all over them. At the concert tour last year, a ton of girls in the audience were wearing blonde Hannah wigs. There is a wii game where you literally are Hannah Montana. It's "role model" at it's most basic. I've thought that Miley's parents/managers have done a good job of transitioning her from just Hannah to Miley but that is also a catch-22 for them...they can't say "dress up like Hannah, watch the first part of her concert as Hannah, second part as Miley, but don't be like Miley".
37	dshyates Tue 4/29/2008 12:42a	"Disney is totally promoting Hannah/Miley as a role model." No. They are promoting her as a product in their stable. I mean, seriously, "They have Hannah make-overs at Clubb Libby Lu and tons of clothes with her image all over them". She is a product to hock. That all. They can try and shoehorn her into that slappy happy Disney mold, but real people, particularly late teenagers, don't live Disney wholesome lives.
38	Kira Tue 4/29/2008 1:00a	<<But Kira, its not this 15 year olds girls responsibility to raise yours or anyone elses kids>> I didn't say it was her job to RAISE the kids, I said that she is a role model to many kids whether we like it or not, and many parents don't teach their children that miley cyrus/hannah montana is just a character. So how are the children supposed to know any better when no one is teaching them right from wrong, and the ones the kids want to be are the "Miley Cryus's" and "Britney Spears's" of the world? Miley poses in nearly nude and racy photos proving to her fans that it's "Ok" to do this and the childrens parents don't do much better by not teaching their children the difference between real life and a contrived character. I feel that in these circumstances both Miley and the parents are at fault. Miley is at fault for photos that will have an impression on her fans and the parents are at fault for not parenting. I would be willing to overlook the issue if it was just one or two photos because YES Miley is human and a teen and those lapses in judgement happen to the best of us, but the fact that these types of photos continue to be taken and released on her part is foolishness. No one is punishing her for the photos and she keeps on taking them because everyone around her puts the blame on everyone else BUT Miley. I also believe that Miley isn't doing a very good job living up to the squeaky clean image that she tries so hard to sell off to her fans in magazine and TV interviews. Nobody likes a liar. I agree with mele, britney spears was the "role model" of my generation and her controversy began with racy photos as well, does anyone recall the cover of rolling stone that caused a huge uproar? Thousands of girls that looked up to britney spears tried to follow in her foot steps by dressing like her in revealing midriffs and skirts too short for their age on a daily basis. It's a lose/lose situation for everyone and the ones I feel the worst for are the kids that don't know any better and don't have truely good role models to look up to.
39	mele Tue 4/29/2008 1:07a	Do you have a young daughter who is dying to be as much like Hannah/Miley as possible? Disney is definitely banking on that fact. Sure, to them it's just money to be made but don't think they aren't thrilled that she IS considered a role model to millions of little girls (and maybe some little boys). As an ADULT, I realize that this is about making money and how teens live their lives but my daughter doesn't know the difference. Right or wrong, she IS a role model. If she wants my young daughter to look up to her and to spend all of her money on her, then she should be appropriate. Don't be on a kid's show, don't sell your products in children's stores, don't sell dolls, etc. If you want to be an adult and look like a skanky 15 year old, then do it and aim your career at older people.
40	WilliamK99 Tue 4/29/2008 1:13a	I think the path Miley is taking, is way too similiar to the path Brittney Spears took, it's actually kind of scary if you look at it closely.

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