Sorry Disney, But You're Kind of a Skank Factory
Next month's Vanity Fair features "provocative" photos, taken by Annie Leibovitz, of Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus. It would likely have come and gone, relatively ripple-free, if Disney hadn't claimed the firm "deliberately [manipulated] a 15-year-old [...] to sell magazines."*
In allegiance with her corporate shareholders, Miley said the photos embarrassed her and apologized to fans.
Maybe Miley's pretend modesty would have been taken seriously if not for the "racy" pictures on her MySpace -- where she allegedly shares her green underpants with all her friends.
Following Vanessa Hudgens' nakiepic orgie ("for my High School Musical boyfriend!" she pleads in defense), the rehab exploits of Lindsay Lohan, and Britney Spears gone totally AWOL, you gotta ask: What's the career track in the Magical World? TV show, hit pop single, choose-your-own-infamy?
Off-topic, ex Disney star Hilary Duff may star in a remake of 90210. I never much liked her but it seems she's turning out all right, along with that one girl from Even Stevens whose name I can never remember.
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*Disney, how can you say that about ANNIE LEIBOVITZ? Her reputation is better than yours. And incidentally, so is Vanity Fair's.
Comments
It's not by accident. You can google the theories yourselves...
Um, isn't it in Disney's mission statement to manipulate 15-year olds? And they're calling out Vanity Fair? If I cared for one nano second about Miley Cyrus I might actually be upset by this.
This is a funny, but strangely insightful, way of looking at the Miley Cyrus scandal. It does seem that Disney may have put its foot in its mouth by attacking Anne Leibovitz and Vanity Fair, and it doesn't help that there is a laundry list of female celebrities that started their careers' at Disney and then eventually took a turn for the worst.
It seems Disney is not doing the best job at making sure that it chooses teen starlets who are levelheaded and stable enough to not end up in rehab or get in a nude picture scandal.
Our culture is filled with messages condoning teen sex and exploiting teens sexually in order to successfully execute the idea that "sex sells," and Hollywood is pushing the envelope further and further to see just how much they can get away with.
Miley must now go lick her wounds and stop trying to transition from a tween queen to an actress or musician that will appeal to an older crowd and adults. There is no such thing as a smooth transition from a child-star to a sexy Hollywood bombshell. Don't believe me--go ask Drew Barrymore or Britney Spears. Either you're a teen queen or your sexy Hollywood siren--you can't be both.
I bow at the altar of that headline. And if you search Skank Factory on Google - AdRants and this post come up first!
Sadly - the URL skankfactory.com is already taken.
Um. Disney is a COMPANY. It's not a substitute for a family, which keeps you from being a fuck-up, or at least protects you when you fall, and keeps you from falling farther.
It's not Disney's fault that all the parents named here seem to be dropping their kids off on their doorstep, taking the paycheck and heading off to Aspen.
As for Vanity Fair's rep, give me a break, it's become as trashy a mag as any. Being a rag for aspirational snobs is not more meritorious than creating populist escapism. Sorry!
That said, I think they (Disney, parents, management) want to end the series, move her to Hollywood Records as "musician" Miley only and graduate her to that stage of her career (I think she's too young and they will regret it - I will be shocked if she ever tours again). There's not fresh money or novelty in her brand and I don't see how they could pump life into it, they might as well just live off the DVD and merch sales, now.
They need to make room for the Jonas Brothers and Demi in the minds of kids and parents everywhere, and we were all ready and receptive and needed an excuse.
Um. Disney is a COMPANY. It's not a substitute for a family, which keeps you from being a fuck-up, or at least protects you when you fall, and keeps you from falling farther.
It's not Disney's fault that all the parents named here seem to be dropping their kids off on their doorstep, taking the paycheck and heading off to Aspen.
As for Vanity Fair's rep, give me a break, it's become as trashy a mag as any. Being a rag for aspirational snobs is not more meritorious than creating populist escapism. Sorry!
That said, I think they (Disney, parents, management) want to end the series, move her to Hollywood Records as "musician" Miley only and graduate her to that stage of her career (I think she's too young and they will regret it - I will be shocked if she ever tours again). There's not fresh money or novelty in her brand and I don't see how they could pump life into it, they might as well just live off the DVD and merch sales, now.
They need to make room for the Jonas Brothers and Demi in the minds of kids and parents everywhere, and we were all ready and receptive and needed an excuse.
Ironic that Annie Leibovitz also shot Disney's recent promotional campaign.
Good point about the promo campaign!! I agree that this is not so much "irony" as a well crafted denouement to the girl's first career phase. Sad to go through that, at 15.
Hopefully she'll go dormant until she's 18, live her actual life for a while, and then try to come back with a transformation. Good luck Miley, see you in 2011!
This is sad. Miley shows that she is q normal teenager, and the world goes in shock. If someone followed your kids every movement then you would all be shocked. Miley made a few mistakes, and this is a good thing for kids. Kids need to know that you can't be perfect, and that when you mess up life goes on. If people freak out over Miley making a few bad choices, then it is no surprise why kids do not talk to there parents when they mess up. People sould use this as a good way to talk to there kids about making mistakes, and letting them know that they can always come and talk to them. If my parents freaked out over something like this they would be the last people I would want to talk to if I had done something wrong. Parents calling miley a skank and such are sending one message to there kids, and that is if you mess up you are a bad person.
Steve...
I thought they were supposed to be "topless" shots. So where are the tits... I mean isn't this the classic "Making a mountain out of a molehill scenario?" OK, maybe not mountains, at 15, more like two tiny, weenie jello molds... But c'mon Steve, if anyone has the unpublished out-takes with the real skin, it has to be you. Show... I promise to plug the shit out of it on AdScam... Where the "Cuss-O-Meter" is now closing in on 46%
Cheers/George
*cough* Christy Carlson Ramano