Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Why We Really Should Be Mad At You, Miley Cyrus

 photo P7150216_zps8eaaea79.jpg
Is this a young Miley in the making?
Miley, my objection to your performance on the 2013 VMA show was nothing about covering the eyes of our adolescent music fans for fear they’d become over-sexed by watching a not-quite-adult girl dance suggestively with large fuzzy bears in a cry for attention. It’s not about all the ways you found to pleasure yourself with a large foam finger. It wasn’t that you engaged in one suggestive move after another on the leg of a man almost twice your age.  For me none of that mattered compared to the ultimate sin.

It’s just that the performance was so bad. There simply was no art to the performance.  There was no distinguishable choreography.  The costumes (bear onsies and referee tuxedoes) defied reasoning. I think there was some music but I can’t remember. It was just long minutes of narcissistic prancing. I’m not sure who told you that sticking your tongue out down to you chin was sexy, but you were rockin’ that move like it was your path to salvation.

And that’s why I’m mad at you. Narcissism is trumping quality. Yes, narcissism has earned you a boatload of money, so you don’t have to aim for anything higher. But Miley, girl, wouldn’t it be nice just once to be talked about because you did something better than anyone else? Wouldn’t it be nice to do something so good you didn’t have to defend yourself rather than be the poster girl for all that’s going wrong in pop music?

Instead of tsk tsking or OMGing at this whole non-news story that ate up several news cycles, I’d like to play the role of a concerned aunt for a moment to offer a few words for when you’re ready to listen:

Less is always more

If you have to work that hard to make people believe you’re sexy, you’re not

Find an identity you can live with until the day you die.  I know you’re trying to leave behind your Disney character that made you famous, but how long can you carry on with this hot twerkin’ mess of a persona?  Who will you pretend to be when you’re 40? 50?

What’s with the tongue all the way out to your ear.  Really?

You want to dance while singing?  Think Tina Turner more than the dozens of backup dancers in a hip hop video.

Less is more, I repeat.

The record for number of tweets during a television show really really really doesn’t mean anything in real life.  Any more than being prom queen does once you leave your hometown.

People who criticize something you do aren’t always haters.  Sometimes they have a valid point.

Find one person who’s willing to say “no” to you and listen to him or her.

Study a new language, plant a garden, read a book a week, volunteer at an animal shelter.  In other words, find something to do that has absolutely nothing to do with show business or your entourage and do it often.  Quietly.

If you really want to shock us all, out-class every other person who was on the show or in the audience (you know what I mean, TS) that night.

I’ll shut up now.

Meanwhile here’s a snippet of a musical performance at the FĂȘte de la Musique 
in Dijon this summer that didn’t make me want to divert my eyes.



If you have any opinions about the spectacle that was Miley, by all means share them.  Otherwise, just tell me what you’ve been doing over the summer while I’ve been slaving away at the physical therapist trying to get all parts of my body mobile again.  I wish I knew a way that you could share your vacation photos in the comments box.

9 comments:

Nadine Feldman said...

Well, I'm thankful to Miley that she inspired a post from you, anyway! Some good came of it.

I didn't see the performance, though I feel like I did with what everyone had to say about it. I feel sad for this girl and the path she seems to be on. I hope she's just sowing some wild oats that she'll get beyond before she makes some big mistakes.

Your post was right on, and I think you made a brilliant point when you mentioned the great and classy Tina Turner. That woman could turn up the heat, but she never crossed the line, and her talent is extraordinary.

Liv Rancourt said...

A couple of days before the VMAs, a friend told me I should watch this video. It actually made Miley's VMA moment sadder to me, because the kid's a pretty decent bluegrass singer....but you'd never know it.
http://youtu.be/wOwblaKmyVw

Liv Rancourt said...

The video's of Miley singing the old Dolly Parton song "Jolene", but for some reason blogger didn't embed it like I wanted it to...
;)

Julie Farrar said...

Thanks for sharing the video, Liv. I've seen it. She also did a great job with a song on the recent Bob Dylan tribute album. She's hiding her talent under her outrageous behavior.

Patricia said...

Good advice all around, Julie. Hopefully Miley has a concerned aunt in her life with the same meaningful words for her.
I'm going to be in Nice for a month Sept/Oct, are you going back to your place soon?

Julie Farrar said...

Hi Patricia. I'll be heading back near the end of October. Brad and I have a river cruise planned in November. Looking forward to your pictures.

Catherine said...

If only she could read and understand you piece, she might, just might, get her act together.

Well Said/written.

Julie Farrar said...

Thanks, Catherine. And thanks for reading.

Muriel said...

I think that she has gone mad!

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