Miley Cyrus Photo Shoot in Vanity Fair Stirs Controversy and Brings Scandal
Miley Cyrus Photo Shoot in Vanity Fair Stirs Controversy and Brings Scandal
Ubiquitous pop culture princess Miley Cyrus, whose image is displayed everywhere from the TV screen to clothing and lip gloss, is learning the hard way that what is artistic to some is totally inappropriate to others.
The 15-year-old star of the Disney Channel’s hugely successful teen comedy “Hannah Montana” is trying to keep her head above the wave of controversy surrounding a Vanity Fair photo in which she appears to be draped by a silk sheet without any top on underneath it.
The photo, one of a series taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, comes on the heels of Internet photos in which the young star flashes her midriff and a green bra.
Cyrus, who’s become a role model to millions of young girls because of her squeaky clean, good-girl image, has apologized profusely since the controversial photo became public this past weekend, expressing embarrassment over what she thought were to be “artistic” photos. But quotes in the accompanying Vanity Fair article indicate that Cyrus initially had no problem with the photo shoot and thought the photos were “artsy but not in a skanky way.”
Vanity Fair says Cyrus’ parents and/or minders were on the set of the shoot, saw the photos and never had a problem.
The Internet is abuzz with blog postings and survey questions on the appropriateness of Cyrus’ photo, and the impact they could have on her career and her young fans.
Responding to a query from the Post-Gazette, Drew Wilson of Forest Hills concedes he has not seen the photos but, as a father of daughters ages 14 and 16, felt compelled to comment. He believes Vanity Fair and the media helped “create the situation and probably will benefit from it because of more sales on the newsstands … certainly more sales than they would have received if the photos had been of Miley in a non-provocative pose,” he wrote in an e-mail.
“But does that mean the rest of the media was supposed to ignore the fact that someone thought it was OK to photograph a 15-year-old semi-nude and publish it in a national magazine? I don’t think so.”
Marjorie Wells, of Midlothian, Va., thought it was “strange that her father and ‘handlers’ were OK with the pictures in question. I think it’s despicable to exploit a child, and that’s what she is, at 15,” she wrote in an e-mail to the PG.
“If the frontal brain doesn’t mature till the early or mid-20s, then a 15-year-old old certainly doesn’t have the judgment to discern between ‘artsy’-ness and skankiness,” she said.
Former child star Paul Petersen agrees. Best known for his role on “The Donna Reed Show,” he is the founder of A Minor Consideration, a California-based organization that assists child stars through what is often a difficult transition into adulthood.
“Fifteen-year-olds in show biz are not the authors of their fate,” Petersen said. “Anybody who thought the family was duped or didn’t know what they were doing are kidding themselves.
“What we are witnessing is a calculated career move for Miley’s next great adventure,” Petersen said. “I guess the billion dollars that she generated for Disney and her manager mom just weren’t sufficient.”
The road from good girl to sexualized teen is well worn.
The issue was raised nearly a decade ago when tarnished pop star Britney Spears went from a wholesome Mouseketeer to a hip-shaking, midriff-baring teen sensation.
In a scenario that seems to more directly relate to Cyrus’ photo case, nude photos of a 10-year-old Brooke Shields taken with the permission of her mother/manager, Terri Shields, caused a stir, as did the young actress’s nude scenes in the film “Pretty Baby.”
In 1983, Shields sued to prohibit photographer Garry Gross from displaying the nude photos he took of her as a child. But the courts ruled that Gross owned the rights to the photos, which were displayed in Manhattan’s Fine Arts Gallery in 1998.
Shields was able to reinvent herself and reinvigorate her career after taking a break from show business to earn a degree from Princeton. She has been working steadily ever since.
“People have to stop thinking of children as competent thoughtful adults,” Petersen said. “They are not amusements, they are not disposable and for every Miley Cyrus in the popular press, there are tens of thousands of girls in the same dilemma.”
Miley Cyrus Photo Shoot in Vanity Fair Stirs Controversy and Brings Scandal. Editing by David F. Yu