AssHat Award: Miley Cyrus and her pole dancing
My daughter will be nine years old next month. She likes Miley Cyrus. Correction, she likes the show Hannah Montana. That when she gets a chance to watch it. Most of the time she’s playing outside, digging up worms, riding her bike, swimming or snuggling up with me at night with a good book.
She still likes the idea of having an idol. One backed by Disney sounds like it might be good enough, right? Come to think of it…no. Look what happened to Britney Spears. No offense, Brit, but one of my older daughters, now 23, used to think you were the greatest. Thank goodness she didn’t follow you for long when you became a negative role model.
Is this where Miley Cyrus is headed? Last night Cyrus performed on the MTV Teen Choice Awards. Since I watch about 4.5 seconds of television a week, I missed it. Lucky me! However, I couldn’t miss the pandemonium about it this morning when I checked the daily news on-line.
Miley Cyrus wrapped her sixteen year old legs around a stripper pole last night. Well, not REALLY a stripper pole…but close enough. It was disguised as something for her to hold on to as part of an ice cream cart prop. Ice cream truck? 
I didn’t just fall off that cart, MTV. I know what they sell on ice cream cart these days and it’s not anything from the Good Humor guy.
The young Disney star was doing a pretty darn convincing job on the stripper pole. I saw the video. It looks like she’s practiced a bit. Either that or I’m just a slow learner because I still haven’t gotten down the basics of that video I rented bought myself. What was that again? Stripping to the Oldies?
I’m not an uptight conservative but when it comes to who I want my young daughter to look up to, it’s not going to be Miley Cyrus in her minuscule shorts and low cut top. Call me prudish — I’m not — but isn’t there enough trouble out there in this wild world without giving young girls incentive to grow up too fast.
Sorry, Miley. You’re sort of a cute kid caught in the middle of Hollywood, but you have my AssHat of the Week Award…just because I think you should know better.
Who made you do the tramp dance? Was it part of the deal or did you think that all the nine year old girls that pay $150 to see your concerts and rush to buy your latest $20 CD were going to think nothing of this? Or maybe they just wouldn’t understand, like my daughter.
When my freckled-face daughter caught a glimpse of the picture I am posting here she asked: “Mommy, who is that?”
“That’s Miley Cyrus.”
“Why does she look so big?”
Big to my daughter means grown-up. I prefer not to let that happen too soon.
Read more of my opinionated self: Providence Social Media Examiner
Miley really got her singing talent from Billy Ray Cyrus, no doubt about it.,*’
Great post! My friend heard that <3Miley<3 is showing up on the next Sex and the City movie. She is so crazy hot. Click here to see her sexy pictures.
I loved this. Have you recently saw that Miley is appearing the next Sex and the City movie. She is so crazy hot. Click here to see her sexy pictures.
Seems Billy Ray Cyrus was more of the driving force behind the invitation for households of US troops to take part in the filming of Hanna Montana, starring Miley. Giving the kids a chance to tape greetings to their deployed dad and mom was a pleasant gesture.
I clicked, I watched, I was horrified
I think lots of performers look "too big" nowadays. In fact, they start out pretty cleanly on some talent show, get picked up by a major label and then turn into sex monsters.
Yuck! I'd rather dig for worms…
P.S. are you sure about allowing the post by Doug Reuer? Not exactly parenting material on his site, y'know.
This style has reached a whole new level with the help of on-line blog services that you can take on the road. Since most commuters spend more time online, blogs like help them kick their research into overdrive, Doug Reuer
Miley is my top musician . “Your hand in mine”
Replying a little late, but better late than nevah!
I think in Miley's case it's piss-poor management. Bottom line. Remember the photo spread in VF last spring? She was wearing a sheet. Someone ok'd that, too. Sexing her up to appeal to the non-disney fans, I suppose.
I'm glad my kids are older and I don't have to worry about the shenanigans of their favorite tv stars, anymore.
I completely agree with you on this post Cheryl. I am not uptight or offended easily myself but I think this was a little more risque than it needed to be. I can’t believe that Disney of all companies would tolerate this kind of thing. Disguising it as some sort of ice cream truck is what annoys me the most because not only was Disney aware of the fact that this was a little inappropriate but they decided to pretend it wasn’t by making the pole part of a child-oriented prop.
Speaking as a teen myself I can’t say I found this appealing at all. I guess it’s just because I’m tired of watching perfectly bright and talented young teens like Miley turning into attention whores because Disney spoiled them too much. The sad part though is that Disney is never there for these girls when they turn into drug addicts and party fiends. That is simply because Disney sees no need to help these children once the well runs dry.
I realize that I may be flying off the handle a bit but it’s not like a Disney starlet hasn’t turned into a catastrophe before. I think that if I were a parent myself I’d be concerned about my child having this person as a role model as well. Maybe this is the start of a downward spiral or maybe this is just one publicity stunt that will never be followed up with anything else. I think the best thing Miley could do at this point though is just hide under a rock in the same manner that Hilary Duff did. Lindsay Lohan stayed in the limelight and look at her now but Hilary Duff stopped doing pretty much anything excluding a few indie movies and now she’s about to have a great comeback from what I hear. Miley, please…don’t do anything stupid.
~Freddy Gipson
.-= Freddy Gipson´s last blog ..HI! =-.
Thought you might get a kick out of the Washington Post article in Friday’s paper. The Washington Post must be reading The Daily Blonde – http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/13/AR2009081303734.html
.-= Ken Montville – The MD Suburbs of DC´s last blog ..Rockville, MD is HOT =-.
I didn’t see it, but looking at the picture here, I agree 100% with you Cheryl.
We didn’t just fall off the apple cart, and subliminal messaging is everything.
And we wonder why our country is going to hell in a hand-basket? Yes, this is coming from someone who lives in a “Blue state.” Some of us still have morals here and don’t try to let things slide.
“If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck.”
You’re 100% right-on Cheryl.
.-= Cindi ´s last blog ..Life in Dysfunction Junction: Part 3 – Guest Post By The Cat =-.
Teen agers are still not adults, and she’s not old enough to get in to an R-rated movie. Where are her parents? Blondie’s looking out for her kids, shouldn’t Miley’s be looking out for her? I’m not sure Miley should get the Ass-Hat, but Billy Ray for shore…
J
.-= Jenn Hughes´s last blog .._mg_4271 =-.
I don’t think it was that bad either. She was holding onto a pole but she wasn’t gyrating or anything. Granted, it could be taken the wrong way. I do think her shorts were a bit…well…short. But I think there is a lot of hoopla over this that isn’t necessarily deserved. Just my opinion!
My kids watch about 1.5 hours of TV a week if they have time. I’m fortunate…they aren’t fans of TV because I rarely watch it.
However, there are some who support Miley and her “dance moves”. She’s NOT A GROWN UP. 16? Not even close. WHY do people want kids to grow up so fast? I’m not saying don’t let them enjoy some grown up privileges, but to me, that’s something like getting a DRIVER’s LIC. not dancing in shorts that are barely covering her body.
I monitor what my kids do, watch, etc….if that comment was directed at me…pretty easy, because I watch with them. Hannah Montana is everywhere–notebooks for school, tshirts, cheesy sneakers, etc. It’s hard for kids not to notice.
BUT….how about she wait to get out of her Hannah contract and then go show her other “grown up” side?
I think everyone is reading a little too much into it!
Yes! She has a kid fan base but she can’t stay a kid forever.
If we can not communicate to our children that she is grown up now & doing things that are grown up……..
then we need to censor what the kids watch until they are old enough to understand.
My children KNOW that the people you see on tv are actors.
They know not to try to be like people on tv but to be themselves & trust in God to help you live a rightous life.
I do think it’s time for Miley to quit of end the Hannan show.
She is growing into a young woman & her roles should reflect that.
TV is not a babysitter for out children not is it a how to manual.
That’s the parents job!
It is the misconception that this child actors have to stay child like forever & the pressure that leads so many of them to ruin.
I think Miley is a sweetheart & her dance moves are just what is current. Have you watch so you think you can dance lately.
I tell the kids you can’t dance like that until you 18 & thats that.
Thinking that child stars will never grow up is insane.
Just my rant.
I was wondering just how long it would take before something like this would happen. Apparently “cute” only goes so far and then it’s 35 seconds of the ice cream pole for young stars. But seriously, I wonder who is really at the heart of this. I can see that sex sells but it could also be Miley herself trying to slowly open herself up to being seen as more adult and able to accept different roles of a more serious nature. I mean that stripper trick is a far cry from Harry Potter doing frontal nudity in Equus but the message is still the same. All in all I thought it was in poor taste but I think I can see why she did it. I guess it was this or they leak nude pics of her from somewhere…
It’s just a shame that this is now the norm for teen-age girls.
The days of Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best are long gone. Heck, even The Brady Bunch is a fond memory.
Does the fact that the “act” opens with these girls coming out of a trailer mean anything (forget the ice cream cart!). The lyrics, the dance moves. I’m sorry. I’m as lecherous as the next guy but I can restrain myself. Can you imagine other 16 year old girls dressing and prancing like this in a world of guys who might think this is some kind of come-on.
.-= Ken Montville – The MD Suburbs of DC´s last blog ..Is The Real Estate Party About To Begin? =-.
I agree with you. That is too much. But ice cream companies allow cigarette ads on ice cream trucks. Why think they wouldn’t condone this highly sexual behavior from a teen. It sucks. It does!
This is why it is very important to be close to your children and teach them as much as you can.
.-= Gerlaine´s last blog ..Enlightenment =-.
Totally Agree. My daughter loves HM too… but we learn that role models must be backed up by parents and not by companies…
.-= Ariel´s last blog ..El arte perdido de comentar. =-.
I appreciate that everyone has their own opinions…and that’s why there is a comment space.
I agree it looked relatively harmless. She didn’t strip or do anything lewd at all. But the closeups—why keep showing just her on the pole? She’s 16. Apparently that’s the new 25 or 30?
Famous teens will always be rolemodels…or at least kids will want them to be. Everyone wants an “idol” when they are growing up. Sorry, but this isn’t what I was thinking. It hasn’t gotten much better than it was when my oldest daughters were 8 or 9.
I can’t speak for the masses nor do I want to. My blog, my opinion. Please don’t agree with me for the sake of agreeing…that’s boring. However, respect the fact that I thought it was out of line for the majority of Miley’s fans, who are pre-teen.
LOL@ Garnet for teens should not be role models for anyone – no doubt!
I’m just wondering who thought it was a good idea to dress her up like Kid Rock and put her in the My Name is Earl trailer park…
Finally now just got to watch the footage that I’ve been hearing all the hype about.
It’s unfortunate that these young girls are set up as role models in our society, even if not purposely. They’re just living their lives as they, their families, and their “handlers” see fit, while the rest of us point fingers & say, “Hey, don’t you realize my little girl wants to BE you?” (Remember, I have SIX daughters, four of whom are younger than Miley.)
We as consumers and parents certainly can choose what we watch, listen to and buy (thereby ultimately influencing the industry). There are many things produced by Hollywood (even for kids) that we do not allow in our home. If Miley at some point becomes “inappropriate” for my daughters, she’ll be cut from our entertainment list as well. Every parent’s choice.
I didn’t see the ice cream cart pole as a “stripper pole” at all, but rather just what she held onto as the cart moved. Yes, she did squat down once; I don’t know that we should therefore declare the whole thing something lewd.
She’s a young girl, but at 16, she is growing up, and it doesn’t surprise me at all that she’s acting accordingly. So far, I think she’s still OK….taunts of “tawdry” from the people are not going to cause her to start acting younger & “nicer,” but may just cause her to act even MORE “tawdry.” Why the heck not? Nothing to lose at that point.
.-= Ann´s last blog ..annNow: @Alliana07 I JUST finished watching 17 Again with all my kids except the 18yo. It really WAS good! Zac is a talented kid. =-.
Sex and sleeze sells. I saw an article about photos she put up on myspace and I practically spit out my coffee. I’m not a prude (the judge specifically used the words ‘vulgar’ and ‘seemingly amoral’) but if she was my daughter there would have been some serious butt whoppin’ that night.
As to Disney’s latitude and longitude on the whole thing, well… Southpark covered that better than anyone could in a biting parody that in my opinion is probably close to the mark.
Too bad for Billy Ray. Every father wants to do what he can to get his son through college and keep his daughter off the pole. #polefail
.-= John Pruitt´s last blog ..Yes we moved your desk, quit blubbering! =-.
What? Really? I looked at the video, but it looked relatively harmless to me. By your description I thought she was going to be twirling around on the pole or something, but she barely did anything with it.
But then again I don’t tend to think that any teenagers, especially famous teenagers, should be role models for anyone.