"Annie Does it Again"

Well, kittens, I went back and forth deciding whether or not to post a blog about the scandal du jour. But reading some comments, I of course developed some opinions.

Miley Cyrus, Teen Idol, Actress and rock star, famous enough to draw the camera of one Annie Leibovitz. I don't know much about her. I am older than the Hannah Montana viewers and even if I wasn't, I never REALLY did the whole teen idol thing. When girls were pissing themselves over New Kids on the Block (oh yes, as young as 7 or 8, they're already going there, parents), I was fawning over the beautiful musical stylings of Pat Boone. So yeah, I'm wierd and always was, and I don't really "get" the parental concern about teen idol "role models". The first time I saw her perform was on American Idol Gives Back. She's very talented, performs with the confidence of a woman twice her age...in every way. She was shooting come hither looks at the camera, her lips in a sexy pout, running her fingers through her hair...She's 15, she can't be a child role model forever. Children grow up, and parents, if there are any of you reading this...15 year olds have sex. Just, come to terms with that. Teach safe sex along with abstinence...children will make their own choice, you can trust that.

If Miley IS going to grow up, I'd like to see her take this sophisticated, artistic road to it. She's been a working stiff for, what, 5 years now? She's more mature than your average 15 year old and no matter how much you paint over that fact with glitter and hair ribbons and "child friendly" paraphernalia...she is no role model, she's too extraordinary. The neighborhood girl who works at the pre-school and walks dogs to make her way through college...THAT'S a role model...there's dignity to that. Singing and dancing and acting...that's just games. Selling yourself (or your child,.. oh yes, I went there!) to get rich and famous...I don't see the dignity in that.

If anybody thinks these teen idols have any choice in whether they do or don't do anything...they're delusional. These kids are being used by Disney, by producers, marketing execs...they are treated like products, not people. Every word out of their mouth is nothing more than ventriloquism. Some over-powered prick up on the top floor thinks he can control the world through this child...and he's wrong. Because art, culture, entertainment...there's no scientific method to it. He can try to manipulate the people, lie to them, herd them along like cattle, but at some point, the curtain will drop, and the great and powerful Oz (Miley) will be discovered as nothing more than a sad old man working the control room. People like Annie Lennox, Bono, Madonna...they last because they controlled their own careers. Will Miley take control of her own? Chances are, she won't. This photo shoot was a chance for her, and by apologizing, whether it was genuine or not (I doubt it was), she took the coward's route.