Give Miley a break

I have watched The Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana so many times I can almost recite every episode by heart. When Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus’ 3-D Concert movie came to town, my daughter and I were there for the first showing on its first day in town.
The movie didn’t hold Lani’s attention for long, but to me it was pretty entertaining.
The Disney Channel is the most watched channel at our house. Lani, at 4, knows exactly when Hannah Montana comes on television, right after Wizards of Waverly Place and right before the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. It doesn’t matter to her that every episode she watches is a repeat; she is still glued to the television set, vicariously living the life of a rock star.
I find the shows on Disney more than mildly entertaining. I watch them with her a lot. It’s part of our together time. Her dad, however, doesn’t enjoy them as much. He catches bits and pieces of them and comments mostly on how they get on his nerves. A few days ago, he did admit that most of the time Hannah Montana had a good message.
Miley Cyrus seemed to really emerge about the time Brittany and Lindsey started going nuts. She was like breath of fresh air compared to the other teen queens that dominated the news and tabloids. In the back of my mind, I can remember wondering when Miley would fall from grace.
Now there are photos, and they are raising some eyebrows.
The “topless” photograph taken by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair magazine has some people concerned about the direction of Miley’s life and career. Her parents judgement has also come into questions as to whether they should have allowed the photo to be taken.
The photograph shows a side of Miley that no one has really seen. She is topless, yes, but all but her back is covered with a sheet or blanket.
The Vanity Fair photo is art. It can be interpreted in several different ways from sexy and sultry to innocent and vulnerable to malnourished and pale.
Would I include the Vanity Fair photo with the Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana posters in my daughter’s room? No, but that VF photo isn’t reason enough for me to take down her posters and burn all of her Hannah Montana paraphenalia.
I want to believe that Miley Cyrus is a good, talented kid with a promising future. If the VF photos and the supposed risqué ones from her myspace site are to only things that can be held against her, then I also consider her fortunate that she has come this far without something marring her career.
It seems like someone, and a lot of times it is the media, are just looking for something to pin on these kids. The must sit around and think "this will get us the lead story so who cares what it does to the careers, futures and reputations of the kids." Heck, those Jonas Brothers that are on Disney are being questions about their Christianity.
It's something they should think about, though. Look at Miley's dad, Billy Ray, he had to deal with the publication of all the pictures and posters of him with the mullet. And he's finally getting over that.