From the ArcaMax Publishing, Parents Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/parents/s-345474-585110
Scene: The 2008 RALPH Awards, held at a highly secret location
somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. On stage, at the brightly-lit
podium, bathed in a glow befitting of their celebrity, stand two
nameless extras from "Alvin and the Chipmunks." After the applause
dies down, one hands the other an envelope...(ripping sound)...she
smiles, leans into the microphone and says, "For parenting with a
15-year-old, Rosemond's Awfully Ludicrous Parenting Honor goes
to...yes!...LETICIA and BILLY RAY CYRUS!"
As Leticia and Billy Ray leave their chairs and make their way to the
stage amidst a standing ovation, a disembodied voice intones "Leticia
and Billy Ray recently allowed their daughter, Miley, known to
millions of young fans as Hannah Montana, to be photographed wearing
nothing but what looks like a sheet, her back exposed, looking
seductively over her right shoulder. The photos, taken by famed
celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz, can be seen in the May issue
of Vanity Fair."
All kidding aside, is this the beginning of yet another female child
star trainwreck? When the photo in question was taken, Ms. Cyrus told
Vanity Fair that she thought it was "artsy" and praised Ms. Leibovitz
for taking a "...like, beautiful shot, and I thought that was really
cool." Now, however, she claims that she is embarrassed by the
photographs and has apologized to her fans. This same embarrassed
15-year-old recently appeared at the 2008 CMT Music Awards in
Nashville wearing a dress that plunged to her diaphragm, giving the
world a peek at the progress of her development. Several months back,
Cyrus and a girlfriend were photographed while frolicking on the floor
of a hotel room. Some people, including yours truly, think the photos
are sexually suggestive, but Miley/Hannah maintains they aren't bad
and that controversy over them is "Satan attacking." Within the past
few weeks, candid photos of a young girl who looks a lot like Cyrus
and that prudes, myself included, would call "inappropriate" have
circulated the Internet, including one in which said young girl is
draped over a guy who looks several years her senior.
Cyrus can apologize to her fans all she wants for the photos in Vanity
Fair. The fact is, she saw them in advance and approved them with
enthusiasm. Her parents, reportedly present at the photo shoot,
presumably saw them and also approved them. The problem is, there's a
pattern here, and the pattern suggests Cyrus isn't receiving adequate
parental supervision or guidance, and history tells us that child
celebrities need a good deal more than Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public's
kids. I certainly accept that it's not possible for parents to provide
constant oversight, but while that caveat may cover the hotel room
frolicking, it doesn't apply to the dress or the Vanity Fair photo.
Before she is a star, Miley Cyrus is a child. Fame has not accelerated
the maturity of previous child stars. Quite the contrary. From Judy
Garland to Britney Spears, the all-too-common story is one of a young
person spiraling downward into a chaos of immaturity.
Somebody needs to pull Miley Cyrus back down to earth before she joins
the club. Her parents are the only people who can do this, really, but
they seem a bit preoccupied at the moment (counting the money?). In
the meantime, I propose that the parents of her young fans pull the
plug on Hannah Montana; that they confiscate all HM merchandise,
including clothing and recordings, and explain to their kids that
until Ms. Cyrus begins acting like she is deserving of being a role
model to prepubescent girls, that her image, in any form, will not be
allowed in the home.
Someone needs to take a stand here. If one girl's parents won't, then
the parents of many girls should.
*About the Author: John Rosemond has written nine best-selling
parenting books and is one of America's busiest and most popular
speakers, known for his sound advice, humor and easy, relaxed,
engaging style. In the past few years, John has appeared on numerous
national television programs including 20/20, Good Morning America,
The View, Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect, Public Eye, The Today
Show, CNN, and CBS Later Today.
Click here to visit Rosemond's Web
site, www.rosemond.com.