Now that the buzz drawn from the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) is over and the target audience got their 30 second attention spans overloaded, it’s time to say what really needs to be said. Miley Cyrus, sit down for this hon—your performance and recent…everything… is ridiculous, uncalled for, and truly (truly) unnecessary.
Now, before I continue, readers (and Team Miley)—you need to understand that this is highly likely to be yet another disgustingly cheap trick brought to our teens by MTV. You do not have to dig very far—as in at all—to find numerous other examples of trashy and raunchy television programming the MTV monster serves up. The Parents Television Council (PTC), a group whose membership includes Miley’s dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, agrees. Part of an official statement released after the VMAs doesn’t even point a finger at Miley. It reads (in part) “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?”
Back to Miley. Listen, we’ve all been a part of your dad’s and your life for quite some time. From the mullet-wearing, Achy Breaky years to the Hannah Montana coming clean ones. We as a society generally support you guys. No one can deny that you both have talent. We know that show business can be very difficult on people for many different reasons. We know you are still just 20 years old. But we also know that you have a lot of high-profile folks trying to watch out for you (um, Hello Dolly?)
Somewhere along the line, you became a “normal” young adult, full of piss and vinegar, and said you want to do what you want to do—be who you want to be, and that is totally fine. What you also did was forgot (or chose to ignore) history. No one in the history of entertainment has ever truly reinvented themselves. Some notables who tried it and also failed: Garth Brooks as Chris Gaines, Michael Jordan’s pro baseball year, and Dustin Diamond’s infamous pornography stint? The ones who succeeded in becoming who or what they wanted to be worked their asses off and grew. Take a look at this (poorly named) article from Buzzfeed. These are all people who were given a start and worked through it to find where they wanted to be. None of them, though the title claims “re-inventions” did anything drastic to shed their former skins. There were no “shock and awe” tactics that I remember over the years.
Miley, you have to stop letting others’ dictate what you need to do to “grow up.” Like it or not, you will never shed the Hannah Montana wig or Disney fully. The thing you need to realize is that you don’t have to. Your audience and fans don’t stay the same age. They grow also. Grow with them. I can attest for one fan of yours (who happens to live in this house) that she is not into twerking and rubbing and grabbing everyone in a 10 yard radius’ nether regions. What she is into is trying to figure out her body image and how to cope with moving into higher grade levels as a tween.
If that isn’t enough, take a look at the video here of the VMA performance.
Aside from your song, which is catchy and quite good, your performance throughout seemed forced, very awkward, and just—not you at all. Robin Thicke comes in and aside from yet another twerking and crotch rubbing fiasco, helped the performance. Two Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, on the other hand, saved your barely-clad ass.
It’s like your dad told Entertainment Tonight: “She’s still my little girl and I’m still her dad regardless how this circus we call show business plays out. I love her unconditionally and that will never change.” We love you too, girl, but long story short, Miley, do what you do best—sing and perform. Stop with the wanna-be 80s hair band/Madonna routines, put your tongue back in your mouth, stop grabbing yours and everyone else’s crotch, and let your music and performances grow up naturally. We’ll be here for you.
Original featured image courtesy https://www.spin.com/articles/mtv-vma-2013-fashion-miley-cyrus-video-music-awards/
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