Some people hated it. Some people loved it. Some people claimed they didn’t care one way or the other, but all week Lubbock residents have been talking about Miley Cyrus and her risque dance moves at the MTV Video Music Awards Aug. 25.
“My kids, we were all, everybody was pretty much disgusted,” said Debbie Dickey-Pate, mother of three and employee at Wentz Orthodontics.
Although Cyrus has been the subject of ample criticism in Lubbock this week, one local public relations expert says Cyrus’ actions provided a sizable boost to her career -- and none of it was by accident.
“The thing that struck me about that entire affair was just how strategic and calculated the entire thing was,” said Glenn Cummins, an associate professor in the College of Media and Communications at Texas Tech. “I recall leading up to the VMAs she was tweeting some photos ... It was clearly done very intentionally.”
Cyrus tweeted several photos during the week before the VMAs, most of which featured the young singer in provocative clothing. Many of the tweets promoted her new album “Bangerz,” set to release in October.
Lubbock’s response to Cyrus’ actions has been overwhelmingly negative, but most people — especially the teens who grew up knowing Cyrus as the wholesome Disney star Hannah Montana — remain divided on where to place the blame.
Some seniors at Lubbock High School shared their thoughts with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal this week.
“Those child stars, especially Miley Cyrus, I feel like you have to put the fault on the media,” said Katrina Bueno, a Lubbock High student. “You can’t really put the fault on them, much of it. They are the ones doing the actions, but I feel like, maybe consciously or unconsciously, they’re going against what everybody has thought of them and what previously they’ve stood for.”
Brandon Thomas agreed with Bueno.
“I think that we do see the trend of child stars progressing into the model of bad person after they were good,” he said. “This is her way of, I guess, getting free.”
Some students said they were less concerned about Cyrus’ actions and media coverage than they were about the reactions she has received in the public.
“I believe it is society in general,” said Dayton Dorman. “The fault lays on the celebrity, his or her agent, his or her family, the media, but most importantly on the audience ... People had the power to completely forget about talents such as Susan Boyle. They have the power to ignore such trashy displays as Cyrus’s. Therefore this is a much bigger problem than just the media, but rather of the views of society and the psychological need for attention whether good or bad.”
Regardless of how the public feels about Cyrus, her sudden reemergence into the spotlight has been undeniable.
"I hate to use the word brand," said Cummins, "but she stands to benefit from her brand awareness ... Regardless of your attitude, positive or negative, they're certainly aware."
In the wake of all Cyrus' media attention, Dickey-Pate and others remember the less controversial persona of Cyrus their children used to watch on the Disney Channel.
"She had a lot of little girls, really all those characters in those shows, I think a lot of those little girls idolize them," Dickey-Pate said. "Sometimes child stars, when they age and start doing these things, these girls are still following them."
"Amanda Bynes, Lindsey Lohan, all those kids ... I think the last thing I would want right now would be have my child be a child star," she added.
Two local high school students believe that Cyrus and her ilk turn to more provocative performances as they age to retain the fame they had as children.
"She was a star when she was Hannah Montana," said Alexander Morgan-Fleming. "Now she's Miley Cyrus, but no one's like, 'Did you see Miley Cyrus on TV?' This is her way of getting attention again and sort of being in the media spotlight."
Morgan-Fleming's classmate, Ja'lon Clark, agreed.
"Now they've got your attention, and you're still going to like it and listen to it, even if you're like, 'Oh, they're doing all this trashy stuff,'" said Clark.
Cummins, too, believes performers like Cyrus who act out for attention do so to feed the desire to feel famous.
"I think it really is a need," he said. "A sweet, innocent Disney teen, there's no longer a need for that market once they reach a certain age. They either need to reinvent themselves or disappear."
As Cyrus has departed from her original image, Cummins wonders what the effects of the star's new attitude will be on her past work and how Disney will fill that void.
"You don't see Hannah Montana reruns on TV," he said. "I think the kind of downside of this is it takes off that content that could have had a long shelf life."
The emergence of Miley Cyrus, the provocative performer, has effectively killed Hannah Montana, the children's icon. Disney will need a new star, but how will that star respond when her time in the spotl
"They have to come up with somebody else," Cummins noted. "Hannah Montana's grown up, so find somebody else to fill those shoes."
preston.wickersham@lubbockonline.com
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