Lord I just heard on the news about Hannah Montana!

[DammitJanet]

I was watching the news and they were saying that Miley Cyrus has a movie coming out called LOL and in it she plays a girl that is losing her virginity, kissing girls and smoking pot! Keyana was standing right next to me and saw the whole thing. All I could think to say was..oh no! We need to email Hannah and tell her...NO NO Hannah, dont do that! Its a no no! LOL.

Keyana kept shaking her head saying...Hannah's being bad, little girls like her, she is being naughty!

 

[susiestar]

Miley Cyrus is a young woman. Hannah Montana, regardless of her appeal to young girls, is a fictional character. Miley will be 18 in November of this year. She is trying to develop her career as an adult. It is a very difficult transition that many child stars cannot navigate. The things she does in this movie that you have mentioned are things many 17-18 year olds do.

It is a shock if you only think about her as a little kid, but she is now a young woman, trying to develop a career that recognizes she is no longer a child. It really is unfair to try to force her to stick to the image of Hannah Montana. I don't know if she is doing the right things with her career, but she is no longer a child and no longer willing to limit herself to a disney career.

Give her a chance to grow up. She isn't marketing the new movie to the same audience that Hannah Montana attracts. She shouldn't be limited to that audience forever.

Just my opinion. I am sorry Keyana is upset by this, and what she does in the movie isn't the greatest idea for anyone to do, but Miley needs to be allowed to grow up.

When did your kids first try pot? Sex? (I don't need an answer, of course, just something to think about to put it in perspective.)

 

[Marguerite]

There is always a shock-horror reaction when someone we perceive in a particular role seems to totally change direction. A friend does something apparently out of character, for example. With actors it can be a huge challenge when they are perceived in a wholesome light but need to be able to professionally show their diversity.

We have a TV show in Australia, for kids, called "Play School". It is perhaps one of the longest-running TV shows in Australia. It first screened in 1966. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_School_(Australian_TV_series)

Aussie kids grew up with those presenters in their living rooms. One woman, Benita Collings, was a favourite for years. But she is far more professionally than a Play School presenter. There was a lot of discussion when she took a role in a TV drama as an alcoholic mother of a teenager. The role was not flattering. She was depicted as drunk, lying about her alcohol use, hiding it around the place, being aggressive and abusive. Yes, she did worry about what her young fans would think if they saw it and some people said she shouldn't do it. But a performer should not have to be defined by their roles. They can get locked in and it greatly reduces their job opportunities.

Benita is still mostly loved as a former Play School presenter. She was on the show for 30 years! Being a presenter on this show is a highly sought-after performing gig in Australia; it's as much a status thing as being on Sesame Street. It shows you've made it to the elite.

Other Play School presenters include Jay Laga'aia (he was in the last two Star Wars movies as Captain Typho) and Don Spencer (Russell Crowe's father in law). One thing about being a Play School presenter - it's not glamorous. They have to genuinely love kids because the show is set up so the children watching feel they have two adults (first names only) playing with them on the floor in their own homes.

So in my mind, if it's OK for Benita to play an out of control alcoholic (which in a big way was a lesson against alcoholism) then it's OK for Miley Cyrus to take on a similarly meaty role which also may turn out to have a strong positive message for the youth of the world (a message like, "Don't waste your chances").

Marg

 

[DammitJanet]

I just hope she doesnt head down the Lindsey Lohan lane. I dont think she needs to stay Hannah Montana forever but she has taken on these first two movies that came out this year...I cant get them names off my tongue right now and I thought she was really good, at least in the commercials because I havent rented the movies yet. Last Song and something else.

We still need a good, wholesome young lady actor around. We have enough Lindsey Lohans.

 

[TerryJ2]

I disagree that because "some" 17- and 18-yr-olds do this, that Miley Cyrus can and should.

There are plenty of roles out there in adventure films and love stories that would serve as her launching board into adult film.

Typical Hollywood stupidity as far as I'm concerned.

I agree, we have enough Lindsey Lohans.

Time will tell.

 

[Star*]

I may have a convoluted opinion about the entire Hollywood/Disney thing - BUT.....

With regard to Hanna Montanna. I have a hard time believing that SHE herself would promote a movie that is 'bad'. Maybe - this is more on the "this is what happens if" to give the 14,15,16 crowd something to think about in making choices if they are confused and don't have parents or someone to go to when they are confused about sex, or drugs? If it does turn out that she's a bi-sexual, pot smoking 17 year old in a semi-violent film? I'm pretty sure Keyanna has nailed it on the head as far as this young ladies career goes. People will pay to see her do the sex thing - heck people will pay to see dogs do it. So there's nothing "awe-inspiring" as far as I'm concerned about that. The porn industry is a billion dollar a month industry. As far as her continuing to do "kiddie" fun things? No. She's a young lady, and it is time to say good bye to Hanna Montanna.

I don't believe she'll end up like Britney, Lindsey and the rest of that group - I hope not. I'm sorry the others did too - too much too fast. Makes you want to ask their parents was it all worth it?

 

[SRL]

Janet, she's been trying to shake off the HM image for a few years now. Have you seen her Can't Be Tamed music video (don't view with Keyana around):

 

[donna723]

I really don't know about this. I would hope that her parents have a little more sense than Lindsey Lohans, or someone like that, but who knows. I realize that she's not a child any more but if she's a decent enough singer and actress she can have a career and still not get in to things that are risque or inappropriate for a 16 or 17 year old to be doing.

There IS a bit of personal responsibility that comes in to it too. So much of her fan base is made up of children Keyana's age. I was in Walmart recently and at least half of the little girls clothing there either had her name or her picture on it! And can a child Keyana's age really differentiate between Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana? I doubt it. Even if you don't take them to those movies, the commercials will still be popping up on the TV all the time.

 

[susiestar]

I fully agree that it may not have been the wisest choice of roles, or that just because teens in real life do this kind of thing, that means Miley should choose to portray them as a career choice. While it may not be the wisest move, it is also not the worst choice she could make, in my opinion. on the other hand, it sure has gotten a LOT of people talking about her, so maybe it is a wise career mve on some level - I truly have no idea.

The clothing in Walmart is likely due to a contract signed a couple of years ago, if not even before then. She may have thought that the clothing line would have lost some of it's appeal when she chose to do the move and the video. Or she may just be trying to develop a new market and fully saturate the old children's market. The use of her image as Hannah Montana may not even be something that she has any control over. Disney may control that name and image, it all depends on how the contracts are signed. Disney is pretty ruthless about securing rights to various characters and the actors who play the roles. (I would hope Miley's father was savvy enough to keep from signing over all rights, but who knows?)

Kids are not going to be able to separate Hannah and Miley, or they might understand it very well. Isn't the entire Hannah Montana character designed to show the difference between a character and the real person who acts it out? I haven't seen much of the show, but that seems to be the basis of the show, esp in the beginning.

For a very long time Disney had a set in stone policy that none of their original series would last more than 2 years. No new episodes were made after the 2 year mark was reached for many shows - I can remember two that could easily have lasted far longer and were cut off anyway. It is possible that when Miley and her parents/manager/whomevers committed to the movie, the music, etc... that they figured that Miley's Disney career, at least as Hannah Montana, would be over and much of the success of the various product lines would also have peaked in profitability and in the public's memory.

I don't personally think this is a wise movie choice, but I can see how a teen could make some mistakes while transitioning from a child actor to an adult actor.

 

[KTMom91]

Why not email Miley and tell her what Keyana thinks? Not that it will make a difference to Miley, I'm sure, but it helps Keyana stand up for what she thinks is right.

 

[DammitJanet]

Keyana does realize Hannah and Miley are two different people. One is a character and one is a real person. Oddly enough, Keyana is quite good at differentiating fantasy and reality. I think she is older than her years in this. She can look at the show or concerts and tell you which one is Hannah and which one is Miley. She also watches stuff like Law and Order and Criminal Minds which I know probably isnt appropriate age-wise but she will tell you point blank that it is just actors and they are not doing real stuff. She also thinks people are dumb when they open the doors when they should know the "bad guys are always behind the doors"...lol.

I was not so upset about the sex to be honest, it was the drugs. I just dont need Miley or Hannah to tell my child its ok. Ya know?