Miley Cyrus Performance at the TCA

[Darkness]

When I got home from Maryland about two weeks ago, I turned on my television and watched a little bit of the O'Reilly Factor. They had a controversy where people were saying that Miley Cyrus pole danced during her performance at the Teen Choice Awards. I watched the video myself on Youtube and did not find much objectionable about the performance. Even the socially conservative Bill O'reilly did not really have a problem with the performance. I am a media student and want to do some specializing in tween/teenage programming and idols, so this poses particular interest for me. I have been debating people on Youtube on the controversy. Sometimes the debates are progressive, but most of the time (as you can imagine a Youtube debate) they are utterly childlike and, frankly, **** me off. What do you think of Miley's performance? What obligation does she have as a Disney child-star? What are the implications of her being sixteen at the time?

Miley's Performance Video.

 

[YmirGF]

I could only stand to watch for the first two minutes. Might I ask, "What pole dance?" She stood beside a pole on an ice cream stand. So what? Though I am somewhat interested in what kids find fascinating about Ms. Cyrus, surely it is not because of her alleged "talent". My guess is that the kids are enamored by the somewhat slick packaging and are too superficial to look for any real content.

Like, c'mon... "Whoa... there's a party in the USA." Awesome lyrics... *begins gagging*

 

[Watchmen]

Bottom line: it was a pole dance and she's a teenager. Had she done the same thing in an "adult" establishment the place would have been fined at the very least.

Good ol' dad gave her a standing ovation.

 

[monta]

Sometimes a pole is just a pole. If I saw a 6 year old doing the same dance she did while leaning on the pole at the monkey bars I wouldn't find it in anyway disturbing.

sidenote who knew billy ray cyrus was god

 

[Panda]

I could only stand to watch for the first two minutes. Might I ask, "What pole dance?" She stood beside a pole on an ice cream stand. So what? Though I am somewhat interested in what kids find fascinating about Ms. Cyrus, surely it is not because of her alleged "talent". My guess is that the kids are enamored by the somewhat slick packaging and are too superficial to look for any real content.

Like, c'mon... "Whoa... there's a party in the USA." Awesome lyrics... *begins gagging*

Try it on mute, then it isn't torture on your ears.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

I have a six year old daughter so we watch plenty of Hannah Montana. I didn't bother listening to the video but I watched it and it was pretty smutty in my opinion. Hot pants and see through bra showing while dancing outside an old Airstream, very white trash. To be honest I was pretty impressed, Miley's working on coming out of her Disney shell. The pole wasn't any more suggestive than the rest of her dance moves but I challenge you to find a choreographer today who could work up a routine without sexual undertones. Dancing has always had links to sex, just ask the Baptists. (Sorry, couldn't help myself there. ) Anyway, I did find the routine to be sexually suggestive but I wasn't bothered by it nor do I think my six year old is in any danger of being influenced by it.

 

[Nepenthe]

Yeah, I actually watched it...
Nothing particularly noteworthy or controversial imo. If that was a pole dance then it was the tamest pole dance ever performed.
Cyrus is almost 17, it's not like that age demographic isn't interested in expressing their sexuality anyway. Yes, the Kid's Choice Awards are aimed at the 8-14 age range so it's audience is on the cusp of that demographic as well.

 

[J Bryson]

It was a whole lot of nothing, which pretty much fits her entire career to date.

 

[Darkness]

Though I am somewhat interested in what kids find fascinating about Ms. Cyrus, surely it is not because of her alleged "talent". My guess is that the kids are enamored by the somewhat slick packaging and are too superficial to look for any real content.

Like, c'mon... "Whoa... there's a party in the USA." Awesome lyrics... *begins gagging*

Try it on mute, then it isn't torture on your ears.

It was a whole lot of nothing, which pretty much fits her entire career to date.

I know I should have placed a "No Miley Bashing" disclaimer. I am not the least bit interested in discussing the talent or lack of talent of Miley Cyrus. The idea of talent is utterly subjective, so what would be the point. I think the Beatles had horrible music, except for "Octopus's Garden."

The pole wasn't any more suggestive than the rest of her dance moves but I challenge you to find a choreographer today who could work up a routine without sexual undertones. Dancing has always had links to sex, just ask the Baptists.

The point being made with the nickname "Elvis the Pelvis."

Cyrus is almost 17, it's not like that age demographic isn't interested in expressing their sexuality anyway. Yes, the Kid's Choice Awards are aimed at the 8-14 age range so it's audience is on the cusp of that demographic as well.

The Teen Choice Awards is not know for its lack of sexually charged performances. In 2005, they had the Pussycat Dolls perform on stage. Additionally, many of the categories contain adult films, such as Slumdog Millionaire. I think that teenagers should not be shunned from expressing their sexuality. The problem arises when your entire image is based around sexuality. Britney Spears is basically reduced, now, to her bare sexuality.That would be an unhealthy message to send to young children.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Britney Spears is basically reduced, now, to her bare sexuality.That would be an unhealthy message to send to young children.

Britney is a pretty good example of the dark side in my opinion. You can hold her up and say see, this is what happens when you focus on drinking and screwing instead of your life and future.

I find it hard to understand those who throw insults Miley Cyrus' way, why the hate? The girl has talent and very good management through her parents. She acts her age instead of 10 years older or younger. She seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders and acts responsibly. So why the hate? Is it because of Disney? I know some folks who hate everything Disney so Miley is just lumped in with that.

 

[Panda]

Britney is a pretty good example of the dark side in my opinion. You can hold her up and say see, this is what happens when you focus on drinking and screwing instead of your life and future.

I find it hard to understand those who throw insults Miley Cyrus' way, why the hate? The girl has talent and very good management through her parents. She acts her age instead of 10 years older or younger. She seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders and acts responsibly. So why the hate? Is it because of Disney? I know some folks who hate everything Disney so Miley is just lumped in with that.

She isn't a very good singer in my opinion. I also find her to be extremely annoying when saw her on TV over here doing an interview.

 

[monta]

She isn't a very good singer in my opinion. I also find her to be extremely annoying when saw her on TV over here doing an interview.

On Wossy ? Very cringe worthy, she came across as a vacuous, vain, inane, moron completely out of touch with reality.

 

[linwood]

My 8 year old daughter doesn`t like her so I don`t see her that often.

The routine was suggestive but nothing that I`d keep my kid from watching.

Take it from someone who knows pole dancing, that wasn`t pole dancing.

 

[Panda]

On Wossy ? Very cringe worthy, she came across as a vacuous, vain, inane, moron completely out of touch with reality.

Yup that is the one. She seemed to have more than a few screws lose.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Yup that is the one. She seemed to have more than a few screws lose.

Haven't seen that one so I can't comment on it.

 

[Darkness]

I find it hard to understand those who throw insults Miley Cyrus' way, why the hate? The girl has talent and very good management through her parents. She acts her age instead of 10 years older or younger. She seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders and acts responsibly. So why the hate? Is it because of Disney? I know some folks who hate everything Disney so Miley is just lumped in with that.

I think it is that she is a very famous young girl and people bash on her to feel superior in some sick and twisted way. She started singing at fourteen and people think it makes them mature to mock a little girl who sings about what little girls should be singing about.

She isn't a very good singer in my opinion. I also find her to be extremely annoying when saw her on TV over here doing an interview.

On Wossy ? Very cringe worthy, she came across as a vacuous, vain, inane, moron completely out of touch with reality.

I watched that same interview. I found her to be full of energy, funny, adorable and not afraid to be herself. Again, what I said above seems to apply.

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

It wasn't pole dancing, but still pretty suggestive as far as her clothing and dancing went. I'm not surprised, all pop music is like that now. I think it's inappropriate for the age group Miley targets though.

 

[Sunstone]

What do you think of Miley's performance?

Bland and unmoving. But I'm not her target audience.

What obligation does she have as a Disney child-star?

The only obligation a corporation has in our system today is to make a profit for its shareholders. It follows that Cyrus is only obliged to protect the investment the Disney shareholders have made in her and to give them a good return on that investment. You can argue that corporations have other obligations -- moral obligations -- but the corporations themselves are not buying that.

With her performance, Cyrus probably contributed in her own way to the sexualization of millions of very young girls in her target audience who certainly do not need to be sexualized. But she's by no means the only one doing it.

I personally feel strongly that 8-11 year old girls ought to be sexualized if it means more profits for the performers and their corporate sponsors. After all, we must all make sacrifices to insure that capitalism prevails in this tacky world and that profits for the shareholders shall not perish from the face of the earth. Who cares if a few million 8-11 year olds are thrown under the bus in a noble cause?

 

[Sunstone]

I find it hard to understand those who throw insults Miley Cyrus' way, why the hate? The girl has talent and very good management through her parents. She acts her age instead of 10 years older or younger. She seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders and acts responsibly. So why the hate? Is it because of Disney? I know some folks who hate everything Disney so Miley is just lumped in with that.

I wouldn't argue that Cyrus lacks talent. Her talent doesn't appeal to me, but then I'm not her target audience. I would argue however that she is part of the sexualization of young people that corporations in our society have found so profitable to promote.

 

[monta]

I think it is that she is a very famous young girl and people bash on her to feel superior in some sick and twisted way. She started singing at fourteen and people think it makes them mature to mock a little girl who sings about what little girls should be singing about.





I watched that same interview. I found her to be full of energy, funny, adorable and not afraid to be herself. Again, what I said above seems to apply.

Perhaps we will have to accept that what one person finds adorable and energetic another finds obnoxious and assinine. I have never seen any of her work, she is as popular here as she is in the states, my only opinion of her is from this interview, although after this I did hear of an incident where she vowed to ruin Radiohead .